Japanese court dismisses slave labor suit
TOKYO -- The Tokyo High Court has ruled that Chinese nationals brought to Japan for slave labor have waited too long to seek compensation.
The court reversed a lower court ruling that the plaintiffs were entitled to damages, Kyodo News Service said. While acknowledging that laborers forced to work in Japan were wronged, the court rejected the claim for 25 million yen ($215,000) for each plaintiff from the government and Riinko Corp.
The suit was brought by six former Chinese laborers and the survivors of 22 others who have died.
The high court said there was a 20-year deadline for making a claim. At the time it expired, Japan and China had no diplomatic relations, which only resumed in 1972.
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The court reversed a lower court ruling that the plaintiffs were entitled to damages, Kyodo News Service said. While acknowledging that laborers forced to work in Japan were wronged, the court rejected the claim for 25 million yen ($215,000) for each plaintiff from the government and Riinko Corp.
The suit was brought by six former Chinese laborers and the survivors of 22 others who have died.
The high court said there was a 20-year deadline for making a claim. At the time it expired, Japan and China had no diplomatic relations, which only resumed in 1972.