Comfort Women in Indonesia: A Report on Dutch Archival Materials

For submission to the Asian Women’s Fund

by
Mayumi Yamamoto
William Bradley Horton

September, 1998

With Slight Modifications

December, 1998

Initial English version approved for publication by the Asian Women’s Fund by the archivists
of the Rijksinstituut voor Oorlogsdocumentatie, the Algemeen Rijsarchief, and the Ministerie
van Buitenlandse Zaken.
 Publications on comfort women are rarely based on substantial, reliable documents,
but rather primarily based on a rapidly changing set of testimonies and newspaper reportage.
This situation, due in part to a lack of archival material, in turn results in the easy
manipulation or denial of the histories of the war and comfort women for political purposes,
and makes understanding this part of history even more difficult.

Archival documents related to Indonesia held in the Netherlands are one of the most
likely sources of information on comfort women, since the Netherlands apparently convicted
more Japanese on charges related to prostitution than any other nation. 1 This impression is
further supported by Asahi Shimbun’s August 30, 1992 disclosure of parts of verdicts and the
interrogations from a B/C Class War Tribunal in Batavia on the Semarang Incident (see
below), documents which were obtained in the General State Archives in the Netherlands. 2
However, one of the few studies based on substantial archival material is a report prepared
for the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament in 1993 by Bart van Poelgeest, a ground
breaking study which has since been translated into English and Japanese. 3 This study of
archival documents held in the Netherlands is still unique in the breadth of the material
consulted and in the scope of the information presented. However, this study was limited in
several important ways.

1
This claim was advanced by Chaen (1992: 268) who claimed that 30 people were
convicted on prostitution related issues by the Netherlands, one person by the U.S., and one
person by China.
2
One of the same verdicts was obtained by an organization of former internees and
POWs seeking compensation and provided as evidence for a lawsuit for their legal team on
January 25, 1994. Selected parts of this verdict were then translated into Japanese and
published in Kikan Senso Sekinin Kenkyuu, No. 3 (Spring 1994), p. 44-50.
3
Poelgeest 1993, 1994a, 1994b.

1
 First, the study aimed only to discuss “forced prostitution” and women who were
Dutch nationals, thus primarily Europeans and Eurasians. 4 Information about Indonesian,
Chinese, Japanese, or Korean women was either incidental or not mentioned at all, and thus
the question of whether or not Dutch archival documents provide substantial information
about non-European comfort women still remains unanswered. Second, Poelgeest’s
investigation was shaped by the need to clearly differentiate between forced5 and non-forced
prostitution, an a priori distinction which masks the complex nature of events during this
period despite the author’s attempt to be objective. Due to this limitation his study excludes
discussion of many cases and can not present a holistic picture of comfort women in
Indonesia.

Third, as a government document prepared for submission to parliament, this study is

a political text. This does not diminish the value of this study, but it does require careful
reading and reanalysis of the data. This is clear, for example, in the simple statement that
prostitution was illegal in the Netherlands, the Netherlands-Indies, and Japan. The purpose
was to establish the universality of laws against prostitution, and thus make the violation of
“universally accepted” rules of law by Japan even more clear. In fact, in 1925 Japan
accepted modified versions of the 1904 and 1910 Paris treaties which banned use of force in
recruiting women and banned prostitution of children (defined in 1904 as under age 20, in
1910 as under 21, but under 18 in the version Japan accepted in 1925) and the 1920 Geneva
“International Treaty on the Prohibition of the Trafficking of Women and Children”.
However, the versions signed by Japan excluded their colonies from the age restrictions and
only governed the movement of women and children between countries, which notably

4
Eurasian was not a legal category in the Netherlands East Indies. Legally
recognized children of Europeans were given European legal status. Due to the difficulty of
differentiation, unless it is specifically noted that an individual is Eurasian, the label
“European” will be used for both groups.
5
The reason why “forced prostitution” was selected as the subject was probably
that the Netherlands government in Indonesia considered “abduction of girls and women for
the purpose of forced prostitution” a war crime resulting in a large body of archival
documents (Piccagallo 1979; Groot 1990). Of course the fact that it is easy to generate a
moral consensus against forced prostitution (as opposed to licensed or military prostitution)
even in a country with a tradition of prostitution like the Netherlands may have played a role
in this decision.

2
allowed movement of women for “domestic” prostitution between Japan and her colonies. 6
In fact, prostitution in Japan was legal until 1956, although strict regulations designed to
control venereal disease and other bad effects of prostitution were in place. 7

6
Yoshimi (1992: 33-36).
7
Baishun Taisaku Shingikai (1959: 276).

3
 The situation in the Netherlands-Indies was also not quite as clear as suggested.
Regulated prostitution existed throughout the 19th century, with municipalities responsible
for regulation after 1874. Special brothels for military personnel also existed throughout
this period and Japanese prostitutes in Riauw were even provided with prophylactics by the
Netherlands Navy.8 Military brothels like these in the Netherlands-Indies were an
innovation which Japan first developed during the Siberian Campaign of 1918-20 to deal
with venereal disease.9 It was only in the 1910s that the situation in the Netherlands-Indies
changed substantially, with health inspections by local authorities stopping in 1911 and the
regulation for prostitution ending in 1913 with the application of public morality laws. The
legal status of different types of prostitution in the Indies after 1913 is less clear, but in any
case the authorities had very few tools to control small scale prostitution and accordingly it
flourished throughout the final years of Dutch rule.10

Fourth, although designed in part as an inventory of documents held in Dutch archives,

there was only a simple list of file numbers attached to the end of the study. A researcher
using the Poelgeest report as a guide will be forced to examine all referenced files, which
would be very time consuming. Additionally, readers are frequently unable to determine
whether the account about forced prostitution in a given location is based on one isolated
report, or whether a number of independent reports confirmed the accuracy of the story.
Finally, because the documents consulted were merely listed by file number, the reader has
only the vaguest of ideas about who the informants were and what type of documents were
used in constructing this study. The report only states that “[t]hese documents consist
largely of statements submitted by witnesses, victims and suspects and a number of
judgements, with the relevant documents, of the temporary war tribunal at Batavia, which
was responsible for trying war criminals and collaborators.” 11 Thus there is no
accountability; the reader either can trust Poelgeest’s conclusions or reject them, but the
reader can not assess the conclusions on the basis of the data.

8
Hesselink (1987: 216-7).
9
Yoshimi (1995: 18); Suzuki (1993: 234-6).
10
d.B. (1919: 511-515); Hesselink (1987: 207); Ingleson (1986)
11
The English translation is taken from Poelgeest 1994a. The Japanese
translation (of Poelgeest 1994a) is taken from Poelgeest 1994b.

4
 The primary purpose of our archival research in the Netherlands was to identify and
re-examine archival materials, and in the process to contribute to a reconstruction the history
of comfort women. As most documents were indeed either prepared for use in trials of
Japanese or in the investigation of collaborators, they are clearly shaped in purpose and
sentiment by the postwar context. In accordance with the multiple goals of discussing (1)
the holdings of the archives and (2) information about comfort women and prostitution, we
will present brief descriptions and supplemental information about comfort women and
prostitution in different locales, including limited citations of documents from different
archives. We also will append a list of relevant documents and additional information from 5
archives (BZ, PG, NEFIS, Vos de Wael, and RIOD). As this is a report on one research trip,
we have not made a special effort to combine this information with already published data,
although some references and supplementary information have been added for various
reasons. While this discussion of a limited set of material does not replace Poelgeest’s
report, we hope that the information presented in the discussion and appendix will help both
general readers and future researchers.

The subject of this research, comfort women [ianfu],12 is not easy to clearly define.
The most effective definition is that any woman providing “sexual services” in a military
owned, operated, supervised, or appointed site such as a “comfort station” [ianjo] or brothel
can be considered a comfort woman. Under this definition, the question of who used the
brothel, while significant for any complete discussion, is not a deciding factor for inclusion.
Military appointed brothels owned privately and intended for the use of civilians can still be
considered an ianjo. In practice, however, it is difficult to ascertain how a particular brothel,
bar, restaurant, or hotel was organized, who owned and operated it, and whether it was
operated under military authority. Additionally, the range of actual arrangements means
that there are very few clear cut divisions, and any information about prostitution during the
Japanese occupation of Indonesia is relevant. In some cases, even the line between

12
The archival documents examined used a wide variety of terms for the women
and the institutions within which they worked. These terms included (among others) geisha,
prostitutes, vrouwen en meisjes [women and girls], tea houses, yoshiwara, brothels, bordelen,
bars, and in one document ianjo. As terms used in the documents were not essential to this
report, and in fact made the Japanese version incomprehensible, we have simplified this
vocabulary somewhat in the English version of this report, and simplified them even further
in the Japanese language report. Ianfu (comfort women) and ianjo (comfort stations), as the
subject of our research, were the most common terms used in the Japanese version.

5
mistresses of Japanese men and comfort women is not clear, especially as the means of
recruitment was often the same. One issue which is clearly separate, however, is the issue
of rape. Rape victims, as victims of individual acts of sexual violence, are outside of this
definition of comfort women, except insofar as these victims were also placed in military
brothels.

The research which was undertaken at the request of the Asian Women’s Fund was
conducted over a 6 week period of 1998, and involved examination of parts of the collections
at each of the three main Dutch archives. This limited time frame and the large amount of
archival material meant that we were only able to examine a part of the materials cited in the
Poelgeest report. The part which was examined, however, does add to our knowledge of
comfort women in Indonesia and supplements the Poelgeest report. It should be also noted
that due to the sensitivity of this subject and the obvious need to preserve some degree of
individual privacy, Dutch law requires that the archives strictly control access and use of
archival material related to comfort women. Names of individuals (both victims and
victimizers) are particularly sensitive, and special care needs to be taken to protect many of
these individuals, which we have tried to do here.13

Before moving into discussion, we would like to introduce the character of each
archive, as a means of explaining the nature of the documents which we have examined.

