Blog

简体中文

Respectable Mr. Tong Zeng:

How have you been?

I am sending you 4 letters of attorney and petitions for compensation against the Japanese government. Please claim for compensation against the Japanese government on behalf of the relatives of victims. We will be deeply grateful for your acceptance of entrustment. We will come to Beijing to thank you personally if we have the opportunity.

Please make decisions on behalf of us regarding the specific organizations to which the following 4 materials are submitted. We suppose the options include 1. Japanese Embassy in China; 2. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China; 3. All-China Women’s Federation; 4. Our representative Mr. Tong Zeng. Please make the decision on behalf of us, thank you!

Best wishes to you and your family

Relatives of the victim
Cong Delian (Person’s seal)
Xiong Handong (Person’s seal)

Room 402, East Gate, South Building, Municipal Song and Dance Ensemble, No. 42, Middle Renmin Road, Yancheng, 224002
Tel: 326009

Respectable Mr. Tong Zeng:

How have you been?

I am Cong Delian, a victim of Japan’s war of aggression against China. I am 62 years old, a retired worker from Textile Factory of Yancheng, Jiangsu and my husband is Xiong Handong, 65 years old, a retired deputy researcher from the Museum of Yancheng.

Recently, we’ve read an article titled “Pursuing Justice against Japan” on Edition 4 Issue 644 of Weekly Digest issued by Sichuan Daily and are quite touched (A copy of the article is attached below). We’ve learned from the article that you are an expert in International Law with a strong sense of mission. For many years, you’ve been collecting materials about victims of Japan’s war of aggression against China, speaking for victims and their relatives, pursuing justice for the dead through multiple channels and ways, and seeking support from international friends, including Japanese friends. You’ve also negotiated with the Japanese government and solemnly demanded an official apology and compensation to victims and their relatives. We and people from Dongchaicheng, Loude, Xintai, Shandong are deeply grateful to you. We hereby send you the “Petition Demanding Compensation Against Japan” by Cong Delian, a Relative of a Victim of Japan’s War of Aggression against China. Please submit it to the Japanese Embassy in China on behalf of us. If any supplementary materials are required, we will spare no efforts to provide them. We will pay all related expenses if any. It’s inconvenient for us to come to Beijing due to our age, my fractured leg bone and my husband’s disability, so please handle the matter on behalf of us. We are looking forward to your reply and guidance. (3 petitions are attached. Please forward them to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japanese Embassy in China)

Yours faithfully,

Relatives of the victim
Cong Delian (Person’s seal)
Xiong Handong (Person’s seal)

March 8, 1993

Room 402, South Building, Municipal Song and Dance Ensemble, No. 42, Middle Renmin Road, Yancheng, Jiangsu, 224002
Tel: 0515-(89)326009

Letter of Attorney about “Claiming for Compensation Against Japan”

Respectable Tong Zeng with the China Research Center on Aging,

How have you been?

I am Cong Delian, the sister of Cong Dezhang, a victim of Japan’s war of aggression against China and a representative of the immediate family of the victim. On March 8, 1993, we have sent you letters of attorney and petitions demanding apology and compensation from the Japanese government. We figure you’ve received them.

To make the petition materials more comprehensive and accurate, we took a special trip to our hometown at Qianchaicheng, Loude, Xintai, Shandong in mid-March, where we visited the elderly survivors. We’ve made voice recording and organized evidence of my second elder brother Cong Dezhang’s being taken away by the Japanese, sent to Japan for hard laboring, tortured to death and returned in an urn. The evidence has been signed, certified, and sealed by the governments of the village, town and city. Now, I am sending you 3 copies of updated petitions.

Mr. Tong Zeng, please continue to pursue justice and formally negotiate with the Japanese Embassy in China and the Japanese government about compensation on behalf of us relatives of victims, as a way to console the souls of these martyrs.

