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Two Survivors from the Japanese Imperial Army found in Philippines

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Mr Nash

Mr Nash

square pies = communism
Now this is just plain crazy. 60 years. Gone!

http://home.kyodo.co.jp/all/display.jsp?an=20050527184

TOKYO, May 27, Kyodo - Two people on Mindanao Island in the Philippines believed to be former Japanese soldiers are likely to be Yoshio Yamakawa, 87, and Tsuzuki Nakauchi, 85, government sources said Friday.

The two belonged to the 30th Division of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.

Yamakawa's registered address is in Osaka Prefecture, while that of Nakauchi is in Kochi Prefecture. Both of them have been officially registered as war dead.

Osaka prefectural government officials said they had looked into the documents of the war dead and confirmed that a man by the name of Yoshio Yamakawa hailed from Osaka's Nishi Ward, while Kochi prefectural government officials confirmed that Tsuzuki Nakauchi came from the village of Meiji which is now known as the town of Ochi.

The two, apparently living in the mountains near General Santos, contacted a Japanese national who was on the island to collect the remains of Japanese soldiers, the sources said.

They are said to have documents that can verify that they were former soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army and wrote their names in Chinese characters used in Japanese writing, according to the sources.

The Japanese Embassy in Manila sent three officials to General Santos on Friday morning to meet with them, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda said.

Contrary to their prior expectations, however, the embassy officials are having trouble meeting with them immediately because a person arranging the meeting was shocked to learn that they would have to appear before so many Japanese, particularly representatives of the mass media, Hosoda said.

''It had been thought that the meeting would take place straightaway'' but the officials have yet to meet with them as of Friday afternoon, the top government spokesman said. ''Their status is still not really known,'' he said.

Meanwhile, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said Friday it will dispatch a ministry official to Mindanao Island on Saturday. The ministry's Social Welfare and War Victims' Relief Bureau is in charge of repatriating Japanese overseas.

At his home in the city of Higashiosaka, Osaka Prefecture, Goichi Ichikawa, chairman of a group of war survivors of the 30th Division, expressed joy over the news.

''I am glad that they were able to survive for 60 years,'' said Ichikawa, 89, who had been working for the return of former Imperial Japanese Army soldiers to Japan. He had been to Mindanao before the government began collecting remains of Japanese war dead in the Philippines.

Former Imperial Japanese Army intelligence officer Hiroo Onoda, now 83, was found hiding in the jungle on Lubang Island in 1974, some 30 years after being assigned to the island. He returned to Japan in March 1974 and emigrated to Brazil the next year.

Two years earlier in 1972. another former Japanese soldier, Shoichi Yokoi, was found on Guam. He also returned to Japan but died in 1997.

Both Onoda and Yokoi did not know of Japan's defeat in the war.
Click to expand...
 
O

ourumov

Member
Je...It's kinda curious how will they react when they know how is the world now.


"Oh we lose the war...but we sell more Playstations !!!!"

"Ehhr...Cool..."
 
B

B'z-chan

Banned
Man thats pretty bad. The fact they didnt know after all this time. I feel bad for those guys. That just seems like such a harsh period of life to have gone through to no know. I dont know if they should be taken care of monetarally but damn.
 
Blackace

Blackace

if you see me in a fight with a bear, don't help me fool, help the bear!
Well the funny thing is there are still people in JAPAN that don't know they lost the war... the 80s really made it look like they won... :lol
 
Blackace

Blackace

if you see me in a fight with a bear, don't help me fool, help the bear!
pollo said:
Fuck em Its too bad they werent fuckin killed.
Click to expand...

Yeah and same goes for the soliders who also have no fucking choice in Iraq! don't be an idiot..
 
T

themadcowtipper

Smells faintly of rancid stilton.
Ha people talking about they will be suprised about not having flying cars, and spaceships is wrong. People during that period didnt think about that. Hell Color tv sets were rare back when WW2 started, hell they were rare by the time WW2 ended...
 
P

Pellham

Banned
Former Imperial Japanese Army intelligence officer Hiroo Onoda, now 83, was found hiding in the jungle on Lubang Island in 1974, some 30 years after being assigned to the island. He returned to Japan in March 1974 and emigrated to Brazil the next year.
Click to expand...

Onoda wrote a book that's been translated into english. I picked it up a year ago, and it was a pretty cool read if you want to know how he survived all that time.
 
S

sonicfan

Venerable Member
themadcowtipper said:
Ha people talking about they will be suprised about not having flying cars, and spaceships is wrong. People during that period didnt think about that. Hell Color tv sets were rare back when WW2 started, hell they were rare by the time WW2 ended...
Click to expand...


