IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Japan

Govt admits it used forced labor in war

Japanese officials celebrated UNESCO's approval of world heritage status for 23 historic sites showing the country's transformation from feudal isolation to an industrial power at the end of the 19th century. South Korea portrayed the decision as a diplomatic victory after Japan agreed to acknowledge that it forced tens of thousands of South Koreans, Chinese and World War II prisoners of war to work at dozens of factories, mines and other industrial facilities to fill labor shortages, especially toward the end of the war. China called for a better accounting from Tokyo on its past used of forced labor.