Two former Chinese laborers, who were forced to work at Japanese mines during World War II, on Thursday demanded the two Japanese companies to apologize and make compensations.

The Fukuoka District Court dismissed on Wednesday the suit against the Japanese government, Mitsui Mining Co. and Mitsubishi Materials Corp. (then Mitsubishi Mining Corp.) filed by a group of 45 former Chinese laborers who were forced by the companies to work at mines in southern Fukuoka prefecture during World War II.

"The ruling was unjust. The Japanese government and related companies should apologize. We will continue to sue until we obtain justice," former laborer Cui Guangting said at the Tokyo headquarters of Mitsubishi Materials Corp. to the company's representatives.

The 82-year-old man, from China's Hebei province, had been forced to work under the mines of Mitsubishi Materials Corp. in Japan for more than a year before Japan surrendered in 1945. He and his fellow laborers ate insufficient and rough food and were often beaten by the Japanese supervisors.

Earlier in the day, 80-year-old Cui Shujin went to the Tokyo headquarters of Mitsui Mining Co. to voice his demand for justice. He was forced to work at the mines operated by Mitsui during World War II.

Uji Onoyama, chief of the Japanese lawyer team for the plaintiffs, also submitted letters stating the demands of the plaintiffs to the two companies on Thursday. The supporting lawyer team accompanied the two old men to the companies and put up slogans demanding apology from the companies.

"We are confident of the future seeing so many Japanese friends supporting us," Li Haiyan, a Chinese lawyer for the plaintiffs, said after the ruling.

The plaintiffs filed the suit in February 2003, seeking 23 million yen (about 194,900 U.S. dollars) in compensation per person, and demanding that an apology be published in both Japanese and Chinese newspapers.

The court decided on Wednesday that the policy of forced labor was illegal. However, it dismissed the case, saying that under the former constitution the state could not be held responsible for its actions and that the plaintiffs' right to request reparation has expired 20 years after the illegal act was committed.

A total of 8,226 Chinese people were forced to leave home and work in mines by the Mitsui Mining Co. and Mitsubishi Mining Corp during World War II. Among them, 1,540 laborers were tortured to death. However, the two companies hardly paid any money to the laborers.

A report from the Japanese Foreign Ministry showed that 38,935 Chinese people were forcibly taken to work in 135 mines and ports across Japan during WWII.

Source: Xinhua