Blog

简体中文

Comrade Tong Zeng:
I’ve received your reply ①. I’ve learned a lot from it and it provides a basis for my opinion about compensation. Thank you for that!

I was hospitalized in November and December due to illness and was in low spirits after being discharged from the hospital. I intended to write to you for several times, but I delayed until today. It’s like a primary school student doing homework just to finish the assignment. I apologize for that.

I’m sending you the following three articles I wrote to enable you to understand the situation:

1. An Opinion Letter for Civilian Victims in Xiangfan District During Japan’s War of Aggression Against China: Let’s Unite to Claim for Civilian Compensation Against Japan
2. To Claim for War Compensation Against Japan
3. Victims of Japan’s War of Aggression Against China from Xiangfan District Claim for Civilian Compensation Against the Japanese Government

Apart from the last of the above three articles, one copy of which has been submitted to the Red Cross of Xiangfan City, the other two articles are rejected for the following reasons:

First, the government officials said, “The upper authorities haven’t assigned such a task. We don’t know anything about this. We must be in line with the central government, so we don’t accept it.”

Second, general staff thought, “The Japanese government should make compensation, but the situation is hopeless. It’s been so long. The past two governments didn’t address the issue, why would the present one? Without the help of the government, who can handle it rather than empty talks?

Third, a minority of people believed, “I advise you not to claim for any ‘compensation’. The Chinese government is intimate with the Japanese. You would feel sorry for yourself if the government thought you were damaging the overall government direction.”
Fourth, except governmental mass organizations that work for the government, there isn’t a single mass organization that can undertake the task of claiming for compensation. Therefore, I think that the most urgent problem to be solved is to establish a top-to-bottom organization (or a unit designated by the government) to take the responsibility of claiming for compensation and making full preparations by carrying out extensive compensation-related work to promote the realization of compensation. I’m afraid I have to stop now.

Wish you a happy new year!
Good health!
All the best with your work!

Zhou Zuliang
Victim of Japan’s war of aggression against China
January 5, 1993

An Opinion Letter for Civilian Victims in Xiangfan District During Japan’s War of Aggression Against China:
Let’s Unite to Claim for Civilian Compensation Against Japan

According to the article titled Issues About China’s Claim for Civilian Compensation Against Japan published in Yomiuri Shimbun of Japan and reprinted as Issue 647 of Press Digest of Shanghai on May 19, 1992, “Last spring, Tong Zeng, a researcher with the China Research Center on Aging , submitted to the National People’s Congress an opinion letter about claiming for civilian compensation against Japan.”, “Tong Zeng believed that the Chinese government gave up only war reparations between countries, excluding civilian compensation in accordance with the written expressions in the (Normalization of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations) Joint Statement.”, “Over the past year, over 10,000 people across the country have signed in favor of the opinion letter.”, “In this year’s National People’s Congress in March, representatives from Anhui, Jiangxi and Guizhou respectively made a proposal concerning claim for civilian compensation of 180 billion USD against Japan.”, “A spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Chinese civilian victims might claim for compensation directly against the Japanese government when answering a reporter’s questions.”, and also “Tsutsui Wakamizu, a professor in International Law at Tohoku University, Japan, believes that war reparations are different from civilian compensation for damage.” Therefore, “China’s claim for civilian compensation against Japan” is reasonable and correct.

According to the article titled Nankai Plans to Claim for War Reparations Against Japan published in Press Digest as Issue 66 on August 25, 1992, “The invading Japanese army’s bombing and shelling of the Nankai School, Nankai Girls Middle School, Nankai Middle School and Nankai University irrelevant to the war is a complete violation of the Law of War, so it shall be fully responsible for the losses caused by it.”, “The amount of compensation is expected to be 450 million USD.”

The above circumstances fully reflect that the “claim for civilian compensation against Japan” is in full swing nationwide.

Our Xiangfan district was twice invaded by the Japanese army. Before and after the invasion, the Japanese army heavily bombed the large residential areas, causing serious damage and suffering to Xiangfan people; during the invasion, the Japanese army burned, killed, raped and looted Xiangfan people, leaving human and livestock corpses everywhere and the children and elderly crying desperately. What a tragedy. Based on the above facts, the victims of Xiangfan district should actively participate in the “claim for civilian compensation against Japan” for its damage to Xiangfan people. It is a reasonable and correct act. Given the good situation concerning claim for civilian compensation against Japan, let’s do it now.

