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Letter of Claim

Japan launched the war of aggression against China and my family was broken due to the heavy bombing by the Japanese army. I hereby file a claim for compensation against the Japanese government.

Respectable Mr. Ambassador,

My family was the victim of Japan’s war of aggression against China. I was born in Kunming, Yunnna, China. During the World War II, Japan occupied countries such as Burma and the Philippines, which were close to Yunnan and regions at the border of Yunnan. Japanese planes often flew in the sky above Kunming from places such as Burma and heavily bombed our land. Their main targets were Wuhuashan, where the provincial government was located, and the Kunming airport. My family lived at Chajie Production Team at No. 113, Tuodong Road, Lunming.

At the end of 1940 before or after I was born, every time when the air raid alert rang, my parents and grandmother would take me and my three elder sisters and one elder brother to hide from the bombing of Japanese planes. The old generation still has fresh memories of heinous crimes of the Japanese army. Our life was very unstable. We often lacked clothes, food, and shelter and suffered from hunger and coldness. The war was a great torture especially to my mother before and after the childbirth and to me as a newborn.

More cruelly, several days after I was born, a Japanese plane bombed our house, destroyed all our property and killed my grandmother (she was then a little over 50 years old. She died miserably), leaving my parents along with four kids without clothing, food and shelter. My parents had to handle the funeral of my grandmother while rebuilding a house, causing great difficulties to our life. This was also a big blow to my parents physically and spiritually. Minor children like me suffered most from the war. We were deprived of a happy childhood as we moved frequently with our family. The merciless war left permanent scars on our young body and mind.

The following is proof of my birthplace signed by Li Chunfu (an elderly man). Chajie (namely the Chajie Production Team, now called Biji Integrated Services Company. Thus a company seal is used), where I was born, has provided proof of my birth there. The upper-level authority of Chajie — the Wuli Office of the People’s Government of Guanshang, Guandu, Kunming has also provided evidence, so has the upper-level authority of the Wuli Office — the People’s Government of Guanshang, Guandu, Kunming. The government organs at three levels have proved the authenticity of the above facts through signatures and seals.

The Sino-Japanese relations have been normalized. The Chinese and Japanese governments and peoples are getting along well and my family and I don’t hate Japan and the Japanese anymore. The past disaster was caused by history. But, the disaster mercilessly destroyed my family of three generations, which cannot be erased by history or denied by the Japanese government.

I hereby demand compensation against the Japanese government on behalf of myself and my family (including my grandmother who died in the war), which is in line with international practice, and conducive to a long-term friendship between the peoples of China and Japan. Mr. Ambassador, please forward my letter to your government. I am looking forward to a reply and reasonable settlement from the Japanese government.

Our house destroyed in the bombing was located at No. 112-113, Tuodong Road, Kunming. It was a two-storey house with two shop fronts and a side house at the back, covering a land area of 200 square meters. At that time, the two shop fronts and upstairs were rented to others to run a teahouse. The business was booming, and we had been earning a substantial rent. My family lived in the house at the back. After the house was destroyed, we rebuilt it on the original site. Its area was reduced later due to the expansion of streets (before the People’s Liberation). Now, the two shop fronts were rented to a factory (Kunming Glass Steel Factory).

The witness, Li Chunfu, still lives in a house on the street opposite to ours.

I now work in Hengyang, Hu’nan. My mailing address is: Yang Zhenwei, Room 5-1, No. 207, Yejinyouai, Dongfeng Road, Hengyang, Hu’nan. Postal code: 421002

Best regards to Mr. Ambassador, the Japanese government and Japanese people.

Citizen of the People’s Republic of China
Yang Zhenwei (female)
March 9, 1993

Evidence

I was born in Kunming. My father Yang Hua and mother Fei Xiuying were born at Chajie, Guandu, Kunming. In 1940, several days after I was born, Japanese planes bombed Kunming, killing my grandmother and destroying our house. My parents had to take care of four kids, handle the funeral of my grandmother and rebuild a house, causing great difficulties to our life. We almost reached an impasse.

In the next year (1941) when I was half a year old, my father (over 30 years old) was killed in an accident with an American military Jeep. Another big disaster was caused to my family. And we didn’t get any compensation in the lawsuit due to power of the foreigners. We four young kids were deprived of another relative and our father’s love. My mother struggled to support us. Our tragic, painful experience was caused by Japanese and American imperialism.

The above is proved by authorities at all levels.

Daughter of Yang Hua and Fei Xiuying
Yang Zhenwei (originally Yang Guiying)
November 1992

(My elder brother Yang Zhenhong works with the government of Diecai, Guilin, my eldest sister Yang Qiongying lives at No. 15, Tangjiaying, Dongfeng Road, Kunming and my second eldest sister Yang Fengying at No. 113, Tuodong Road, Kunming)

I am an old man living at Chajie. The description by Yang Zhenwei is true. Witness: Li Chunfu (Personal seal)

November 20, 1992

The description by Yang Zhenwei is true.
Biji Company (seal)
November 21, 1992

Yang Zhenwei was born at Chajie, Eastern Kunming, Yunnan and her description is true.
Wuli Office (seal)
November 21, 1992

The description by Yang Zhenwei is true according to the public.
Office of the People’s Government of Guanshang, Guandu, Kunming (Government seal)