Japan royals pay tribute to Philippine war dead and reminds youth keep the memory of WWII

(THEPHILIPPINESTAR)JapaneseEmperorAkihitobowedhisheadinsorrowduringasomberceremonyatthePhilippines’biggestwarcemeteryyesterday,butalsoenjoyedbanteraboutcars,fashion,foodandtrafficonthefirstfulldayofahistoricvisit.

Akihito,82,andhiswifeEmpressMichiko,81,arrivedinthecountryTuesdayafternoonforafive-daystatevisittomarkthe60thanniversaryofPhilippine-Japanesediplomaticrelationsandtohonorthewardead.

AkihitohasmadehonoringJapaneseandnon-JapanesewhodiedinWorldWarIIatouchstoneofhisnearlythree-decadereign.

HisvisitisthefirstbyaJapaneseemperortothePhilippinesandcomesasthetwocountriesfortifyeconomicanddefenseties,partlytocounterChina’sincreasinglyassertiveactionsindisputedregionalwaters.

Theofficialeventsofhisfive-daytripbeganyesterdaymorningwithared-carpetwelcomeceremonyatMalacañangledbyPresidentAquino.

Afterthewelcomeceremony,AquinointroducedhisCabinetmemberstotheimperialcouple.AquinothenledtheimperialcoupletotheReceptionHallforthesigningoftheMalacañangguestbook.

FromtheReceptionHall,thePresidentescortedtheroyalstotheMusicRoomforaprivatemeeting.

“TheytalkedabouttheEmperor’spreviousvisittothePhilippines,includingBaguioandTagaytay;heaviertrafficvolumein(theNationalCapitalRegion)duetoincreasedautomobilesales,mostlyofJapanesemake;andsignificantpresenceofJapaneseretailerUniqloandtheHeattechtechnology,”PresidentialCommunicationsOperationsOfficeSecretaryHerminioColomaJr.toldreporters.

FromthePalace,theimperialcoupleproceededtoRizalParkforthewreath-layingceremonyattheRizalMonument.

Intheafternoon,theimperialcouplevisitedthesprawlingLibinganngmgaBayani(Heroes’Cemetery)inTaguig,whichwasbuiltin1947tohonorFilipinosoldierswhodiedduringWorldWarII.

Intheevening,AquinohostedastatedinnerforthevisitingJapaneseroyaltyandtheirdelegationat7:30p.m.attheRizalHallofthePalace.

Comfortwomendemandjustice

OutsidethePalace,though,about200peopleralliedtodemandjusticeforwomenwhowereforcedintosexualslaverybyoccupyingJapanesesoldiersinWorldWarII.

“TotheemperorofJapan,talktoyourleaderaboutFilipinagrandmotherswhoarefightingfortheirrights,”NarcisaClaveria,85,oneofsevenformersexslavesattheprotest,saidoveramegaphone.

Knownas“comfortwomen,”theyhavelongdemandedaformalapologyfromTokyo,compensationandinclusionoftheatrocitiesinJapanesehistorybooks.

ThePhilippinesenduredbrutalJapaneseoccupationduringthewar,whichsawtensofthousandsofsoldiersdiemarchingtoJapaneseconcentrationcamps.Anestimated100,000peoplealsodiedduringthemonth-longcampaigntoliberateManilain1945,whichsawaerialbombingsandgunfireflattenthecity.

AkihitohasalsopreviouslyjourneyedtootherPacificbattlesiteswhereJapanesetroopsandciviliansmadedesperatelaststandsinthenameofhisfather,thelateEmperorHirohito.

“TheEmperorisemphasizingtheimportanceofrememberingthewar,thatweshouldn’tforget.ThatstrongfeelingissharedbyEmpress,”saidHatsuhisaTakashima,ambassadorandpresssecretarytotheEmperorofJapan,andspecialassistanttotheministerforforeignaffairs.

“He(Emperor)saidit’sextremelyimportantfortheJapanesepeopleandJapanasanationsoJapanwillbecontributingtothepromotionofpeace.Hehaspersonalmemoryofwar.HeappreciatestheFilipinopeoplewhoforgaveJapanafterexperiencinghardships,”Takashimaadded.

LastbattlesfoughtinIfugao

OtherkeysymboliceventonAkihito’sagendainthePhilippineswillbeavisitonFridaytoashrineforJapanesecasualtiesofthewarinCaliraya,alakeresortvillageaboutthreehours’drivesouthofManila.

IfugaoRep.TeodoroBaguilatJr.hasalsoinvitedthemtovisithisprovince–oneoftheareasmostaffectedbythewarandwhereremainsofJapanesesoldierswerefound–to“promotehealingandgoodwill.”

Baguilatsaidthatwiththe60thanniversaryofthenormalizationofdiplomaticrelationsbetweenthePhilippinesandJapan,itwouldbefittingforEmperorAkihitoandEmpressMichikotobringtheirmessageofpeacetoIfugao,wherethelastbattlesinthePhilippineswerefought.

OnSept.2,1945,TomoyukiYamashita,commanderoftheJapanesemilitaryinthePhilippines,surrenderedtoFilipinoandAmericanforcesinKiangantown,markingtheendoftheAlliedforces’Philippinecampaign.

TheKianganWarMemorialShrinewaserectedin1974attheHomeEconomicsbuildingoftheKianganCentralSchooltomarktheoccasionofthesurrenderofYamashitaandhiscommandstaff.

YamashitawasbroughtthenextdaytoCampJohnHayinBaguioCitywhereheofficiallysignedthesurrenderoftheJapaneseImperialforces.

ButthePhilippinesnowviewsJapan,itsbiggestsourceofdevelopmentaidandforeigninvestment,asatrustedally.

“Wewouldlikethemtocomeandseewherewarended…Theywouldalsobepleasedtoseethattheformerenemiesarenowfirmpartnersindevelopment,”Baguilatsaid,notingJapan’sdevelopmentassistancetoIfugao.

Japan’sdevelopmentassistancetoIfugaocover,amongothers,maternalhealthimprovementprogram,mini-hydroinfrastructuredealsandamultimillion-pesoreforestationproject.

“TheemperorwillseethatthefundsfromtheJapanesepeoplearebeingusedwellandhavehadapositiveimpactontheprovince,”Baguilatsaid.