HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 4

(By Delegate Givens)




Urging the government of Japan to issue a formal apology and to pay reparations to victims of its war crimes during World War II.

Whereas, During World War II, the Governments of Japan and Germany flagrantly violated the Geneva and Hague Conventions and committed atrocious crimes against humanity; and
Whereas, The Government of Germany has formally apologized to the victims of the Holocaust and gone to great lengths to provide financial compensation to victims and to provide for their needs and recovery; and
Whereas, By contrast, the Government of Japan has refused to fully acknowledge the crimes it committed during World War II and to provide reparations to the victims of those crimes; and
Whereas, Thirty-three thousand eight hundred fifty-seven members of the United States Armed Forces and thirteen thousand nine hundred sixty-six American civilians were captured by the Japanese military in the Pacific Theater during World War II, many of whom were current or former residents of the State of West Virginia; and
Whereas, Many of the United States military and civilian prisoners of the Japanese military during World War II were confined in inhumane prison camps and subjected to forced slave labor and died unmentionable deaths; and
Whereas, A large number of prisoners of war died in prisoner of war camps in the Philippines and Japan due to a starvation diet, lack of medical facilities, and brutal mistreatment; and
Whereas, Almost every living former prisoner of war of the Japanese military during World War II, even today, suffers from the residuals of this brutal mistreatment thereby preventing them from enjoying a productive and enjoyable life; and
Whereas, At the April 1999 meeting of the Northern California Western Nevada Pacific District of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), the board approved a resolution, cosponsored by the Florin, Golden Gate, and Sequoia JACL Chapters, that supported reparations for, and a clear apology to, the innocent civilian victims of Japan's wartime atrocities; and
Whereas, At the March 1999 meeting of the Sacramento Jewish Community Relations Council, a service for the Sacramento Jewish Federation, the council approved a resolution supporting reparations for, and a clear apology to, the innocent victims of Japan's wartime atrocities; and
Whereas, The Legislature for the State of California passed a similar resolution on August 25, 1999, calling on the Japanese government to issue a "clear and unambiguous apology" and offer reparations to those American prisoners of war who were brutalized and forced to perform slave labor on behalf of the Japanese government during World War II; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia.
The Legislature of the State of West Virginia urges the Government of Japan to do both of the following:
(1) Formally issue a clean and unambiguous apology for the atrocious war crimes committed by the Japanese military during World War II on American military and civilian prisoners of the war; and
(2) Immediately pay reparations to the victims of the atrocious war crimes committed against the United States military and civilian prisoners of war interned by the Japanese military during World War II; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Legislature of the State of West Virginia calls upon the United States Congress to adopt a similar resolution that follows the spirit and letter of this resolution calling upon the Government of Japan to issue a formal apology and pay reparations to the victims of its war crimes during World War II; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk is directed to transmit copies of this resolution to the Japanese Ambassador to the United States, the President of the United States, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each West Virginia member of the Senate and United State House of Representatives.