Quotable

"Forced recruitment of laborers was a serious crime committed by Japan during World War II and caused great damage to the physical and mental well-being of Chinese victims."

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei made the remark at a regular news briefing in Beijing on Wednesday. He called on Tokyo to reflect on its wartime misdeeds and said a Beijing court's decision to accept a lawsuit by Chinese citizens who are demanding compensation from Japanese firms was "made in accordance with the law".