Japan forced to pay Chinese for WWII labour

david.zh

Last Update: Friday, March 26, 2004. 11:35pm (AEDT)
<H1>Japan forced to pay Chinese for WWII labour</H1>
< class=wallacepara>A court in Japan has demanded that the Government pay more than $A1 million to a group of Chinese people who were forced to work in Japan during World War II.


< class=wallacepara>It is the first time a court has ordered the Government to pay compensation for abuses committed by Japan against people in other Asian countries during the war.


< class=wallacepara>Japanese judges rarely spring surprises but in the Niigata District Court, Judge Noriyoshi Katano broke ranks with his colleagues and awarded compensation to the group of Chinese.


< class=wallacepara>The Chinese were forced to work in the city during WWII.


< class=wallacepara>Eleven other cases brought by victims of forced labour in different courts have been rejected over the past two years, with judges citing a 10-year statute of limitations for civil suits.


< class=wallacepara>But Judge Katano argued that the 10-year time limit could not apply to what amounted to a serious violation of human rights.


< class=wallacepara>The Government is likely to appeal against this verdict.


< class=wallacepara>Given the past record of other judges, the appeal will probably be successful.


< class=wallacepara>-- BBC

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帅得被通辑

so dis