We will pay all expenses related to representing us to claim for compensation against Japan. Thank you.
Yours faithfully,

Relatives of the victim
Cong Delian (Person’s seal)
Xiong Handong (Person’s seal)
April 5, 1993

Room 402, South Building, Municipal Song and Dance Ensemble, No. 42, Middle Renmin Road, Yancheng, Jiangsu, 224002
Tel: 0515-(89)326009

Please forward to: Japanese Embassy in China, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, All-China Women’s Federation, Civil Affairs Department of the People’s Government of Shandong Province and Civil Affairs Department of the People’s Government of Jiangsu Province

Petition Demanding Compensation against Japan by Cong Delian, a Relative of a Victim of Japan’s War of Aggression against China

　　I am Cong Derong, a relative of the victim. I am a female, born in Qianchaicheng, Loude, Taining (later changed to Cu and Xintai), Shandong, retired from Textile Factory of Yancheng, Jiangsu and live in Room 402, East Gate, South Building, Municipal Song and Dance Ensemble, No. 42, Middle Renmin Road, Yancheng, Jiangsu. We demand apology and compensation from the Japanese government because my second elder brother Cong Dezhang was captured and sent to Japan by the invading Japanese army in winter 1943 and tortured to death. The petition is as follows:

My second eldest brother Cong Dezhang was born in Qianchaicheng, Loude, Taining (later changed to Cu and Xintai), Shandong in 1919. In winter 1943 when he was 25 years old, he was suddenly taken away by the invading Japanese army from our home. He was first detained in the jail of Yu Village to the north of the East Railway, Loude and then sent to Japan. We lost his whereabouts after that.

At that time, my family had 7 people who lived together. My father Cong Xingke did farming and was the head of the family and my mother Mrs. Wang did the housework. My eldest brother Cong Dekun died during the Anti-Japanese War in 1938, leaving behind my sister-in-law and nephew Cong Guangpin. I was only 13, my second sister-in-law was 19 and my second elder brother Cong Dezhang was the only physically strong person in our family. After he was taken away, we were extremely anxious.

Attachment 1: The elderly from Qianchaicun such as Chen Jianwei, Yang Zhilin and Li Xilan’s prove that Cong Dezhang was taken away by the Japanese.

In August 1945 when Japan declared surrender, my family thought my second elder brother Cong Dezhang could be released and come home. Day and night we looked forward to a reunion. In January 1946, news came from Loude that Wang Chuansheng, who was also captured and sent to Japan along with Cong Dezhang, came back and asked my father to meet him. What my father took back was not my second elder brother but a box of ashes. He was tortured to death in Japan. Both the box and the white cloth wrapping it bore the name, birth of place and date of death, etc. of my second elder brother, which were written in brush calligraphy. My family cried our hearts out.

Attachment 2: The elderly Wang Chuansheng from Xi, Loude proves that Cong Dezhang was captured by the invading Japanese army, sent to Japan for hard laboring and tortured to death. Wang Chuansheng recalls that after being sent to Japan, my second elder brother Cong Dezhang labored on the railway in Osaka, Tokyo. He was in the same team with Wang Chuansheng, laboring, eating and sleeping together. Due to excessive exhaustion and inadequate food, he died half a year later.

Attachment 3: Proof provided by the Civil Affairs Bureau of Xintai, Shandong, and the governments of Loude Town and Qianchaicheng Village.

After my second elder brother was tortured to death in Japan, my young second sister-in-law, who had no children to count on, had to remarry someone else in 1948 to make ends meet, and died of diseases many years ago. My parents died consecutively in 1951 and 1953. I married and moved to Yancheng, Jiangsu. My orphan nephew Cong Guangpin, the son of my dead eldest brother, was unfortunately killed in a car accident in 1991. Now back in my hometown in Shandong, there are my 83-year-old first sister-in-law, widow of my eldest brother, my 56-year-old niece, widow of my nephew and grandnephews Cong Shaoyin, Cong Shaotong, Cong Shaochun and Cong Shaodong, who are all adults.

The Japanese invaders’ torturing to death of my second elder brother Cong Dezhang had led to my broken family. Their immense atrocity is beyond description. My tears will never dry up and I will never forget their crimes.

Recently, we’ve learned from an article titled Pursuing Justice Against Japan on Edition 4 Issue 644 of Weekly Digest of February 3, 1993 issued by Sichuan Daily that Mr. Tong Zeng are an expert in International Law with a strong sense of mission who defend the benefits of Chinese victims and demand an official apology and compensation from the Japanese government through multiple channels and all feasible measures. You’ve spoken what’s on our mind for many years. We express sincere gratitude to you for your just act.

