Speaker: Tomomi Yamaguchi, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Montana State University

An issue of intense controversy in the past few years in Japan is “comfort women”, with many in the right wing relentlessly attacking the accepted historical narrative and denying that there was any government involvement in, or corresponding responsibility for, a system of sexual slavery. Right-wing media and intellectuals have begun to use the term “history wars” to refer to this development. Based on extensive fieldwork with right-wing individuals and organizations, this lecture reviews this ongoing controversy, and discusses how this issue functions as an important rallying point to tie together disparate right-wing elements and the Abe government. This lecture will also address the recent diplomatic agreement between South Korea and Japan, and subsequent reactions.

Tomomi Yamaguchi is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Montana State University – Bozeman (Ph.D., University of Michigan). She is a cultural anthropologist and studies social movements in Japan, especially regarding feminist and right-wing movements.