Comfort bag

Comfort bags were traditionally prepared by women in the territories that Japan occupied during World War II. Among the items in the bags, the comfort doll became significant to many Japanese soldiers. One account describes a soldier fighting in China holding onto a comfort doll, given to him by a young Japanese girl, until he was killed. The soldier, Obayashi, had no family to send him letters or extra supplies, so he relied heavily on the government distributed comfort bags. The doll became incredibly important to him as it represented a mother or a little sister that he is missing from his real life. Much like Obayashi, other soldiers also found comfort within the comfort dolls. They would give them names, dress them in pretty clothes, and treat them as objects of affection. == Parallel to Comfort women ==

Comfort bags were packed not only by Japanese women, but also by women in Japanese occupied territory. These comfort women quickly came to serve a similar function to the dolls they made, because they offered a glimpse of the feminine for the soldiers fighting on the front lines. Similarly to the dolls and the comfort bags, the women were described as "imperial gifts" by the Japanese government, and were meant to serve as a reward for the men's contributions in the war. Over time, comfort women were regarded as an essential military resource, and were seen simply as materials rather than individuals. Many were given Japanese names to replace their own, as it would be more comfortable for the soldiers to interact with women with Japanese names. They could be reminded of their lives at home, at the expense of the dehumanization of these women. Comfort women were not seen as people, but rather, like the contents of a comfort bag, they are a resource meant to provide support for the troops and to keep their morale up during the war. ==See also==