New fund to help Chinese victims of chemical, biochemical weapons left by Japan established in Tokyo

A private-sector relief fund to support Chinese people suffering from health problems caused by chemical and biochemical weapons abandoned by Imperial Japanese Army troops was established in Tokyo on Friday.

Representatives from Lawyers group supporting victims from poison gas weapons and China Foundation For Human Rights Development attended the inaugural ceremony of the "Japan-China future peace fund" in the Tokyo Bar Association building.

A series of accidents involving abandoned Japanese chemical and biochemical weapons, including many resulting in death, have occurred in China. Over the decades since the end of the WWII, the weapons' steel shells have corroded and leaked poison gas and other toxic substances.

Chinese residents came into contact with the toxic substances or whose respiratory organs or nerves were damaged by the toxins will be granted medical expenses from the fund.

"Victims of the abandoned weapons have been left outside the public compensation system," said Japanese lawyer Norio Minami, who co-heads the lawyers group supporting plaintiffs of lawsuits filed in Japan over damage caused by the abandoned poison gas weapons. "We hope that the two governments will eventually set up a public compensation fund to succeed our initiative."

The mutual fund has already received about 1 million yuan ( about 156,450 U.S. dollars) through donations on the Chinese side, mainly from local companies. It will seek more donations from the two countries in the future.

The fund will also consider providing livelihood support for victims who cannot make a living because of the aftereffects of the poison gas or chemical weapons. Endi