Japan rejects Korean reparations

TOKYO, March 18 (UPI) -- Japan announced Thursday it won't pay individual reparations to victims of its 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea.

The Japanese foreign ministry says the pact signed when the two countries normalized diplomatic relations in 1965 addressed all compensation issues, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reports

It is the first time since 1992 that Japan has officially mentioned its position on compensation for individual victims of colonial rule to the South Korean media.

The announcement follows a report by Yonhap an internal Japanese document indicates Japan understood when it signed the normalization pact only government reparations were covered.

South Korea received $800 million in grants and loans from Tokyo as compensation for colonial rule.

Japan's foreign ministry says it will reject claims of individual compensation if lawsuits are filed.

During Japan's rule it is believed that more than 1 million Koreans were forced into the workforce, the military or frontline brothels.