Ceremony in the Philippines ceases attendance of bereaved families Broadcast online from the embassy 16:55 on August 15
75 years after the end of the war, in the Philippines, one of the fierce battlefields of the Pacific War, due to the spread of the new coronavirus, a memorial service for the victims of the war was delivered via the Internet from the Japanese embassy in Manila. Was done
At the end of the Pacific War, the Philippines became a fierce battleground between the former Japanese and American troops, killing about 500,000 Japanese soldiers and about 1 million Filipino civilians.
The memorial service has been held every year at the "Kaliraya Memorial Park" built by the Japanese government on the outskirts of the capital Manila, but this year, due to the spread of the new coronavirus, the bereaved families stopped attending and the venue was set in Manila. It will be moved to the Japanese Embassy in Japan and distributed via the Internet.
Five people, including Ambassador Koji Haneda and Japanese living in the Philippines, attended the venue, and after quietly speaking, Akihiro Hosoya, the chairman of the Japanese Association of Manila, said, ``The many sacrifices made in the Philippines I pledge that I will continue to speak to and build the foundation of friendship between Japan and the Philippines."
Then, with the white chrysanthemum flowers in hand, we prayed to the spirits of the war dead with about 120 people including the bereaved who watched the delivery.
Ambassador Haneda said, “I'm glad that many people were able to attend through the Internet even in a difficult situation where the coronavirus infection spreads.”