Color Television History

The Development of Color Television

A German patent in 1904 contained the earliest recorded proposal for a color television system. In 1925, Zworykin filed a patent disclosure for an all-electronic colour television system. Both of these systems were not successful, however, they were the first for color television. A successful color television system began commercial broadcasting, first authorized by the FCC on December 17, 1953 based on a system designed by RCA.
 
Phoenix

Phoenix

Member
sonicfan said:
Color Television History

The Development of Color Television

A German patent in 1904 contained the earliest recorded proposal for a color television system. In 1925, Zworykin filed a patent disclosure for an all-electronic colour television system. Both of these systems were not successful, however, they were the first for color television. A successful color television system began commercial broadcasting, first authorized by the FCC on December 17, 1953 based on a system designed by RCA.
Click to expand...

Being noxexistant is a form of rarity :)
 
Xenon

Xenon

Member
Thats fucked up. To leave an empire and come back to the country of electronics, hello kitty and animated porn.
 
S

Strike East

Member
Pellham said:
Onoda wrote a book that's been translated into english. I picked it up a year ago, and it was a pretty cool read if you want to know how he survived all that time.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good read, whats the title?
 
Phoenix

Phoenix

Member
I'm curious if you would actually try to indoctrinate them into modern society or grant them some land out in the countryside where they can live a slower and simpler life. Surely dragging them right into Tokyo proper would be a HUGE mistake.
 
F

FortNinety

Member
Xenon said:
Thats fucked up. To leave an empire and come back to the country of electronics, hello kitty and animated porn.
Click to expand...

Well there are vending machines that dispense panties. That does have to count for something.
 
D

Deleted member 4784

Unconfirmed Member
That's crazy! I wonder how they were living on the island. I mean, were they living alone in the mountains or had they assimilated into some local population up there? I just can't fathom what it must be like for 60 years to go by in total isolation from the outside world.

What's sad is those guys will be going back only to realize that those 60 years and the war effort itself was entirely in vain. Hopefully they'll get their military checks for the last 60+ years with interest. LOL
 
P

pollo

Banned
I feel like I shouldn't have to justify myself considering the Japanese were the nazis of east asia back then...but for those of you that dont know here:

April 9, 1942, the infamous "Death March" 6 days, 90 miles, began at the Mariveles terminating at Camp O'Donnell and later moved to Camp Cabanatuan.

According to Japanese Plans these P.O.W's were to be moved by foot, carrying their own rations to the border of Bataan and Pampango.

The main stage of the Death March was set at Mariveles, at the southern tip of Bataan Peninsula.

Troops started to march in a long column on a dusty road without food and water.
For many of the Bloody, frail men, this was the last march.

One man fell from exhaustion and was then flatten by a tank, as all the other troops witnessed this horrible action, other soldiers were hit by Japanese trucks passing by.

The P.O.W's were forced to stand next to a fresh stream but weren't allowed to drink from it, even though they were exhausted and dehydrated , after a while one soldier could not take it any more, he ran to the stream and fell in, face first, to drink. Immediately one of the Japanese guards ran over, pulled his sword out and cut his head off..

A great many men reached the end of their endurance. The dropouts became numerous. They fell on the roadside, some making no effort to rise. Groaning and weeping, some succeeded while others fell back helplessly.

As the march continued, the diseased, starving men staggered up the dusty road, prodded by the Japanese guards to keep moving. As one soldier was dying, he cried for water. He died on the dusty road. The heat of the day was so intense that they were half crazy from thirst. They arrived at a small stream that was contaminated with filthy water, a bloated corpse filled with maggots, this filthy stream the P.O.W's were allowed to drink from , as the Japanese guards laughed at them.
Click to expand...

BATAAN

And that's not all. I don't feel like posting what other atrocities they caused during the death march and the war in general..if youre interested to know just google bataan death march atrocities and youll find a whole host of US soldier survival stories, and those are the lucky ones.

Oh not to mention the practice of tossing newborn babies up and then catching them with their bayonnets. What they went through in US intermittent camps is so much less than what they did to Filipino civilians and US and Filipino soldiers during the second World War. I've constantly heard horror stories growing up from my grandma about how they use to hideout in the mountains and pay off the soldiers that would come searching for them, and then if they didnt have money they would take one of my relatives turn them around and then shoot them in the back of the head. That's fucked up.

Ive heard stories of Filipinos made to lie face down while a Japanese would just arbitrarily shoot at their heads....

Ive heard stories of soldiers picking targets arbitrarily via a little song and then shooting their target in the face...

Ive heard stories of people made to starve and eat their own shit, while japanese soldiers would watch laughing, and if they refused theyd get shot...

Why do you think China is rioting right now against Japan? Because I believe out of all Colonial powers, Japan's actions were the most egregious. Despite the fact Japan joining the national security council would probably pose a veto to China, the Chinese are not quick to forgive what happened in Manchuria. They were bastards back then, and granted I know a lot has changed since then, but these so called "survivors" are most likely not innocent. So in short: fuck em, they should have died. Ban if you want, I dont care.

