Japan: Justice rejects complaint by North Korean defectors against Pyongyang
A total of 93,340 people took part in the repatriation program for North Koreans settled in Japan financed by Pyongyang and which promised “paradise on earth”.
Illustrative photo.
REUTERS/Damir Sagolj
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
In 2018, North Korean defectors began an action in Tokyo to hold the North Korean regime to account over a former repatriation program from Japan that involved more than 90,000 people between 1959 and 1984.
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A Tokyo court dismissed the suit, finding it had no jurisdiction to rule on the "
detention
" of the program participants in North Korea or the family members of the plaintiffs still there and "
imprisoned
". 'by the scheme to see them.
"
Heaven on Earth
"
This symbolic action launched in 2018 denounced a program which saw 90,000 North Koreans settled in the Japanese archipelago, but also their Japanese spouses, join North Korea between 1959 and 1984, attracted by propaganda promising "
paradise on earth
".
The plaintiffs, five participants in the repatriation program, currently living in Japan, each claimed 100 million yen (762,000 euros) in damages.
They accuse the Kim Jong-un regime of having "
deceived the plaintiffs through false advertising into relocating them to North Korea
" and of having "
forced them to live in conditions where the enjoyment of human rights man was impossible
.
Reduce the number of Koreans in Japan
The Japanese government had supported this plan, denounced by its detractors as a way for Tokyo to reduce the number of Koreans settled in Japan.
(
with AFP
)
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To read also: Japan increases its financial contribution to the American forces
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