Forced labor during WW2 & the night out in Shanghai

6:30 am morning call... We travelled to the East China University of Politics & Law (Former St. John's College) at 8:00 sharp. You want to hear what are the topic of today's sessions are?

Presentation on the significance of redress to victims and analyze the recent development of the lawsuits filed by the victims by Attorney KANG Jian (康健), the leading lawyer supporting “comfort women” and forced labour victims to demand apology & compensation from the Japanese government.

Presentation on whether the Sino-Japanese Treaty (1954) and the Sino-Japanese Communique (1972) have waived the rights of the Chinese victims to claim for compensation from the Japanese government as ruled by the Supreme Court of Japan in 2007 by Prof. GUAN Jian-Qiang (管健强), Faculty of International Law, East China University of Politics & Law.

Witnessing by Dr. FENG Yi-Ping (凤仪平) & SHI Hui-Zhong (时惠中), survivors of forced labour

Sounds interesting, huh?

I felt like I was back in the class again like an olden days. After all the jargons of political and legal terminology-I really appreciate Joseph Tong's interpretation today. He is also an court interpreter form Vancouver. As a person who is working in the same field, I salute his amazing interpretation today.- we were introduced to two forced labor survivors.

Mr. Jang was 19 & Dr. Feung was 14 years old when they were kidnapped to sent away to the mines in Japan in the summer of 1944. They weren't at the same place in Japan but their hardships were very similar. They were put to work in very atrocious environment in the mines of Japan by Mitsubishi Corporation. They both were there until fall of 1945 when Japan was defeated. They both witnessed many injuries & deaths during that time & they are both lucky to return home.

Mr. Jang told us that his own mom couldn't recognize him because he was so scrawny when he returned. Dr. Feung brought home registry of forced labourer in the camp which later became a key evidence to their trial against Mitsubishi. Some of these lawsuits are dismissed at high court of Japan and some of them are still open to this day. Dr. Feung became a neurologist after his return. He is now retired & told us he is living fairly reasonable condition.

Although they are telling us unpleasant part of their life, they both seem happy to tell us their stories. I sat with Dr. Feung at the dinner table & he was constantly serving food on my plate with a big smile on his face just like my own grandpa. What an incredible life! I am very fortunate to witness that.

Enough of heavy topic... After dinner I joined Amy, a history teacher at Rosedale Collegiate and Stephanie, a kindergarten teacher at Scarborough to venture out in Shin Ten Di, where high end shops & artistic craft stores are. When I arrived there, I couldn't believe that I am in the middle of China. The atmosphere of that area was mixture of Manhattan & some cities from Europe. I see Miu Miu, Cloe, Chanel brands and several European style cafes & restaurants along the street. This is definitely not the China I imagined to see..