13
Accordingly, the initial draft of this report has been approved by the responsible
archivists of ARA, BZ, and RIOD to confirm that we have followed our contract with the
Dutch government and to insure the privacy of individuals. We greatly appreciate the
assistance of these archivists as well as the other employees of these archives.

6
The archives

Material related to comfort women in Indonesia are held in three locations in the
Netherlands: the Algemeen Rijksarchief or General State Archives (ARA) in Den Haag
which is the repository for the archives of most government organizations and some
individuals, the Rijksinstituut voor Oorlogsdocumentatie or State Institute for War
Documentation (RIOD) in Amsterdam which collected materials from the occupation period
as well as memoirs and other post-war documents relevant to the study of the war, and
Buitenlandse Zaken or Foreign Ministry (BZ). While some documents are duplicated, each
archive contains different types of documents which were collected for different purposes.

RIOD is perhaps the most highly organized archive. According to data compiled by
Jaquet (1983: 326), this archive has around 40 running meters of documents about Indonesia
in 1942-1945, in addition to around 180 diaries, around 10,000 photographs, numerous
magazines, and a small library. After permission is granted, staff members assist
researchers in locating documents related to their subject and bring the documents to the
reading room. This allows a researcher with limited time–perhaps a few weeks or
months--to quickly obtain the documents which are most critical to his/her research, although
a much longer period of time would be necessary in order to locate all relevant documents.

One valuable resource at RIOD is the large collection of wartime intelligence reports
from NEFIS. These English language reports, largely based on interrogation of captures
enemy soldiers, Indonesian paramilitary troops, and Indonesian civilians, provide some
limited information about a wide range of subjects including location of brothels, movement
of women, etc. While the brevity of the notes and the hear-say quality of much of the
information makes over-reliance on these reports dangerous, in many cases the information
presented match other reports or post-war memories. Only a small number of NEFIS
reports held by RIOD were examined for this report, so only two reports which mentioned
military brothels in Malang, Kalijati and Surabaya are listed. While there are a limited
number of Japanese language documents, the Poelgeest report did not use them and our
research permission did not originally allow access to them. 14

14
In response to our last minute request, permission to access one document was
kindly granted. Unfortunately, this permission was granted was after our departure from the
Netherlands, so discussion of this document is not possible at this time.

7
 The General State Archives contain a number of different archives with material
related to prostitution and comfort women. Most of these archives are very large and the
material related to prostitution and comfort women is scattered. Also as the origin of each
archive is different, the type of material in each archive is very different. The first archive
is Het Archief van de Procureur-Generaal bij het Hooggerechtshof van Nederlands-Indië,
1945-1949 or The Archive of the Attorney-General at the High Court of Justice of the
Netherlands-Indies, 1945-1949 (PG). The archive was reorganized after the Poelgeest
report was written, so it is very difficult to ascertain which files were used in the compilation
of his report. While Poelgeest cited 92 file numbers, there are around 356 files which
correspond to these old numbers, or 24% of the archive. The second archive is from the
Algemene Secretarie or General Secretariat of the Netherlands Indies Government (AS), and
so has documents about a wide range of issues. The existence of some of this material is
already well known, including material related to the trials of Japanese Officers and Civilians
(of various Asian backgrounds) in relation to the Semarang, Muntilan and Blora incidents. 15
For this reason, as well as time considerations, we did not examine many documents from
this archive for this report. The third archive examined is the Netherlands Forces
Intelligence Service archive (NEFIS). The materials in this archive are primarily postwar
files on individuals and thus the information in this archive is very scattered and personal.

15
See the catalog of this archive, especially Graaff & Templaars 1990.

8
 The fourth archive at ARA is the Private Archive of Mr. A.F.X. Vos de Wael. 16 The
most interesting part of this archive consists of interrogations in Kandy (in Sri Langka) of
Dutch citizens being repatriated to Europe, although some of the interrogations were
conducted on Java. Since most were interned from 1942-45, almost all information
concerns the procurement of European and Eurasian women for brothels (as well as the
procurement of women as mistresses for Japanese men). The most common information
concerns the famous Semarang case of women taken from internment camps to 4 brothels in
Semarang, but there are also cryptic references to bars, hotels and the provision of women to
Japanese. Some of these documents can be found in other archives as well, however, this is
an unusually coherent archive. The fifth archive examined is the Bureau
Antecedentenonderzoek van het Ministerie van Overzeese Gebiedsdelen or Bureau for
Background-Investigations of the Ministry of Overseas Territories (BURAM). This archive
includes documents pertaining to background checks on civil servants with a salary above
1000/month, as well as individuals entering or leaving Indonesia. Finally there is the
archive of the United Nations War Crimes Commission which was not examined during this
research trip, but which contains copied of documents sent to London.

The Foreign Ministry archive similarly holds significant material related to comfort
women, including substantial numbers of wartime NEFIS reports. As we have had only
limited time to explore this archive, we are only able to comment on a very small selection of
this archive’s holdings. The importance of the material which we examined was that it was
very different from that held in other archives.

[Map 1: Indonesia]

16
As there are no documents or file numbers for individual reports, references to
materials from the Vos de Wael Archive will use arbitrary numbers assigned in the appendix.

9
Organization of Comfort Stations

Present discussions on comfort women’s system have not successfully examined the
differences in administration between different military commands. Following the
unconditional surrender of the Dutch on March 8, 1942, Indonesia was divided into three
administrative districts: Java was governed by the 16 th Army (Osamu), Sumatra and the
Malay peninsula by the 25th Army (Tomi) first based in Singapore and from May 1943
independently, and finally the other outer islands by the Navy (Nada). Generally, Southeast
Asia was called the Japanese lifeline, and the purpose of Japan’s southern advance was
primarily to obtain natural resources such as petroleum and rubber. The acquisition of
natural resources was particularly the goal of the Navy and the 25 th Army controlled areas.
Java, on the other hand, was also seen as a source of human resources, consequently the 16 th
Army was more cautious in dealing with human relationships in order to convince people in
Java to cooperate with Japan. It is not clear whether or not there is a relationship between
the purposes of the invasion and the rules and regulations for the establishment of comfort
stations in these three different areas. However, subtle differences between these territories
and their military administrations are apparent.

In accordance with a 1938 directive from the Ministry of the Army, the commander
of each army was responsible for regulating military brothels. 17 In the Malay Peninsula
after the separation from Sumatra (effective May 1943), the military administration
published regulations on the management of comfort facilities which included movie theaters,
bars, restaurants, hotels, and comfort stations (dated November 11, 1943). These
regulations were extremely detailed, which may have indicated problems either before or
after the split and may also represent basic ideas shared by the military administration.
However, the 25th Army in Sumatra apparently did not issue written regulations.
Regulations for 16th Army Java may never have been published, but there seems to have been
a generally accepted system for approval of military brothels which involved permission
from the heitan (commissary) officers along with a set of other regulations (see below).
The lack of well distributed, published regulations, along with confusion over jurisdiction in
civilian camps just in the process of being placed under military administration (in late 1943

17
Yoshimi (1992: 105-6). Significantly, this directive was signed by Imamura
Hitoshi, among others. Imamura was the first commander of the 16 th Army in Java in 1942.

10
and early 1944) could well have discouraged the Kempeitai from interfering in certain cases
of violations, as is normally their function and as they apparently did in Sumatra. However,
smaller cases of abuse may have directly involved local Kempteitai out of personal interest or
for reasons related to their security functions (see the discussion of the Semarang/Flores case
below). In at least some Navy areas, the Tokeitai [Naval military police] and/or the
Kempeitai seem to have been more directly involved in the establishment of brothels and the
procurement of women. This is also a substantial difference from other areas. Finally,
some areas of eastern Indonesia were actually battle fronts, meaning that large numbers of
combat troops were present for a longer period, and contributing to the diversity of
arrangements.

With respect to the documents on ianfu in Dutch archives, there is at least a slight
difference in the three distinct areas controlled by the Japanese military. Examination of
the documents which the Netherlands created suggests that this might be related to the
difference in European residence between different areas, but as mentioned above, the
system of recruitment and management of ianfu might be different. Thus there are strong
reasons to examine each area separately.

[Map 2: Java]

11
Java
A number of relatively well known cases of forced recruitment of Eurasian and
European “women and girls” from internment camps in Central Java and from Semarang
itself took place in early 1944, and over a longer period in Batavia. These individual cases
will be briefly discussed below, however, as these cases resulted in war crimes trials they
may be exceptional. The greatest value of those documents for the larger picture of comfort
women in Java is the information provided to investigators by a former head of the 16 th Army
heitan [commisariat] division. His testimony, as reflected in one of the verdicts in the
Semarang case, suggests that the heitan officers were responsible for the granting of
permission to create brothels with requirements that the women be volunteers and sign a
statement to that effect written in both Japanese and Malay. 18 His full testimony, if existent,
th
may provide more insights into the policy of the 16 Army for licensed military brothels.
The scattered documents on other cases in 16th Army administered Java make it difficult to
determine who created most brothels, whether they were licensed, how the women were
recruited, who they were, etc. In fact, some of the reports are clearly contradictory and
serve more as a warning about jumping to conclusions based on documents which all
originate from a single source.19

18
RIOD 027091.
19
For example, the documents in BZ Nefis/CMI 1942-1949, Voorlopig nummer 7
(42) Betrouwbaarheidsonderzoek 2 226a/938d show that the initial reports (but well
distributed) about the manager of a hotel outside of Bandung being involved in provision of
women were probably incorrect.

