Japanese lawyer fighting for Chinese laborers in "Hanaoka incident" dies

Takashi Niimi, a Japanese lawyer who fought for the rights of forced Chinese laborers in the "Hanaoka incident", died of cardiac failure in a hospital Wednesday at the age of 59, Kyodo News said Thursday.

Niimi acted as the chief lawyer representing 11 survivors or family members of deceased Chinese laborers in the "Hanaoka incident", battling more than five years in court against the major Japanese construction firm Kajima Corp. until November 2000.

On June 30, 1945, over 700 forced Chinese laborers at mines in Hanaoka, Akita prefecture launched an uprising to protest against inhuman treatment from the Japanese firm. More than 130 laborers were tortured to death by the Japanese side within three days of the uprising. The event was later known as "Hanaoka incident."

A lawsuit seeking apology and compensation was filed by 11 survivors or family members of deceased Chinese laborers in the " Hanaoka incident" in 1995 with the help of Niimi. Through the persistent efforts from Niimi and others, a 500 million-yen (about 4.24 million U.S. dollars) fund was established by Kajima to compensate the Chinese victims, though the Japanese government refused to apologize or compensate.

Niimi was born in Nagoya, Aichi prefecture and lived in Yokohama. He was also a professor of law at the Shimane University graduate school.

Source: Xinhua