Former prisoner of war Arthur Titherington has vowed to continue demanding an apology from the Japanese Government for its treatment of captives during the Second World War.

Mr Titherington, 85, believes expert opinion published in a new book of international law will help his 60-year campaign for compensation and an apology.

The ex-mayor of Witney and chairman of the Japanese Labour Camp Survivors Association spent three years as a prisoner of war. When he was released one of 90 who survived from a group of 522 he weighed little over five stones.

He has sent copies of The Rights of Individuals under International Law, recently published by a group of respected lawyers and academics, to members of the Government including Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and Defence Secretary John Reid. He said: "I'm not going to give in. What Japan did during the war was an absolute abomination, and what we're after is a written, meaningful apology. There's one very important word in Japanese when it comes to apologising, it's shazai, and it means I have committed a sin for which I humbly apologise.

"All we've had so far has been expressions of regret for what happened. Well no-one regrets what happened more than us, because we were on the receiving end and thousands and thousands of prisoners died because of it."

During his campaign Mr Titherington, of Church Green, Witney, has met almost every Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary to hold office.

He is now hoping to find a lawyer who will pursue the cause for the association, which still has about 1,000 members.