12
 The documents examined here provide only limited information about prostitution in
Java, however, there is evidence that small brothels, “bars” and other establishments which
provided sexual services were relatively widespread. According to some reports, several
areas in Surabaya were dedicated to prostitution and it is likely that due to their size and
proximity to military installations, were probably licensed and closely observed by the
authorities.20 Several hotels were apparently operating as brothels in Bandung, Magelang,
Solo, Malang, and Surabaya.21 A bar in Jember also served a similar function from 1942 or
1943 and there were reports of the Carolina-bar and other restaurants in Semarang owned by
a Menadonese Christian man serving as brothels for Japanese and Chinese patrons. 22
According to one note, the Fuji Riokan military brothel was in operation in the former
Oranjehotel in Solo, but there may have been “bars” as well.23 The Fuji Riokan [Ryokan]
brothel has often been mentioned in Indonesian discussions of comfort women. A military
brothel serving the Kalijati airfield reportedly existed in 1943 (see below). There was also
testimony that discarded condoms were a problem for young mothers in the Sin Ko Kan
women’s internment camp in Salatiga, since the children would see them scattered around
the camp every morning.24 While the women in the brothels mentioned in wartime NEFIS
reports are frequently said to be Indonesian, there are reports of Japanese women, Chinese,
and Eurasians.

Recruitment of women is also a focus of some of the materials. There are also
reports of involvement of Eurasian or Europeans involved in the recruitment of women or the
operating of brothels in former hotels, but these were probably only a substantial minority.
Police (of all racial groups) were reportedly involved in certain cases. 25 The Kempeitai

20
RIOD 060928.
21
For example, NEFIS BAS/5660 and Vos de Wael # 4 on Bandung, NEFIS
BAS/5693 and BM/2825 on Magelang, RIOD 060928 and Vos de Wael # 2 & 13 on
Surabaya, and RIOD 060921 on Malang. See the appendix for a more complete list.
22
Vos de Wael # 1 & 6, RIOD 019448, and NEFIS BAS/5654.
23
Initially, non-military personnel may have been allowed to use this brothel (RIOD
003437). These bars are mentioned in NEFIS BAS/5664.
24
NEFIS BAS/5664.
25
Surabaya is mentioned in NEFIS Bes/5/, while Bandung is mentioned in PG 32.

13
were also said to be involved in some cases. The evidence related to brothels is very slim,
usually one or two lines in longer testimonials by Europeans after the war or short notes in
wartime NEFIS reports based on interrogations of Indonesians captured by the Allies.
Although there are occasionally longer reports, the material is scattered among different
archives.

For Semarang see the Semarang/Flores case below.

14
 In fact, NEFIS reports may be one of the most valuable sources, although researchers
must be careful since reports may inaccurate for many reasons. One report 26 which
contains information from a number of Indonesian heihos states: “Several informants state
that in Malang (Java) young unmarried native girls were sought from the villages and taken
to hotels for immoral use of Japanese officers. Several informants state that a brothel was
established in July '43, near Kalidjati airfield (Java). The girls were forced to submit to
Japanese soldiers for a payment of 50 cents. They were under guard and medically
examined weekly. All those disease were replaced by new girls. The establishment
usually contained fifteen girls, and the Japanese numbered 300.” Another report based on
the interrogation of a Menadonese man27 states: “Informants was often ordered to drive
officers, sergeant majors and even sergeants to the former Grand Hotel, Bakmistraat at
Soerabaja, which was used as an organized brothel for Japanese military personnel. The
inmates of this establishment were all Japanese girls. A further enclosed area was set aside
as a brothel are for Japanese Army personnel, which comprised Prins Straat along its entire
west side and extended west for two blocks, taking in Louden Straat, the latter being enclosed
at the ends and entrance being only possible from Prinsstraat. The whole area was fenced in
with bamboo at least 3 meters high. In this area there were prostitutes of every Indonesian
race; all ranks of Japanese Army had entry.”

26
RIOD 060921.
27
RIOD 060928.

15
Semarang
The most infamous incident related to “comfort women” in Indonesia involved the
removal of around 35 Eurasian and Dutch women from 4 civilian internment camps in
Ambarawa and Semarang in early 1944.28 These events took place after the announcement
of impending transfer of internment camp management from civilian administration to the
military (November 7, 1943) but before the transfer took effect (March 1, 1944). According
to one person selected at Ambarawa I/VI, all women between 17 and 28 years of age had to
line up and come to the camp office one by one on February 23rd, then 20 of them had to
again report to the office on February 24th for further selection.29 On February 26th 10
women were taken from the camp and brought to a building on the Kanarielaan in Semarang
together with women from other camps where they were forced to sign a statement in
Japanese. They were then reselected and brought to 4 brothels in Semarang on around
February 26th.

The process in each of the other camps seems to have been similar. The selection of
these young women in each camp by a group of Japanese men, was usually done with the
reluctant assistance of the camp leaders who were not informed of the purpose. The degree
of force which was necessary to encourage the women in the camps to cooperate varied
considerably. In some camps, however, there was sufficient resistance to prevent the
removal of the women (in Ambarawa VIII [Sumawono], Bangkong and Lampersari) and in
some cases older women volunteered so that the younger ones would not need to go (e.g. in
Gedangan).30

28
These camps were Ambarawa I/VI, Ambarawa IX, Halmaheira, and Gedangan.
According to some sources (and the Poelgeest report), resistance in Gedangan was strong
enough that only “volunteers” were taken out of the camp, although other sources (eg. NEFIS
BM/1123, BM/1125, and BM/1126) suggest that volunteers were only collected at a later date.
The names of the internment camps are sometimes inconsistent. For example, one victim
claims that she and 8 other women were taken from Camp IV (probably Ambarawa IX) and
that 9 girls were next taken from Camp II (probably Ambarawa I/VI) (RIOD 035054). The
verdicts mention 5 camps: Semarang-Oost, Gedangan, Halmaheira, Ambarawa IV and
Ambarawa VI.
29
RIOD 000238 (Interview 322b).
30
BURAM Box 5, MHA-M and Vos de Wael #13. Poelgeest suggests that some
women in Halmaheira Camp volunteered to replace the younger women but that this offer
was refused by the Japanese.

16
 Permission for the opening of the brothels with women from the camps apparently
had been granted by the heitan [commissariat] officer in accordance with the guidelines from
Chief of Staff of the 16th Army who was concurrently the Head of the Military
Administration. These guidelines stipulated that for a license to be granted, the women
must come voluntarily, must sign a statement to that effect, must have regular medical
checks, and must be paid regularly.31 In practice, the recruitment of women in the camps
involved several military officers and several of the brothel managers. Once a week women
were inspected by doctors, however the treatment seems to have been poor, even involving
rape. The brothel managers were all Japanese men born on Honshu between 1903 and 1923.
At least two of the brothel managers had arrived in Java only months after the Japanese
invasion. At that time, one of these men opened both a brothel and restaurant, while the
other only opened a brothel.32 The brothels were closed after an inspecting officer from
Tokyo was informed that the women were not willing. The brothels were then quickly
closed on orders from Jakarta after less than 2 months of operation, and the women sent to a
camp in Bogor where they were given special medical treatment and reunited with their
families. According to a Japanese civilian doctor in Semarang, the brothels were reopened
three months later with Eurasian women, while one of the brothel owners reported having
managed brothels at the request of the Semarang residency from January 1943 until the
capitulation of Japan.33 Information compiled by the Japanese government in 1947 suggests
that he had already opened the brothel in August, 1942.34 The brothels were as follows:

31
We have not yet seen documents which confirm all of these regulations, although
the verdicts from the Semarang affair do suggest that the military officers in Semarang
followed this procedure. The published regulations of the 16 th Army in Indonesian and
Japanese (Kan Po) do not seem to include these regulations. These regulations may have
been distributed in a newsletter for top level Army officers, but if so they apparently have not
been preserved.
32
Yoshimi (1992: 377). It is likely that these were two of the same brothels that
housed the women from the camps. One of these men moved to East Java after the closing
of the brothels in 1944.
33
RIOD 019429. The brothel owner’s statement is presented in the verdict of the
13th Japanese prosecuted for the Semarang affair (RIOD 027091).
34
Yoshimi (1992: 377).

17
 Brothel Names and Locations35

1. Seiunso or Futabaso Opposite Hotel Splendid on Paralelweg in Tjandi Baroe.

2. Hinomaru In the former Chinese hotel Hwa Yoe on Belakang Kebon36 behind
Hotel du Pavillon (located at Bondjong 11).

3. Semarang Club First: In a building of Hotel Splendid at Genielaan 8.

Later: In the former Hotel van Brussel at Nw. Tjandiweg 34. 37

4. Shoko Club On the Oei Tiong Binweg.

35
Much of this information was originally extracted from the testimony of a civilian
doctor and one of the women in 1945-6 (RIOD 000238). As both were familiar with
Semarang, they are probably reasonably reliable about locations. Another source used was
a verdict from the war crimes trials (RIOD 046943). Exact addresses of former hotels are
taken from Interlocale Telefoongids 1940.
36
Probably the hotel “H. Oewa & Nederland” on Blakang Kebon 1, which was
owned by Tan Swie Swan in 1940.
37
One woman who was taken to the Semarang Club initially reported that around
the beginning of April she was later moved to Hinomaru while some of the other women
were moved to the Shoko Club and Futobasho (RIOD 000012). This testimony suggests
that the Semarang Club was closed shortly before that building was used for women who
were recruited for brothels in Flores (see the discussion of Semarang/Flores below).

18
 Some of the documents, such as verdicts from the Batavia War Crimes Trials in
which 11 out of 13 people prosecuted were convicted (including 1 death penalty), have
already been circulated within Japan in both Dutch form and in translation. 38 These
verdicts provide brief quotes from police interrogations of witnesses and victims, which
provide the researcher some information about events of 1944 as well as what type of
evidence was available to the courts in 1947-9. Some of the interrogations of victims and
witnesses from the camps are primarily lists of names, with simple repetitious descriptions of
the recruiting of the women, but others include significant detail which can help us
understand these brothels.

