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Chinese WWII captives ask Japanese companies for compensation

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-08-13 15:24

A legal aid team for Chinese captives who were forced into labor in Japan during World War II has sent out Attorney Opinion Letters to 20 Japanese companies asking for apologies and compensation on Wednesday, the Beijing News reported today. The lowest claim for compensation is $ 20,000.

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The twenty Japanese companies include famous ones like Mitsubishi Motors, Sumitomo Corp, and Nippon Mining Holdings.

The aid team leader, Dang Jianguo, said about 40,000 Chinese were abducted from China and forced to work in Japan between 1944 and 1945. Seven hundred labor victims are still alive today.

Deng said the Japanese government has refused to compensate because of the large number of victims. "But we think companies are likely to agree to our request since the number of forced workers working for a single company is relatively small," he said.

"First and foremost, they have to offer an apology," Deng added.