And I harbor no ill feelings to present day Japanese people. What's past is past. And I know its war, but what Japan did was genocide, heartless and cruel genocide.
 
Phoenix

Phoenix

Member
pollo said:
I feel like I shouldn't have to justify myself considering the Japanese were the nazis of east asia back then...but for those of you that dont know here:



BATAAN

And that's not all. I don't feel like posting what other atrocities they caused during the death march and the war in general..if youre interested to know just google bataan death march atrocities and youll find a whole host of US soldier survival stories, and those are the lucky ones.

Oh not to mention the practice of tossing newborn babies up and then catching them with their bayonnets. What they went through in US intermittent camps is so much less than what they did to Filipino civilians and US and Filipino soldiers during the second World War. I've constantly heard horror stories growing up from my grandma about how they use to hideout in the mountains and pay off the soldiers that would come searching for them, and then if they didnt have money they would take one of my relatives turn them around and then shoot them in the back of the head. That's fucked up.

Ive heard stories of Filipinos made to lie face down while a Japanese would just arbitrarily shoot at their heads....

Ive heard stories of soldiers picking targets arbitrarily via a little song and then shooting their target in the face...

Ive heard stories of people made to starve and eat their own shit, while japanese soldiers would watch laughing, and if they refused theyd get shot...

Why do you think China is rioting right now against Japan? Because I believe out of all Colonial powers, Japan's actions were the most egregious. Despite the fact Japan joining the national security council would probably pose a veto to China, the Chinese are not quick to forgive what happened in Manchuria. They were bastards back then, and granted I know a lot has changed since then, but these so called "survivors" are most likely not innocent. So in short: fuck em, they should have died. Ban if you want, I dont care.

And I harbor no ill feelings to present day Japanese people. What's past is past. And I know its war, but what Japan did was genocide, heartless and cruel genocide.
Click to expand...

If you're going to try to use Mans Inhumanity to Man during wartime to substantiate your opinion, if you take your blinders off - you will find yourself hating soldiers from ALL wars. In this particular scenario there is no evidence whatsoever that these folks were involved in any atrocities, that they 'deserve' anything bad to happen to them. This arguing from the specific to the general is the path to the dark side of ignorance, racism, and biggotry.

Take this as a chance to enlighten yourself before you fall....
 
Phoenix

Phoenix

Member
pollo said:
and if these were nazis found instead of japanese soldiers?
would we rejoice as well?
Click to expand...

Yes - yes we would. If they were Vietnam vets (and there were US soldiers who committed atrocities there) we would rejoice, if they were soldiers from Iraq we would rejoice. If they are guilty of a crime, then let the law judge them - but we should prejudge or condemn them in ignorance.
 
P

pollo

Banned
i applaud you then sir, youre more tolerant than me. But I doubt the rest of the world thinks like you, and if they do good for them. I guess Im to ignorant to forgive something like that, sorry to say.
 
L

LakeEarth

Member
I think someone had to be making up the baby one. I mean some psychopaths might be that fucked up, but a bunch of soldiers doing that in front of everyone to see? Come on.
 
P

pollo

Banned
uhh no, my grandma has first hand eyewitness accounts; when I went back last year I went to a memorial that had pictures of dead babies on the tips of the bayonnets.
thats actually why filipinos call them "hapon"
because that was literally tossing the baby up and catching them with their bayonnets.
 
L

LakeEarth

Member
Damn, I just thought one POW was just making up tall tales, but it actually happened so much they made a mural about it. The fuck?
 
B

Boogie

Member
pollo said:
and if these were nazis found instead of japanese soldiers?
would we rejoice as well?
Click to expand...

Good grief man. Even the soldiers who fought the Germans in WWII can acknowledge that most of them were just men like themselves. Watch Band of Brothers and listen to the interviews with the soldiers. There were atrocities, of course, but to just assume two random Japanese soldiers were guilty of atrocities and to wish they were dead is just messed up.
 
G

GaimeGuy

Volunteer Deputy Campaign Director, Obama for America '16
pollo said:
I feel like I shouldn't have to justify myself considering the Japanese were the nazis of east asia back then...but for those of you that dont know here:



BATAAN

And that's not all. I don't feel like posting what other atrocities they caused during the death march and the war in general..if youre interested to know just google bataan death march atrocities and youll find a whole host of US soldier survival stories, and those are the lucky ones.

Oh not to mention the practice of tossing newborn babies up and then catching them with their bayonnets. What they went through in US intermittent camps is so much less than what they did to Filipino civilians and US and Filipino soldiers during the second World War. I've constantly heard horror stories growing up from my grandma about how they use to hideout in the mountains and pay off the soldiers that would come searching for them, and then if they didnt have money they would take one of my relatives turn them around and then shoot them in the back of the head. That's fucked up.