Although some of the women refused to accept payment, others report being paid,
and being able to use that money to get free time by paying the cashier directly or indirectly.
One woman reported that in the Shoko Club they were required to accept one man per night,
who paid 4.0 of which the woman would get 1.1 which frequently was used to purchase
food or toiletries.39 Another woman who was in the Semarang Club and then the Hinomaru
reported that the Japanese businessman or soldier could buy a ticket for 1.50 for one hour
and could choose any free girl. She would then receive 0.45 of this money which was
frequently used to supplement the poor food they received through the assistance of “the
native maids who worked in the brothel”.40 A Menadonese man also worked in the first
brothel in which she was placed. The reports of the women in the brothels are filled with
stories of rape and violence, although there are also occasional mentions of individuals being
nice, refusing to have sex with a woman, or suggesting strategies to make life a little easier.
In one case, a woman living in Semarang was able to send medicine and have her sister
“booked” to provide some protection,41 while a European doctor reported having asked

38
See Oranda 1994 for a partial translation of this verdict. For the other cases see
Groot (1990: 32-38, 497-8, 503), the overview of the verdicts in Asahi Shimbun (August 30,
1992), and Utsumi 1996. While it is extremely likely that Utsumi had access to all the
verdicts and probably the transcripts of the court sessions for the 11 person trial, many
citations in that article are obviously incorrect. For additional information, see Yoshimi
1995 which used copies of these archival documents obtained from Asahi Shimbun.
39
RIOD 000003.
40
RIOD 000012.
41
RIOD 019424. At least two men, including one Japanese civilian, helped in this
effort. The Japanese man probably died in the Bulu Prison incident on October 16, 1945.

19
one of his patients help various girls.42 Although there were also restaurants attached to
some of the brothels, there is very little information about the serving staff, although there
are some hints that some of these Eurasian or native women may have formerly worked in
the brothels.43

RIOD has a good collection of documents related to the Semarang Incident, largely
documents compiled as preparation for the B-Class War Crimes Trials in Batavia. These
documents include interrogations of Japanese (defendants and others), police interview
reports, reports gathered from Civilian Camp residents, and verdicts from the trials. One
unusual piece of information held in the Foreign Ministry is the suicide note of one officer
accused of involvement in the Semarang Incident who focused on the decision to open
brothels and suggested the responsibility of higher officers while providing unreliable details
about the practical details of the brothels. However, the best general summary of this event
is contained in the verdicts which present considerable information which the court tried to
synthesize and correct.

According to this testimony (from the European man), a number of Kempeitai lost their
positions as a result of the Semarang Incident.
42
RIOD 000238.
43
This is based on references to the restaurants in the verdicts and the fact that an
informant (RIOD 000238) found out about the women from the camps being forced into the
brothels from a female patient who he treated for venereal disease.

20
Muntilan/Magelang
According to the reports of the European camp leaders,44 in December 1943 or
January 1944 a list of young women was made during a visit to the women’s internment
camp at Muntilan by several Japanese.45 The camp leaders were required to write the
names of the women pointed out by the Japanese and later to type a list. In early January
the women on the list may also have been called to the administration office and asked if
they would be willing to work. This list was then used by the Japanese to call these women
to the church on January 25, 1944 where they were examined by a medical doctor (heart, legs,
eyes, etc.). Around 15 were selected while the mothers and camp leaders gathered outside.
These young women were given 30 minutes to pack a suitcase, and with some force, all were
taken out of the camp.46 They were then taken to houses in the officer’s encampment in
Magelang. The European administration then made a list of women “of light morals”, most
of whom had relationships with Japanese in Surabaya, who could be taken instead (and
whom were generally referred to as “volunteers” by other women).47 These women were
collected on January 28, and according to some testimonies were taken to the local police
station along with the previously selected young women, where in the presence of
representatives of the camp leadership selection was redone. Two of the “volunteers” and
two of the “selected” women were returned to the camp, while approximately 13 other

44
RIOD 034258, RIOD 034251. These testimonies seem generally reliable,
although the camp head seemed very concerned to defend herself against accusations by
other women that she did not sufficiently oppose the Japanese or that she was even “friendly”
with the Japanese leaders. After reading a number of these testimonies it is clear that the
European camp leaders cooperated with the Japanese, even if reluctantly. Testimonies by
other residents of the camps are listed in the appendix.
45
According to the European camp leader, they were the Japanese camp
commandant, the Resident of Magelang, a member of the Kempeitai, and a local Japanese
civilian (RIOD 034251).
46
There is a certain amount of variation in witnesses descriptions. One of the
assistant camp heads claims that “certainly 8" of the 15 were forced, but that the others went
more or less willingly. She seems unaware of the “selection” at the police station
mentioned by others, and is uncertain about how many women were returned to the camp
(RIOD 034258).
47
The European camp head claimed that the Japanese gave the camp leaders a list
of the women of “low morals” on January 25 (RIOD 034251), while her assistant
acknowledges that they had given the Japanese such a list after January 25 in order to try to
convince the Japanese to return the women taken on the 25 th (RIOD 034258).

21
women were sent to Magelang, medically inspected, raped and forced to work as
prostitutes.48 An effort was made to prosecute some individuals for this incident, however,
for a variety of reasons the court was unable to obtain any convictions. 49

These brothels were not the first brothels in the Magelang area, as there is reference
to hotels being converted into brothels in 1942, with a Check and Swiss among the managers
and suppliers of women.50

Semarang-to-Flores
In mid April 1944 there was a major effort to recruit women for prostitution within
Semarang itself. The police and Kempeitai along with their local Eurasian agents made
efforts to either pick up women or require their attendance at the police station on a given
day, where there were publically addressed, selected, medically inspected, and eventually
sent to Surabaya. The Hotel Splendid brothel was reportedly used for part of this process.
Seven of those selected were “European” although there was also a Chinese and a larger
number of Indonesians. Poelgeest notes that the women concerned had worked in hotels
and restaurants before this time and were “unpopular” with the police and the Kempeitai.
After around two months, they embarked with 3 Japanese men to Flores where they were put
in a brothel until around June 1945 when they were released and allowed to return to Java.
Only one archival document examined for this report, a 1946 statement by one of the women
to a Dutch investigator,51 mentions this affair. However, Poelgeest had more material
available to him, and further archival research should yield more documents which may shed
light on transportation of women for military brothels and the brothels of eastern Indonesia
themselves.

48
Only one document in the Vos de Wael archive (# 9) mentions this affair, but has
different dates and numbers of women.
49
See Groot (1990: 35-8) for a discussion of the only case that went to trial.
50
NEFIS BM/2825.
51
RIOD 018117.

22
Jakarta (Batavia)
One of the earliest war crimes trials in Batavia was the 1946 trial of a Japanese man
who had been resident in Batavia from 1920 until November 30, 1941, 52 and who opened a
restaurant called the Akebono Club in June 1942 and then a brothel for civilians called the
Sakura Club or Gang Horning Brothel in September 1943 at the request of the Japanese
mayor of Batavia.53 This owner claims to have only opened the brothel under strong
pressure from the government and kept himself at a distance from the day to day affairs of
the brothel, which was largely managed by his European mistress. A number of Europeans
(including Eurasians) were employed there, usually first being recruited into the restaurant
and then later forced to move to the brothel. The court found that the brothel owner was
responsible for the threats of Kempeitai punishment made by the European manager as she
was his mistress and he had a financial stake in the women’s presence in the brothel. Thus
he was found guilty of “the war crime of enforced prostitution” 54 This case was one of a very
few cases of prostitution prosecuted at the Batavia trials, and the one which involved the
least involvement of the military.

Despite the references to European “madams” in the Poelgeest report, the role of the
Japanese owner’s European mistress/manager in running daily affairs, recruiting women, and
making threats is not mentioned when discussing this brothel while the Japanese owner is
referred to as a pimp. The documents examined at RIOD were official court documents
which included official interrogations of the accused and the verdict. Despite the limited

52
He was known to the Japanese community as being fluent in Indonesian and
Dutch, and so would have had fewer communications problems than most Japanese in
Indonesia. After the war he was briefly involved as a translator helping those Japanese who
were interned (Kawai 1968: 52-3).
53
See Piccigallo 1979, “Case No. 76", and Utsumi 1996 for discussions of this case.
54
The published UNWCC discussion of this case (Case No. 76, p.124) notes that
the original statute reads “Under the war crimes are understood acts which constitute a
violation of the laws and usages of war committed in time of war by subjects of an enemy
power or by foreigners in the service of the enemy, such as: .... 7. Abduction of girls and
women for the purpose of enforced prostitution.” Abduction was apparently not present in
this case. As the court took note of the “poverty-stricken” condition of which he “took
advantage” for his profit, this case ends up looking less like a war crime than a civil crime,
except that it seems likely that his European manager/mistress was not prosecuted because
she was not Japanese.

23
purpose of obtaining and justifying a conviction of this one man, these documents are a rich
source of information about a number of significant issues, for example: (1) the relationship
between the famous Akebono Club and the Sakura Club, (2) the role of the Japanese mayor
of Batavia and his secretary in the establishment of the brothel, (3) the role of the Kempeitai
in oversight of the brothel (inspection once a month), (4) the recruitment and origin of the
European prostitutes, (5) the role of several Europeans as management of both the restaurant
and the brothel, (6) the regular threats that leaving the brothel would result in trouble with
the Kempeitai, and (7) the daily functioning of the brothel. Recruitment in Batavia
(especially in internment camps) and Central Java was done primarily by the manager with
the assistance of several European procurers, although the Japanese owner also participated
in several recruiting trips to Central Java. Women were required to have joined the brothel
“of their own free will”, regular medical checks were required, officially no woman under
age 17 was to work there (a rule which was circumvented in at least two cases), and women
were to receive regular monthly salaries plus a percentage of the visitation fees. The
resulting picture is of relatively widespread European prostitution as some of the women who
were recruited from internment camps in Batavia are mentioned as probably having been
prostitutes before the war, although it is clear that some women truly believed that they
would either only act as serving girls or only have a sexual relationship with one man.
Severe poverty was clearly a factor in some women’s decisions to join the brothel. Once in
the brothel, there were strong pressures upon the women to stay in the brothel, permission to
leave the brothel was never willingly granted, and some women tried to leave were arrested
briefly and then dismissed from the brothel.

