June 27, 2009Nishimatsu Construction -- the company at the center of a recent political donation scandal -- is seeking a settlement with a group of Chinese men used as forced labor at sites in Hiroshima and Niigata prefectures during World War II.
Despite rejecting the suit by the Chinese plaintiffs in April 2007, the Supreme Court encouraged Nishimatsu to come to a settlement with the group.
The start of the negotiations was announced by Yasuhiko Takano, a lawyer for Nishimatsu. The company had claimed the matter had already been settled; however, the company's new management is taking the opportunity to place more stress on corporate social responsibility issues, following the change forced by the donations scandal.
In 1944, Nishimatsu was contracted to build power stations in Hiroshima and Niigata prefectures. Around 360 and 180 forced laborers were used at each site respectively, of which around 40 died from accidents or disease.
(Mainichi Japan) June 27, 2009
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