Reiwa 6 (Wa) 699 Damages Claim Case

In 2025, the Tokyo District Court adjudicated Case No. Reiwa 6 (Wa) 699, a damages lawsuit initiated in 2024 by Lee Yong-soo, a prominent South Korean former "comfort woman," and two other survivors. They sought compensation from the Japanese government for physical and psychological suffering caused by the military brothel system during World War II. The plaintiffs argued that Japan's wartime acts constituted crimes against humanity and that the 1965 bilateral claims agreement did not extinguish individual rights to reparation. The court examined the applicability of state immunity and the settlement agreement, ultimately dismissing all claims. The case became a focal point in the ongoing legal and diplomatic struggle over historical injustices between Japan and South Korea.

The Tokyo District Court dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that all individual claims were conclusively settled by the 1965 agreement and that the Japanese government was protected by the principle of state immunity. The plaintiffs announced an appeal.

Whether the 1965 Japan-Korea Claims Settlement Agreement eliminated individual victims' right to claim compensation, and whether Japan enjoyed state immunity from such lawsuits in its domestic courts.

The ruling provoked strong condemnation from South Korean survivor groups and civic organizations, triggering protests and diplomatic tensions. It complicated the recently improved bilateral relations and reignited public debate on unresolved historical issues, casting a shadow over ongoing reconciliation efforts between the two nations.