Since the 1955's, five men and women who have fled to Japan have been sent to the North Korean government because Koreans living in Japan and their wives of Japanese have been forced to live a harsh life due to the "return project" that went to North Korea. In a trial seeking compensation, the Tokyo District Court dismissed the complaint, saying, "It has been a long time since the solicitation that was not true, such as" North Korea is a paradise on earth, "and the right to seek compensation has disappeared." rice field.
In the "return project" that lasted for 25 years from 1959, about 93,000 people, including Koreans and Japanese wives living in Japan, went to North Korea, which was advertised as a paradise on earth at that time.
Five men and women who participated in the project and then fled to Japan claimed that they had been forced to live a harsh life for a long period of time and sought compensation of 500 million yen in line with the North Korean government.
This is the first trial against the North Korean government as a defendant, and one of the issues was whether it was possible to sue North Korea.
In a ruling on the 23rd, Judge Akihiro Igarashi of the Tokyo District Court said that North Korea, which Japan does not recognize as a nation, is not a "foreign country" and is subject to Japanese trials. Japanese law can be used to judge allegations that the right to choose a place or country to live in has been violated by an untrue solicitation. "
On the other hand, he complained, "It has been more than 46 years since the solicitation of North Korea to file a complaint. After returning to Japan, it took time to file a complaint, and the right to seek compensation has disappeared." Rejected.
Plaintiff "Human rights must not have prescription"
Regarding the judgment, plaintiff Eiko Kawasaki (79) said, "I think the court has tackled the human rights issue of the return business head-on, and I think that the right person has tilted the balance. However, the complaint is not accepted and I want to cry. There should be no statute of limitations. "
In addition, Kenji Fukuda, a lawyer on the plaintiff's side, clearly found that the advertisement of "paradise on earth" was contrary to the facts, and it is of great significance to show the idea that the human rights violations of the North Korean government can be tried in a Japanese court. There is a possibility that we can take responsibility for the abduction issue if we can judge the solicitations made in Japan by Japanese law. "
On the other hand, she said all the plaintiffs would appeal, saying she was dissatisfied with the disapproval of the complaint.