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Respected Comrade Tong Zeng:
Hello!

About the Chinese and Japanese speech drafts for claiming compensation from Japan at the Japanese Embassy in Beijing, previously I wrote a speech (Draft) and found my cousin in Harbin, he graduated from the Japanese specialty of Heilongjiang University, now he is working as economist manager (formerly Japanese interpreter) at the Heilongjiang Provincial Press and Publication Import & Export Company, he later found Professor Wang, a postgraduate student supervisor (Japanese mentor) of Heilongjiang University, to help me revise and reorganize into the current Chinese and Japanese speech version, which I have enclosed in the letter, please review it. If it becomes necessary to deliver the speech at the Japanese Embassy in Beijing, please write me a letter, I can arrange a visit and take the draft manuscript to Beijing at any time and deliver the speech.

About the name list you mailed me, I first found Wang Qunli (Liaoning University), initially we discussed and decided to let him write letter to the 38 persons on the list, then take the written materials to the Consulate General in Shenyang for face-to-face negotiation, and ask the Japanese government to give a clear reply.

Afterwards I also found Comrade Hao Manhua, he has issued letters of invitation according to circled names on the name list, and was preparing to set up liaison station. Those attending the meeting at the 99 High School included Hao Manhua, Luo Pingfan, Yu Qiwen (Yu Qiwen and Li Kunying are couple) and Shi Honghua, the four persons unanimously agreed to set up liaison station, since the attending personnel were incomplete, no written materials were formed, it only decided Comrade Yu Qiwen, hoping to find some past senior officials receiving damage during the Japanese puppet regime period, meanwhile he would be responsible if journalists were needed at the time of setting up the liaison station. About expenditure, we wanted to find some famous actors such as Zhao Benshan or other entrepreneurs, so as to raise some funds, the above are only initial ideas, it’s hard to imagine whether or not it can be fulfilled, in the first step, I want to raise eight to ten yuan from the victims each so as to prepare for daily emergency need. Comrade Wang Qunli now go to workplace not very often, he is preparing to set up a company, and failed to attend the meeting because he received the letter late, He basically agreed to set up liaison station, He has no time to spare, and prepares to go to Jinxi to ask his father to handle this matter, meanwhile in the near future he may travel to Beijing on business, and may visit your place. Comrade Xu Xiu is at work place for most of the time, therefore I failed to establish contact with her.

Meanwhile I also found Comrade Wang Shugang of the Reception House of the Municipal Physical Cultural and Sports Commission, his address is at city center, which is convenient for assembly, therefore we want to set up the liaison spot at his place, there’s no problem to hold a meeting of the core team, so long as we all assemble and borrow a meeting room, it needs to be discussed with the officials, it’s not clear whether or not the officials will agree. Recently the core group didn’t convene any meeting; a plenary meeting is yet to be held.

About the compensation issue, I still need to consult you:

In the future we prepare to adopt reporter interview, or press conference, or posting posters in the downtown area to carry out work, let’s see how many people will show up to register, according to what we’ve learned from the people we have contacted, the public seems to be indifferent toward this issue, because this happened very long ago, most considered it had nothing to do with themselves, and considered the claim for compensation was hopeless, for instance last time I mentioned my fellow victim Wang Jichun had passed away in July, her husband Zhang Gengcai is the son of Professor Shen Yishi, at Beijing “People’s China” (Japanese) magazine, previously he prepared to demand compensation on behalf of Wang Jichun, now he had given it up, and did not want to be involved in the claim, fearing that it might affect them and his work, you see even a direct relative behaved this way, let alone others.

