Britain and Japan tried to keep secret "one of the worst war crimes" of World War II, according to a recent BBC investigation.
The British government decided not to bring charges against Japanese commanders for the massacre of around 280 British and Dutch prisoners of war who were machinegunned in 1943, the BBC said.
And British ministers, anxious to end the war crimes trials in 1949 and rebuild relations with Japan, appear to have concluded it was best not to reveal to the relatives of the deceased how their sons and husbands died.
Now, the children of the men who were allegedly executed are considering trying to get an apology from the British government for their betrayal.