 Former Chinese forced laborers win compensation Two families of the four former Chinese workers who were taken to Japan for forced labor during World War II reached a compensation settlement with Nippon Yakin Kogyo Co., a major stainless and steel maker. In an out-of-court settlement on Septeember 29, the company agreed to pay each of the four former workers 3.5 million yen in compensation. The four workers were put to work as slave laborers in the company's nickel factory in Kaya Town, Kyoto Prefecture. The lawsuit was first filed in 1998 by six former laborers. In 2003, the Kyoto District Court ruled that the government and the company used them as slave laborers in violation of the law but rejected the plaintiffs' claim for compensation. Two of the six plaintiffs died since the district court ruling. (end) |