Here I have two questions:

Firstly, just like what the newspaper has published: according to our calculation, the compensation for victims should be USD180 billion, regardless of how many victims we have solicited, ultimately we want this amount of USD 180 billion. Judging from what we consider now, this wish is very satisfactory, and impressive, but in my view the hope of fulfilling it is equivalent to 0. This is because the Chinese government will not be able to intervene for us, and we have no organization to stand out and negotiate with the Japanese side on our behalf, although the newspaper articles said you and some comrades have attended some international conferences, and saw the former Japanese Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu, chances are you have received no definite reply, and the Japanese government would most likely refuse to acknowledge compensation to victims, of course we can mobilize our victims to protest against the Japanese government, and kick off signature campaign, but such signature campaign is compulsory, or as one of the victims? Suppose I have signature campaign with 100 million people, how large impact will it exert on the Japanese government? The Japanese government many ignore it as usual, what can we do about it? Suppose we and I have one thousand smart ideas, the Japanese government simply refuses to give money, then all we do will be in vain. I’m not a pessimist, What I want to say is that we must have concrete measures, which can prompt the Japanese government to declare attitude, do you acknowledge or not acknowledge compensation? If yes, how much? In other words, there’s a concrete target. It will be better than our dream of cherishing the USD 180 million target, which can never be fulfilled, making us feel powerless and frustrated.

Secondly, someone said the Chinese government’s attitude is: We don’t need war compensation, you decide by yourself if you need victim compensation, come if you want, and that’s it, is it the case? According to Consular Negishi of the Shenyang Consulate General: All-round compensation is totally impossible, due to the long suffering time and wide persecution area of Chinese commoners, there is no way to clarify who are the exact victims, for individual victims such as comfort women or big cases, the Japanese government may give consideration on humanitarian ground, like the South Korea government, meanwhile even if in the future the Japanese government would be able to offer compensation, it is only possible to implement it through consultation between the Japanese government and the Chinese government, rather than directly giving it to the common people. Besides, even if we are able to collect a lot of victims, their number will be far less than the actual victim numbers in those years, this is because there are not many victims alive today, and there are also not many children or relatives who know the past history; among those willing to claim for compensation, for those alive and those knowing children and family members who are willing to claim the compensation, all of them should all be submitted, our claim for compensation should be more realistic and pragmatic, otherwise when these people are no longer living, who will receive the compensation? And in that case what meaning it will have even if there is compensation, which will give an excuse to the Japanese side, we victims have no organization, and the Chinese government is not willing to take the initiative, in my view it should only be the way mentioned above: “Come if you want, and that’s it.” I am a victim myself, I suffered the deepest pain and I’m also a survivor, you can understand such mentality, you are the leader of us victims, I will be frank with you if I have any thoughts, of course you also have many worries, wish we are able to work together and accomplish it within the shortest time possible.

Wish you healthy life and all the best in work and life!

Luo Pingfan
May 24, 1993

Petition for Demanding Damage Compensation from Japan

Ladies and gentlemen of Japan:
Hello everyone!
I am one of the victims of the Japanese Invasion War in China. With my miserable encounter personally experienced by myself during the Japanese Invasion War period, I denounce the countless crimes of the Japanese invaders, and demand the Japanese government to offer damage compensation.

My former name was Luo Yongnian (current name Luo Pingfan), in 1939 I studied at the Puppet Central Teachers’ Training Office. In September of the same year, I visited Japan Education Inspection, and participated in “Anti-Japanese Great Union” organized by Yu Erjin and Liu Shiheng, who were studying at Tokyo Imperial University in Japan, at the Gotemba Mansion (apartment), Koishikawa District, Tokyo.

On December 30, 1941, the Japanese Military Police conducted a large-scale arrest action in China, which created the notorious “Star Detection work 1230 Incident”. On February 2, 1942, I was arrested by the Japanese Military Police in Liaoyang City, Liaoning Province. After being arrested, I was handled by Fengtian (today’s Shenyang) Japanese Military Police Headquarters, and escorted to Harbin Japanese Military Police Headquarters, then captivated in “one-person cell” (commonly referred to as small cell) for imprisoning death prisoners of Harbin Daoli Branch Prison. I received severe torture during the captivity period.

