Date of letter:1994-08-18
Address of author:Qiqihar City, Heilongjiang Province
Date of event:1945-09
Location of event:Qiqihar City, Heilongjiang Province
Name of author:Guan Jingfa (infant name Guan Chunlin)
Name(s) of victim(s):Guan Jingfa (infant name Guan Chunlin)Type of atrocity:Air Bombings, Others（AB, OT）
Other details:In September 1945, after the unconditional surrender of Japan, the Japanese soldiers left many bombs near the airport, which caused great threat and harm to our village, a small village of only 27 families then. At that time I was still an innocent child. I was working in the field with my parents when I found an iron ball, and then played with it. Unexpectedly, the ball suddenly exploded, immediately consuming three fingers of my right hand, and injuring my belly and face. I require the Japanese government to compensate me for my lifelong disability and the cost of hospitalization and treatment.
Pursuing Justice
I am Guan Jingfa (originally Guan Chunlin), born on February 29, 1941, in Manchu. I am an employee of the First Machine Tool Works of Qiqihar and live at 161 Anrenwei, Zhengyang Street, Longsha, Qiqihar.
My hometown is Yamentun, Shuishiying, Ang’angxi, Qiqihar, about 1 km southeast of the airport built by the invading Japanese army. On September 3, 1945 before and after Japan’s unconditional surrender, the Japanese air force dropped many bombs near the airport, causing much damage to my 27-household village. Some villagers hit a hidden bomb while farming and died. Some innocent children played with an unexploded bomb and died or were disabled when it exploded. I was one of those children. On one morning in mid-September of 1945, my parents were farming in the field and I was playing nearby by myself. I was playing with an iron ball and it suddenly exploded, cutting off three fingers (thumb, index finger, middle finger) of my right hand and injuring my abdomen, face and left hand. I was taken to a hospital, where the doctor removed 12 pieces of shrapnel from me. I received treatment in the hospital for 17 months and over 4,000 USD was spent. In order to treat my injuries, my family went bankrupt and into debt. After 17-months of suffering, my life was saved, but what awaited me was even greater suffering. I experienced unbearable suffering through study, work and marriage for nearly 50 years and I had to retire early before the standard retirement age. Now I live on a meager pension.
Therefore, I demand compensation for my permanent disability caused by Japan’s war of aggression against China based on the international practice and the spirits of the speech made by the spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in April 1992:
1. A compensation of 4,000 USD for my 17-month treatment expenses.
2. A compensation of 20,000 USD for my permanent disability.
Victim: Guan Jingfa
August 18, 1994
Guan Jingfa
Guan Chunlin
Yamentun, Shuishiying, Ang’angxi, Qiqihar, Heilongjiang