I’ve recalled the unfortunate past memories, visited the elderly such as Wang Chunsheng and made the above petition. I strongly demand the Japanese government to respect the history and learn from it, and to apologize and compensate the victims from the perspective of maintaining a Sino-Japanese friendship, and thereby teaching future generations, preventing recurrence of the tragic history, and achieving a Sino-Japanese friendship from generation to generation.

We kindly ask Mr. Tong Zeng, an expert on International Law who is enthusiastic about this matter, to be our general representative. Thank you.

The information is true.

Villagers’ Committee of Qianchaicheng, Loude, Xintai (Villagers’ Committee’s seal)

Cong Delian (Person’s seal)
Relative of the victim
March 8, 1993

Address: Room 402, South Building, Municipal Song and Dance Ensemble, No. 42, Middle Renmin Road, Yancheng, Jiangsu, 224002
Tel: 0515-326009

This is to certify that Comrade Cong Delian is from Dongchaicheng, Loude, Xintai, Shandong and an old retired worker from our factory.
Labor Union Committee of Textile Factory of Yancheng (seal)

March 9, 1993
The information is true.
Chinese Communist Party Committee of Loude, Xintai (seal)
March 18, 1993

Please forward to: Japanese Embassy in China, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, All-China Women’s Federation, Civil Affairs Department of the People’s Government of Shandong Province, Civil Affairs Department of the People’s Government of Jiangsu Province, Civil Affairs Bureau of Tai’an, Shandong, Civil Affairs Bureau of Xintai and Civil Affairs Bureau of Yancheng, Jiangsu

Memories of How Cong Dezhang’s was Taken Away by the Japanese

　　We hereby certify that we three are from Dongchaicheng, Loude, Xintai, the same village as Cong Dezhang’s. When Cong Dezhang was taken away by the Japanese, we were all present and witnessed it. He was first shackled up in the School of Chaicheng and then taken to Loude. After that, we lost his whereabouts. It was not until when Wang Chuansheng from Loude came back from Japan after Japan’s surrender, and took back a box of Cong Dezhang’s ashes, did we know that he was tortured to death in Japan.

Chen Jianwei (75 years old)（Fingerprints）
Yang Zhilin (69 years old) (Person’s seal)
Li Xizhi (72 years old) (Person’s seal)

March 18, 1993

The information is true.

Qianchaicheng, Loude, Xintai, Shandong (Villagers’ Committee’s seal)
March 18, 1993

The information is true.
Chinese Communist Party Committee of Loude, Xintai (seal)
March 18, 1993

Wang Chuansheng’s Memories of Being Captured by Japanese Invaders and Sent to Japan for Hard Laboring and of Cong Dezhang’s Being Tortured to Death by the Japanese

I am Wang Chuansheng, 75 years old, born in Xi, Loude, Xintai, Shandong. On the 16th of lunar December, 49 years ago (1944), I was suddenly taken away from home by Japanese invaders and sent to a mine in Yucun, 4 km east of Loude. On the 4th of lunar January 1945, I and another 23 people were tied up and sent to the railway station of Yu, leaving for Ji’nan. On the train, I got to know Cong Dezhang. He told me that he was from Dongchaicheng and was also abducted. We were then sent to Ji’nan and then Qingdao. About at the end of lunar January, we were taken on a ship full of Chinese people and reached Japan in half a month. The Japanese forced us to hard labor on the railway in Osaka, Tokyo to build a new railway. I was in the same team with Cong Dezhang. We labored, ate and slept together. But due to excessive exhaustion and inadequate food, he died half a year later, without a chance to leave a last word. After his death, the Japanese burned his corpse into ashes and put them into a box labeled “Cong Dezhang from Chaicheng, Loude, Shandong”. After Japan’s surrender, I was released back in time for the Chinese New Year in 1946. There were 23 people of us, but only me and Du Guogui from Dong, Loude came back. He is still alive. When I returned from Japan, I brought back 6 boxes of ashes, five of which were left in Tianjin. I brought back Cong Dezhang’s ash box to Loude and gave it to his father Cong Xingke. This old score of almost 50 years remains to be settled. We demand apology and compensation from the Japanese government.

Wang Chuansheng (Person’s seal)
Claimant
March 17, 1993

The information is true.

