Japan to appeal ruling ordering disclosure of treaty docs

The Japanese government filed an appeal Wednesday to protest a lower court ruling ordering Tokyo to disclose documents related to the 1965 basic treaty with Korea.

The leading Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun said the Japanese government rejected the Oct. 11 verdict handed down by the Tokyo District Court ordering the disclosure of a significant portion of diplomatic documents on the treaty. Tokyo, however, said it will consider disclosing items that will pose no major burden on its diplomacy.

The court had issued a ruling partially in favor of the plaintiff in a lawsuit against the Japanese government to nullify the Foreign Ministry’s refusal to disclose documents on the treaty. The suit was filed by former sex slaves forced to serve the Japanese imperial army and others.

Choi Bong-tae, an attorney who spearheaded the lawsuit, told The Dong-A Ilbo over the phone Wednesday, “If Japan insists on hiding things rather than directly facing past history, Korea-Japan relations will inevitably deteriorate.”

lovesong@donga.com