No CrossRef data available.
Article contents
Problems of J. Mark Ramseyer's “Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War”: On Japan's Licensed Prostitution Contract System
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 March 2025
Abstract
Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
This article offers a critical assessment of J. Mark Ramseyer's analysis of the wartime Japanese military “comfort women” system, “Contracting for sex in the Pacific War,” Closely examining the Japanese sources that Ramseyer cites, it finds the article flawed in distorting the evidence and in confusing the prewar system of prostitution and the wartime system.
- Type
- Research Article
- Information
- Copyright
- Copyright © The Authors 2022
References
Notes
1 Ramseyer, J. Mark. 2021, “Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War,” International Review of Law and Economics, vol. 65, 1-8.
2 See Andrew Gordon and Carter Eckert, 2021, “Statement,” The Asia-Pacific Journal, vol. 19, issue 5, no. 14, 1-4.; Amy Stanley, Hannah Shepherd, Sayaka Chatani, David Ambaras and Chelsea Szendi Schieder, 2021, “Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War”’: The Case for Retraction on Grounds of Academic Misconduct,“ The Asia-Pacific Journal, vol. 19, issue 5, no. 13, 1-28; ”Letter by Concerned Economists Regarding ‘Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War’ in the International Review of Law and Economics“ (February 23, 2021) with more than 3300 signatures. Yoshimi Yoshiaki, a pioneer in the study of Japanese military ”comfort women“ problem, also posted a working paper titled ”Response to ‘Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War’ by J. Mark Ramseyer“ (working paper) on February 23, 2022 in SSRN.
3 Ramseyer, “Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War,” 3.
4 Ramseyer, “Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War,” 2.
5 Ramseyer, “Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War,” 2.
6 Ramseyer, “Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War,” 3.
7 Ramseyer, “Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War,” 3-4.
8 Ramseyer, “Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War,” 6.
9 Kano Masanao, Senzen “ie” no shisō, (Tokyo: Sōbunsha, 1983), 58-59.
10 For instance, Shirota Suzuko, Maria no sanka, (Tokyo: Kanita shuppanbu, 2008); Mori Mitsuko, “Kōmyō ni megumu hi” (1926) in Tanigawa Kenichi (ed) Kindai minshū no kiroku 3 shōfu, (Tokyo: Shinjinbutsu ōraisha, 1971) and Harukomanikki (1927) (Tokyo: Yumani shobō 2004); Masuda Sayo, Geisha: kutō no hanshōgai, (Tokyo: Heibonsha, 1995); Takeuchi Chieko, Shōwa yūjo kō, (Tokyo: Miraisha, 1989), Onioi, (Tokyo: Miraisha, 1990) and Hōzuki no mi wa akaiyo, (Tokyo: Miraisha, 1991); Miyashita Tadako, Omoigawa: Sanya ni ikita onnatachi, (Tokyo: Akashi shoten, 2010); Kawada Fumiko, Kōgun iansho no onnatachi, (Tokyo: Chikuma shobō, 1993) and others.
11 Yoshimi Yoshiaki, Jūgun ianfu, (Tokyo: Iwanami shoten, 1995), Jūgun ianfu shiryōshū, (Tokyo: Otsuki shoten, 1992) and many others.
12 Kawashima Takeyoshi, “Jinshin baibai no hōritsu kankei (1),” Hōgaku Kyōkai Zasshi, vol. 68, no.7, 1951, 706 and 711.
13 Chūō shokugyō shōkai jimukyoku, “Geishōgi shakufu shōkaigyō ni kansuru chōsa” (1926), 35-51 and 127-132.
14 Kōhōgakkai (ed), Keikan jitsumu hikkei (Tokyo: Tokyo shuppansha, 52) says that prostitutes are not allowed to leave their designated brothel districts without permission.
15 Chūō shokugyō shōkai jimukyoku, “Geishōgi shakufu shōkaigyō ni kansuru chōsa,” 108-110.
16 Maki Hidemasa, Jinshin baibai, (Tokyo: Iwanami shoten, 1971), 217; KawashimaTakeyoshi, “Jinshin baibai no hōritsu kankei (1),” 709-710; Wakao Noriko. 2011, “Jinshin baibai: sei doerisei o kangaeru” in Fukuto Sanae and Mitsunari Miho (eds) Jendāshi sōsho, vol. 1, kenryoku to shintai (Tokyo: Akashi shoten, 2011) 243.
17 Maki, Jinshin baibai, 217-218; Kawashima, “Jinshin baibai no hōritsu kankei (1),” 710.
18 Kawashima, “Jinshin baibai no hōritsu kankei (1),” 708.
19 Kawashima, “Jinshin baibai no hōritsu kankei (1),” 704.
20 Fuse Tatsuji, Kōshōjihai no senjutsu to hōritsu (Tokyo: Kōseikaku shoten, 1926), 32-33 and 40; Onozawa, Akane. 2015, “Seidorei sei o megutte” in Kikan sensō sekinin kenkyū, vol. 84, 8.
