$960 million (6 billion yuan) is being claimed by the villagers of Panjiayu from the Japanese government in compensation for a massacre committed by Japanese troops during the WWII. On Jan. 25, 1941, 1,298 people were brutally killed. Only about 400 people survived in Panjiayu village, in Fengrun County in north China's Hebei province

Representatives of the Panjiayu massacre survivors arrived at an office in Xicheng District in Beijing on Sunday to sign a paper authorizing the Federation of China Civil Claims against Japan to sue the Japanese government in a Chinese court.

"If my mother hadn't put me in a pen, I would probably have died," said Pan ShouLi, one of the survivors. A scar is still visible on his leg, when he pulls up his pants.

"Ten members of my family were killed in the massacre," said Pan Ruishen. "At the time, piles of corpses could be seen everywhere in the village."

Of 1,700 people in Panjiayu village, 1,298 were killed by the Japanese. The entire village was totally destroyed.

Pan Ruishen added: "According to the amount of compensation paid to Jews from Germany, and considering the damage to the village's land, houses, and property, we intend to claim 6 billion yuan ($960 million) in compensation."

"The is the highest compensation claim lodged by Chinese victims against the Japanese government," said Tong Zeng, president of the Federation of China Civil Claims against Japan. Eight lawyers have expressed their willingness to participate in the lawsuit. "We will file the lawsuit with the court after collecting all the information relevant to the litigation. We look forward to an early court filing."

This article is edited and translated from 潘家峪惨案遗属欲起诉日本政府， Source: Beijing News