Steps towards a settlement
Header Picture Courtesy to Asia Pacific Journal
Even though both sides have not yet reached a settlement, forced laborers are increasingly recognized by the public and steps towards reaching a settlement ameliorated. The Japanese government is now pressured by the Japanese, Chinese and Korean public as well as foreign nations. There is a rise in activist groups over recent years as more cases seem to have succeeded in court. Many District Courts in Japan also accepted plaintiffs’ claims. While the press in Japan shows very little information regarding this issue, the press in China and Korea show support for the plaintiffs.[1] In Japan itself, there are a small amount of marches and websites that support the cause of the forced laborers.[2]
In the last decade, there seems to be an improvement as more district courts in Japan accepted more claims from the plaintiffs. At first, Kajima Construction Corp refused to pay compensation for Chinese workers, but on November 2000, Tokyo District Court decreed Kajima Corp. to pay compensation ($4.3) for the Hanaoka Incident (where Chinese workers revolted and resulted in a death of more than 400 miners). In 2002, Plaintiffs’ lawyers in Fukuoka introduced around 2,000 pages of documents as evidence for forced labor. In the same year, Fukuoka District Court ordered Mitsui Mining Co. to compensate but the ruling was reversed by a |
Supreme Court judge. In 2004, Niigata District court ruled that the transport company Rinki Corp. was liable for damages done to the workers.[3] The results of these court cases are currently inconsistent, making it difficult to predict the result for a single case.
This settlement may serve as Japan’s acceptance and acknowledgement of their war crimes. The path towards settlement also became easier in recent days as well as the South Korean President Park Geun Hye says that she is ready to resolve the problem with Japan. Japan is also optimistic in reaching a conclusion with Chinese President Xi Jinping. While putting pressure on Japan will facilitate future court cases, taking the Japanese view on the issue into account is crucial. China, Korea and Japan must come to a final conclusion themselves where all sides agree to the conditions. The international community must pressure not only Japan but also China and Korea to help them come to a consensus. It may not be easy to let the grudge go, but forgiving and accepting Japan’s apology will settle disputes. East Asian nations must also accept what the Japanese paid as sufficient as well. As for the Japanese side, its government must not only apologize but also acknowledge and admit its crime during the war. Acknowledgement to the Chinese and Koreans is an important factor that will help improve their relations. |
Sources
[1]Nam, Steven S. "From Individual to Collective Restitution: Recasting Corporate
Accountability for Korean Forced Labor in the Second World War."
University of California, Davis 22.
[2]Webster, Timothy. "Sisyphus in a Coal Mine: Responses to Slave Labor in Japan and The United States." Cornell Law Review 91 (August 2010).
[3]Underwood, William. "Chinese Forced Labor, the Japanese Government and the
Prospects for Redress." The Asia-Pacific Journal 3, no. 7 (July 2005).
Accountability for Korean Forced Labor in the Second World War."
University of California, Davis 22.
[2]Webster, Timothy. "Sisyphus in a Coal Mine: Responses to Slave Labor in Japan and The United States." Cornell Law Review 91 (August 2010).
[3]Underwood, William. "Chinese Forced Labor, the Japanese Government and the
Prospects for Redress." The Asia-Pacific Journal 3, no. 7 (July 2005).