The comrades, fellows and friends of Xiangfan district who were suffered during Japan’s war of aggression against China, we shall overcome all negative factors to claim for compensation against Japan for the losses caused by the invading Japanese army to relieve our hatred, revitalize the economy of Xiangfan district and truly achieve a good “Sino-Japanese friendship” and a good “Sino-Japanese friendship for generations to come.” It’s now or never. Besides, a debt should be paid. Nobody but you should claim for payment of a debt owed to you. So, let’s unite and seek government help (Xiangfan is a friendly partner of Inuyama City, Japan). “Claim for civilian compensation against Japan” will be achieved. Our goal will be achieved.

Initiator of Xiangfan district

Zhou Zuliang
Victim of Japan’s war of aggression against China
Retired official
September 16, 1992

Address： Bieqianding, Nanjiaohu, Xiangfan
Postal code: 441023

To Claim for War Compensation Against Japan

The Japanese army invaded my hometown-Chengguan Town, Nanzhang County twice in 1941 and 1945. During the occupation, the Japanese army burned the land and killed anyone who didn’t obey. They spiked kids on bayonets and put them on public display; they raped women and opened their lower abdomens, laughing hideously; they burned down houses, leaving odorous livestock corpses everywhere and the elderly and children crying desperately. What a tragedy! Before and after the Japanese army invaded Nanzhang County, they heavily bombed the area, damaging houses, killing people and causing a lot of normal people homeless. At that time, my family’s suffering caused by the Japanese army is as follows:

In 1939, the invading Japanese planes frequently bombed Nanzhang County. During a bombing in autumn, a heavy bomb was dropped into my house (address: Opposite west of the former government office at Zhongshanqian Avenue), destructing 17 rooms (eight rooms on each of two floors and one room on one floor), killing a one-year-old sister, disabling two family members (my grandmother lost her leg and my father was severely wounded in the head that led to dementia. Both of them died not long after that), both of whom later died as a result of a lack of timely treatment due to poverty and injuring three family members (my mother, eldest younger sister and second eldest younger sister) who were all injured in the head and covered with blood. Six out of seven family members were killed or injured. I couldn’t go to school due to the bombing and hid in the countryside, unlucky to escape the danger. I was ten that year.

The invading Japanese planes bombed my house and property, killed and injured my family, making us live in poverty. At that time, the Chinese Nationalist Party didn’t care about us. We were so painful and helpless. What the invading Japanese army did is a total violation of the Law of War, is inhumane and should be fully responsible for the losses caused to my family. Today, I hereby claim for estimated compensation of 900,600 yuan, equal to 149,740 USD, against Japan.

I’ve remembered the blood debt that Japan owes to my family for 53 years. The ancients said, “A murderer must repay with his life just like a borrower with money.” It’s truth. Today, there is Tong Zeng from the China Research Center on Aging and other friends and patriots who are willing to take the great responsibility of claiming for civilian compensation for Chinese victims of the invading Japanese army against Japan. I firmly believe that we will achieve our goal through this national massive movement under reasonable, lawful and just procedures.

Comrades, fellows and friends, let’s act now to bring glory for the country, to relieve hatred for the people and to claim for compensation for yourself. It’s now or never.

Zhou Zuliang
Victim of Japan’s war of aggression against China
September 19, 1992

Victims of Japan’s War of Aggression Against China from Xiangfan District Claim for Civilian Compensation Against the Japanese Government

Our “claim for civilian compensation against the Japanese government” is to get compensation for our losses and also to educate the people across the country to re-understand Japan’s war of aggression against China by helping them realize that “a weak country getting beaten” is due to backward economy and that we should build our lovely country into a strong socialist country to never be invaded by other countries. Meanwhile, this is also to make Japanese people know that the war of aggression against China launched by Japanese militarists has not only caused pain to them, but brought a greater disaster to the Chinese people, that their development and progress is related to their ancestors’ plundering great wealth of the Chinese people and that their wealth are partly China’s. More importantly, this is to make the Japanese government truly take the responsibility as mentioned in “Japan feels painfully responsible for the major losses caused to Chinese people due to war.” It’s unrealistic to just say “painfully responsible”. Japan must make active, genuine compensation for losses caused to Chinese people. The settlement of the issue is beneficial to both the two countries and their people. The sooner the issue is settled, the better. It will pave the way for a good Sino-Japanese “friendship from generation to generation”.

