Survivors of Tokyo Raid in rally call for state compensation for victims

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Survivors of Tokyo Raid in rally call for state compensation for victims

On March 10, 64 years after the Tokyo Raid by U.S. B-29 bombers that killed 100,000 citizens, a rally to "restore human dignity" was held in the downtown Asakusa district of Tokyo.

With a lawsuit filed two years ago by victims and their relatives calling for state compensation for the damage expected to conclude in May, about 1,200 participants, including plaintiffs, their lawyers and supporters, and many other citizens, adopted an appeal urging the court to pass a just judgment that will go down in history as an overdo act of social justice.

Hoshino Hiroshi, the head of the plaintiffs' group, emphasized how absurd it is for the air raid victims and their relatives to be left without any compensation for the loss of lives and property. He pointed out that the Japanese government shares responsibility for the damage because it started the war.

"I am sure that we will win. The average age of the plaintiffs is 75. The oldest plaintiff is 90 years old. We will make every possible effort to force the government to end the absurdity of the present policy of doing nothing for the raid victims," Hoshino said.

In the report on the process of the trial, Nakayama Taketoshi, the lead lawyer for the plaintiffs, stated that the court struggle is aimed at restoring human dignity to the survivors and defending every citizen's right to live in peace.

The appeal criticized the government for trying to send more Self-Defense Forces abroad and adversely revise the peace Constitution.

Saotome Katsumoto, a writer who heads the Tokyo Raid and War Damage Center, gave a speech about the air raid.

Memorial gathering

On the same day, a memorial meeting took place in front of a cenotaph for raid victims near Kototoi Bridge in Taito Ward in Tokyo where many citizens were burned to death by the hellfire caused by (over a quarter million) incendiary shells dropped by (over 300) B-29s.

Kawasugi Motonobu on behalf of the meeting's organizers reported that a recent exhibition (March 8-10) at the Asakusa Public Hall on the 1945 Air Raid attracted the largest ever number of visitors.

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Koike Akira stated, "The government must work to eliminate war and poverty. I'm determined to make greater efforts to defeat the war-mongering forces and maintain the peace."

- Akahata, March 11, 2009