Later, suspicious cans were found discarded in rivers, and Japanese planes doused the area with fleas and a cotton-like substance. That's the account of residents of Zhaiqian, now in their 70s, who blame Japanese germ warfare for the outbreak of illness and death. The testimony is part of an investigation in Jiangxi province by a 26-member Japanese civic group in cooperation with Chi nese researchers. A Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday that the Japanese government has not found any official documents confirming evidence that germ warf are was employed in China. But Japan's Defense Agency has confirmed that limited chemical warfare was waged.
Late summer brings a string of war anniversaries that still prompt painful debate.
Last week, Aug. 6 and 9 marked the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and Thursday is the 51st anniversary of Japan's surrender. Official ceremonies marking these dates usually focus on Japan's role as a war victim rather than aggressor. But many Asians in countries Japan brutalized believe the Tokyo government has not done enough to face up to its responsibilities for the past. Asian women conscripted as sex slaves to the Japanese army, and other Asians forced into labor by the Japanese have sued the government seeking compensation. The agreements with the former sex slaves are just beginning to be worked out, but are the women have said they are unacceptable because they are being paid through a private fund rather than by the government.