POWs at Prime Minister’s family coalmine

Friday, December 19, 2008

by Mindy Kotler
Reconciliation between China and Japan and the Cooperative Security Network

On December 18th, at an Upper House Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting, DPJ member Yukihisa Fujtia asked again Foreign Minister Hirohumi Nakasone questions regarding Allied POWs being forced to work at Aso Mining Co.

For the first time, the Foreign Minister acknowledged that there were 300 British, Dutch and Australian POWs at the coalmine owned by Prime Minister Aso’s family during WWII.

Document found in the basement of the Health Labor and Welfare Ministry confirmed reports found at the US National Archives that companies had prepared for Occupation authorities.

It is a rare occurrence for the Japanese government to release wartime records. These records, if they are not now destroyed, should also document the extensive use of POW, Chinese, and Korean forced labor in Japan’s industries. Personal testimonies from survivors and documents found the US National Archives so far have not been convincing enough to official Japan.

A Health Ministry official apparently noted that the documents say that the POWs were treated well. However, there remain POW survivors of the Aso mines. Their memories are quite the opposite.

Mr. Fujita further asked if the Foreign Ministry would respond positively to the request made by Dr. Lester Tenney, National Commander of American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor, during his November 11th meeting with the Japanese Ambassador to the US Ichiro Fujisaki. Tenney wants an apology and to know why American ex-POWs and their families were from the 1995 Japanese government’s invitation program for ex-POWs. Foreign Minister Nakasone answered, “We will look into the matter carefully.”

Mr. Fujita said that it would be good diplomacy for Japan to work on the POW issue in order to win the trust in the international community. "

I want him [Aso] to make at least a gesture of apology and accept the responsibility of what happened," Mr Fujita said. "Voluntary financial contributions to the survivors would also be positive. But he has to stop denying."