Japanese Court Dismisses Germ Warfare Victims' Damages Claim

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, August 27, 2002

Japanese Court Dismisses Germ Warfare Victims' Damages Claim

The Tokyo District Court on Tuesday dismissed a claim by Chinese plaintiffs against the Japanese government for compensation over the germ warfare waged by Japan in China during World War II.

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The Tokyo District Court on Tuesday admitted Japan waged germ warfare in China during World War II but rejected claims for compensation by over 100 Chinese plaintiffs against Japanese government.

It is the first time for a Japanese court to acknowledge that the Japanese army waged germ warfare in China, carried out by the notorious Unit 731 and other units of the Japanese Army, during Japan's brutal invasion in China during 1937-1945 period.

"The evidence shows that the Japanese troops, including Unit 731 and others, used bacteriological weapons under the order of the Imperial Japanese Army's headquarters and that many local residents died," Presiding Judge Koji Iwata said in handing down the ruling.

Although the court acknowledged the brutal facts, it ruled that the Japanese government had no legal liability.

The Chinese plaintiffs had sued the Japanese Government, demanding an apology for its use of germ warfare against Chinese citizens.

They also demanded around ten million yen (84,000 US dollars) each in compensation.

The lawsuit was filed with the Tokyo District Court in 1997 and 1999 by 180 people, including victims and relatives of deceased victims of the germ warfare.

Evidence showed at the trial that thousands of Chinese civilians were killed by plague and cholera cultivated by Japanese military scientists in China during World War II.

The plaintiffs said that Japanese government tried to hide the facts about the germ warfare and not taking any steps to redress the victims.

At the end of the World War II, Japanese army tried to destroy evidence by demolishing Unit 731 facilities in northeastern China. Japan also tried to cover up 731's role and none of its members were charged following an agreement with the then occupying US forces.

But details of Unit 731's activities came to light as a result of the disclosure of wartime US government records and testimony by former unit members.

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