San Francisco Chornicle

A Bay Area coalition of Asian American leaders seeking an apology from Japan for its wartime activities announced plans yesterday to protest during the coming 50th anniversary of the San Francisco Peace Treaty between Japan and the United States.

Members of the Rape of Nanking Redress Coalition and the Asian American studies program at the University of California at Berkeley said they will hold an array of events in San Francisco, including a three-day educational conference from Sept. 6 to Sept. 9 titled "50 Years of Denial: Japan and its Wartime Responsibilities."

The event will coincide with another celebration and conference organized by the Japan Society of Northern California marking the Sept. 8 anniversary of the treaty.

Signed in 1951, the treaty formally created a peaceful relationship between the United States and Japan. But Japanese officials have over the years cited the treaty as proof that the country has fulfilled its World War II obligations, an assertion that many countries, including China, Korea and Taiwan, deny.

UC Berkeley ethnic studies Professor Ling-Chi Wang, who is organizing the protest conference, said Japan's aggression in World War II has left an emotional imprint on many Asian Americans who were touched by the war and have since immigrated to America.

"We also hope the conference will provide a forum for Asian American communities to deal with their past and, in the process, to call attention to Japan's recalcitrance in acknowledging its unresolved wartime responsibilities, " said Wang.

Christopher Sigur, executive director of the Japan Society, agreed that there are still issues that need to be resolved between Japan and its Asian neighbors. But he said the anniversary of the peace treaty should be used as an opportunity to look to the future.

"There are plenty of issues out there, but that's not the point of our conference," said Sigur. "The real issue is going to be what does the future hold for Japan and the U.S."

Japan's aggression stretched from Taiwan and China, where the infamous Rape of Nanking took place, to Korea and the Philippines. But Japan has not apologized in a satisfactory way to many Asian countries nor has it offered reparations to individuals for its role in the war in Asia.

Recently, the government refused to amend historical textbooks that omit accounts of Japanese wartime atrocities, including the use of army sex slaves, called comfort women.

Japanese Consul General Nobuaki Tanaka said Japan did offer a general apology in 1995 and paid country-to-country reparations after the war. But he said he welcomes more debate on the issue.

"The U.S. is an open society and there are many views expressed," said Tanaka. "It's a healthy sign that lots of views will be heard with regard to the 50th anniversary."

Clifford Uyeda, past president of the Japanese American Citizens League and co-chairman of the Rape of Nanking Redress Coalition in San Francisco, said there are also Japanese Americans who also feel Japan should own up to its war record.

"It's time we let the world know what happened so adequate compensation, acknowledgment and apology can be given," said Uyeda. "It's very frustrating to see that very little has happened."

E-mail Ryan Kim at rkim@sfchronicle.com.