Back then, it was cold winter in Northeast China, the prison cell had no bedding, one could only lie down on icy-cold bone-chilling cement floor. The floor of the prison was covered with white hungry lice, we had scanty clothing to warm the body, and little to eat, due to biting by hungry lice, the whole body was covered in scab, which were extraordinarily painful, bloody pus cover the whole body, it was miserable beyond description, in that year few could leave the prison alive.

In 1942, suspects of “Star Detection Work 1230 Incident” were sentenced by the Harbin Puppet High Court:

Wang Hong’en: Chairman of the Heilongjiang Province Puppet Hulan County, Concord Association　　Death penalty

Liu Shiheng: Japan’s Tokyo Imperial University, Heilongjiang Province Development Department　　Death penalty

The above two persons were hanged at Daoli Branch Prison.

3 person were sentenced to life imprisonment, 5 persons were sentenced to 15 years of set term imprisonment, 11 persons were sentenced to 10 year of set term imprisonment, 1 person was sentenced to 7 years of set term imprisonment.

These people were imprisoned in Harbin Xiuchang Prison, they not only lost personal freedom, but also were put on shackles, each day they lived in semi-starvation with barely enough clothing, and worked as beast-like hard laborers, until Japan surrendered.

On August 15, 1945, when the Japanese government announced unconditional surrender, the Kwantung Army which took over Harbin prison issued order: Excluding Japanese, all Chinese were not allowed to enter the prison.

At that time, the prison accommodated more than 1000 political prisoners, because the Kwantung Army had not received order to release the prisoners, they dared not to free anyone, but they were also afraid the prisoners would riot, so they came up with a dirty trick: they alleged some bandits were attacking the prison, and lured the prisoners to escape. Then they would open fire, kill anyone they could reach, and would assume no responsibility of release if anyone indeed escaped. (at that time Heilongjiang Province Mudanjiang Municipal Prison killed all the political prisoners in this way).

In the evening of August 15, the Kwantung Army patrolled inside and outside the prison with fully loaded weapons. Back then, in the prison one warden named Toraichiro Asano was a Japanese soldier with sense of righteousness. He sympathized Chinese political prisoners, he also enjoyed considerable reputation among the Japanese inside the prison. Asano warden told us: “If the Kwantung Army let you go, I will come to meet you, you must follow me closely, and stay close to me”.

On the morning of August 16, on the excuse of digging wild vegetables, Mr. Asano led us 9 people outside the prison wall, in the woods in the east. At that time the prison gate was guarded by solders with four machine guns, which formed a crossfire coverage, the entire prison was immersed in a killing atmosphere. Mr. Asano said: “Now I would try to free you as a Japanese. This war was waged by the Japanese war lords, the Japanese people are innocent”. He looked around the guarding Kwantung Army in the surrounding area, knowing he was unable to let us go immediately, he had no other way but to lead us back to the prison, but he said he would find ways to help us leave this human hell.

The second day Mr. Asano showed up to negotiate with the Kwantung Army, he was willing to release us as a Japanese, to guarantee the release responsibility for Japanese government, he would offer guarantee with his personal life.

Because releasing to many people at one time would attract too much attention, which might lead to obstruction by the Kwantung Army, we could only flee in batches by two or three each time.

From early 1942 to the surrender of Japan, we suffered hardship for as long as three years in the prison, and had a close shave with death and barely survived, the savage destruction and damage we received both physically and mentally cannot be described in words, for this purpose we victims of the Japanese Invasion Army resolutely demand the Japanese government to offer 5 million yuan as damage compensation.

The Japanese invaders plunged the Chinese people into misery and suffering, millions of innocent people were killed savagely, which cannot be offset and made up for by any compensation!

We believe, all Japanese people with sense of righteousness will definitely approve our reasonable demand. A just cause enjoys abundant support while an unjust cause finds little support, the righteous Japanese people will respect principle and respect reason!

Thank you everyone!

Victim of Japanese Invasion War: Luo Yongnian (current name Luo Pingfan)
______, 199