21 Onozawa, “Seidorei sei o megutte,” 5-9.
22 Onozawa, Akane. Kindai Nihon Shakai to Kōshō Seido (Tokyo: Yoshikawa kōbunkan, 2010), 183-223.
23 Naimushō keihokyoku, Kōshōseido Taisaku (1935) in Suzuki Yuko (ed), 1998 Nihon Josei undō shiryō shūsei vol. 9 jinken, haishō II (Tokyo: Fuji shuppan). 248.
24 Fukumi Takao, Teito ni okeru baiin no kenkyū, (Tokyo: Hakubunkan, 1928).
25 Kusama, Yasoo, Jokyū to baishōfu, (Tokyo: Hanjinsha, 1930).
26 Ōkubo Hasetsu, Kagai fūzoku shi, (Tokyo: Ryūbunkan, 1906).
27 Ito Hidekichi, Kōtōka no kanojo no seikatsu, (Tokyo: Jitsugyō no nihonsha, 1931 [reprinted by Tokyo: Fuji shuppan, 1982]).
28 Chūō shokugyō shōkai jimukyoku, “Geishōgi shakufu shōkaigyō ni kansuru chōsa” (1926).
29 Kusama, Jokyū to baishōfu, 180-183.
30 Ito, Kōtōka no kanojo no seikatsu, 226-228.
31 Ōkubo, Kagai fūzoku shi, 233-236.
32 Ramseyer, “Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War,” 2.
33 Ramseyer, “Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War,” 2.
34 Fukumi, Teito ni okeru baiin no kenkyū, 69.
35 Fukumi, Teito ni okeru baiin no kenkyū, 119-120.
36 Kusama, Jokyū to baishōfu, 175-178.
37 Kusama, 178-189.
38 Although the payment date is set one month after the loan date (item 1, Article 1), the contract stipulates that the interest is 10% per year in item 2. We can understand from Kusama's explanation the reason for this seemingly contradictory content, which is that it was recognized from the beginning that she would not be able to repay the debt in a month and would continue to repay it over many years.
39 Kusama, Jokyū to baishōfu, 179-180.
40 Ramseyer, “Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War,” 2.
41 Fukumi, Teito ni okeru baiin no kenkyū, 70.
42 The restriction of the terms of service for prostitutes started because “Commonly, once a woman sank into prostitution, it is hard to wash her hands of the business.” Yet, there were prefectures that did not limit the terms of service. Those prefectures included Hokkaido, Iwate, Akita, Saitama, Niigata, Toyama, Shizuoka, Mie, Saga, Kagoshima, and Okinawa. Prefectures that allowed brothels to extend terms when prostitutes borrowed more money over the course of their terms included Aomori, Miyagi, Yamagata, Chiba, Tokyo, Ishikawa, Nagano, Yamanashi, Gifu, Osaka, Totoro, Kagawa, Tokushima, Kochi, Fukuoka, Nagasaki and Miyazaki (Naimushō keihokyoku, “Kōshō to shishō,”1931 [Baibaishun mondai shiryō shūsei: senzen hen, vol. 20, Tokyo: Fuji shuppan, 2003], 76).
43 Ramseyer, “Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War,”2.
44 Fukumi, Teito ni okeru baiin no kenkyu, 99-100.
45 Ramseyer, “Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War,” 2.
46 See 2-2 Why Did Human Trafficking Persist?
47 Fukumi, Teito ni okeru baiin no kenkyū, 59.
48 Ramseyer, “Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War,” 2.
49 Fukumi, Teito ni okeru baiin no kenkyū, 60.
50 Ramseyer, “Contracting for Sex in the Pacific War,” 2-3.
51 Kusama, Jokyū to baishōfu, 281.
52 Fukumi, Teito ni okeru baiin no kenkyū, 72.
53 Kusama, Jokyū to baishōfu, 285-286.
54 Chūō shokugyō shōkai jimukyoku, “Geishōgi shakufu shōkaigyō ni kansuru chōsa,” 130.
55 Chūō shokugyō shōkai jimukyoku, “Geishōgi shakufu shōkaigyō ni kansuru chōsa,” 132.
56 Kusama, Jokyū to baishōfu, 282.
57 Kusama, Jokyū to baishōfu, 286.
58 Chūō shokugyō shōkai jimukyoku, “Geishōgi shakufu shōkaigyō ni kansuru chōsa,” 111-122.
59 Kusama, Jokyū to baishōfu, 213.
60 Kusama, Jokyū to baishōfu, 267-270.
61 Kusama, Jokyū to baishōfu, 269.
62 Fukumi, Teito ni okeru baiin no kenkyū, 118.
63 “Sensō to josei eno bōryoku” risāchi akushon sentā (Violence Against Women in War Research Action Center), Nishino Rumoiko, and Onozawa Akane (eds), Nihonjin “ianfu,” (Tokyo: Gendai shokan, 2015); Onozawa, Akane. “Geigi, shōgi, shakufu kara mita senjitaisei: nihonjin ‘ianfu’ mondai towa nanika,” Rekishigaku kenkyūkai, Nihonshi kenkyūkai (eds), “Ianfu” mondai o/kara kangaeru (Tokyo: Iwanami shoten, 2014); Onozawa, Akane, “The Comfort Women and State Prostitution,” The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus, vol. 16, Issue 10, no. 1, Article ID 5143, May 15, 2018.
You have
Access