TOKYO — The Tokyo District Court on Tuesday admitted Japan waged germ warfare in China during World War II and caused harm to residents, but it dismissed a claim by Chinese plaintiffs against the government for compensation for the atrocities.
It is the first time for a court to acknowledge that the Japanese army waged germ warfare, carried out by the notorious Unit 731 and other units of the Imperial Japanese Army, in China during the 1937-1945 Sino-Japanese War.
The existence of the army's Unit 731, which also carried out experiments on Chinese and other prisoners for development of biological weapons, has been admitted in other lawsuits.
The lawsuit was filed with the Tokyo District Court in 1997 and 1999 by 180 people — victims and relatives of deceased victims of the Imperial Japanese Army's germ warfare — demanding 10 million yen each in damages and an apology from the government.
It is the first time for a court to acknowledge that the Japanese army waged germ warfare, carried out by the notorious Unit 731 and other units of the Imperial Japanese Army, in China during the 1937-1945 Sino-Japanese War.
The existence of the army's Unit 731, which also carried out experiments on Chinese and other prisoners for development of biological weapons, has been admitted in other lawsuits.
The lawsuit was filed with the Tokyo District Court in 1997 and 1999 by 180 people — victims and relatives of deceased victims of the Imperial Japanese Army's germ warfare — demanding 10 million yen each in damages and an apology from the government.