Oyama Hiroshi, a Japanese touching heart of Chinese people

Home>>Life

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, March 06, 2004

Oyama Hiroshi, a Japanese touching heart of Chinese people

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Not long ago, the outcome of the "Moving China: man of year 2003" was released in Beijing. Aside from the Chinese people from various walks of life including the Space Hero Yang Liwei, a foreigner's name appeared for the first time on the list of winners. The man is Oyama Hiroshi, a famous Japanese lawyer.

The Appraisal Committee gave their reason why Oyama was elected: "He crossed the boundary of countries and nationalities. Standing on the side of justice he endured tremendous pressures and hardships and managed to shoulder the historical responsibility in a period of more than half his life. His contribution is not restricted in mending the scars in history by his own efforts. Moreover, he told the world how a country or even the human beings should face the history."

The Appraisal Committee said in the address delivered when the award was presented to Oyama: Under great pressure, the-70-year-old Japanese man spent over half his life to sue Japanese government against its crimes in the aggressive war to China. It was from him that people could perceive the power of justice, which crossed the borders of nationality and countries. Such power is enlightening the people because it has indicated that people may go beyond all limits in their way of defending justice. The only thing that must not be lost is the voice of justice ringing in the bottom of the hearts of the people.

According to reportage of the Chubun (Chinese Review), a Japan-based newspaper in Chinese, Oyama Hiroshi is the head of "Japanese lawyers' group representing the Chinese war victims claiming for reparation". He began to sue the Japanese government for tampering with historical facts in textbooks for high schools since 1963 and finally won the case. His act exercised great influence to the Japanese society for it has helped the government to face squarely the history. In year 1994, along with other lawyers in Japan, he set up the "Japanese lawyers' group representing the Chinese war victims claiming for reparation" to provide the Chinese war victims with legal assistance and represented Chinese victims to sue the Japanese government for free. In the past ten years, the group almost handled all Chinese victims' lawsuits against Japanese government, including such well-known cases as slave laborers, victims of germ warfare by Unit 731, comfortable women and chemical weapons. What is more, the lawyers' group has not only provided free assistance to the Chinese accusers in Japan against its aggressive war to China, but also afforded all expenses for these victims during their stay in Japan. So far the group has spent nearly 10 million-yuan for the Chinese plaintiffs. The Japanese lawyers in the group were called lawyers with conscience and justice by the Chinese society.

Owing to some right wingers and politicians in Japan's frequent denial to the historical facts and attempts to beautify the war, the number of common Chinese people's lawsuits against Japanese government keeps on increasing. Both influence and fame of the "apanese lawyers' group representing the Chinese war victims claiming for reparation" has boomed in China. As a representative of the Japanese lawyers, Oyama Hiroshi's winning of such a title symbolizes the Chinese people's trust, understanding and respect for the "Japanese lawyers' group representing the Chinese war victims claiming for reparation".

By People's Daily Online

Questions?Comments? Click here

Japanese media follows changes regarding 3 ' most-wanted' things for Chinese families ( 2 Messages)

It is unexpectedly easy to defeat "China Threat" theory: Japanese economist ( 17 Messages)

Scientific concept of development crucial to China's future growth: Premier ( 4 Messages)

China issues human rights record of the US ( 4 Messages)

China to promote "cocktail weight loss therapy" in response to WHO plan ( 2 Messages)