WWII POW Files Suit Against 7 Japan Firms

Mitsubishi Corp. and six other Japanese companies profited from the forced labor of U.S. prisoners of war during World War II and should be barred from doing business in the U.S., a suit filed by a former American POW claims. The suit alleges that Mitsubishi, a holding company whose units make cars, heavy machinery and satellites, violated international law by forcing captured U.S. soldiers to work under slave-like conditions at its facilities during the war. The suit was filed by retired U.S. Army Sgt. Ralph Levenberg in U.S. District Court in San Francisco last week. Levenberg’s attorney, Anthony K. Lee, says it is the first brought against Japanese companies on behalf of U.S. World War II POWs. Similar suits have recently been brought against German companies on behalf of Holocaust survivors. The suit, which seeks class-action status on behalf of all POWs in the Pacific Theater, asks for unspecified damages from Mitsubishi, Nippon Sharyo Ltd., Showa Denko Ltd., Sumitomo Corp., Yodogawa Steel Works, Nippon Steel Corp. and Mitsui & Co. Showa Denko officials said they were unable to comment on Levenberg’s suit because they had not seen it. Spokespersons for the other companies were not available for comment.