Mitsubishi To Apologise To WWII US Vets

Japanese car manufacturer Mitsubishi Motors is set to make a landmark apology to US veterans of the second world war for using them as forced labour in their factories, with around 12,000 American prisoners working at over 50 sites to support the Japanese war effort during the 40s.

In news sure to be of interest to those looking for jobs for veterans, one of the company’s senior executives will be journeying to the US to apologise to 94-year-old veteran James Murphy for the treatment of some 900 troops that worked at four locations that were run by Mitsubishi Mining Co, the Daily Mail reports.

Although Mr Murphy has forgiven his captors, he has been hankering after an apology for the last seven decades, describing his time at a copper mine near Hanawa as “slavery in every way: no food, no medicine, no clothing, no sanitation”.

He was sent to Japan as a prisoner of war after being captured in the Philippines and, before being sent to the copper mine, had survived the Bataan Death March when thousands of Filipinos and Americans are thought to have died as they walked 65 miles to various prison camps.

Back in April, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed “deep repentance” regarding his country’s role in the war yet stopped short of giving his own apology, preferring to reiterate statements given by his predecessors.

“Our actions brought suffering to the peoples in Asian countries. We must not avert our eyes from that,” he was quoted by News Week as saying, although he didn’t mention the “comfort women” – the thousands of Asian women who were forced into prostitution both before and during the war.