長尾秀美（元在日米海軍司令部渉外報道専門官・小説家）氏と有志によるオリジナル曲『慰安婦―微笑みの彼方に』をご紹介します。
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『慰安婦―微笑みの彼方に』

今回の歌の題名は『慰安婦―微笑みの彼方に』です。

この歌はカバー曲ではありません。Travelerが作曲したオリジナル曲です。Guitarの支援を受け、Janmarが歌詞を書き、Angelが歌っています。
背景画像の中に含まれている古い写真は、なでしこアクションから提供していただきました。

「慰安婦」とは売春婦のことです。売春は世界で最も古くからある職業の一つだと言われています。

百科事典の一つでウェブサイトのコトバンクによると、近代以前の日本では売春婦に対する代表的名称が遊女でした。その江戸時代、徳川幕府（1603‐1868年）は遊女を取り締まるために遊郭を許可制にしました。遊郭で働いた遊女は公娼として扱われましたが、遊郭の外で売春をしていた女性は私娼でした。いずれにしても親に売られた女性や生活に困った女性が売春をしていました。

1872年（明治5年）、政府は（芸）娼妓解放令を公布し、売春婦は娼妓と呼ばれました。1900年（明治33年）、政府は娼妓取締規則を公布しました。娼妓は、親の承諾書に印鑑証明書と戸籍謄本とを添付し、健康診断を受け、自ら警察署に届け出をし、娼妓名簿に登録され、指定された場所に住み、許可を受けた場所で稼業をすることが義務付けられました。（注：1916年（大正5年）、朝鮮総督府は芸妓酌婦芸妓置屋営業取締規則と貸座敷娼妓取締規則を発布したので、娼妓は朝鮮でも日本と同様の手続きを経なければ稼業ができませんでした。）

第1次世界大戦中の1916年（大正5年）から娼妓は中国の青島の貸座敷（置屋）で、上海事変が起こった1932年（昭和7年）から娼妓は中国の上海の慰安所で稼業を始めました。戦地で働く娼妓はこの頃から慰安婦と言われるようになりました。1937年に日中戦争が始まり、1941年（昭和16年）に日本が大東亜戦争（太平洋戦争）を始めると、中国大陸内陸部や南部や東南アジアにも慰安所が設置されました。慰安婦も慰安所経営者も現地領事館警務部に登録した上で稼業をしていました。慰安所経営者と契約を結んだ慰安婦の取り分は、親が前借した金額により、売り上げの4割から6割でした。言うまでもありませんが、彼女たちの身分は公娼でした。無届の私娼ではありません。

一部の人たちと団体は、国家権力が女性を拉致し、戦地の慰安所で性奴隷にされたと主張しています。彼らは、慰安婦を、悪徳業者に騙され現地の女郎屋に売られ強姦された上に、無償で、売春を強制された女性と混同しているようです。

前置きが長くなりました。この歌は慰安婦（公娼、娼妓）だった女性の過去を振り返りつつ、彼女たちの心情に寄り添うために創作しました。したがって現在の男女平等や人権尊重や倫理観に異議を唱えるものではありません。

COMFORT WOMEN—Casting a Smile at the Checkered History
(Translation of Japanese Lyrics by Janmar)

The title of the song this time is “COMFORT WOMEN— Casting a Smile at the Checkered History.”

This is not a cover song but an original song composed by Traveler, written by Janmar, and sung by Angel with the support of Guitar. Old photographs used in the video footage are provided by courtesy of Nadeshiko Action, the Japanese Women for Justice and Peace.

“Comfort women” were prostitutes. Prostitution is known as one of the oldest professions in the world.

According to Kotobank (one of the web-site dictionaries), prostitutes were generally called Yujo (literally translated as playing women) in pre-modern Japan. In the Edo Period (1603-1868), the Tokugawa shogunate government set in place a system of permits to operate establishments for prostitution. Thereby Yujo were controlled and registered at each establishment. Those prostitutes who did business on their own were not Yujo in that sense. In any case, engaged in business were those women who were sold by their parents or those who had financial hardships.

