April 2, 2025

A group of bereaved families of former Korean Class-B and Class-C war criminals and their supporters held a rally on April 1 in the House of Representatives members’ office building, demanding the enactment of a law regarding provision of compensation from the Japanese government.

During the Asia-Pacific War, Koreans mobilized by the Imperial Japanese Army as “Japanese soldiers” were assigned to roles, such as guards at POW camps in Southeast Asia controlled under the Imperial army. After the war ended, they were brought to court and convicted as Class-B/C war criminals.

The Japanese government has failed to offer an apology and compensation to family members of the former Korean war criminals.

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Yamazoe Taku along with some opposition party lawmakers delivered speeches in solidarity.

Yamazoe criticized the Japanese government for moving forward with the military buildup policy without showing remorse for its past colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula. He expressed his determination to work hard to resolve the compensation issue of the former Korean war criminals in the Diet as this year marks 80 years since the end of the war.