TOKYO - Japan's Supreme Court on Friday overturned a landmark ruling that had ordered a Japanese company to compensate Chinese who were forced to work as slave labourers during World War Two.

It was the first ruling by Japan's top court on whether foreigners forcibly brought to Japan to work during and before World War Two had the right to compensation.

A lower court had ordered Japanese construction firm Nishimatsu Construction Co. Ltd. to pay a total of 27.5 million yen ($230,000) in compensation to a group of five Chinese for forcing them to labour in Japan during World War Two.