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To comrades of the Editorial Department, Quarterly Digest, Jilin Daily:

　　Your Quarterly Digest, Issue 423 of September 21, 1942 reported that “Chinese civil organization demands compensation from Japan: While the victims’ claim for compensation from Japan is in full swing in the Asia-Pacific region, a Union of Chinese Civil Victims Demanding Compensation from Japan is established in China and has over 100,000 members. The Union will investigate the facts claimed by victims and then demand compensation from the Japanese government through legal means.

　　As the Union has over 100,000 registered victims, a great event for Chinese people who have been suffering for over half a century. Would you please tell me where is the Union located? I really appreciate it.

　　On April 3, 1992, the Reference News Daily reported, that “Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Jiang Zemin met with Japanese reporters at Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guesthouse on April 1 (before April 6th’s Japan-visit). During his speech, he once again, invited the Japanese Emperor to visit China and confirmed the following stance on the unresolved issue between Japan and China. …China has given up war reparations from Japan, but the civil requests for compensation will not be limited…” (quoted from [Kyodo News Agency Beijing on April 1]) This has given Chinese victims a direction of claiming compensation from Japanese invaders.

　　Youth Reference of May 8 reprinted an article about China’s civil claims for compensation from Japan published in Yomiuri Shimbun. The article read, “Last spring, Tong Zeng, a researcher with the China Research Center on Aging, submitted an opinion letter about civil claims for compensation from Japan to the National People’s Congress. Over the past year, more than 10,000 Chinese people from all over the country signed up in favor of the letter. Additionally, at the National People’s Congress held in this March, representatives from Anhui, Jiangxi and Guizhou respectively made a proposal about claims for a $180 billion compensation from Japan. Tong Zeng has set a goal of collecting 100 million signatures and is planning to register and establish a civil organization responsible for claiming for compensation from Japan.

　　The Chinese government gave up war reparations against Japan in the Japan-China Joint Statement on Normalization of Diplomatic Relations (Joint Statement) in September 1972. Tong Zeng believes that the Chinese government has only given up war reparations, excluding civil damage compensation as described in the Joint Statement, while the Japanese government holds that the Chinese government has given up all rights for compensation. When answering reporters , a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said that Chinese civil victims could directly demand compensation from the Japanese government, fully showing the Chinese government’s non-interference position.

　　Professor Wakamizu TSUTUSI, an international law expert from Tokyo University, thinks that war reparations are different from damage compensation. Minister of Foreign Affairs Qian Qichen doesn’t explicitly express whether the Chinese government has given up all rights for compensation in the Joint Statement, leaving some leeway. In the future, the Chinese civil claims for compensation against Japan are not only a legal dispute, but may become a political issue between Japan and China.

　　A reporter with China Daily asked, “Japanese militarists’ invasion of China caused a great disaster to the Chinese people. It is learned that some representatives and committee members of the Two Sessions are demanding civil compensation against the Japanese government. Minister of Foreign Affairs Qian, what’s your take on that?”

　　Minister Qian Qichen answered, “Japanese militarism has made Chinese people suffered greatly for as long as half a century from the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 to the victory of the anti-Japanese war. Japan should properly address some complex issues caused by Japan’s war of aggression against China. As for war reparations, the Chinese government articulated its stance in the Joint Statement in 1972 and still maintains the stance. The people’s representatives have the right to make proposals and suggestions and the Secretariat of the People’s Congress is responsible for handling these proposals and suggestions in accordance with relevant regulations.

　　Therefore, comrades of the Editorial Department, Quarterly Digest, please tell me what the Union is and to which department should I make a claim? I repeatedly request you to help and support me. Please tell me to which department should I make a claim? Thank you very much!

　　I was born in Matou, Tancheng, Shandong. Matou was liberated in October 1939 by the Dongjin Branch and Third Brigade, Longhainan Branch, 115 Unit, the Eighth Route Army under the command of Captain Wang Bingzhang and the leadership of the Communist Party of China. The anti-Japanese democratic government of Tancheng was also established in Matou, which was the earliest county-level authority established in South Shandong. Matou was the business center of Tancheng. After the Japanese army was defeated in the battle of Taierzhuang in April 1938, Japanese reinforcements attacked and occupied Matou, but retreated back to Linyi over a month later. The Japanese army burned Matou once again.

　　Although the Japanese army implemented the Three Alls Policy in Matou, Tancheng, the original business foundation still maintained, so the former KMT government of Tancheng County took over Matou for over a year, during which the Japanese army raided Matou 5 or 6 times.

