On May 6, 2015, 187 distinguished historians and scholars of Japanese studies from the US and nine other countries issued a joint statement titled “Open Letter in Support of Historians in Japan.” The large number of signatories included globally renowned scholars such as Pulitzer Prize winner Herbert Bix (Binghamton University), Theodore Cook and Haruko Taya Cook (William Paterson University), Bruce Cumings (Chicago University) and Peter Duus (Stanford University).
In the open letter, the scholars criticized the Japanese government for attempting to deny the issue of the “comfort women.” They added that evidence unearthed by historians as well as accounts of soldiers among others is proof that large numbers of women were held against their will and subject to horrific brutality.

On May 25, 2015, 16 Japanese historical research organizations and groups related to historical studies issued a joint statement calling on the nation to face up to the issue of the “comfort women.” The statement read: “By continuing to take the irresponsible stance of denying the facts of wartime sexual slavery by the Japanese military, certain politicians and sections of the media are essentially conveying to the rest of the world that Japan does not respect human rights.”

A joint statement of global historians

"Among the many instances of wartime sexual violence and military prostitution in the 20th century, the 'comfort women' system was distinguished by its large scale and systematic management under the military, and by its exploitation of young, poor, and vulnerable women in areas colonized or occupied by Japan...
evidence proves that large numbers of women were held against their will and subjected to horrific brutality."

A joint statement of historical research organizations and education groups in Japan

“The existence of forcibly recruited 'comfort women' has been verified by many historical records and extensive research....victims of sexual slavery were subjected to forced recruitment and also conditions which violated their basic human rights…”