Date of letter:1992-12-21
Address of author:Guiyang City, Guizhou Province
Date of event:1943
Location of event:Shanghai City
Name of author:Chu Bicui
Name(s) of victim(s):Lu Fuqi (Chu Bicui’s husband)
Type of atrocity:Slave Laborers, Others, Biological/Chemical Warfare（SL, OT, BC）
Other details:During the Japanese invasion of China, the Japanese soldiers deceived many Chinese civilians to do hard labor, and my husband was one of them. These Slave Laborerss did heavy physical work in bad working conditions, and did not have enough to eat. As a result, a large number of workers died. What was more, the Japanese soldiers cultivated bacteria in their body. I ever wrote to the Japanese Embassy but only received one letter of reply form it, and then got no further information. I hope that Mr. Tong can help me claim for compensation from Japan.
Mr. Tong:
Hello!
The 10th issue of “Reader’s Digest” published an article “History Has Not Been Forgotten: An Account of Chinese Civilians Demanding Damage Compensation from Japan” excerpted by Hong Bo from “Jinhua Daily”, where I read the heroic deeds of you and your assistant Mr. Chen Jian to air grievances for Chinese civilians suffering from persecution of the Japanese Invasion War in China. As the family member of my husband who suffered in his younger years, and smeared as collusion with foreigners and put into prison during the “Three Anti & Five Anti Campaign”, which was corrected only after his death in 1986, on behalf of the soul of my husband with everlasting regret, I hereby wish to express the deepest appreciation and the highest salute to you and your assistant Mr. Chen Jian!
From this article, I learned the Guizhou Delegate was Director Wang Lusheng. I told Director Wang my husband Lu Fuqi’s info, meanwhile I also prepared a document and requested him to forward it to you when he visited Beijing next time; After Director Wang returned, he said he didn’t see Mr. Tong, and the document was undelivered. Previously I wrote two letters to the chief persons of ‘Youth Reference Weekly’ edited by the China Youth Daily on May 17 and June 18 this year, in which I talked about my husband’s condition, meanwhile I hoped they could give me Mr. Tongs’ address, and I used my husband and my name when writing this letter.
After reading Mr. Tong’s reply letter, I felt immeasurably grounded and happy. First of all, I want to warmly thank Mr. Tong for giving me reply in your busy schedule, meanwhile I also want to thank the chief persons of the newspaper, thank them for forwarding the letter to Mr. Tong.
My former husband Lu Fuqi later wrote a number of letters to “Yasue KATORI” and other Ambassadors of the Japanese embassy in China; at first he didn’t ask for receipt, later he found there was no reply, so he began to demand receipt, and it was not until June 17, 1983, that the consular section of the Japanese Embassy wrote him a reply letter, but he never received any more reply from the Japanese government, and all subsequent letters were ignored.
On March 29, 1984, the “People’s Daily” carried an article on the construction of Soul Consoling Tower built for Chinese miners died in Japan during the Japanese War period on Page 6. He also specially wrote a letter to thank Mr. Ryuji FUKAURA in Japan.
