Japan vows to bring war dead remains home ''soon as possible''
By Robina Asido
CAVINTI, Laguna -- The Japanese government vows to do its best to bring the remains of the Japanese war dead back "as soon as possible".
As he led the memorial ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the construction of the Cenotaph for the Japanese War Dead at the Japanese Garden in Caliraya on Tuesday, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa said the government of Japan " will never forget the many remains that have yet to be returned home."
"We will do our utmost to bring them back to their hometowns as soon as possible, as it is our responsibility," he said.
Recently, the Philippine government expressed its support and cooperation for the smooth recovery and repatriation of the remains of the Japanese soldiers who perished during the Second World War.
According to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) over 300,000 remains of Japanese soldiers who died in World War II are still in the country.
In his speech, Koshikawa noted that "during the Second World War, more than 500,000 Japanese and 1,000,000 Filipinos lost their precious lives here in the Philippines".
"Every time I stand before this monument, I cannot help but feel the regret of those who suffered from hunger and disease and were wounded in the fierce battles, while hoping for the peace of their families left behind in Japan; the future of our country; and our fellow countrymen who were never able to come back home," he said.
"Similarly, we, the Japanese people, must never forget the suffering and immeasurable grief of the countless innocent Filipinos, Nikkei-jin and their families who fell victim to the tragedies of war between Japan and the U.S.-Philippines. We would like to express our deepest condolences to the souls of all these war dead," he added.
Koshikawa said as "Japan, has recovered from the devastation and established an honorable position in the world as a country that values peace" it remained resolute in its "vow never to repeat the horrors of war, and have sought to realize a world in which all people can live in peace and contentment".
"We pledge once again to the war dead that we will strive every day to achieve this goal," he said.
"In times like this we must once again remember the tragedy of war and the preciousness of peace. It is our moral duty to ensure that these memories do not fade away, but are passed on to the next generation," he added.
In his message read by Japan Embassy Consul General Hanada Takahiro, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the "government and people of the Republic of the Philippines join the people of Japan in paying tribute to Filipino and Japanese people who perished during the Second World War."
"On the occasion of the 78th Anniversary of the End of the Pacific War, the legacy of bravery of our fallen compatriots shall forever be remembered as we continue to cherish the hard-won freedom and peace that we enjoy today," he said.
"Over the years, Japan has been the Philippines' steadfast partner in our transformative agenda and nation-building. I wish to reaffirm our strong commitment to advance our shared aspirations and joint efforts for greater regional stability and progress. Rest assured that the Philippines will continue to engage with Japan in sustaining our active relations and Strategic Partnership," he added.
Koshikawa also stressed that "today, Japan and the Philippines are cooperating closely to maintain world peace and stability based on the rule of law."
"I hope that spirits of the war dead find their solace and peace from friendly and cooperative relationship of our peoples," the ambassador said. DMS
