Victims of a poison gas leak in China visit the Foreign Ministry on Aug. 8 to ask for assistance.

Aisawa said he would see what he can do.

Six victims from Qiqihar, Heilongjiang province -- including three children -- presented a written demand with their families to Aisawa at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo, asking Japan for various forms of assistance.

"We lodged a request with the senior vice minister concerning five wishes of the victims and also asked that a forum for handling the requests and discussing specific ways to resolve them be set up," said Norio Minami, one of the lawyers for the victims, after the meeting with Aisawa.

The wishes include an apology from the government, continuous medical care and livelihood support.

The Japan Times: Aug. 13, 2005
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