Harvard Professor's Controversial Remarks on Comfort Women Draw Widespread Criticism... Japan Steps in to Support

by Oh Hyungil

Published 12 Feb.2021 13:07(KST)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Hyung-gil] The controversy surrounding the paper by Harvard Law School professor Mark Ramseyer, who labeled Japanese military comfort women victims as 'prostitutes,' is spreading.

As the paper was released, the Korean Student Association at Harvard University immediately issued a statement not only refuting it but also, with criticism joining from political circles and academia, it has rapidly become a focal point of interest in American society under the new Joe Biden administration, which emphasizes human rights.

Republican U.S. Representative Young Kim (Korean name Kim Young-ok, California) tweeted on the 11th (local time), "Professor Ramseyer's claims are not true, misleading facts, and disgusting."

Suspicion about the reliability of Ramseyer's paper is also growing, especially among historians.

Accordingly, the international academic journal that planned to publish Ramseyer's paper has expressed concern and launched an internal investigation.

The International Review of Law and Economics posted on its website, "We are issuing an 'expression of concern' to inform readers that concerns have been raised regarding the historical evidence presented in the paper," adding, "We are currently investigating these claims, and the journal will provide additional information when possible."

The International Review of Law and Economics had planned to publish the paper in its March issue. However, the publication was halted due to questions about the research's reliability.

Meanwhile, Japanese scholars have come out in support of Harvard Law School professor Mark Ramseyer.

According to an "open letter supporting Professor Ramseyer" posted on March 10 on Twitter by Ezaki Michio, Vice Chairman of the Japanese Historical Awareness Research Association, six historians in Japan, including Ezaki, expressed their support for the paper to the editorial board of the International Review of Law and Economics, which planned to publish the controversial paper.

The open letter was signed by six people in total, including five Japanese scholars and Associate Professor Jason Morgan of Reitaku University in Japan.

They claimed, "Professor Ramseyer's paper has become a new target of American-style 'cancel culture,'" describing the paper as "an outstanding scholarly work based on remarkably extensive primary sources."

They added, "It is a great achievement worthy of praise and should not be subject to censorship."

They encouraged, "Instead of canceling the work of a talented and conscientious scholar, colleagues should be allowed to access Professor Ramseyer's academic results," pressuring for the paper to be published as scheduled in the March issue.