Why Japan Opposed New Zealand's Plans To Honour Victims Of Sexual Slavery During WWII?

Last Updated:April 28, 2026, 17:33 IST

A proposal to erect a statue in Auckland in memory of "comfort women" who were forced into sexual slavery by Japan during World War II was halted after opposition by Tokyo.

New Zealand has reportedly halted a plan to erect a statue symbolising the sacrifice of women who were forced into sexual slavery by Japan during World War II in a public garden in Auckland, after the Japanese embassy warned of a diplomatic feud.

New Zealand was presented with a bronze statue of a girl seated next to an empty chair by the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance, a non-government group advocating against military sexual slavery. The statue was an honour of the so-called “comfort women", a name used for hundreds of thousands of women who were forced into prostitution to serve Japanese soldiers during the war.

However, the plan was voted down by the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board in Auckland. Kim O’Neill, head of Land and Property Advisory at Auckland Council, told the BBC that council staff had suggested the proposal be rejected “based on the results of the public consultation and feedback received, which demonstrated a lack of community support for the proposal".

Who Are Comfort Women?

The Imperial Army of Japan was notorious for widespread human rights abuses, military authoritarianism and extreme brutality during its expansionist phase in the early 20th century. During World War II, at least 200,000 women and girls, mostly from Korea, China, the Philippines and other territories, were forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army.

The victims were called “comfort women", but behind the term hid the coercion, abduction and sexual violence of thousands of women and girls, many of whom were teenagers, in the military-run brothels. The victims endured physical abuse, disease, and extreme psychological trauma. Many died during their ordeal, and many others died later.

Since the late 20th century, many survivors and activists have demanded formal apologies, historical recognition, and compensation from Japan. However, textbooks in Japan remain virtually silent on the issue, and many Japanese politicians continue to claim that the women worked in the brothels voluntarily, as per BBC.

Why Japan Opposed NZ’s Plans?

New Zealand’s government had earlier confirmed that Japan had “made formal representations" on the issue, saying the installation of the statue could have a “significant impact" on the diplomatic relations between Japan and South Korea.

“I am concerned that it will cause division and conflict within New Zealand’s wonderful multi-ethnic and multicultural society and between Japanese and Korean communities peacefully co-existing in New Zealand," Japan’s Ambassador to New Zealand, Makoto Osawa, wrote in a letter to the Auckland Council.

While Osawa said Japan did not intend to deny or trivialise the existence of the issue, he asserted that authorities have, over the years, been “earnestly addressing" diplomatic issues with Korea.

Similar statues have been installed in various parts of the world, with the first unveiled in Seoul in 2011. In 2018, Japan’s Osaka severed ties with San Francisco over the latter’s display of a similar monument.

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