Importantly, the information in these court documents blurs the boundaries between
regulated prostitution and military prostitution. The military was obviously involved in the
founding and regulation of the brothel, as Java was under military administration at the time,
but it was neither founded by the military as an organization nor intended for the use of
soldiers. It also blurs the distinction between forced prostitution and “free prostitution”
(insofar as there is ever truly free prostitution) and the women were at least at times mislead
and at other times threatened in order to keep them at work in the brothel.

Other documents examined at ARA provide additional bits of information about

comfort women in Jakarta. For example, there are mentions of two European women who
supplied European women and acted as managers of the Gang Horning Brothel or Sakura-bar

24
(discussed above) and the Hanweg Brothel in Petodjo about which little is known. 55 It also
mentions some information about some women in four brothels, along with their age,
although how and when this data was collected is unclear:

1. Choko Club Manggarai 4 women Ages 27,40,21,28

2. Telok Beteng (Gunshireibu) 9 women Ages 24,23,32,28,28,30,25, 22,25

3. Shirikawa 7 women Ages 33,34,30,35,27,29,39

4.Sakurabar 10 women Ages 32,28,33,51,37,25,34, 23,29, and

one unknown. Two women clearly born
in Indonesia.

Sumatra
Very little evidence related to prostitution of any kind was found in the documents
examined. This lack of evidence is surprising, since there were at least 70,000 Japanese
soldiers on Sumatra, which was even more than on Java. Several factors are probably
significant, including fewer numbers of Europeans on Sumatra (whose recruitment would
come to the attention of other Europeans), pre-existing customs for the provision of sexual
services on plantations which could be taken over by Japanese, 56 a more disperse population,
and probably stricter regulation of prostitution.

55
PG 31.
56
For example, RIOD 017333 describes the case of the wife of a coolie who was
coerced into acting as the mistress of a Japanese. While this has little to do with
prostitution per se (although it was cited in the Poelgeest report), it does suggest reasons why
problems related to prostitution were not as apparent to post-war investigators in Sumatra.

25
 One document provides some information related to the Indian enforcer of the
Sakario restaurant (formerly “De Eendracht”) in Padang which served as a brothel with
around 20 European women.57 Another document mentions the niece of a Dutchman who
was forced to be a prostitute in Padang.58 Poelgeest also describes very heavy handed
techniques to recruit “volunteers” from the internment camps, but also mentions that in
certain cases the Kempeitai stepped in to protect non-volunteers.

Borneo/Pontianak
In September 1943, the Minseibu (military administration) in Borneo banned
relationships between Japanese men and Indonesian or Chinese women. In December 1943
former prostitutes were collected for 4 brothels for Japanese Navy, military administration or
civilian use. When the number of brothels was expanded to 6, women who had had
relationships with Japanese men were collected by the Tokei Tai (the Naval Military
Police).59 Four women were reportedly also brought from Surabaya. The brothels were
operated by the Hokokukai, an association of Japanese businessmen for the support of the
military effort. According to one document based on interrogations of local Japanese, 1/5
of the women were Chinese and 4/5 were Indonesian. According to these testimonies, little
money was paid directly to the women, but rather around 2/3 of the total take (around 60
per house per day) was placed in bank accounts for these women. The administration was
done by an association of Japanese companies in the area.

57
RIOD 018346.
58
RIOD 018118.
59
RIOD 019636 and 019902. Another report claimed there were 5 brothels, but
the testimony that 6 brothels total were created seems more reliable due to the informant’s
involvement with the brothels. There also was a mention of brothels in Singkawang and
Sintang, which probably were not included in the 6 brothels mentioned above (RIOD
009793).

26
 The information in these documents are from reports of interrogations of local
Japanese directly involved and thus present relatively reliable information on the founding
and administration of the brothels. One document is unfortunately only short excepts of
larger testimonies, while others are the interrogation report of a Tokeitai sargeant and the
translation of the complete interrogation report of the Nanyo Kohatsu cashier who was
responsible for collecting money from the brothels each day from October 1944-April 1945.60
There were convictions at the War Crimes Trials related to prostitution in this area,
however, the verdicts and other court documents are not among the documents examined for
this report.

Bali
The Foreign Ministry archive contains some of the only evidence related to
recruitment of women on Bali.61 According to two Dutch language narratives written by
Balinese men in 1942 and 1946, during the early days of the occupation, harassment of
women by Japanese soldiers was common. Soon there after there were rumors that women
were being collected for brothels, which resulted in a great number of fake marriages in order
to try to avoid selection. This recruitment effort, perhaps seeking both mistresses and
women for Japanese brothels, involved official Japanese orders, relayed by Balinese officials
to other local officials. While it is unclear in these documents if this recruitment was
successful, the information from these documents was not used in the Poelgeest report,
probably because Balinese--not European--women were recruited. The fact that the two
documents were written at different historical moments and under different political
pressures suggests that this information may be reliable. Another document contains
excerpts of testimonies from various Balinese (including women victims) which pointed to
two Chinese men and a couple of Balinese men under the leadership of a Japanese Kempeitai
as key figures in the recruitment of women for Japanese “mistreatment”. This recruitment
seems not to have been for brothels, or if so, then only for periods of 3-10 days, after which
the women were returned home. The women involved were apparently all Balinese. 62

60
RIOD 009793, RIOD 019902 and RIOD 019636.
61
BZ Nefis/CMI 1942-1949, Voorlopig nummer 7 (42) Betrouwbaarheidsonderzoek
2 226a/938d.
62
RIOD 016410.

27
Halmahera
One document held in Algemene Secretarie provides significant information related
to military brothels in Halmahera, including numbers and ethnic background of women
working in them, the military unit administering the brothels, but unfortunately no
information on the recruitment of women or the regulations for the brothels have been found.
The following is one of a number of pages of information in Dutch and is found in the same
file as an English language report which was prepared by the Office for Japanese Affairs in
Batavia on the "Organization of Minseibu and Kensetsubu in Hamaheira Province". The
English language report was apparently written by the "Chief Administrator" in Ternate from
late 1942 until reorganization in February 1944. It is unclear if he was the source for the
information written in Dutch.

List of "IANJO" (Brothel) in Halmaheira.

No. Place. From To Administrator Race No. of

women.

1. Galela March 1944 Aug. 1944 Abe Division Indonesian ± 25.

2. Miti Island July 1944 Aug. 1944 Aoki Division -"- ± 20.

3. Kaoe (Koesoe). Feb. 1944 June 1944 224 Quartering Div. -"- 7.
(224 Setsueitai).

4. Kaoe Feb. 1944 June 1944 26th Special Naval Chinese 4.

Base Div. (26 Kaigun
Tokubetsu Indonesian 7.
Konkyochitai).

5. Wasile. (Foeli) 1943 July 1944 Shiroki Division Japanese 1.

Korean 5.
Indonesian ± 30.

6. Malifoed. Sept. 1943 June 1944 102 Mission Army Indonesian 5.

(102 Shisetsutai)
No.26 Kaigun
Kensetsubu)

7. Ternate June 1942 Aug. 1945 Ternate detachment Indonesian 5.

(Ternate Hakentai)

28
Note: From another Dutch language document in the same file, it is clear that the "Abe Division" is
the "Abe Hikojo-daitai" or "Abe airfield battalion" while the "Aoki Division" refers to the "113th
airfield battalion, Aoki division" or "Dai 113 Hikojo-daitai (Aoki Butai)".

[Map 3: Halmahera]

29
Sulawesi/Celebes
There are a number of reports concerning prostitution on Sulawesi. One wartime
NEFIS report claims that a native association for cooperation with Japanese in Makassar
(Ujung Pandang) helped recruit women “for Japanese prostitution.” 63 Another report claims
that young women were tricked with promises of education in Tokyo in order to supply
brothels in Kendari and Pomalaa. The same informant reports having personally seen
brothels in Pomalaa and Kolaka.64

Ambon
A wartime list of suspects65 based on interrogations from October 1943 and December
1943 contains brief notes on a “military brothel” in Batu Gantung on Ambon. The manager
was reported as “formerly a comedienne in Wayang Stamboel” who recruited local girls and
also employed Javanese girls. The assistant was apparently the daughter of the local leader
on another island and a mistress of a Kempeitai officer in Ambon.

Moa Island
Another case of forced prostitution which resulted in war crimes trials was that of a
brothel on Moa Island where 5 women were put in a brothel as a punishment for their fathers’
attack on the Kempeitai on the neighboring island of Sermata. According to the founder of
the brothel (a Japanese military officer),66 they were kept in the brothel for 8 weeks starting
in September 1944, and 25 men used the brothel. There were a total of 6 women in the
brothel.

