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Japan expresses remorse

to Britain in POW letter

LONDON: Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama has expressed deep remorse over his country's treatment of prisoners during World War Two, a spokeswoman at the office of British Prime Minister John Major said on Friday.

She said the letter represented the first time that Japan had put in writing that it was sorry about the prison camps it operated over during the war.

Murayama expressed "profound remorse for Japan's actions in a certain period of the past which caused such unbearable suffering and sorrow for so many people", the spokeswoman said.

She said Britain did not intend to publish the text of Murayama's letter. But she added: "We welcome a written statement of this sort."

The Japanese embassy in London confirmed that the letter had been written, but a spokeswoman added: "This letter does not change the basic and long-standing position of the Japanese government."

She said similar sentiments were expressed to Major when he visited Japan two years ago.

Former prisoners of war have embarked on a campaign for compensation for their treatment as Japan's former foes prepare to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the end of the war in the Pacific on August 15.

Two groups representing Britons held prisoner by the Japanese during the war, the Japanese Labour Camps Survivors Association and the Association of British Civilian Internees, Far East Region, are leading the fight.

Along with other ex-prisoners from Britain, Australia, New Zealand and the United States, they have lodged claims for a total of $660 million compensation with a Japanese court.

Major's office said Murayama's letter made no mention of compensation.

The two British groups wrote to Murayama on Friday urging him to apologise and to compensate them for their suffering.

"The failure of your government over the last 50 years to apologise and make reparations for what was done has left an enduring suspicion that yours is not a country that has learned the lessons of its past," they said.

The two groups said Tuesday's anniversary of the end of the war was the last chance for Murayama to settle the matter before the case goes to trial in Tokyo in six months' time.

"The apology is welcome as far as it goes but there are a number of problems with what has been said by Mr Murayama," said Martin Day, the solicitor representing the organisations.

He said the letter was personal, was written to Major and made no mention of compensation. What his clients wanted was an apology from the Japanese government addressed to them, and money to prove that the regret was heartfelt.-Reuter