Plaintiffs to appeal verdict on Japanese chemical weapon leak
Xinhua and Staff Reporter 2012-09-24 16:52
A man gauges the concentration of toxic substances in the air after an explosion at a fertilizer plant in Ningxia. (Photo/Xinhua)
The victims of a fatal toxic gas leak from containers left behind by the Japanese army from World War II plan to appeal to Japan's supreme court after their compensation demand was rejected.
A liaison for the Japanese lawyers that serve as the victims' counsel told Xinhua on Sunday that they would start the appeal proceedings in recent days, adding that a representative of the victims is now in Tokyo lobbying Japanese lawmakers.
The Tokyo High Court upheld Friday a lower court decision that rejected the victim's compensation demand, denying the Japanese government's responsibility to collect the weapon due to no detailed information on its location.
The leak in Qiqihar city in China's northeastern province of Heilongjiang in 2003 killed one person and caused injuries to more than 40 others. The Japanese government agreed to pay 300 million yen (US$3.85 million) for the disposal of abandoned chemical weapons.
The victims, however, are demanding compensation for their medical expenses. They told Xinhua that they have been suffered health problems since the leak.
Niu Haiying has been weak as a result of the injury while her child is also in poor health, her husband Hao Yanzhi said. The woman is currently in hospital receiving treatment.
Yang Shumao, from Sanhe township in Qiqihar, said he has experienced continual pain since being exposed to the gas.
Qiqihar was where Japan's chemical weapon division was located during World War II. Weapons abandoned by the troops after the Japanese surrender have been frequently found in recent years, posing a threat to local residents.
Chi Susheng, a lawyer based in the city and a national lawmaker, said the Japanese courts' rulings were ridiculous and he will continue to offer help and support to the victims.