63
PG 29.
64
RIOD 017145.
65
PG 29.
66
RIOD 016380, RIOD 016382.

30
Concluding notes
The process of documentation which led to the war crimes trials of 13 Japanese
involved in the creation of brothels in Central Java has left enough information in Dutch
archives to allow a reconstruction of events. According to the information collected for the
war crimes trials related to the Semarang incident, licenses for brothels in Java were granted
by the local heitan officer, and the brothel owner was to make sure that each woman became
a prostitute willingly, signed a statement to that effect, was paid regularly, was given regular
medical checks, etc. On the other hand, the smaller set of documents concerning the
Sakura-bar in Jakarta shows the military less directly involved. However, the Sakura-bar
did seem to follow similar operational procedures, was inspected periodically by the military
police, and was founded at the request of municipal authorities. Presumably, although there
is no evidence to prove this, many brothels in Java were licensed but operated privately, since
this was similar to the Japanese licenced prostitution system which had evolved along with
Japan’s participation in international treaties on prostitution. Of course, as in Japan and
prewar Indonesia, there was a large “illegal” or unregistered prostitution industry, at least in
Java. The founding of licensed military brothels was not unique to 16 th Army Java as the
military authorities in Navy-controlled areas of Borneo like Pontianak ordered the creation of
brothels for military personnel, civil authorities, and private Japanese citizens to replace
relationships with local Indonesian or Chinese women. At least some brothels in
Halmahera were also directly controlled by military units, as was the brothel on Moa Island.
It is likely that at least brothels in Ambon, Kalijati and Timor were military appointed or
owned, but unfortunately information on most areas requires more research.

Most of the postwar documents related to wartime prostitution involved European

women. There are a number of possible reasons for this. First, many of the documents
originated from allied questionnaires circulated primarily among Europeans, most of whom
had been in internment camps and so had very little opportunity to observe events outside of
the camps. Other documents were either for immigration or other administrative purposes
which primarily involved Europeans. At the same time, several other factors mitigated
against input from non-Europeans. Indonesians in Jakarta had declared independence on
August 17, 1945, established a government, and while cooperating with Allied efforts were
engaged in a war to defend their independence and prevent the Dutch from reestablishing a
colonial state. Thus, some areas were not under Dutch control during the initial period of
investigation (1945-7), and even in the areas under Dutch control, the investigators would

31
have been seen by many as representing foreign invaders and so would have obtained little
cooperation. Arguments were also presented in one war crimes trial that only crimes
against a subject of a member country of the United Nations could be considered a war crime,
which would have eliminated crimes against stateless people and perhaps Indonesians who
“accepted” Japanese rule (Piccagallo 1979). Certainly many Dutch saw Indonesians as
victimizers of Europeans, and so were not very interested in investigating native victims.

However, there are still many documents which help to provide information related to
prostitution and non-European women. While recruitment of women outside of the camp
received far less attention, the Semarang/Flores case being one of the few with substantial
information, perhaps because it involved at least 9 Eurasian women. However, what is most
significant here is that there is the possibility of substantial documentation about
non-European, non-internee comfort women transported to Eastern Indonesia and the
capturing of a little of their voices from that time. Most other documentation is limited to
brief references. Some archival documents mention recruiting of women through force,
trickery, persuasion, etc., while other documents deal with reports of brothels, the women in
them, etc. While women in Navy areas were often locally recruited, there were women
recruited in Java, Singapore, or other places and moved to where they would be needed, as
happened in the Semarang/Flores case mentioned above and as happened to the women from
the Kalijati brothel who Poelgeest states were moved to Timor.

Ethnicity and Race

Interpretation of references to Javanese, native, local, Indonesian, Korean, Japanese and
Eurasian women can be difficult since mentions of “Japanese” women are very likely to
include Korean or Chinese women, but might even include Indonesian women if they were
dressed in Japanese clothes and seen from a distance. References to Javanese women, or
women from a particular ethnic group are likely to be more reliable, although references to
“native” or “Indonesian” women tells us little about their origins. Unfortunately, we still
have seen very few documents which provide any complete picture of the conditions for
non-European women in a brothel, however, the existence of so many small bits of
information suggests careful documentation will still yield information on the numbers and
location of brothels, the numbers and origins of the women, and in some cases how they were
recruited.

32
Restaurants, bars and brothels
Work by women in restaurants and bars tended to be equated with prostitution by many
of the Europeans who were interviewed after the war. This also seems to have been a
euphemism used by the Japanese in their efforts to recruit women for brothels, and probably
was used by other procurers. This is not surprising given the close relationship between,
and licensing of brothels, “geisha-houses, restaurants, tea-houses and their inmates” in Japan.
In prewar Kwantung and Formosa geisha and shakufu [waitresses] as well as prostitutes
were checked regularly for venereal disease, while waitresses were one of the major sources
of prostitutes in Japan itself.67 The largest, best organized brothels, while they may have
been located in former hotels, were frequently attached to restaurants and served as general
entertainment quarters for the (usually Japanese) military or civilian clients. Movement
from one to another, especially to brothels, seems to have been common.

Periodization
For the period up to the end of 1943, information is limited, but suggests local
recruitment of Indonesian and European women for mostly small scale brothels. The most
significant set of events mentioned in the Dutch archives is the recruitment of Dutch women
from internment camps in Central Java during the first months of 1944 and ending after
higher authorities were made aware of the situation. This is clearly a critical point in the
periodization of the history of Dutch comfort women in Java, however, it is less clear
whether this is a critical point for women of any race outside of internment camps. The
establishment of clear regulations for “comfort facilities” in the Malay peninsula in late 1943,
the establishment of official brothels in West Borneo from December 1943, and the
establishment of a number of brothels in Halmahera in early 1944 also take place within the
same 6 month period. However, the lack of a coherent set of information makes it risky at
this time to assert any true periodization for prostitution in Indonesia.

Lack of evidence presented here does not necessarily mean that none exists in the Dutch
archives, but systematic patterns of archival collection are clear from this research. The
only likely detailed narratives are those related to the war crimes trials held in Java, while
slightly less detailed narratives may be found related to some war crimes trials in other areas.
This means that the greatest bulk of information about the founding of brothels, recruiting

67
League of Nations 1933: 102-104.

33
of women, the operation of the brothels, and so forth will likely be related to those cases.
Already, this information helps confirm some details of recent testimonies like those of Jean
Ruff-O’Herne (1994) and so allow us to utilize the relatively rich source that these
testimonies provide, as well as to allow us to see changes in testimonies over the last 50 years.
Information related to the involvement of Europeans or Eurasians in prostitution and
recruiting of women for prostitution or for other sexual relationships with Japanese will
likely appear in small pieces in the background checks of people traveling internationally or
seeking high office. Other than these sources, a series of very small bits of information
about the existence of brothels, the numbers and background of the women in them, the
movement of women, and the efforts to procure women on a local basis will turn up in
wartime and postwar reports of all kinds held in Dutch archives. Most of the information on
non-European prostitution will come through these minor references. While each piece of
information by itself may be unreliable and insignificant, the collection of this information
may provide a substantial source of information to supplement very weak knowledge of
prostitution in Indonesia during WWII.

34
 Reference List (Japanese Sources)

Baishun Taisaku Shingikai, ed. 1959. Baishun Taisaku no Genky. Tokyo: kurash Insatsu-kyoku.

Chaen Yoshio, ed. 1992. BC-ky Senpan Oranda Saiban Shiry Zenkantsran. Tokyo: Fuji Shuppan.

Kawai Masashi. 1968. Jawa no Nihonjin. Daita Senshi No. 4, Ranin hen, pp. 30-53. Tokyo: Fuji
Shoten.

Oranda Josei Ianfu Kysei Jikan ni Kansuru Batavia Rinji Gunpo Kaigi Hanketsu. 1994. Introduction
by Niimi Takashi, translated by Yasuhara and Yokoyama. Kikan Sens Sekinin Kenky, no. 3:
44-50.

[Poelgeest, Bart van]. 1994b. Nihon Senryka Ranry Higashi Indo no Okeru Orandajin Josei ni
Taisuru Kysei Baishun ni Kansuru Oranda Seifu Shoz Bunsh Chsa Hkoku. Kikan Sens
Sekinin Kenky, no. 4. Introduction and explanation by Yoshimi Yoshiaki, translation by
Yasahara Keiko.

Suzuki Yko. 1993. Karayuki-san, ‘Jgun Ianfu’, Senry-gun Ianfu. Iwanamikza Kindai Nihon to
Shokuminchi 5: Bch suru Teikoku no Jinry. eds. e Shinobu, Asada Kyji, Mitani Taichiro,
et.al., 223-50. Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten.

Utsumi Aiko. 1996. “Sumaran Ianjo” Jiken. Indonesia2 , no. No. 5/6: 1-18.

Yoshimi Yoshiaki, ed. 1992. Jgun Ianfu Shirysh. Tokyo: Otsuki Shoten.

———. 1995. Jgun Ianfu. Iwanami Shinsho, 384. Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten.

Reference List (Non-Japanese Sources)

Atlas van Tropisch Nederland. 1938. Batavia: Koninkijk Nederlandsch Aardrijkskundig Genootschap
in samenwerking met den Topografischen Dienst in Nederlandsch-Indië.

Case No. 76. 1949. Law Reports of Trials of War Criminals, Volume XIII., 122-5. London:
Published for The United Nations War Crimes Commission by his Majesty's Stationary
Office.

d. B., A. [A. de Braconier]. 1919. Prostitutie. In Encyclopaedie van Nederlandsch-Indië. Tweede

Druk ed. Onder redactie van D. G. Stibbe, 511-15. 's-Gravenhage: Martinus Nijhoff; Leiden:
E.J. Brill.

Eastern Archipelago Plans in the Northeast Part of the Halmahera Group. 1938. Washington, D.C.:
Hydrographic Office under the authority of the Secretary of the Navy. From Netherland
Government surveys between 1914 and 1924. Small corrections from Notices to Mariners,
printed: Sept.1950.

Gelder, W. van, and C. Lekkerkerker. 1935. Schoolatlas van Nederlandsch-Indië. 21e herziene druk
ed. Groningen & Batavia: J.B. Wolters.

Graaff, M. G. H. A. de, and A. M. Tempelaars. 1990. Inventaris van het Archief van de Algemene
Secretarie van de Nederlands-Indische Regering en de daarbij Gedeponeerde Archieven,

35
 1942-1950. Deel III: Gedeponeerde Archieven van Departementen, Diensten, Commissies en
Funktionarissen. Den Haag: Algemeen Rijksarchief, Tweede Afdeling.

