On the 15th, the day the war ended, a memorial service was held for the first time in three years in the Philippines, which was the site of a fierce battle in the Pacific War, and prayers were offered to about 1.5 million war dead in both Japan and the Philippines.
On the 15th, at a cemetery in the suburbs of Manila, the capital of the Philippines, a memorial service was held for the first time in three years due to the influence of the new coronavirus, and about 180 Japanese people living in the Philippines participated.
After a moment of silence in front of the cenotaph, attendees laid chrysanthemum flowers on the wreath and offered prayers to the victims.
At the end of the Pacific War, the former Japanese army positioned the Philippines as the front line of defense of the homeland, and engaged in a fierce ground battle involving the American army and local residents. Filipinos were the victims.
Haruko Murakami, 90, who lost her father who was a military employee, said, "Because of the new coronavirus, many bereaved families cannot visit from Japan, and the war dead will be lonely. Japan and the Philippines must get along. '' he said.
Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa, who hosted the memorial service, said, "By keeping our vow not to fight, Japan has gained the trust of the Philippines. We must continue to do so."