　　In October 1939, after Matou was liberated by Dongjin Branch and Third Brigade, Longhainan Branch, 115 Unit, the Eighth Route Army, a National Salvation Council of Businessmen was established in Matou, Tancheng under the leadership of the Working Committee, Matou, Tancheng, Communist Party of China. We raised funds for anti-Japanese war, collected firearms and ammunition and organized mobile transactions to buy and transport cotton and Western medicine, etc. for military use from the regions occupied by the enemy such as Xuzhou, Nanjing, Jinan and Qingdao. The cotton payment was made by installments by the Finance Department, the Anti-Japanese Democratic Government of Tancheng. The Finance Department paid a 3% commission fee to the mobile businessmen (3% of the original invoices, including all transport fees and incidentals). At that time, the National United Front was established, so the National Salvation Council of Businessmen was named by the Working Committee, Matou, Tancheng, the Communist Party of China with Lin Xueyi selected as the chairman and Li Diting and Wang Zunyang as deputy chairmen.

　　The people were responding actively to the anti-Japanese cause. It was a time referred to as the Golden Age of Matou, Tancheng. Due to rapid development of the anti-Japanese cause, Matou became a scourge of the Japanese army. So, the Japanese army sent large troops to surround Matou in three ways from Chongfangdabu, Xin’an Town (now Xinyi, Jiangsu) in October 1940.

　　Matou fell due to a weak military force as the local armed forces joined the fifth brigade and headed south.

　　After the Anti-Japanese Democratic Government of Tancheng retreated to the north, the Japanese army once again occupied Matou and built a camp here. The former local organizations suffered under the rule of the puppet Japanese government. The cotton payment of $95,000 fiat made by the former Finance Department to mobile businessmen was searched and taken by the Japanese army. (It was originally $100,000 fiat, but a mobile businessman Xu Shenxi from Zhou Village, Shandong absconded with 5,000 fiat). The cotton payment of 95,000 fiat, equal to 95,000 silver coins, was robbed of Chinese people by the armed invading Japanese army. The Japanese government should return the money converted to RMB 9.5 million. (The profiteer Xu Shenxi will be handled by the Chinese government for absconding with 5,000 fiat). Which Japanese troops took the 95,000 fiat? And who helped them? “KOBAYASHI”, head of the Japanese gendarmerie of Matou knew. His successor was named “莺木”.

　　I was arrested by the Japanese gendarmerie on my way back to Matou from the countryside and held in the jail. Another two people who were also arrested were Lin Xueyi, chairman of the former National Salvation Council of Businessmen of Tancheng and the former head of Matou Town Yang Shanru. We were charged with the crime of having secret communication with the Eighth Route Army. It is an unjust case created by captain of the Japanese gendarmerie “KOBAYASHI”. He threatened our family members with escorting us to the Japanese gendarmerie of Xuzhou to blackmail us. After being held for 2 days and 1 night, we were released after our family members paid a ransom of 5,000 fiat. We were charged with the crime of having secret communication with the Eighth Route Army. Is that a real crime? Is it a crime that the Japanese army invaded China? Is it a crime that the Japanese army implemented the Three Alls Policy (kill all, burn all and loot all) in China? What is the crime of being a member of the National Salvation Council of Businessmen? Why should he arrest and hold us illegally? Isn’t it just and reasonable that Chinese people demand civil compensation from Japan?

　　On lunar December 13, 1941, the Japanese gendarmerie of Xuzhou sent two trucks of armed gendarmes to Matou, Tancheng, Shandong. They got off the trucks before the Command of the Japanese Garrison in Matou and two gendarmes escorted a prisoner down the truck and into the Command. The prisoner was hooded to avoid recognition by other people who might also be arrest targets who may then escape. . It was dusk then.

Later, two trucks of gendarmes from Xuzhou and the Japanese soldiers and Japanese puppet police closed four gates of Matou, blocked main roads and conducted a large manhunt for businessmen in Matou. I had a premonition of disaster, so I hid in the drainage trench on the roof. The enemy came searching several times and couldn’t find me. They forced my cousin Zheng Mingduo to take them to the places where I frequented, but they still couldn’t find me. They beat my cousin with the butt of a rifle and insulted him. They won’t easily let go of me. I didn’t know that they considered me as a primary prisoner. So they took away my wife and the baby in her arms.

　　Through a manhunt throughout the night, over 200 people were arrested. The manhunt continued in the morning of the next day. The Japanese army was cruel and inhuman. I was a deputy chairman of the National Salvation Council of Businessmen, what serious crimes did I commit? After much consideration, I decided not to implicate my wife and baby. There was only a 4-year-old daughter left at home. If my wife and baby were taken to Xuzhou, the consequences would be unimaginable. So I decided to voluntarily surrender to the Japanese so that my wife and baby could be free. When I walked to Dashengchang Pharmacy on Nanda Street, I was captured by the Japanese gendarmerie coming from the south. I was taken to the Command of the Japanese Garrison and handed over to an officer. He handcuffed me, checked my name against a list and gave me a note saying the Eighth Route Army paid me 100,000 fiat. The officer said the manhunt was over.