Groot, L. F. de, Oud-President Temporaire Krijgsraad Batavia. 1990. Berechting Japanse

Oorlogsmisdadigers in Nederlands-Indië 1946-1949, Temporaire Krijgsraad, Batavia.
's-Hertogenbosch: Art & Research.Volume 1 (Deel 1: De Rekening Gepresenteerd).

Halmahera and Ajdacent Islands. 1951. Washington, D.C.: The Hydrographic Office, under the
authority of the Secretary of the Navy. From Netherlands surveys between 1914 and 1928
with additions from various sources to 1950.

Hesselink, Liesbeth. 1987. Prostitution: A Necessary Evil, Particularly in the Colonies. Views on
Prostitution in the Netherlands Indies. Indonesian Women in Focus: Past and Present
Notions. Edited by Elsbeth Locher-Scholten, and Anke Niehof, 205-24. Verhandelingen Van
Het Koninklijk Instituut Voor Taal-, Land- En Volkenkunde, 127. Dordrecht-Holland: Foris
Publications.

Hicks, George. 1995. The Comfort Women: Japan's Brutal Regime of Enforced Prostitution in the
Second World War. New York: W.W. Norton.

Ingleson, John. 1986. Prostitution in Colonial Java. Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Indonesia:
Essays in Honour of Professor J. D. Legge. Edited by David P. Chandler, and M. C. Ricklefs,
123-40. Monash Papers on Southeast Asia, 14. Clayton, Victoria: Southeast Asian Studies,
Monash University.

Interlocale Telefoongids voor Java, Madoera en Bali. September 1940. Batavia-C.: P.T.T., 51.

Jaquet, Frits G. P. 1983. Sources of the History of Asia and Oceania in the Netherlands. Part II:
Sources 1796-1949. Muchen, New York, London, Paris: K. G. Saur.

League of Nations. 1933. Commission of Enquiry into Traffic in Women and Children in the East.
Report to the Council. Geneva.

Piccigallo, Philip R. 1979. The Japanese on Trial: Allied War Crimes Operations in the East,
1945-1951. Austin and London: University of Texas Press.

[Poelgeest, Bart van]. 1993. Gedwongen Prostitutie van Nederlandse Vrouwen in Voormalig
Nederlands-Indië, Tweede Kamer, vergaderjaar 1993-1994, 23 607, nr. 1. ’s-Gravenhage: Sdu
Uitgeverij Plantijnstraat.

———. 1994a. Report of a Study of Dutch Government Documents on the Forced Prostitution of
Dutch Women in the Dutch East Indies during the Japanese Occupation. [Unofficial
Translation, January 24, 1994.]

Ruff-O'Herne, Jan. 1994. 50 Years of Silence. Sidney, Amsterdam, New York: Editions Tom
Thompson.

Velden, D. van. 1977. De Japanse Interningskampen voor Burgers Gedurende de Tweede

Wereldoorlog (The Japanese Civil Internment Camps During the Second World War). 2nd ed.
Franeker: Uitgeverij T. Wever.

36
Appendix: List of relevant materials in 5 archives
This appendix includes lists of some materials examined, along with a limited explanation about the documents.
These lists do not include all materials relevant to the study of comfort women. However, this supplementary
information will be especially useful for researchers who need more precise information than is mentioned in the
text of this article as well as to explain the character of each archive by example.

Rijksinstituut voor Oorlogsdocumentatie (RIOD)

# pages rpt.date sbj.date location subject

000003 8 8.1.46 1944 Koendjaran Forced recruiting for Semarang brothels;

Kidoel Camp Ambarawa experience in Kenarilaan &
Shokoclub brothel

000010 2 8.1.46 1944 -"- -"-

000012 9 7.1.46 1944 Semarang Camp On the Hinomaru brothel

000026 3 12.1.46 1944 Semarang Dutch women in brothels in Semarang

000238 11 1944 Semarang On forced recruitment of women for

camps for brothels in Semarang

3 n.d. 1944 -"- -"-

2 14.12.45 1944 -"- -"-

2 13.12.45 1944 -"- -"-

1 n.d. 1944 -"- -"-

1 17.12.45 1944 -"- -"-

1 16.12.45 1944 -"- -"-

000263 3 3.4.46 1943-4 Muntilan Forced recruiting for Muntilan or

Magelang brothels

000270 2 1944 Semarang Selection of women for brothels;

situation in brothels (Blakang Kebon or
Chinese Building)

003437 4 n.d. Solo Brief note concerning the "Fuji Riokan"

military brothel

004006 9 1944 Semarang Information about assistance to girls in

brothels

009792 4 18.3.46 1943-5 Pontianak Information on founding of Pontianak

brothels (excerpts of other testimonies)

016380 2 1-2-46 Moa Island On the supplying of women for Moa

Island brothel as punishment for deeds of
fathers

1
016382 2 13-1-46 1944-5 Moa Island Statement of organizer of Moa Island
brothel and information on 5 forced and 1
volunteer women

016410 2 24.7.46 n.d. Bali Information on various means through

which Japanese obtained local women

017145 4 18.6.46 1943 Southeast Observation of girls in brothels in

Sulawesi Pomalaa & Kolaka. Offered chance to
study in Tokyo

017161 2 1944 Ujung Pandang Observation of new brothels in 1944

(Macassar) ?

017333 1 19.3.46 1944 Jambi Indonesian woman as housemaid forced

to sleep with Japanese men

018117 5.11.46 1944-5 Semarang Concerning women and girls picked up in

Semarang & sent to Flores as prostitutes

018118 11.12.46 1942 Padang ? NEFIS day report: Mentions niece of

certain Dutch man who was forced to be
a prostitute

018206 2 21.6.47 1942-5 Padang Panjang Rape of girl in 1942; pestering by

Japanese in camp; Japanese military
restaurants in Padang Pandjang with
forced [European] barmaids

018346 Padang Info on an Indian who worked as

enforcer for the Sakario restaurant
(brothel) [formerly Societeit De
Eendracht]

019186 2 15.12.45 n.d. Malang area The role of a Menadonese and Ambonese
recruiting Menadonese women for
restaurants and societies. One brothel
owned by the Menadonese with 25
Eurasian, Ambonese and Menadonese
women

019362 4 18.7.46 1944 Batavia & Arrival of women from Semarang

Kramat Camp

019424 3 27.3.46 n.d. Semarang Concerning help for one woman in a

military brothel (the former Hotel van
Brussel or Futabaso/Seiuno)

019429 15.5.46 n.d. Semarang Restaurants/brothels in Semarang;

medical care; reopening with Eurasians

019448 3 15.6.46 1943 Banyuwangi & Recruitment for brothels (hotels and bars)
Bondowoso in Bondowoso

019499 16.11.45 n.d. Surabaya & Involvement of [European?] dance band

Muntilan leader in Surabaya in providing "pleasure
girls" for Japanese; mention of Muntilan
case

2
019636 5 1.3.46 n.d. Pontianak Tokeitai rules on relations with women &
founding of brothels: 4 initially, later 6. 2
for military use only

019902 2 29.3.46 1943-5 Pontianak Tokeitai arresting of women for navy

brothels; brothel in pavilion near the
residency. Ban of marriages with
Indonesian and Chinese women

020061 3 22.12.45 Semarang On men & women (European, Chinese,

etc) who recruited women for brothels;
Also on women taken for brothels

022053 28 1946 1943-5 Batavia WC Tribunal documents: 4 court

documents from the trial of the brothel
keeper of the Gang Horning brothel in
Batavia

025545 3 16.10.46 1944 Semarang Selection of women for brothels

025557 2 9.6.46 1944 Halmaheira "Volunteer" and forced women for

Camp brothels

025583 2 22.3.46 1944 Halmaheira Recruitment of Dutch women for

Camp brothels in Semarang

025640 1 7.2.46 1943 Muntilan Forced & "volunteer" recruitment of

women for brothels

025646 1 10.12.45 1944 Ambarawa 6 On women taken to brothels

025647 1 13.12.45 1943 Ambarawa [6] Recruitment of women for brothels

025665 3 8.3.46 1944 Ambarawa 6 Detailed discussion of the selection of

women for brothels

025681 2 6.7.46 1943 Ambarawa 6 Date of translation, not testimony.

Recruitment of women for brothels &
camp administration

026502 20.10.45 1944 Ambarawa 4 Hotel Splendid brothel & Pension van
Brussel

027091 19 18.2.49 1944 Semarang & Vonnis 34/48. Court case on women
Muntilan taken from camps to Semarang and
Muntilan brothels

032514 2 11.5.46 1944 Ambarawa 6 Recruitment of women for Semarang

brothels, situation in brothels, Kota Parijs
& Kramat

034224 3 24.2.48 1944 Moentilan Recruitment of women for brothels

034228 3 24.2.48 1944 Muntilan -"-

034232 2 25.2.48 1944 Muntilan -"-

034235 4 17.2.48 1943? Muntilan -"-

3
034239 3 18.2.48 1944 Muntilan -"-

034348 10.3.48 1944 Muntilan -"-

034251 4 13.2.48 1943-4 Muntilan -"-

034255 3 17.3.48 1943 Muntilan -"-

034258 3 16.3.48 1943-4 Muntilan -"-

035054 3 13.2.46 1944 Ambarawa 4 Recruitment of women for brothels,

Keboen Belakang Chinese building
brothel

035943 27 24.3.48 1944 Ambarawa & Vonnis 72/47: Court case on recruitment
Semarang of women from camps for brothels in
Semarang

046996 7 11.9.48 1944 Ambarawa & Vonnis 72a/47: Court case on

Semarang recruitment
of women from camps for brothels in
Semarang

060921 28.8.44 1942-3 Malang & NEFIS: On military brothels

Kalijati

060928 Surabaya NEFIS: On military brothels

061830 11.11.46 1942-4 Bandung Mention of Shoko-club, a Japanese

officers brothel in Bandung and women
from Tjihapit Camp ?

