Scars of the past

700 former laborers sue Japanese companies

TOKYO - Survivors of the Bombing of Chongqing during the World War II on Wednesday sued the Japanese government over its wartime antihuman bombings in Chongqing, the then Chinese capital, demanding governmental apology and compensation.

The accusers - Su Yuankui from Chongqing, Luo Shuqin from Zigong city in China's Southwest Sichuan province and Xu Yong, a history professor at Peking University, testified at the Tokyo District Court.

The lawsuit is the 26th time of court session on related case since 2006.

Su, 80, said in the court that two of his family members were killed during bombings in August 1940 and June 1941 and all of his properties were destroyed in the bombardments, while Luo said her mother lost her right foot in it.

"We came here to state and sue the Japanese government's brutal bombings in Chongqing during the World War II and demand Japanese court make justice judgement,"Su said before the court session.

"We are here not for recalling hatred, but to call for remembering of history and we will fight for the goal for our entire lives,"Su said.

The accusers, representing a civil litigation group against the Japanese government over the Chongqing bombings, urged the Japanese government to make apology and demand 10 million yen (about $97,900) for each survivor in the group.

Formed in April 2004, the civil group has formally sued the Japanese government over the catastrophe since March 2006. A total of 188 survivors and relatives of victims from Chongqing and nearby cities have been involved in the lawsuit as accusers.

Xu, during the session, showed several historic documents from the Chinese and Japanese sides which proved that the Japanese military plotted bombing plans against Zigong city and carried out seven raids, resulting in significant losses in lives and properties.

The indiscriminate bombings against Zigong is apparently an antihuman war crime, with solid historical record, Xu said at the court. He added that the core issue is whether or not the Japanese government could maintain a correct attitude of recognition on the history.

From February 1938 to August 1943, the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service and Navy Air Service conducted years-long terror blasts against then Chinese capital of Chongqing and its adjacent areas with over 11,500 bombs, mainly incendiary bombs.

Residential areas, business areas, schools and hospitals were the main targets of the attacks in which tens of thousands of civilians were killed. The bombings of Chongqing is a major war crime committed by Japan during its aggression in China during WWII.