In 22 days, it will be 77 years since the Three Ships Distress Incident, in which 1,700 people lost their lives in the three repatriated ships from Karafuto and present-day Sakhalin off the coast of Hokkaido just after the war, which were attacked by submarines believed to be former Soviet forces. .
A memorial service was held in Rumoi City near the site of the incident to commemorate the victims.
About 50 people, including five bereaved families, attended the memorial service held by the bereaved family association of the incident.
In the "Mifune Distress Incident", on August 22, 1945, one week after the end of the war, many citizens, including children and the elderly, were repatriated from Karafuto. Three ships were torpedoed by submarines off the coast of Hokkaido on the Sea of Japan side, and a total of more than 1,700 people lost their lives.
According to documents found in the 1990s, it is believed to have been an attack by the former Soviet Union, but the current situation has not been confirmed by the current Russian and Japanese governments, and even after 77 years, the full picture has not been clarified. Hmm.
At the memorial service, Nobuhiro Yamaki, chairman of the Association for Bereaved Families, said, "Even though the Japanese and Russian governments have yet to officially acknowledge the facts, we believe it is our mission to pass on the incident and appeal for peace. ” he said.
After this, those who attended quietly put their hands together in front of a memorial monument on a hill overlooking the sea area of the site and mourned for those who died.
Misao Nagatani, who served as the secretariat of the bereaved family association and held memorial services for many years as the former chairman's wife, said, "I think the important thing is not to forget the Mifune disaster and to pass it on to future generations. War is a long time ago. "It seems like a lot, but in Ukraine we see with great pain every day how many people are being killed by Russia, and we have to make sure that it doesn't happen again." was
Bereaved family “I want the government to confirm and acknowledge the facts”
Some bereaved families attended the memorial service on the 22nd for the first time in 77 years.
Eiichiro Nagaoka of Morioka City lost his father's ex-wife and her son who were aboard the "Taito Maru" in the incident.
I heard about the incident from his father since I was a child, and I have visited their graves continuously, but after I retired, I attended the memorial service for the first time.
Nagaoka said, "I attended the memorial service while thinking about how they felt when they passed away 77 years ago. I'm glad I was able to come to the memorial service that I had longed for. The government made it clear that the facts were clear. I want you to confirm and accept it."