But the issue of sexual slavery for the Japanese army during the war remains unsettled still now.

Japan has persistently refused to sincerely repent of its past unethical crimes and make an apology and reparation.

The international community is scathingly denouncing the Japanese government for its brazen-faced behavior, strongly urging an immediate settlement of the issue.

The campaign for its settlement has been conducted worldwide.

The issue has become outstanding from 1991 by a victim's testimony.

From then, activities for finding out the victims have been made in various countries.

In Japan, too, public figures and civic organizations have carried on activities for its settlement.

The issue has come up for discussion at meetings of various international organizations from 1992.

In 1993, the International Commission of Jurists dispatched fact-finding groups to the north and the south of Korea, the Philippines and Japan.

The United Nations Human Rights Commission appointed a special rapporteur on violence against woman to release reports on the crimes related to the sexual slavery.

In 2007, the Foreign Relations Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a resolution urging the Japanese government to make an official apology for the sexual slavery for the Japanese army during the Second World War.

The resolution suggested that an official apology for the issue be made only through an open statement by the Japanese prime minister.

In November 2010, civic organizations in Asian and European countries and the United States presented to the Japanese government a 600 000-signature letter calling for taking a legal measure for making an open apology and reparation for the victims.

An event took place at the Capitol on July 24, 2012 to mark the 5th anniversary of the resolution on sexual slavery.

The event underscored the need to bring the issue to the UN and develop the resolution to be an international convention that stipulates incriminating violence against women in war.