The Japanese Government has expressed its regret over last week's incident where more than 30 Chinese people were struck down after being exposed to chemical weapons left by its troops during their invasion to China from 1937 to 1945.

Anti-chemical weapon troops from People's Liberation Army (PLA) Shenyang Military Command clean a construction site in Qiqihar City, Heilongjiang Province in northeast China. [newsphoto.com.cn]

"The government of Japan considers such an accident extremely regrettable and also expresses its heartfelt sympathy to the victims, while feeling strong compassion for them,'' its Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday.

The Japanese Government will "deal with dangerous abandoned chemical weapons as soon as possible and properly dispose of them,'' it said.

Japanese officials and experts have visited China in the past to co-operate with their Chinese counterparts to look for discarded chemical weapons.

Solemn Representations

Meanwhile, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister WangYi Tuesday called in Fumiyo Anamia, Japanese ambassador to China, and lodged solemn representations on the chemical weapons issue.

Wang said the Japanese chemical weapons, which were left in Qiqihar City of Heilongjiang Province, northeast China, after World War II, have seriously injured local citizens and affected their normal lives.

At present, the Chinese side is doing its best to save the people wounded after exposure to the mustard gas leaked from chemical weapons abandoned by Japanese troops and fully cleanse the affected areas.

Wang said Japanese chemical weapons had claimed the lives of many Chinese. The chemical weapons abandoned by Japanese troops in China are irrefutable evidence of Japanese militaristic aggressionagainst China, and they still seriously threaten the lives of Chinese citizens and the local environment.

Wang said any remaining chemical weapons, left at the end of the Japanese invasion, should be destroyed with a sense of urgency.

More than 30 people were hospitalized after five barrels of mustard gas were unearthed at a construction site early last week. Two of the victims were still in a critical condition yesterday.

Some of the victims have reportedly filed compensation requests against the Japanese Government.

Sources with the Foreign Ministry said so far, Japanese chemical weapons have been discovered in more than 10 Chinese provinces. An unknown number of them were left in China when Japanese troops retreated at the end of World War II.

They are still seriously threatening and harming the security and environment of China, said Wang.

And the Chinese Government will not tolerate the existence of such harmful devices, he added.

Wang urged the Japanese Government to take concrete action immediately and properly handle the aftermath.

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