1. Why “claim for civilian compensation against Japan” now?

According to the article titled Issues About China’s Claim for Civilian Compensation Against Japan published in Yomiuri Shimbun of Japan and reprinted as Issue 647 of Press Digest of Shanghai on May 19, 1992, “Last spring (in 1991), Tong Zeng, a researcher with the China Research Center on Aging , submitted to the National People’s Congress an opinion letter about claiming for civilian compensation against Japan.”, “Tong Zeng believed that the Chinese government gave up only war reparations between countries, excluding civilian compensation in accordance with the written expressions in the (Normalization of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations) Joint Statement.”, “Over the past year, over 10,000 people across the country have signed in favor of the opinion letter.”， and “Tong Zeng aims to get the letter signed by 100 million people and is making preparation for registration and establishment of a civil organization responsible for claiming for civilian compensation against Japan”.

According to the above-mentioned article, “In this year’s National People’s Congress in March, representatives from Anhui, Jiangxi and Guizhou respectively made a proposal concerning claim for civilian compensation of 180 billion USD against Japan.”, “A spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Chinese civilian victims might claim for compensation directly against the Japanese government when answering a reporter’s questions.”

Besides, according to the above-mentioned article, “Tsutsui Wakamizu, a professor in International Law at Tohoku University, Japan, believes that war reparations are different from civilian compensation for damage.”

Based on the above circumstances, “the Chinese people’s claim for compensation against Japan” is reasonable, timely and correct and is in line with international and domestic laws. Today, Comrade Tong Zeng and other national heroes have spoken what we want to say for decades and have done what we want to but are afraid to do. Their act is meritorious and we victims from Xiangfan District will give firm support.

2. Do justice to “Chinese people’s claim for compensation against Japan” and reveal the crimes of Japan’s war of aggression against China.

In March 1991 when the National People’s Congress was held, Tong Zeng sent out the article titled It Is Urgent that China Claim for Compensation Against Japan to participating representatives and published in Legal Daily two articles titled War Reparation and Compensation for Damage under the International Law and Compensation for Damage: A New Concept under the International Law which systematically explained his view. His first article, after being published, was reprinted by 12 domestic newspapers and magazines including People’s Daily, Worker’s Daily, China Business Herald, Xinhua Digest, Digest News and CPPCC News. China Chemical Industry News published an article about the proposal of CPPCC members concerning claiming for compensation against Japan written by the reporter Li Qiguang, and Law and Life covered a comprehensive, systematic report titled The Chinese People’s Claim for Compensation Against the Japanese Government written by reporter Li Xiuping and correspondent Qi Sheng. The Issue About China’s Claim for Civilian Compensation Against Japan, after being published in Yomiuri Shimbun of Japan, was reprinted by over 70 Japanese newspapers and over 60 publications and reported by Taiwan, Hong Kong, France, the United States and South Korea, etc. Tong Zeng’s “compensation for damage” theory has become an axiom worldwide and we applaud for that.

At the National People’s Congress, representatives such as Wang Gong, Wang Lusheng, Chen Dengke, Xu Xueshou and Liao Yaozhu described the crimes of Japan’s war of aggression against China and more representatives signed the proposal about claiming for civilian compensation against Japan to show support. At the National Council of the CPPCC, CPPCC members including Shen Panwen, Rong Wenyou and Wu Jiandong revealed the suffering caused to the Chinese people by Japan’s war of aggression and some representatives and members also talked about their own suffering.

Over the past year, comrades such as Tong Zeng sent two public letters to the Japanese Prime Minister and the Japanese government that talked about the issue of “Chinese people’s claim for compensation against the Japanese government” and demanded the Japanese government to compensate Chinese victims for their losses during Japan’s war of aggression.

According to the article titled Nankai Plans to Claim for War Compensation Against Japan published in Press Digest as Issue 661 on August 25, 1992, “The invading Japanese army’s bombing and shelling of the Nankai School, Nankai Girls Middle School, Nankai Middle School and Nankai University irrelevant to the war is a complete violation of the Law of War, so it shall be fully responsible for the losses caused by it.”, “The amount of compensation is expected to be 450 million USD.”

The above circumstances fully reflect that the “claim for civilian compensation against Japan” has a good momentum of development and is in full swing nationwide.

Our Xiangfan district was twice invaded by the Japanese army. Before and after the invasion, the Japanese planes heavily bombed the large residential areas, causing serious damage and suffering to Xiangfan people. The houses were burned down, human and livestock corpses could be seen everywhere and the children and elderly were left crying desperately. What a tragedy.