Chinese Communist Party Committee of Loude, Xintai (seal)

March 18, 1993

The information is true.
Villagers’ Committee of Xi, Loude, Xintai (Villagers’ Committee’s seal)

Certification

This is to certify that our villager Cong Dezhang, born in 1919, was suddenly abducted from home by Japanese invaders in winter, 1943. He was first detained in the jail of Yu Village to the north of the East Railway, Loude. Then, we lost his whereabouts. It was not until when Wang Chuansheng from Xi, Loude came back from Japan before the Chinese New Year of 1946 and took back a box of Cong Dezhang’s ashesdid we know that he had been tortured to death while doing hard labor in Japan.

Qianchaicheng, Loude, Xin(tai) (Villagers’ Committee’s seal)
March 22, 1993

Party Headquarters of Loude, Xintai (seal)
March 22, 1993

Government of Xintai (Government seal)
March 22, 1993

Pursuing Justice against Japan

　　On December 9, 1992, the first international hearing on Japan’s post-war compensation was held in Thinking Auditorium, Kanda, Tokyo, Japan. Laborers from many countries and forced military prostitutes (a.k.a. comfort women) including 8 from China went on witness stand.

At the hearing, the person who struggled most to hold back strong emotions may be Tong Zeng.

Tong Zeng is 37 years old from Chongqing, Sichuan. He once studied International Law at Sichuan University and Peking University where he obtained a master’s degree in law. He now works with the China Research Center on Aging.

One day in 1989, Tong Zeng read an article about Eastern European countries demanding compensation from East Germany and West Germany. He thought of what happened to China and a strong sense of national responsibility seized him and made him devote himself to what he’s going to do.

After studying extensive data, he wrote a 10,000-word opinion letter and submitted it to the Bureau for Letters and Calls of the General Office of the National People’s Congress.
Afterwards, he published in newspapers an article titled Enlightenment of Eastern European countries demanding War Compensation to China, in which he explained the difference between war compensation and damage compensation in International Law. Soon, the article was reprinted by dozens of domestic newspapers such as People’s Daily and Worker’s Daily.

He has hosted one after another groups of victims of Japan’s war of aggression against China who came to Beijing from all over the country, arranged meals and accommodation for them and submitted materials for the victims to the Japanese Embassy in China again and again despite a round trip of over 4 hours between his home and the Japanese Embassy.

182 Chinese laborers from Shandong who went through brutal tortures in Japan came to Tong Zeng, and Tong Zeng immediately submitted their materials to Japan, demanding a compensation of 5 million yen per person.

Back then over 20 Chinese students studying in Japan were regarded as members of the Tokyo Branch of the Communist Party of China, and were cruelly beaten by the Japanese army and only 4 of them survived. Tong Zeng submitted their materials to the Japanese Embassy in China.

Last August, a private school teacher from Meng County, Shanxi Province sent Tong Zeng the materials about several women who were forced to be comfort women for the Japanese army.

In August 1991, when Japanese Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu made a friendly visit to China under invitation, 108 Chinese citizens including Tong Zeng, Chen Jian, Yang Yi, Li Chengyi and Tang Xingwu sent Toshiki Kaifu a petition demanding a damage compensation of 180 billion USD from Japan.

Thanks to the efforts of Tong Zeng and Chen Jian, etc., the issue of compensation against Japan was vigorously discussed at the Fifth Session of the Seventh National People’s Congress in March 1992 and was listed a formal proposal of the session.

Meanwhile, since August 1991, Tong Zeng, etc. have launched a massive signature campaign of “demanding damage compensation against Japan”.

Last March, Tong Zeng published a public letter to the Japanese Parliament through the Japanese press.

The public letter states that we will collect 100 million Chinese people’s signatures of strongly demanding a damage compensation against Japan until Japan makes a formal apology and compensation.

A spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China said in a speech on March 11, 1992 that, civilian victims during the Anti-Japanese war could directly demand compensation for losses against Japan.

When replying questions of a Japanese reporter before his visit to Japan in April 1992, General Secretary Jiang Zemin said that China has given up the claim for war compensation against Japan, but hasn’t set any limit to civilian claim for compensation.

Estimated based on the compensation amount demanded by other countries and in accordance with the postwar international practice, Japanese invaders should in theory compensate about 300 billion USD for our losses, in which about 120 billion USD is war compensation and about 180 billion USD is damage compensation. In other words, in 1972, the Chinese government only gave up about 120 billion USD of war compensation, but not the 180 billion USD of damage compensation.

(By Yang Liwen in Sichuan News on January 16)