The NMSU Department of Journalism and Media Studies in cooperation with the College of Arts and Sciences and the departments of history and sociology will host a screening of the documentary film “Shusenjo: The Main Battleground of ‘Comfort Women’ Issue” Friday, Oct. 4, at 4 p.m. at the Corbett Center Student Union auditorium.

The director of the film, Mr. Miki Dezaki, will be on hand following the two-hour screening to give a talk and answer questions from 6–7 p.m.

According to information published on the film’s official website, “the comfort women issue is perhaps Japan’s most contentious present-day diplomatic quandary. Inside Japan, the issue is dividing the country across clear ideological lines. Supporters and detractors of comfort women are caught in a relentless battle over empirical evidence, the validity of oral testimony, the number of victims, the meaning of sexual slavery, and the definition of coercive recruitment. Credibility, legitimacy and influence serve as the rallying cry for all those involved in the battle.

“Additionally, this largely domestic battleground has shifted to the international arena, commanding the participation of various state and non-state actors and institutions from all over the world. This film delves deep into the most contentious debates and uncovers the hidden intentions of the supporters and detractors of comfort women. Most importantly it finds answers to some of the biggest questions for Japanese and Koreans: Were comfort women prostitutes or sex slaves? Were they coercively recruited? And, does Japan have a legal responsibility to apologize to the former comfort women?”

Admission to the film screening is free to everyone and refreshments will be provided. For more information please contact Hwiman Chung at 575-646-7674 or hchung@nmsu.edu.