LOCAL unionists and Japanese residents in Hong Kong protested to the Japanese Consulate-General in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, demanding an official apology and war compensation. 'I welcome the official apology of the Japanese Prime Minister, but I don't know whether or not the next prime minister will withdraw the apology,' said the president of the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, Yeung Yiu-chung. Another protester, the chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, Cheng Yiu-tong, said: 'The Japanese Government is courageous to admit its fault. But that's not enough. 'It should tell the public about the war crimes in the right context so as to avoid the rebirth of militarism. 'Wartime compensation and the redemption of military currency is also necessary.' However, chairman of the Association for the Promotion of War Reparations Ho Chun-yan did not accept the apology. 'It is not an official apology. He should officially have the Japanese Government draft the confession of guilt and let the Diet recognise a national apology,' Mr Ho said. He also demanded the Japanese Government publicise the information about war crimes such as using the Chinese for biological warfare experiments. Japanese protester Kaname Odachi condemned the Japanese Government. 'The militarists deny and whitewash their war crimes, but the Japanese should know the truth,' she said.
