Japan Press Weekly

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2012 October 24 - 30 [HISTORY]

Air raid survivors unite to seek new assistance law

Victims of air raids by the U.S. forces during the Second World War on October 27 formed a group calling on the state to establish a new law to compensate victims for damages.

This is the Kansai (southwestern Japan) bloc of the national association of air raid victims’ groups.

Some 100 survivors, bereaved families, and their supporters attended the inaugural rally in Osaka City. They determined to work hard to arouse public opinion through petition drives and by requesting local assemblies to adopt resolutions or proposals for introduction of new legislation.

National association representative Nakayama Taketoshi gave a keynote speech at the assembly. He stressed that setting up a support law will lead to the solution of a variety of unsolved issues such as the use of former “comfort women” by the Japanese Army.

Sugiyama Chisako, the association advisor, had lost eyesight in her left eye in the U.S. air raid in Nagoya City on March 24, 1945. The 97-year-old woman said, “I will turn 100 in three years. I want to make the government bring in a new law before that, whatever the cost.”

Japanese Communist Party House of Representatives member Miyamoto Takeshi participated in the rally, delivering a speech in solidarity.