The Japanese top court dismissed on Tuesday an appeal by a group of six former Chinese forced workers who demanded a total of 110 million yen (about US$909,000) in compensation from the Japanese government for their being taken to work in nickel mines in Kyoto Prefecture during World War II.

In January 2003, the Kyoto District Court dismissed the plaintiffs' claims, citing the expiration of right to claim compensation. In September 2006, the Osaka High Court upheld the district court's decision for the same reason and added "the state is exempt from any responsibility as the actions were taken before the National Redress Law went into force in 1947."

The ruling was the latest in a series of dismissal of lawsuits filed by Chinese for their wartime suffering. The Japanese top court in April dismissed a forced labor suit and a sex slavery suit filed by Chinese sufferers.

(Xinhua News Agency June 13, 2007)