I am a huge victim of Japan’s war of aggression against China. In 1939, the invading Japanese planes frequently bombed my hometown-Chengguan Town, Nanzhang County (we then lived opposite west of the former government office at Zhongshanqian Avenue). During a bombing in autumn, a heavy bomb was dropped into my house, killing a one-year-old sister, disabling two family members (my grandmother lost her leg and my father was severely wounded in the head that led to dementia), both of whom later died as a result of a lack of timely treatment due to poverty, injuring three family members (my mother, eldest younger sister and second eldest younger sister) who were all injured in the head and covered with blood, and destructing 17 rooms (eight rooms on each of two floors and one room on one floor) and other properties including five large closets, five tables, four armchairs with seats inlaid with jade, two square tables carved with flowers around the edge, two water tanks of 1.5 meter in diameter and 1.2 meter high, 12 censers of 1.2 meter high and 60 cm in diameter, three large wooden beds and a lot of clothes, cooking utensils, stationery and appliances. The bombing left three of my seven family members dead and three injured. It’s a family disaster. Our house nearly had nothing left. I was only ten at that year. The misery was then self-evident. Japan’s such act is a violation of the Law of War and should be fully responsible for direct and indirect losses caused by it. Today, I hereby claim for compensation of estimated 146,000 USD against the Japanese government.

The victims of Xiangfan District should actively participate in the “claim for compensation against the Japanese government”. As the saying goes, “A murderer must repay with his life just like a borrower with money”, our claim for compensation against Japan is just and reasonable. We’ve waited for the claim for decades. It’s now or never.

3. The “Normalization of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations” mustn’t be damaged and the “Sino-Japanese friendship” must develop.

In September 1972, the great men of last generation Mao Zedongand Zhou Enlai signed the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement with Japanese politician Kakuei Tanaka at that critical moment by showing grand vision and wisdom, opening up a new era of normalization of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations and Sino-Japanese friendship. After that, economic cooperation projects between China and Japan have sprung up and Sino-Japanese friendly exchanges have been increased year by year, which has benefited both the two countries and their people, exerted a positive, far-reaching impact on contrasting and changing international political forces as well as safeguarding and promoting world peace and human prosperity and will play a major role in handling Sino-Japanese relations.

“A friendship from generation to generation” between the Chinese and Japanese people is our genuine hope. But emphasizing the friendship doesn’t mean we should give up our right and responsibility of claiming for compensation and claiming for compensation shouldn’t be interpreted as unfriendly. As Chinese ancients said, “Even brothers keep careful accounts”, Sino-Japanese friendship is neither unconditional, nor is gained at the cost of humiliation. Friendly is one thing and claim for compensation is another. The proper handling of the issue of compensation will promote the genuine Sino-Japanese friendship. We object to using the issue of compensation to harm Sino-Japanese friendship. The Sino-Japanese friendship must be developed based on “claim for compensation and compensation”.

4. China suffered the longest and most severely during the World War II, why wasn’t China compensated?

Before the World War II, capitalist powers believed in the jungle law, by which they invade others and demand a compensation for their losses. Take the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 for example, it was Japan that launched a war of aggression against our territorial land and waters, but Japan demanded China to cede territory and pay indemnities after the war because the then International Law stipulated that the defeated country must compensate the losses of the winning country. After the World War II, as the regulations and practice about war reparations have gradually become reasonable, the country responsible for compensation is changed from the defeated country to “the defeated country that launched the war”, and the nature of compensation extends the military and economic scope to incorporate moral and political responsibility. The “compensation for damage” suffered by civilians in a war is given a primary role in the entire clause about compensation. As for why China didn’t claim for or get compensation upon Japan’s unconditional surrender, the reasons are provided below:

a． At the beginning of the end of the war, Chiang Kai-shek showed enthusiasm and made efforts to claim for compensation and especially organized an investigation on casualties and losses during the war to provide factual basis for future handling of compensation. But the issue of compensation was ultimately up to the United States rather than the Chiang Kai-shek government. At that time, to actively engage in the civil war, Chiang Kai-shek asked for the help of the United States. So, Chiang Kai-shek fully obeyed the arrangement of the United States and eventually showed weakness and compromise on the issue of compensation.

b. Soon after Japan’s surrender, the United States entered into an alliance with Japan and was responsible for handling post-war issues in the name of an ally. Regarding the compensation for victim countries, the United States promoted the program of “demolition plan” and “Japan can give the necessary labor compensation” and signed the Peace treaty with Japan in 1951 that excluded the People’s Republic of China and even Chiang Kai-shek of Taiwan. Our then prime minister Zhou Enlai solemnly stated that, “The compulsory signing of any separate treaty in which the People’s Republic of China doesn’t participate is regarded by the Chinese government as illegal and invalid.”

c. In 1952, due to the planning of the United States, Chiang Kai-shek hastily signed the Japan and Taiwan Treaty to save the face of “the genuine Chinese government”. After that, the issue of claim for compensation is suspended.

