WORLD / ASIA-PACIFIC Japan ‘comfort women’ abuses has shocking legal verdict By AFP Published: Apr 21, 2021 07:58 PM A South Korean court on Wednesday dismissed a case brought by a handful of World War II enslaved women, and their families against the Japanese government, saying Tokyo enjoyed "sovereign immunity" over the issue. The ruling comes after the same court in January ordered Tokyo to compensate a dozen women forced to serve Japanese troops - euphemistically labeled "comfort women" - marking the first civilian legal victory against Tokyo in South Korea. One plaintiff pledged to fight Wednesday's different verdict, which an analyst said would be a "plus" for improving ties between South Korea and Japan, whose disputes have spread to affect trade and security in recent years.