Japan apologizes to Bataan survivors

Didn't see this one posted yet.

AFP: Japan envoy apologizes to aging Bataan victims


Japan envoy apologizes to aging Bataan victims
15 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Japan's ambassador offered a personal apology to survivors of the notorious Bataan Death March in World War II as they met for the last time, a veterans support group said.

Thousands of US and Filipino prisoners of war are believed to have died when Japanese soldiers forced them in 1942 to trudge some 100 kilometers (60 miles) through tropical heat with little food or water.

The surrendering troops suffered casual beheadings and bayonet stabbings inflicted by the victorious forces, in what was ruled as a war crime after Imperial Japan's surrender.

Japan's ambassador to Washington, Ichiro Fujisaki, made a surprise visit to personally apologize to Bataan Death March survivors who gathered in San Antonio, Texas for what they expect to be their last reunion. "We extend a heartfelt apology for our country having caused tremendous damage and suffering to many people," Fujisaki told them, according to the US Army Freedom Team Salute, which supports veterans.

The Japanese embassy in Washington said it did not have a transcript of Fujisaki's remarks during the ceremony on Saturday.

Seventy-three veterans turned out for the reunion, some of them bedridden, he veteran support group said in a statement.
US military officials also flew from Washington to Texas to present commendations to the veterans.

Japan, transformed after World War II into an officially pacifist US ally, has repeatedly apologized for wartime abuses, but the ambassador's trip to Texas was an unusually personal touch.

Japanese leaders when discussing the war generally repeat a landmark statement of apology approved by the cabinet in 1995 on the 50th anniversary of Emperor Hirohito's surrender.

Wartime issues -- which long haunted Japan's relations with its neighbors -- have occasionally creeped into Tokyo's alliance with Washington as well. In 2007, lawmakers demanded a new apology for Japan's use of wartime sex slaves.

Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved. More »

 

Jolly decent of them.

/sarcasm

 

Do you really think that it is sincere? War crimes and Crimes Against Humanity..these were committed by the Japanese for years..Nanking comes to mind..Have they ever apologised to the Chinese? I haven't heard if they have or not..Does anyone know? I do think that there should have been more trials just like we had at Nuremberg..

 

It's about frikkin' time, as apologies have been few and far between! Who knows if they're sincere?

I hope Clint sees this thread as he has an excellent post about the numberous trials that took place for Japanese war crimes. Makes me wonder though why we don't seem to have a greater awareness of them today.

 

I know they had some trials..but when you hear about Nanking and Unit 731..the atrocities that happened there is simply horrific..so many killed and experimented on..I really had no idea about any of the Japanese War Crimes because we weren't taught any of that in school,,I first heard about it actually on the military channel a few years ago..We learned about the Holocaust though...I am just curious why this isn't taught to our school children..every one of them are heroes and should be remembered...It is a time in history that won't be forgotten..

 

My apologies Clint, if I am out of line for quoting your post from the History Channel forum. The thread had been started about Unit 731.

 

Curious........ "Japan" apologizes ? ... Or the "Ambassador to Japan" apologizes ?

What happened when the 'British' pressed the 'Japaneses' a couple of years back for an official apology from their government for the appalling treatment meted out by Japanese soldiers, acting on behalf of their Emperor to our boys during the war ????

Not only did they have the bare faced bl00dy cheek to "refuse" !! The claim was then made that Japan was "justified" in it's treatment of POW's and had done nothing wrong !!

Apology accepted ??? Yeah..."Only when you've eaten the peanuts outta my SH1T !!" :birds:

:rant:

 

I don't personally think it is sincere..there treatment of POW's is, in my opinion, unforgivable..Cruel and inhumane comes to mind..

 

Too little too late. Japan should have done this decades ago-when more of those men were still alive. I wished they would have done this when Marine Sergeant Major MacCormack was still alive. I met this man at some Museum thing he was doing when he visited the Connor Museum in Kingsville.

Sergeant Major MacCormack was best known as the last man to surrender on Corrigador-or Bataan-I now forget which? Anyway, he didn't surrender for about two years-sometime in 1943. He lived in the jungle and fought the Japanese by himself for that time period.

The Marine Sgt.Maj. is another of the long list of WWII vets I greatly miss.

 

Wow ... Sounds like he was an amazing guy Carl ... It takes a "unique" mindset to endure that kindda environment for two years ... Survival, escape & evasion and then, go on the offensive They don't teach them kind of guts at 'Boot Camp'..... I wonder what 'his' reply would have been to the Japanese Ambassadors 'weak assed' apology ???

 

I agree Carl, a nice gesture but way late, which then, IMHO makes the apology a little empty.

 

IMO ... It smacks of 'one' Japanese national who's well settled into the American way of life, far from the traditional 'regime' and restrictions of home. Recognizes the obvious benefits of a position that wields a bit of 'clout' (power) in Washington and is prepared to adopt the 'one kneed' kiss ass approach to bolster and consolidate said position.

Unless the apology comes from Japan itself ... Direct from the top, without any alternate motive, and goes out to the governments of ALL the Allied POW's that where ruthlessly and inhumanly treated by the (We don't recognize the Geneva Convention) Japanese that acted on behalf of "their" Emperor, then I aint buying it for one second.

But why should Japan as a nation do the "honourable" thing? At the moment they already have a 'season ticket' at the Table of World Power, why jeopardize that over some "misunderstanding" 65 years ago??? ... Yes, I know that the Nazis were guilty of horrendous war crimes, but it wasn't Germany as a nation that stood trial, it was the Nazi party, it's officials, the SS, not the German people or the Wehrmacht.

But let us not forget that we're only talking of the events of our Grandparents. There are perpetrators & victims still alive today. Maybe this 'ambassador' should do a bit more 'soul searching', and take some time to understand the life long effects that resulted from the actions of his nation, not only on those that suffered and died, but also their family members who are still suffering ... Their mothers ... Their children and their grandchildren.... It's a cut so deep that 3 generations on, it still bleeds !!

I don't usually RANT ... But I can't help but tell it how I see it, on this occasion.

 

i agree. And in light of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, any desire for retribution should have dissipated. Those were punishment enough IMO.

 

I heard from someone who was there that about half of the 500 people in the venue stood up for the applause, half didn't. Some vets were satisfied, some didn't think he was sincere. It's a mixed reaction. Others appreciated the apology but thought there should have been some sort of overdue renumeration from the Japanese companies that used POW slave labor.

 

This has nothing to do with retribution. And no, Hiroshima and Nagasaki weren't punishment enough for Japan's attack on the US and Japan's host of war crimes, anyway.

The Japanese were ruthless aggressors and have never adequately apologized for what they have done. The atomic bombings at that time were simply the use of a powerful weapon to end a war as expediently as possible and any other interpretation is an attempt at revisionist history.

 

Not to mention a good portion of the rest of the world as well.

 

I'm sorry we didn't have much of a military in 41'. To consider where the US was at in 41'and where it ended up in 45' simply boggles the mind.