American Vets Forced Into Slave Labor by Japanese Companies Seek Resolution to 'Unfinished Business'

On Eve of 50th Anniversary of Peace Treaty With Japan, American Veterans Forced Into Slave Labor By Mitsubishi And Other Japanese Companies Still Seek Resolution to 'Unfinished Business'

               Former Mitsubishi Slave Laborers, Fellow Ex-POWs
                       Rally in Protest of Anniversary;
   Deliver Letter Requesting Apology with American Flag to Dealership Owner

    SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 5 As San Francisco gears up for the
official commemoration of the signing of the 1951 Peace Treaty with Japan,
American veterans who were enslaved by private Japanese companies during the
war are gearing up for their own event.  They kicked off their opposition to
the celebration with a protest rally at the War Memorial Building today.
After the event, the POWs delivered a letter and American flag to the owner of
Serremonte Mitsubishi in Colma.
    The fifty years since the United States signed the treaty with Japan in
San Francisco have been difficult for this forgotten group of American
veterans who were Prisoners of War of the Japanese.  These American veterans,
who were captured by the Japanese and forced into slave labor for private
Japanese companies, including Mitsubishi, are still seeking recognition for
the suffering they endured.
    Today, as part of their effort to gain justice, the ex-POWs held a rally
to protest what they refer to as 'unfinished business,' and then delivered a
letter to the owner of the Serremonte Mitsubishi dealership requesting that he
ask his company to apologize to the veterans who suffered at its hands during
WWII.  Former slave laborers Dr. Lester Tenney, Frank Bigelow, Ed Jackfert,
and George "Ed" Cobb spoke to a gathered group of veterans.  Mr. Cobb, a
former Mitsubishi slave laborer, then went to the Mitsubishi dealership to
present the letter of request with an American flag that had been flown over
the United States Capitol to honor these veterans.
    Attending the rally was San Francisco Supervisor Leland Yee, a strong
supporter of the Justice for Veterans movement:  "I find it hard to believe
that this anniversary celebration also marks the 50 years that these veterans
have been struggling for some sort of acknowledgement for what they endured at
the hands of these companies.  We ask our soldiers to sacrifice for our
country, and in return, they deserve recognition for their brave conduct and
for their suffering."
    "On the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the treaty, we want people
to know that there is still business left undone -- that there are veterans,
like me, who were forced into slave labor by companies like Mitsubishi and
it's time for these companies to apologize to us," stated George Cobb,
American veteran and former Mitsubishi slave laborer, "If it were up to
Mitsubishi, they'd like to forget about the past.  We are living reminders of
the horrors and the pain of the past.  Before we can all move forward, we must
take care of this unfinished business."
    Ed Jackfert, veteran and former Mitsui slave laborer: "This gathering is
not against the Japanese as a nation, or against the people of Japan. The
people of Japan are hard working citizens, just like the people of the United
States.  This is not about the government of Japan; it is about the private
companies that have continued to deny their treatment of the POWs during
WWII."
    These ex-POWs believe that support from dealers in the United States will
have a powerful impact in convincing the company, which does billions of
dollars in business in the United States, to honor the American veterans.
    Former Mitsui slave laborer Dr. Lester Tenney:  "This is our way of asking
those American business people who deal directly with the manufacturers of
Japanese products such as automobiles, especially Mitsubishi, to join us in
our effort calling for an apology by the responsible Japanese companies, for
enslaving POWs to work for Mitsubishi and other industrial giants."
    As difficult as the struggle against the Japanese companies has been, the
veterans feel most betrayed by their own government.  While the United States
government helped to facilitate apologies and compensation for victims of WWII
slave labor in Europe, it has been working with these Japanese companies to
oppose the efforts of these veterans.  The administration has based its
opposition on the 1951 Treaty with Japan.  There are many who disagree with
this interpretation.  In fact, congressional support for the plight of these
veterans has been strong and sustained.  There are currently three bills (HR
1198, S 1154, and S 1272) that support the efforts of these ex-POWs.
    For Frank Bigelow, a former Mitsui slave laborer who had a leg amputated
without anesthesia in a private prison camp during WWII, an apology is only
way that both countries can let the wounds of the past heal.  "An apology is
important because this is how the young people of Japan and America will
understand what happened to us so that they can keep it from happening again."
    Visit http://www.justiceforveterans.org for more information on this
issue.

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