　　By interrogating over 200 people captured from the manhunt, the Japanese gendarmerie determined 12 primary suspects including me for having secret communication with the Eighth Route Army. We were escorted on two trucks before the Command of the Japanese Garrison of Matou and supervised by two Japanese gendarmes. (Except for these 12 people, the other people were released in Matou).

　　At about 10 o’clock, we 12 people were escorted by the Japanese gendarmerie of Xuzhou to the railway station of Xin’an Town (now Xinyi, Jiangsu), then took a train to Xuzhou. When we exited the Xuzhou railway station, we were forced on two trucks waiting outside the station and taken to the prison of the Japanese gendarmerie on Datong Street. After entering the creepy prison, we stood one by one, were searched and then thrown into the prison. The prison gate was like a pigpen gate. It was so low that we had to bend down to get in. We were kept in different cells. A thick post fence was established outside the cell and there was a corridor outside the fence where gendarmes patrolled and supervised us. We 12 people began a life behind bars. During our imprisonment, the Japanese gendarmerie arrested 7 businessmen from Matou doing business in Xuzhou at Ermalu Merchants Hotels, Xuzhou. Six of the 7 businessmen were also held in the prison. The other businessman Zhu Changjun was hooded and taken to Matou. After completing the manhunt in Matou, the Japanese gendarmerie released him, so there were actually 18 businessmen from Matou in the prison. All of us were severely interrogated and 2 people (Lin Xueyi and Fan Jingyuan) were beaten to death. We even didn’t see their corpses. 7 people (Wang Zunyang, Liu Yishi, Zheng Jitong, Yin Guifang and Jiang Yuanze, etc.) were transferred from Xuzhou to Nanjing and were sentenced to three years in prison at the military court headed by Yasuji OKAMURA from the Command of the Japanese army in central China. The 7 people were released after doing servitude for one and a half years in Wuxi. 8 people (Kan Jichao, Ma Deshan, Lin Liting and Hu Lingdian, etc.) were considered innocent by the Japanese gendarmerie after a second severe interrogation in Xuzhou and released. I was kept in the prison for over 3 months, where the Japanese gendarmerie tortured me by throwing me in the dungeon, branding me with a hot iron stick, pulling my two elbows towards the back of my head with my hands handcuffed and a wooden stick on the back of my head and elbow. I suffered the cruel punishment at the jail of the Japanese gendarmerie at Xili, Nantou Road, Tongyi Street, Xuzhou (now the Epidemic Prevention Station of Xuzhou). I survived partly because I had a colleague named Wang Shanyi in my store, who is still alive now. At that time, he tried to save me and someone said the Japanese gendarmerie asked for a ransom of 5,000 silver certificates (issued by the Japanese militarism through the puppet China Joint Reserve Bank). He bargained several times and the ransom was reduced to 3,500 silver certificates. He finally got enough money by selling the goods in my store and paid it to an officer of the Japanese gendarmerie Iwao TAKAHASHI. Then, I was released.

　　Up till today, except the two killed by Iwao TAKAHASHI, a total of 16 of us died and only 2 were still alive. One is Yin Guifang who was sentenced to 3 years in prison. He is about 80, has hemiplegia and stroke and lives at his home in Matou. The other is myself. I am 77, a victim of the two disasters created by the Japanese gendarmerie, also a survivor and a witness of the history. Most of the above mentioned victims have living family members such as widows, children or siblings. Only a few of them have no family members left.

　　In a word, the Japanese gendarmerie illegally arrested and held us twice and killed two businessmen (lives cannot be measured by money). They also robbed and blackmailed public and private money of 10,000 fiat and 3,500 silver certificates respectively, which is a total of 13,500 fiat. We demand the Japanese government to return the money and make compensation for killing businessmen Lin Xueyi and Fan Jingyuan in accordance with the regulations of the United Nations Compensation Commission. (If possible, the Japanese government should investigate Iwao TAKAHASHI, an officer of the Japanese gendarmerie of Xuzhou about killings. ). I’ve provided the above materials to your newspaper office. As the media, please give me support and assistance as to how can I contact the civil organization responsible for claims of compensation against Japan. Currently, there is no news about civil claims of compensation against Japan in my hometown Tancheng, Shandong or Xuzhou where I live. The above is my report.

Best regards,

Claimnant: Li Diting (Personal seal)
October 23, 1992

(Attached is a postage stamp of 50 cents)