5. It’s our right to claim for compensation against Japan and it’s the due responsibility of Japan to make the compensation.

Although the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement of 1972 stated that “Japan feels painfully responsible for the major losses caused to Chinese people due to war” and “The Chinese government gives up the claim for war reparations against Japan”, it didn’t announce that the Chinese government gives up the Chinese people’s claim for compensation for damage against Japan, or that the Japanese government’s responsibility for compensating the major damage (both physical and spiritual damage) caused to the Chinese people by its war of aggression against China during 1931-1945 is removed and disappeared in accordance with the International and Chinese laws. Despite broad-minded, the Chinese people shouldn’t easily forget the painful past. We claim for compensation based on the following reasons:

1. Tsutsui Wakamizu, a professor in International Law at Tohoku University, Japan, believes that “war reparations are different from civilian compensation for damage.” Comrade Tong Zeng from the China Research Center on Aging explained in his “compensation for damage” theory that, “War reparations are payments intended to cover losses inflicted to other countries by the defeated countries launching the war.” and “compensation for damage are payments that the defeated countries launching the war must undertake due to their violation of laws of war and humanitarian principles in the war and multiple severe crimes against people and property of the belligerent countries. The Japanese invaders severely violated the laws of war and humanitarian principles in China. Japan should take responsibility for its crimes, receive the penalty and make the compensation in accordance with international laws.

2. In accordance with the Treaty of Versailles, the scope of compensation for damage is provided below:

A. Damage to civilians whose all property is plundered, robbed and smashed;
B. Damage to civilians and those they are responsible for maintenance, who are injured or died due to acts of war such as land, sea and air attacks and military operations;
C. Damage to all civilian victims and those they are responsible for maintenance due to cruelty, abuse and maltreatment;
D. Damage to all civilian victims and those they are responsible for maintenance in terms of health and honors;
E. Damage to citizens who are forced to work without a fair salary;
F. Damage to civilian who are fined or otherwise blackmailed, etc.

3. The Article 6 of the Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration published in Moscow on October 19, 1956 states that, “The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics will give up its right to claim for any compensation against Japan. Japan and the Soviet Union will mutually give up their any and all claims that they made to each other as a result of the war, that is, the claims that one country, its organizations and people made to the other country, its organizations and people.” This is the entire contents of the statement about compensation.

4. After the World War II, German, Italian and Japanese fascists have been sanctioned to varying degrees and the countries worldwide and their people have gradually received compensation for their damage. For example, the Jews who suffered Nazi persecution claimed for compensation against East and West Germany and received over 3.4 billion marks from the former Federal Republic of Germany after negotiation. In 1987, the soldiers from Taiwan, China who were forced by the Japanese to serve the army claimed for compensation against the Japanese government and some of them received a compensation of 1.15 million USD. Besides, Japanese Americans who were detained by the United States during the World War II are receiving compensation from the American government. There are already 9 people of over 70 years old who have received compensation of 20,000 USD. The American government appropriate 500 million USD, 500 million USD and 250 million USD in 1990, 1991 and 1992 respectively for compensation and the American president George W. Bush even wrote a letter to public apologize to these victims. The western countries estimated that the Soviet Union as a winning country had received compensation of 12 billion USD by the end of 1950, the United States also claimed for over 16.2 billion USD against Japan on February 17, 1955 and that other winning countries also received some compensation.

Even the people of Japan as the defeated country responsible for aggression received compensation, how can the Japanese government refuse to compensate millions of Chinese victims with the excuse of “All compensation issues are settled”? It’s impossible for the Japanese government to get away with the debt. The Japanese government must sincerely pay back the blood debt that its former counterpart owes to Chinese people. This is the due responsibility of the current Japanese government.

Our party and government have always cared for the benefit of its people and more so for victims and put the people’s benefit first, and so have the current party and government leaders. Prior to the General Secretary Jiang Zemin’s visit to Japan, the foreign minister Qian Qichen clearly stated that “The war of aggression against China launched by Japanese militarists has caused great damage to the Chinese people. Although the Chinese government has never changed its position in the issue of war reparations, we have always promoted to properly address outstanding war issues through mutual negotiation under the principle of “seeking truth from facts and taking the matters seriously.” at the NPC session when answering reporters’ questions. We strongly support the position of the party and government.

The victims of Japan’s war of aggression against China from Xiangfan District, comrades, fellows and friends, let’s unite with the people across the country to work hard to “claim for compensation against the Japanese government”. We shall never give up until our goal is reached.

Zhou Zuliang
Victim of Japan’s war of aggression against China from Xiangfan District
October 8, 1992