A bronze statue symbolizing women forced to work in wartime brothels for the Japanese military was unveiled at a ceremony in the southern Taiwan city of Tainan on Tuesday, marking the first installation of such a memorial in the country.

Although the statue could cast a shadow over Japan-Taiwan ties, a Taiwanese government source said Taipei is in no way involved.

In Taiwan, 58 women have been recognized as being forced to work in Japan's wartime military brothels and are euphemistically called "comfort women". Of those, two are alive today.