HAIKOU, May 22 (Xinhuanet) -- The Japanese army established seven "comfort women" houses in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, during World War II, two senior citizens said in a letter to the media.

    Wu Kunren, a 70-year-old retiree from Haikou Cultural Center, told the local newspaper in a letter that Japanese invaders set up the seven houses on and near Zhongshan Road after they occupied Haikou in February 1939.

    Women captured from China, Korea, the Philippines and other countries were kept in the houses, where they were forced to serveas sex slaves for Japanese soldiers, Wu said.

    Taichanglong Hotel (No. 90, Zhongshan Road), opposite to Wu's childhood house, was converted to Shouwu Comfort Women House after being occupied, Wu said.

    In his teenage years, Wu watched women going in and out the hotel every day, and learned the truth about the houses later from his friend Li Chuanqing.

    Li, 74, once delivered meals for the inmates in the comfort houses. In 1943, when Li was 12, he worked in Sanxing Restaurant (on the current site of the Hainan Drug Department Store), around which there were four "comfort women" houses.

    Li was often sent to deliver meals there. He was sent to each of the seven houses during the one-year work in the restaurant.

    Li noticed that each woman lived in a single room. When he delivered meals, Li dared not look around for fear of being beaten by Japanese soldiers. But he heard Japanese soldiers laughing lasciviously, beating women and cursing ferociously.

    Li pointed out all seven of the sites. Funaijia Comfort Women House was at No. 62 of Zhongshan Road. The old building was torn down, and the new one is a lamp market. The ABC Comfort Women House was located where the department store of Hainan Xingfa Labor Insurance Company now stands.

    Shouwu Comfort Women House was located at No. 90 Zhongshan Road.Guangsong Comfort Women House was located at where the Hongbang Machinery and Electronics Store stands. Chaori Comfort Women Housewas at No. 3 Zhongshan East-West Alley. Yiliu Comfort Women House was behind Haikou Department Store on Jiefang Xi Road, and has been torn down.

    There was another "comfort women" house in Renhe Lane, Li said,but he was not able to specify the location.

    Residents there said the Japanese army did occupy a residential building, but they were not aware of its purpose. Enditem