1938 Mar 4 - Notice Concerning Comfort Women in China

The following is a March 4, 1938 notice to Japanese military commanders in China concerning Comfort Women.

Title: “Matters regarding recruitment at military comfort station”

<Notification>
From: Assistant
To: Army Chief Generals of the troops in northern China and of the expeditionary force in central China

When brokers recruited comfort women for establishment of brothels during Sino-Japanese war, there were more than a few infamous cases to which we need to pay attention: the case of some brokers using the authority of the Japanese military for their recruitment, as the result, they ruined the credibility of the Japanese military, which led to a misunderstanding of ordinary people, the case that some brokers used an unruly method of recruiting through embedded journalists and visitors, causing social problems, the case that some brokers were arrested and placed under investigation because their recruiting method was similar to kidnapping. From now, as regards the recruitment of comfort women, the expeditionary force must properly choose and control brokers who recruit comfort women. Also, it is necessary to cooperate with military police and law enforcement authorities. To keep the prestige of Japanese military and to consider social problems, take careful note without omission. 

 March 4, 1938