Japan's war crimes stain pages of history

Home>>China

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, September 19, 2003

Japan's war crimes stain pages of history

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

The Japanese Government should acknowledge the nation's war crimes and reach settlements with their victims, an international meeting was told Thursday.

Over 120 people attended the International Symposium on Japanese Responsibilities for its Invasion of Asian Countries in Shanghai. They included lawyers, "comfort'' women used as sex slaves, and forced labourers from China, Japan, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the United States.

"Half a century has passed since the end of Japanese military aggression. However, the Japanese Government still behaves unreasonably and ignores the feelings of the countries they victimized,'' said Wang Xuan. Wang is chairwoman of a legal group advising plaintiffs suing Japan for damages over its use of germ warfare.

The plaintiffs' group was founded in 1997 by 180 members, including forced labourers and sex slaves. But over 30 of them have since passed away without seeing much change in the attitude of the Japanese Government, let alone any financial compensation.

"Time is so limited for the aged victims. I hope all organizations and individuals establish active and specific plans to help them obtain an apology and compensation while they are still alive,'' said Kohken Tsuchiya, leader of the Japanese delegation to the symposium.

Tsuchiya also heads a group of over 200 Japanese lawyers helping Chinese victims of germ warfare conducted by Japan's notorious Unit 731 in China.

An International Solidarity Council Demanding Settlement of Japan's Past has been established to unite groups and individuals working for the rights of victims of Japanese war crimes, according to Japanese representative Ken Arimitsu.

"Their voice must be heard on all possible occasions and in courts throughout Asia and the world,'' said Barry Fisher, an American lawyer who worked for an organization that successfully sued Germany for its war crimes against the Jews.

In other cities across the country, ceremonies were held yesterday to commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the "September 18th Incident,'' in which Japanese troops launched a sudden attack on the Chinese army in Shenyang.

In the city of Changchun, seven universities held exhibitions on the event. "I think they will inform students of a history we should never forget,'' said Zhang Na, a student from Jilin University.

Pictures on Japan's chemical war crimes exhibited

A total of 198 pictures and historical charts on Japan's chemical war crimes were put on show Thursday in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu province.

The exhibition, located at a memorial for victimized people killed in the bloody massacre in December 1939.

Divided into six parts, the exhibition put the pictures on the chemical weapons leak this year on Aug. 4 in Qiqihaer city of northeast China in the priority, reminding visitors never to forget the history of the aggression by Japanese militarism.

During World War II, and even in the post-war period, the toxic chemical weapons made by Japan have brought untold sufferings to the lives of Chinese people and great havocs to their living environment, said Zhu Chengshan, curator of the memorial.

Exhibition materials show that in the eight-year war of Japanese aggression against China from 1937-1945, the Japanese intruding troops used chemical weapons more than 2,000 times, withthe casualties among Chinese soldiers and common people reaching nearly 100,000.

Questions?Comments? Click here

72nd anniversary of "9.18 Incident"

Chinese Scientist Appeals for Checking Academic Corruption ( 5 Messages)

Chinese Premier Urges Reform of Administrative System ( 2 Messages)

High-tech Expo: Precious Chances for Investments ( 5 Messages)

China denies troop build-up on borders ( 3 Messages)

China Sets to Put Brakes on Auto Industry ( 9 Messages)