Because of Japan’s invasion war, in the Japanese occupied zone of Shanghai, Japanese Imperialism persuaded Chinese youths with sweetened phrases to work for Japan; back then the hardship of civilians was imposed by thieves, robbers and swindlers from the Japanese Empire. It’s not that Chinese youths were willing to go to Japan in response to the recruitment by the Japanese Empire; the essence of the matter involved is that the Japanese Imperialism cheated Chinese civilians to contribute hard labor, which they could not obtain on the battleground during the war. Chinese slave labors were sent to Umi-machi Kameyama Coal Mine in Japan to engage in coal production, and my husband was one of the slave labors. These slave labors should receive equal treatment with other people; but instead they worn the same clothing for three years, and only four gō of rice each day. Slave labors worked hard under the mine, and lived a life inferior to that of beasts. From the winter of 1944 till the spring of 1945, huge number of Chinese slave labors fell ill, and the humanitarianism of the Japanese imperialism was one syringe shot administered by the doctor, then these compatriots fell into deep sleep in smile and died; what’s more, they also cultivated bacteria on the Chinese slave labors’ body. Every two weeks the gate officer and the doctor would catch the lice on their body for laboratory analysis……; the dormitory was 5-meter high large wooden barrel boarded with two layers of planks encircled with electric barbed wire net; the gate was opened only at the time of moving to and from the mine, at other time the doors were shut. In the summer of 1943, Japan recruited Chinese slave labors in Shanghai, and my husband was also sent onboard the “Jinyo Maru” ship to arrive at Shimonoseki checkpoint in Japan, where they took photos, entered forms, affixed finger print, and checked every Chinese slave labor’s physical features, followed by disinfection and quarantine, then over 700 Chinese slave labors were sent to Moji, Japan in the same ship. After arriving at Moji, a part of the slave labors were assigned to Hokkaido. The first batch sent to Kameyama Coal Mine had three hundred persons, and one brigade included six squads with 50 persons in one squads. They were sent to “Hakata” in Umi-machi Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan Mihi Industry Co., Ltd Kameyama Coal Mine. My husband belonged to the third squad, No. 155 miner. His name then was Lu Guoqi, and his current name is Lu Fuqi. The second batch had 52 persons, and at that time the first batch’s death toll had reached 60%. Except one was killed, one suffered work injury, and one escaped, the remaining were killed through injection after falling ill. They worked at this mine for two years and eight months. After Japan surrendered, in 1946 the Japanese Imperialism sent them back to Shanghai, without giving them salary and release fee, so now we are demanding Japan to offer compensation.
The above-mentioned matter is indeed the most painful and unsettled one in the mind of my husband in his whole life. On this matter, I sincerely request Mr. Tong and Mr. Chen to offer assistance on demanding compensation from Japan, which can provide some consolation for me to release my husband’s soul from purgatory. Please find enclosed copies of receipts of my husband’s correspondence with the Japanese Embassy, reply letter from the Japanese Embassy and relevant article on Page 6 of “People’s Daily” on March 29, 1984. Thank you!
Regards
Sincerely Yours
Victim’s family member: Zhu Bicui
1992.12.21
Mr. Lu Fuqi:
Your three letters have all been received, we feel very sorry for the delay in replying, please forgive us.
Regarding the matter you mentioned in the letter, our Embassy has contacted relevant sides in Japan. When there is any news, we will notify you immediately. Please wait patiently for our reply.
Regards
1983.6.17
Consular Section
The Japanese Embassy in the People’s Republic of China
7 Ritan Road, Jianguomenwai, Beijing
Tel: 52-2158
“Soul Consoling Tower for Chinese Victims” was inaugurated in Arao City in Japan
Xinhua News Agency from Tokyo March 25
The inauguration ceremony of the “Soul Consoling Tower for Chinese Victims”, which was built to commemorate 564 Chinese miners who died in Miike Coal Mine in Kumamoto Prefecture and Mitsui Mine in Fukuoka Prefecture during the WWII period, was held today in Arao City, Kumamoto Prefecture.
Located midway on the mountain side of Shodai Mountain of Arao City, it is this Soul Consoling Tower was constructed by Mr. Ryuji FUKAURA after 20 years of preparation.
The pedestal of the Soul Consoling Tower was made of marble, with a 2.7 meters high and 3 meters wide black granite monument erected on the pedestal. The monument was engraved with “Soul Consoling Tower for Chinese Victims” wording, on the inside engraved: “To Avoid Repeating the Mistake, We Swear Not to Declare Any War”.
More than 200 persons from all social circles in Japan attended the inauguration ceremony today. Officials of the Chinese Embassy in Japan also took part in the ceremony and delivered speech.
This article was published on page 6 of “People’s Daily” March 29, 1984.
