SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's top court has ordered a Japanese company to compensate 10 Koreans for forced labor during Tokyo's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.

Thursday's ruling by the Supreme Court was widely expected as the court ruled last month that another Japanese company must compensate four Korean men for similar colonial -era forced labor.

The Oct. 30 ruling, the first of its kind, drew immediate protests from Japan which has argued the issue of forced laborers was already settled when Tokyo and Seoul signed a treaty in 1965 that restored diplomatic ties.

The Supreme Court says Mitsubishi Heavy Industries must provide 80 million to 150 million won ($71,190-133,510) in compensation to each of 10 plaintiffs or their bereaved family members.