Plea by germ warfare victim

A victim of a World War II germ factory in Harbin has called on the Japanese Government to speed up compensation and issue an official apology to Chinese ravaged by atrocities of the Japanese Imperial Army.

Jing Lanzhi, 73, arrived in Tokyo yesterday for court hearings that will start next Wednesday.

She will also give speeches to peace activists in Japanese cities.

In 1943, Ms Jing and her husband were taken as human guinea pigs by the notorious Unit 731, which conducted experiments in germ warfare in war-torn Harbin.

Her husband died while Ms Jing suffered lifelong paralysis.

She is demanding damages of about US$50,000 (HK$386,000) plus an official apology from the Japanese Government for wartime atrocities.