080125 21.10.46 1944 Ambarawa 8 Recruiting of women for brothels

4
Algemeen Rijksarchief (ARA)

I. Het Archief van de Procureur-Generaal bij het Hooggerechtshof van

Nederlands-Indië, 1945-1949
[The Archive of the Attorney-General at the High Court of Justice of the
Netherlands-Indies, 1945-1949]

28 List of "suspects" by area up to August 1945. English. Includes:

a. Jogjakarta A Javanese prostitute/spy for the Japanese. Based on a 1943 evacuation report

b. Surabaya Two brothers who acted as procurers of Eurasian and Indonesian girls for the
use of Japanese officers. Based on an evacuation report

29 List of "suspects" by area. English. Includes:

a. Makassar [A well-known Indonesian nationalist leader]. Secretary of the "Balai

Pengawasan Keamanan Oemoem" which was founded to cooperate with
Japanese authorities and which provided women for Japanese prostitution.
Information based on an evacuation report dated 5.6.45.

b. Makassar Deputy mayor and director of the benevolent society "Balai Pengawasan
Keamanan Oemoem" which was founded to cooperate with Japanese
authorities. The society provided women for Japanese prostitution.
Information dated 28.11.44.

c. Amboina [Mrs. XXXXXXX] Subject, formerly a comedienne in Wayang Stamboel, was

put by the Japanese in charge of a Military Brothel at Batoe Gantoeng,
Amboina. She procured local girls for this traffic, as well as being responsible
for the conduct of Javanese girls imported for this purpose. Information of
October 1943 (evacuee report).

d. Ambon Subject, the daughter of the headman of Boeano Island, was assistant to Mrs.
XXXXXXX (who was in charge of Military Brothel at Batoe Gantoeng,
Amboina). Subject was the mistress of XXXXXXX, a Japanese officer in
Kempei at Amboina. Information of December 1943.

30 a. [Dutch language] One document dated 10.5.46 includes information on women with
relationships with Japanese men as well as at least one person who put women
into the hands of Japanese officers.

31 a. This file contains information on women during the war, including women from brothels in
Jakarta.

b. Information on two [European] women who supplied European women and who acted as
managers of brothels [the Gg. Horning brothel and the Hanweg in Petodjo].

32 a. Document includes some information on some women and the manager of the "Capitol" Batavia
who supplied women for the Japanese.

b. Report on Bandung by former police officer, providing limited additional information.

c. Report on individuals in custody, including two accused of providing women for brothels through
the use of force.

5
65 a. [Dutch language] Nr.182 (dated 26.10.45) states:

"I also know that women were taken from their houses and also from theaters
at night by the PID and through this institution fed to brothels. Among others
this happened to a certain Mrs. XXXXXXXX, who in those days lived here on
the Koreaweg."

290 a. Series of short notes on individuals. Includes 4 Menadonese who acted as suppliers of women,
especially for brothels. Also one Dutch man who supplied women to Japanese
in Bandung and one individual in Magelang who recruited girls for Japanese
brothels in the outer islands.

6
Algemeen Rijksarchief (ARA)

II. Netherlands Forces Intelligence Service (NEFIS)

File # pgs rpt.date date location type of information

BAS/5641 1 12.4.48 Batavia Information card concerning a woman who

worked in 't Hof van Holland = Akebono Club
with her sister, etc.

±35 1945-8 Batavia Detailed corrections and corroborating

statements from the woman concerned

BAS/5644 Semarang Brief mention of woman working in Hotel du

Pavillion

BAS/5647 5 1946-8 Batavia Documents concerning a woman who worked

in the Sakura Bar on Gang Horning in Batavia.

BAS/5651 25.5.47 Malang Brief mention of 2 sisters who worked in a Jap

bar

BAS/5654 12 1947-8 Semarang Concerning Menadonese Christian owner of the

Carolina-bar and other restaurants in the Sedane
neighborhood which were patronized by
Chinese and Japanese.

BAS/5660 10 1946-52 Bandung Concerning the "Welgelegen" brothel with ±30

Dutch and Indonesian women. Managed by a
European woman and closed after the fall of
Saipan.

BAS/5664 1 9.7.46 Solo On the men in charge of the Eurasian

community in Solo who assisted in the search
for young girls to work for the Japanese; a
mention of brothels;

2 28.5.46 Salatiga Discussion of problems in the Sin Ko Kan [Berg

en Dal] Women's Camp, including a list of
women of "poor morals" and the used condoms
scattered around

BAS/5693 5 14.9.46 Magelang Concerns one man who worked with the KPT
and recruiting girls for brothels in the outer
provinces

Bes/3/ 2 13.1.47 1944- Tjihapit Camp Relationships with Japanese of one internee
5 who worked in a Japanese bar

Bes/5/ 5 12.5.46 n.d. Surabaya Sending of women to Japanese brothels

Bes/12/ n.d. Rpt.10/L: Name of a person who turned women

over to the Japanese.

Tretes Prt.14/L: Mention of a Indonesian controlling

20 internees and 9 Eurasian women in a house.
Unclear if related to prostitution, but 6 were

7
 pregnant after the war.

BM/1123 2 27.5.46 1944- Kendangan Statement of one woman taken from the camp
5 Camp for brothels in Semarang.

BM/1124 28.5.46 1943 Kendangan Concerning the recruitment of women (age 18-)
Camp for brothels in Semarang

BM/1125 1 28.5.46 1943 Kendangan Concerning the recruitment of women (age 18-)
Camp for brothels in Semarang

BM/1126 1 28.5.46 1943 Kendangan Concerning the recruitment of women (age 15-)
Camp for brothels in Semarang

BM/2469 21.8.46 Malang Mention of a European man's involvement in

supplying women

BM/2743 30.8.46 Batavia On a Dutch man who went to bars and brothels
with Japanese and whose aunt ran a brothel and
tried to trick young girls.

BM/2824 9.46 Malang On a European woman who sought girls for

Japanese.

BM/2825 4.9.46 1942- Magelang Description of the hotels which became brothels
in 1942 and the people who ran the hotels and
supplied the women (including one Chech and
one Swiss).

8
Algemeen Rijksarchief (ARA)

III. Private Archive of Mr. A.F.X. Vos de Wael.

# rpt date location discussed dates subject

1 19.3.46 Bondowoso & Jember 1942-3 Recruitment of women

2 21.3.46 Halmaheira camp 1944 Forced and volunteer recruiting for brothels

3 14.3.46 Semarang 1942-5 VD and abortions for Dutch girls in Semarang,

recruitment of girls by [Dutch] women for
Japanese

4 15.3.46 Bandung n.d. [Dutch] head of "Welgelegen" brothel

5 18.3.46 Ambarawa Camp 8 1944 Resistance to recruitment for brothels

6 25.3.46 Bondowoso & Jember 1942-5 Hotel Bondowoso/Jean Paul, the founding of a
bar for Japanese in Jember, and providing
European and Indo-European women to
Japanese

7 1.4.46 Solo-camp 1944 Resistance to recruitment of women for

brothels

8 18.3.46 Ambarawa Camp 9 1944 Recruitment of women for brothels and later
protests

9 25.3.46 Muntilan 1943 Recruitment of women for brothels

10 5.6.46 Batavia n.d. Recruitment of women as "housekeepers";

German woman as translator and in brothel

11 30.3.46 Solo & Halmah.Camps n.d. Hearsay information on resistance to

recruitment of women for brothels in Solo
Camp and recruitment of women for brothels in
Halmaheira Camp.

12 29.3.46 Blora 1942 Rape incident in March 1942

13 29.3.46 Surabaya & Gedangan 1942-4 Hotel Bristol and bar in Surabaya, the West
Indies manager + another [Dutch] person's
recruitment of women for Japanese.
Recruitment for brothels in Gedangan in Feb.
1944.

14 17.3.46 Ambarawa Camp 1/6 1944 Recruitment of women for brothels in February
1944

9
Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken
[Ministry of Foreign Affairs]

Nefis/CMI 1942-1949, Voorlopig nummer 1:

Date rpt. Source Location Information

a 8/46 Letters requesting investigation of a Dutchman for

trade in women (see voorlopig nummer 7, item d).
No details.

b 26.7.46 Surabaya Letter claims a Dutchman in the "Naval

Establishment... assisted the Japanese in the
collection of women, forced prostitutes". He died in
a POW camp in July 1944.

Nefis/CMI 1942-1949, Voorlopig nummer 7 (42) Betrouwbaarheidsonderzoek 2 226a/938d:

Date rpt. Source Location Information

a 10.9.46 NEFIS Ri/260/Geh. Surabaya Report from one Dutch woman about another
woman who had to open the Shoko-club

b 5.42 IGPGK Bali Balinese official reports being called to Denpasar

and ordered to provide 10 young women [daily?]
for Japanese officers.

c 19.5.46 Nefis No.4087/AB2 Bandung? Mention of a supplier of women to the Japanese.

No details.

d 20.9.46 Nefis declaration Cimahi Concerns a Dutch man and the question of whether
he was director/owner of the mountain hotel "De
Witte Wieken" in Cisarua near Cimahi and had
provided women, including Europeans, to the
Japanese before internment (November 1942). Also
mention of hotel "Berglust". Writer believes
information is not true.

e 4.9.46 H declaration Bali On the involvement of Balinese officials in

recruiting women for Japanese

f misc. Series of small Bandung Series of small reports on one service girl in
reports Concordia Bandoeng from 4.44-6.45 when she was
fired for her behavior when drunk. Apparently did
not sleep with Japanese.

10