A new group of Chinese victims of chemical weapons left behind by Japanese troops during World War II will file a suit against the Japanese government seeking an official apology and compensation.

Some 40 victims of last August's mustard gas exposure tragedy in Qiqihar in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province signed power of attorneys with Chinese lawyers on Sunday and yesterday, entrusting them in a joint legal action.

"What matters is not how much money we will get in compensation, but how the Japanese Government will face its history," said Su Xiangxiang, a lawyer who will take the case and has been fighting for the right of thousands of Chinese victims of Japanese invasion for nearly a decade.

Under increasing pressure from the Chinese Government, the Japanese Government last year agreed to give 300 million yen (US$2.56 million) to 44 victims of the August 4 accident in which one died 17 days later. The payment was made by the end of last year.

"But the Japanese Government has never admitted its mistakes in the war, and the purpose of the payment is ambiguous," said Su.

"The aim of the non-governmental action is to urge the Japanese Government to assume its responsibility on a legal basis and to win back our dignity."

With the co-operation of Japanese lawyers, a statement of claim will first be presented to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and his cabinet.

If the government does not meet the demands and agrees to negotiate the matter, the Japanese lawyers will bring action into a Japanese court on behalf of the Chinese victims, said Su.

Su said the other goal is to urge the Japanese Government to disclose information on where its military buried hundreds of thousands of chemical weapons.

Following their World War II defeat, the Japanese army left behind large quantities of unused chemical weapons in China, many of them are in northeastern part of the country.

(China Daily February 3, 2004)