The Tokyo District Court passed a verdict yesterday that the Japanese government should pay 20 million yen (US$160,000) to a Chinese man who was forced into slave labor in a mine in Hokkaido during World War II, Xinhua News Agency reported yesterday.

In his ruling, presiding judge Seiichiro Nishiok said: "The Japanese government forced harsh labor upon him and forced him to live a life which is beyond description for an extended period of time."

In 1944, Liu Lianren, a native of east China's Shandong Province, was captured by invading Japanese troops and brought to the mine as a forced laborer.

Liu escaped the mine in 1945 and then spent 13 years hiding in the mountains in Hokkaido.

In 1958, Liu, who had a speech impediment, was found by local hunters and sent back to China. On March 8, 1996, Liu took the Japanese government to the Tokyo District Court, claiming compensation for his loss.

No verdict was delivered for more than five years. The 87-year-old man died of cancer in September, 2000.

While he was alive, Liu reported his experiences and went to Japan six times to expose the crimes against him.

Liu Huanxin, Liu Lianren's son, who was at the court representing his father, said the verdict is a victory for all those Chinese and Japanese who have a sense of justice, according to the Xinhua report.

He added that only when the Japanese government admits its past crimes can Japan and China achieve an everlasting friendship.

On July 3, a concert was held in Tokyo by a number of Japanese organizations to commemorate Liu Lianren and show support for his case, according to a report by the China News Agency on July 4.

During the period between 1937 and 1945, tens of millions of Chinese were captured by invading Japanese troops and forced to work for the Japanese army. Among them more than 50,000 people were taken to Japan.

(China Daily 07/13/2001)