A 76-year-old farmer from
Hebei Province, who was forced to work as a slave in Japan
during World War II, will get free legal aid to help him sue a
Japanese company in a Chinese court, according to sources with a
non-government federation devoted?to assisting Chinese war
victims.
Several lawyers and their firms have agreed to offer legal
assistance to former Chinese WWII laborers including Tian
Chunsheng.
This is the first time lawyers have tried to seek redress in a
Chinese court?rather than in Japan, said Tong Zeng, director
of the federation.
Tian was forced to work in Japanese mines along with his father.
On the way to Japan and during his time there he and others were
tortured and his father died, according to Tian. At the end of 1945
Tian was released and returned to China.
"More and more Chinese WWII victims are aware of their rights
nowadays since the federation began to claim compensation from
relevant Japanese?entities in 1990," Tong said.
"But most of the compensation claims have been rejected by the
Japanese courts," Tong said, explaining why victims like Tian have
now chosen to file lawsuits in China.?
Several other WWII victims and their relatives have also
contacted the federation about using Chinese courts to claim
compensation from Japanese companies and government.
(Xinhua News Agency April 3, 2006)