Ive heard stories of Filipinos made to lie face down while a Japanese would just arbitrarily shoot at their heads....

Ive heard stories of soldiers picking targets arbitrarily via a little song and then shooting their target in the face...

Ive heard stories of people made to starve and eat their own shit, while japanese soldiers would watch laughing, and if they refused theyd get shot...

Why do you think China is rioting right now against Japan? Because I believe out of all Colonial powers, Japan's actions were the most egregious. Despite the fact Japan joining the national security council would probably pose a veto to China, the Chinese are not quick to forgive what happened in Manchuria. They were bastards back then, and granted I know a lot has changed since then, but these so called "survivors" are most likely not innocent. So in short: fuck em, they should have died. Ban if you want, I dont care.

And I harbor no ill feelings to present day Japanese people. What's past is past. And I know its war, but what Japan did was genocide, heartless and cruel genocide.
Click to expand...

Yay for biases.

Yeah, the Japanese did some pretty bad things, but so has every country in the world.

How can you justify the imprisonment of American civilians by the American government who just happen to be of japanese descent? Nevermind the fact that many of these families had been living in the US for decades and/or several generations. Nevermind the fact that it was Japanese soldiers following orders from an imperialistic regime on the other side of the world who were commiting these atrocities. How can you possibly imply that it's ok to imprison Americans because of their heritage, let alone describe all people of japanese descent as the same? ("What we did to them[American civilians] wasn't as bad as what they[Soldiers in an army of a nation on the other side of the world] did.")

You know how the U.S. gained independence from Britain, what the Sons of Liberty was? It was a terrorist organization. They often took British tax collectors, dragged them into the streets, then tarred & feathered them, except they used hot, burning, boiling tar, which caused the unarmed british tax collectors to burn to death. The Sons of Liberty would leave these dead tax collectors to rot in the streets, with its emblem left by the bodies as a warning to other British.

I'm sure you've learned about how the US slaughtered millions of native americans in many brutal ways, such as how the US often pretended to form a peace treaty with tribes. The U.S. and the tribe which was being offered peace would trade gifts as peace offerings, usually blankets. Except the U.S. soldiers deliberately gave the Native American tribes smallpox-infected blankets and let the disease kill off the tribes. (Yes, the US is the first country known to use biological & chemical weapons). Or how about the Trail of Tears, where the US forced Native Americans to leave the land that they had been living on for centuries, and march hundreds of miles in a death march much like the Japanese did in World War II? Except for the fact that the Native Americans had to march in the freezing winter. And after all that was done, the few survivors who made it to their new reserves found that they now lived in land which was much less fertile than the land which they had been forced to abandon.

I'm not even going to go into the colossal fuck up that European nations made Africa into during the 19th century, which the continent and its natives are still trying to recover from.

Every nation has been an asshole at one time or another, but that's no excuse to justify hostile & violent action upon innocent people.
 
A

Afro Thunder

Member
There was here in Brazil in the 40's a japonese group called Shindo Renmei that killed another japonese folks that believes Japan lost war.

*Sorry no so good english* :)
 
D

darscot

Member
Pollo your clueless. The more you post the dumber you look. I hate to break it to you but every army commits "war crimes" or "crimes against humanity". The winner always condems the loser, that's life. I guarantee that one of you race, color, creed, nationality whatever conquered someone and fucked them over doing it. So when you paint with strokes that broad make sure you save some paint for yourself.

Also if you do a little reasearch on this story it appears these two may be deserters that refused to take part. In your mind does that make them good guys or bad guys?
 
W

White Man

Member
pollo said:
and if these were nazis found instead of japanese soldiers?
would we rejoice as well?
Click to expand...

If I find you stranded on a remote island 50 years from now, I will not forgive you for this display of internet douchebaggery.
 
Phoenix

Phoenix

Member
pollo said:
i applaud you then sir, youre more tolerant than me. But I doubt the rest of the world thinks like you, and if they do good for them. I guess Im to ignorant to forgive something like that, sorry to say.
Click to expand...

Then I am sorry for you. Fortunately the world doesn't prescribe to the view that you subscribe to as is evident just here on GAF and would no doubt be much more prevalent elsewhere in the world. It is a shame that you would hold a grudge against people who did you no direct harm. It would be like me hating all white people for what happened to Africans in Africa, on the way to the US, while enslaved in the US, and after they were supposed to be 'freed'. I sincerely hope that the world never gives in to your world view, because when that happens then we ARE truly hopeless.
 
Guileless

Guileless

Temp Banned for Remedial Purposes
meh...the really hardcore Japanese soldiers organized themselves into suicide squads and limped into charges against fortified positions well after any chance of victory. These guys were just the slackers of the Imperial Army.
 
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