Chinese victims of Japanese chemical weapon sue Japan's government

A group of Chinese plaintiffs sued the Japanese government Thursday over the sickening of 44 people _ including one who died _ when construction workers broke open a barrel of poison gas left behind by Japanese troops in World War II.

The plaintiffs _ 43 people injured in the 2003 accident and five relatives of one who died _ are demanding a total of 1.43 billion yen (US$11.8 million; €9.1 million), according to Akira Ibori, one of their lawyers.

The suit, filed at Tokyo District Court, also demands that Japan cover medical costs and income losses due to health problems blamed on the accident, which happened in Qiqihar city, northeastern China, Ibori said.

"Our ultimate goal is to get the Japanese government to set up a long-term relief fund," Ibori said. "We hope the lawsuit prompts the government to come to a realization about the seriousness of the damage from the abandoned chemical weapons."

Tokyo has agreed to pay 300 million yen (US$2.7 million; €2.2 million) in one-time compensation to the Qiqihar victims. But the plaintiffs say that amount would not cover their medical costs and income losses, their lawyers said.

The plaintiffs have complained of painful blisters, weakened vision, coughs and chronic fatigue.

"It's been more than three years since the accident and the Japanese government has not provided a satisfactory response," said plaintiff Ding Shuwen, 27, a former construction worker. "That makes us angry." Ding was in Tokyo to file the lawsuit.

The abandoned chemical weapons are part of the legacy of Japan's wartime conquests in East Asia that still complicate Tokyo's relations with Beijing.

At home, Japan spends some 3 billion yen (US$24.8 million; €19.1 million) annually to provide free medical care and other social benefits to about 4,500 Japanese who worked at three chemical weapons factories during the war, the lawyers said.

Two other lawsuits, both filed by smaller groups of Chinese victims of the abandoned poison gas, are pending at a Japanese high court.

A 1997 international convention requires Japan to remove thousands of chemical weapons it abandoned in China by 2007, but Tokyo has asked for a five-year extension.

Japan has removed 37,000 chemical weapons, but at least 700,000 are believed to remain.