The history of jugun ianfu, or women who became victims of sexual slavery during the Japanese occupation, remains an important subject in history education. This issue drew the attention of Dimas Anggoro, S.Pd., M.Pd., who conducted research at several senior high schools in Semarang in August 2026.
The research was conducted at SMAN 1, SMAN 6, SMAN 11, SMAN 12, and SMAN 13 Semarang. The study examined how students understand the history of jugun ianfu and how they perceive Japan during the occupation period as well as contemporary Japan.
The students had previously learned about the Japanese occupation in their history classes. However, the issue of jugun ianfu had not yet become a subject they understood in depth.
During interviews, several students stated that they studied the Japanese occupation while they were in the eleventh grade. Their knowledge of jugun ianfu emerged when they discussed various policies and forms of violence during the Japanese occupation.
The issue of jugun ianfu itself is not solely related to the history of occupation. It also encompasses women’s experiences, sexual violence, power relations, and human rights issues.
For this reason, learning about jugun ianfu can provide students with an opportunity to view history from a more humane perspective. They are not merely expected to remember historical events, but also to understand the impact of war on civilian communities.
Discussions regarding Japan’s responsibility toward the victims have also become an important point of attention. History does not end with the question of what happened, but also involves how societies understand and remember the past.
Semarang and Its Historical Traces
The selection of Semarang as the research location was not without reason. The city has historical traces from the Japanese occupation that are connected to the issue of jugun ianfu.
Several historical studies have documented the existence of ianjo, or facilities used within the Japanese military sexual slavery system, in Semarang. A study published in the Kiryoku journal of Universitas Diponegoro identified several locations, including Shoko Club, Futabaso, and Hinomaru.
A number of studies on jugun ianfu in Java have also documented the recruitment of women in Central Java, including Semarang and its surrounding areas.
These historical traces demonstrate that the history of jugun ianfu is not a distant story from the lives of the people of Semarang.
Several local historical accounts have also linked Hotel Oewa Asia on Jalan Kolonel Sugiyono in Semarang to the stories of women who were forced to serve Japanese soldiers.
Understanding History Does Not Mean Hating Japan
One important aspect of the research was to examine how knowledge about Japanese atrocities in the past relates to students’ perceptions of contemporary Japan.
The research findings indicate a tendency among students to distinguish between Japan during World War II and Japanese society today.
History education can strengthen critical thinking by encouraging students to condemn sexual slavery and violence against women during wartime while, at the same time, enabling them to view contemporary Japanese society more objectively.
In other words, learning about the atrocities associated with jugun ianfu does not automatically mean that students must hate Japanese society today.
This is where the study finds its relevance to history education.
