Civil claims laid to Japan for compensation highly significant

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, March 19, 2004

Civil claims laid to Japan for compensation highly significant

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On Mar. 18, the Tokyo High Court was expected to hold the fourth hearing of the second trial for the lawsuit lodged by the Chinese victims of the bacteriological war launched by the Japanese invaders in China during World War II. The lawsuit team leader Wang Xuan and other plaintiffs are making active preparation for the lawsuit.

During the Second Session of the 10th NPC (National People's Congress) and the Second Session of the 10th CPPCC (Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference), some NPC deputies and CPPCC members submitted proposals concerning civil claims against Japan filed by the victims of the Japanese war of aggression against China. The Chinese non-governmental claims against Japan for a while became the focus of people's attention.

The voice uttered by Chinese civilians for settling account with Japan on its responsibility for its war of aggression against China has become louder since the 1990s. Chinese victims who had been trampled upon by Japanese invaders have sued the Japanese government and enterprises at the Japanese courts and asked the Japanese government to apologize and compensate individual Chinese victims.

Incomplete statistics show that over 20 cases of such claims have so far been lodged by Chinese citizens while people around the world have laid over 60 claims for the war indemnities from Japan.

A government irresponsible for history is also a government irresponsible for the present and the future. Nearly 60 years have passed since World War II. But certain forces in the Japanese government still refuse to repent of their aggression committed years ago. They visit the Yasukuni Shrine, tamper with their textbooks and wriggle off compensation for the war. �� All of these moves attempting to conceal historical facts and shirk responsibility for the war have seriously impeded the normal official and non-governmental exchanges between the two countries.

A key factor affecting the Sino-Japan relationship is how to correctly treat history. Recognition of historical facts is exactly the foundation for Sino-Japan friendship. In this sense, it is necessary for Japan to make a profound reflection on its aggressive war against China, clearly define the injury-inflictors' responsibility for the war, boldly shoulder responsibility and frankly reflect on its crimes. It should apologize and compensate for the atrocities and losses it committed and caused in the war and write historical truth into their textbooks to exhort the coming generations.

It is regrettable that the Japanese government lacks the minimum sincere and necessary courage in its attitude toward the issue of non-governmental indemnities. During Japan's invasion of China, the heinous atrocities committed by Japan such as the use of bacterial and chemical weapons and the forced enlistment of Chinese laborers and comfort women had seriously hurt the Chinese people both physically and mentally. It is naturally faced with the legal action filed by the Chinese people.

Perhaps the result of the non-governmental claims against Japan is not optimistic. But we attach more importance to the process. What we hope is the exposure of historical truth and the spread of just voices. Through the legal actions for compensation, we will get the courts to witness the evil of war, and Japan to squarely face the fact of its war crimes, and return the victims their due dignity.

As the renowned Japanese lawyer Kohken Tsuchiya put it: " These lawsuits are of significant contribution to all mankind and to the future of humanity." So we are resolved not to give up the campaign for compensations, instead, we will carry it through to the end!

By People's Daily Online

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