Dispatch of remains survey team to Primorsky Territory canceled due to Russian intention | NHK News

Dispatch of ashes survey team to Primorsky Territory Canceled by Russian side September 25, 17:01

In response to a suspicion that the remains of Siberian detainees were mistaken, the dispatch of the Japanese remains survey team scheduled in the coastal region of the Russian Far East in late this month was canceled with the intention of Russia. I learned through interviews with related parties. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is scheduled to discuss the series of issues with the Russian side on the 25th, and it is expected that it will seek cooperation so that it will continue to collect remains.

Regarding the remains of Siberian detainees, it is possible that the remains of 597 people collected so far are not Japanese, and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare did not discuss with Russia while grasping the suspicion of misconception 14 years ago It has also been revealed that it was effectively neglected.

In response to this problem, it was discovered by interviews with the officials that the dispatch of the Japanese remains survey planned in the coastal region of the Russian Far East was canceled at the intention of Russia in late this month.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare had indicated that it would continue the collection business in Russia after the problem was discovered, but the Russian side has contacted this month that it would not allow investigations due to a series of problems.

Regarding the series of issues, the managers of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, who are in charge of the remains collection project, will discuss with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 25th, explaining the verification results that the remains of 597 people may have been mistaken At the same time, it is expected to ask for cooperation so that the remains collection business can continue.

Former detainee: “There is no other bone in my grave”

The Siberian former detainees are angry about a series of responses from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

Mr. Shinseki Shinji (93) of Yokohama City, who was a member of the army, ended in the former Manchuria, and was subsequently detained in Siberia for four years from 19 to 23 years old.

I was forced to participate in the memorial ceremony of the detainees held at the Chidorigafuchi Tombs every year because they were forced to work hard, such as working in a coal mine in severe cold, and lost many companions. I have continued.

However, this month, it was revealed that the remains of 336 people, who may have been mistaken, remain in the war graves.

Mr. Shinseki said, “It seems like someone else ’s bones are in his grave. It ’s impossible. I do n’t understand why this mistake happened. I felt sorry for the anger when I felt that I had been comforting, but I have continued to memorialize a stranger. I just want the removed remains to be taken out of the tomb soon. ”

On top of that, "I don't feel like a war dead, I can only think of waiting for the problem to become unwilling as I continue to work as a clunky official. Just repeating excuses like" I'll investigate " Criticized the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare for a series of problems.

Participation in private organization remains collection project

As for a series of problems, the Japanese side has started moving away from cooperation in the remains collection project.

The NPO “Japan Youth Ashes Collection Team” that cooperated with the national remains collection project will suspend participation in the collection project of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare for the time being because the investigation of the cause of the series of problems and measures to prevent recurrence have not been exhausted Decided to do.

This NPO corporation was founded in 1967, led mainly by students, etc., and has been cooperating with the remains collection project in Siberia and the southern battlefield for more than 50 years. The fact that it was concealed must be called irresponsible extreme. "

In addition, in order to avoid the mix-up of remains, we decided not to participate in the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's delegation unless we changed the existing method of burning bones without conducting DNA testing of collected remains.

“We want to help bring back the remains of the war dead to their homeland as soon as possible,” said Mr. Makoto Akagi, the Japanese youth remains collection group. “The Ministry of Labor doesn't let it stop and shows no effective countermeasures.

Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare

The person in charge of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said that the dispatch of the remains survey team was canceled due to the Russian side's intention, "It is true that it has been cancelled, but there is a relationship with the partner country and the reason can not be commented," is.