Heirs of Chinese shipping magnate feuding over Japanese reparations




After a 70-year legal battle, Japanese shipping company Mitsui OSK was ordered to pay 4 billion yen in compensation to the descendants of Chinese shipping magnate Chen Shuntong. Ships from the family company, Chung Wei Steamship Co., commandeered by the Japanese navy and lost during World War II. Now Chen's family is feuding over how to divide the money,

the

Financial Times

reported.


The branch of the family that remained in mainland China is threatening to challenge Chen's will, which left any proceeds from the case to descendants of his eldest son, who live in Hong Kong, the


FT


article said. The challengers claim the will violates mainland China's law on equal division of property to women, the report said.


“The will survived a challenge in Shanghai 20 years ago but the mainland family branch is now seeking to reintroduce the case as an issue of inheritance law,” the article said.


Others are also suing for a share of the award, including a man claiming to be an illegitimate grandson, the article said. (Source:


Financial Times


, April 26, 2016.)

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