Two Japanese lawyers on Friday arrived in Qiqihar City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, to begin gathering evidence of the fatal toxic gas leak from Japanese chemical weapons abandoned during World War II.

Minami Norio and Onodera Toshi are the first Japanese lawyers to investigate with Chinese counterparts on the case.

The main aims were to visit the victims, discuss their thoughts and requests on the case and do preliminary research and collect evidence to prepare for the court case, said Minami Norio.

They would spend two days visiting the victims, said Chinese lawyer Su Xiangxiang, who was entrusted by the victims to sue Japanese government for compensation.

A gas leak killed one person and injured 42 others when barrels of mustard gas were dug up at a construction site in Qiqihar on Aug. 4, 2003. The victims in October decided to sue the Japanese government.

(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2004)