In 1872, the Meiji government issued the Prostitutes Liberation Act, which made Yujo independent, publicly licensed prostitutes or Shogi. In 1900, the government enacted the Shogi Control Regulations. It meant a Shogi was required:  to submit a letter of consent from her parent with a certificate of seal impression and a copy of her family register, to receive a medical certificate, and to present herself at the police station, to register her on the official list of Shogi, to live at a place designated, and to do business at an authorized establishment. (Note: The Government-General of Korea issued in 1916 two regulations to control prostitution businesses and Shogi. Korean shogi—as were Japanese counterparts—were required to follow the similar procedures to engage in prostitution.)

As for Shogi prostituting in overseas locations, the earliest record indicates Shogi were in Qingdao (Tsingtao), China from 1915. Since the days of the Shanghai Incident (January 28 Incident) of 1932, Shogi practiced business in comfort stations in Shanghai. They began to be called “comfort women” since then. After the Battle of Shanghai broke out in 1937 and the Pacific War began in 1941, private operators set up comfort stations in inland and south China and in Southeast Asia. The comfort women as well as the comfort station operators were required to register themselves at the police department of a Japanese consulate. Having signed contracts with the operators, the women worked on a percentage basis. What they made was 40% to 60% of the monthly earnings, depending on how much money their parents borrowed.

Certain people and groups claim that the authorities had kidnapped young women by force and made them sexual slaves at comfort stations in warfront. They have obviously confused the comfort women with those women who had been deceived and sold to brothels, where they were raped and forced to work without pay.

Without further ado, allow me to say that we made this song to echo the sentiments of the comfort women (publicly licensed prostitutes or Shogi) by describing their checkered life in the past. It is not meant, therefore, to raise an objection to the equality of the sexes, respect to human rights, or the code of ethics of today.

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『慰安婦―微笑みの彼方に』（COMFORT WOMEN—Casting a smile at the checkered history）

作曲：Traveler　作詞・歌詞の英訳：Janmar　歌：Angel 支援：Guitar　協力：なでしこアクション

1．
あなたに逢ったのは　昼下がりの村外れ
お参りしての帰り　笑顔のあなた
道を尋ねたら　お茶でもと勧められ
小さな家に招かれ　束の間を過ごしたの

When I first met you little after noon,
We happened to be outside a town.
After offering prayers at the shrine awhile,
You were heading home with a fond smile.
When I asked which way to go,
You asked me to come for a cup of tea, though.
Being settled at your house cozily,
I talked with you about life variously.

2．
あなたの記憶に刻まれた　つらい過去の話
私はじっと聞きながら　笑顔をなくした
あの頃みんな食べられず　白い米は夢の夢
家族皆を想って　こっくりと頷いた

A portion of your past, graven in memories,
Was not dear or delightful for you.
I found, listening to you closely,
Sorrow overwhelming smiles I had for you.
Your family was too poor to feed all and
Little did you dream white rice on the table.
To assure staple food for the family demand
You decided to take on a job available.

3．
17になったあなた　借りたお金のために
判子の赤い染みを　涙で眺め
どこにあるかも知らない　青い海の彼方の
戦地で鑑札もらい　慰安所で過ごしたの

You were then only 17 years old
to be sold for a debt of the family.
With misty eyes you watched a paper twofold
Being sealed in red ink by father clearly.
You left soon after for a place unknown,
Crossing the blue ocean to warfront.
Given a business I.D., you shared a milestone
With other comfort women migrant.

4．
お化粧をしたあなたは　愛想もよく持てなして
仕送り分を稼いだの　家族みんなのために
お休みには街へ出掛けた　勤めのことは忘れ
赤いワンピース買い　お似合いの靴も買った

With thick makeup and in a kimono flashy,
You engaged with troops agreeably.
Working hard and saving money hourly,
You sent money by post for the family.
You went to town on a weekly day-off
To relieve the burden of work and debt.
You had a red one-piece to show off
And a pair of red shoes with a rosette.

5．
あなたの手を握り　何も言えない私
セピア色の写真に　溢れる涙
そんな想い出は　今は過去のことだと
あなたはそっと呟き　ほほ笑みをくれました

Holding your hand with a sympathetic nod,
I became speechless after your talk.
Sepia photos of you taken abroad
Made my eyes well up with tears in stock.
Holding tight my hand, you blandly said to me
The past would be useless for your future.
At the entranceway, you gave a smile to me
As we said good-bye to each other.