TOKYO — The Tokyo District Court on Thursday rejected a damages suit against the Japanese government by Chinese women and families of dead women despite acknowledging they were raped by Japanese soldiers during World War II.
The plaintiffs from Shanxi Province were seeking damages of 20 million yen each and a written apology from the Japanese government.
Presiding Judge Takaomi Takizawa Thursday acknowledged the women were raped repeatedly and tortured by Japanese soldiers from 1941 to 1943, but dismissed the case on the grounds there was no compensation legislation at the time.
"The government cannot be held responsible, because at the time of the incident there was no law regulating the government's responsibility to compensate damage claims," Takizawa said.
But the court expressed its hope that the government would help the victims through new laws or administrative actions.
"Considering the damage will remain deep within the soul of the plaintiffs, the court thinks it is very much possible that the legislative and executive branches will resolve the issue," Takizawa said.
"It is hoped that war compensation issues will be dealt with in a forward-looking manner, in the direction that some sort of consolation will be brought to those who received damages," he said.
The legal team for the plaintiffs, who were considering appealing the case, also said they hoped lawmakers and the executive branch would take act sympathetically.
"We can accept the court's recognition of the facts and its additional remarks. We hope the legislative and executive branches will take positive action to revolve the issue," a representative of the team said.
The court did not characterise the plaintiffs in the latest case as sex slaves.
More than 50 damages suits, have been filed against Japan over its wartime sexual enslavement of women, mainly from South Korea and China.
Many of those suits have been rejected by Japanese courts on the grounds that the 20-year period for demanding compensation has expired, or that internationally recognised treaties only provide for reparations to be made to states, not individuals.
Historians say at least 200,000 young women, mostly Korean but also from Taiwan, China, the Philippines and Indonesia, were forced to serve as sex slaves in Japanese army brothels during World War II. (Wire reports)
Article reprinted courtesy of Japan Today: http://www.japantoday.com
The plaintiffs from Shanxi Province were seeking damages of 20 million yen each and a written apology from the Japanese government.
Presiding Judge Takaomi Takizawa Thursday acknowledged the women were raped repeatedly and tortured by Japanese soldiers from 1941 to 1943, but dismissed the case on the grounds there was no compensation legislation at the time.
"The government cannot be held responsible, because at the time of the incident there was no law regulating the government's responsibility to compensate damage claims," Takizawa said.
But the court expressed its hope that the government would help the victims through new laws or administrative actions.
"Considering the damage will remain deep within the soul of the plaintiffs, the court thinks it is very much possible that the legislative and executive branches will resolve the issue," Takizawa said.
"It is hoped that war compensation issues will be dealt with in a forward-looking manner, in the direction that some sort of consolation will be brought to those who received damages," he said.
The legal team for the plaintiffs, who were considering appealing the case, also said they hoped lawmakers and the executive branch would take act sympathetically.
"We can accept the court's recognition of the facts and its additional remarks. We hope the legislative and executive branches will take positive action to revolve the issue," a representative of the team said.
The court did not characterise the plaintiffs in the latest case as sex slaves.
More than 50 damages suits, have been filed against Japan over its wartime sexual enslavement of women, mainly from South Korea and China.
Many of those suits have been rejected by Japanese courts on the grounds that the 20-year period for demanding compensation has expired, or that internationally recognised treaties only provide for reparations to be made to states, not individuals.
Historians say at least 200,000 young women, mostly Korean but also from Taiwan, China, the Philippines and Indonesia, were forced to serve as sex slaves in Japanese army brothels during World War II. (Wire reports)
Article reprinted courtesy of Japan Today: http://www.japantoday.com