Japanese envoy apologizes for WW II, hails Filipinos’ ‘spirit of reconciliation’

MT. SAMAT, Bataan, Philippines—Almost 70 years after Filipinos and Americans surrendered to the Japanese in Bataan and were made to march either to their deaths or to a concentration camp in Tarlac, the Japanese ambassador cited Filipinos for their “noble spirit of reconciliation and sense of fairness.”

Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura made the remark during the 69th Araw ng Kagitingan rites commemorating the Fall of Bataan on April 9, 1942. The surrender came after a long and valiant resistance succumbed to the superior force of the invaders.

“As I stand before this venerable shrine on Mount Samat, let me reiterate my greatest tribute to all those who fought and fell, and my heartfelt apologies and deep sense of remorse over the damages caused by the Japanese military… during World War II, including the tragic Bataan death march,” Katsura said in his speech.

Katsura said Japan was reborn as a peace-loving country after the war and resolved to contribute to peace and prosperity in the world.

“In this context, I am deeply moved by the Filipino people’s noble spirit of reconciliation and sense of fairness. Indeed, the Filipino people have been appreciating Japan as we are today—a peace-loving nation that shares the fundamental values of democracy, freedom and respect for human rights,” Katsura said.

“I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the heartfelt messages of sympathies and condolences which His Excellency the President and many people of the Philippines have extended,” Katsura said, referring to the disaster caused by last month’s killer earthquake and tsunami.

President Aquino led the event commemorating the bravery and steadfast resolve of tens of thousands of Filipino and American defenders in Bataan. In his first Araw ng Kagitingan as President, he lauded the country’s surviving veterans as well as those that have already passed on.

US Ambassador Harry Thomas was also present and delivered a speech. Other officials in attendance included Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Education Secretary Armin Luistro and top military officials.

World War II veterans and their families also participated in the event.

A day after the Social Weather Stations announced that his parents—former Sen. Benigno Aquino, Jr., and former President Corazon Aquino—ranked behind Rizal and Bonifacio as those regarded by Filipinos as “real heroes,” Mr. Aquino paid particular tribute to the less prominent heroes.

“There are the named and the nameless. Today, we gather to pay tribute to our unsung heroes,” Mr. Aquino said, referring to the soldiers who fought in World War II.

He said the country wouldn’t be experiencing democracy now if not for the soldiers that faced the artillery and rifles of the Japanese invaders and that marched a hundred kilometers after the fall of Bataan.

“I know that you, our veterans, may have lost some battles during those times, but your courage and love for country became instruments in winning a larger war—a war to awaken the Filipino heart, which allowed us to achieve independence,” Mr. Aquino added.

President Aquino said that three generations after the war, the government is still trying its best to show its gratitude by helping take care of the veterans and their families.

“More than seven decades after, we still remember your sacrifices,” the President said.

He said that the Philippine Veterans’ Memorial Medical Center improved its operations in 2011 through additional equipment and improvements in its operating room and intensive care unit.

“The Philippine Veterans’ Affairs Office has also ensured that there are more hospitals across the country where veterans and their families can receive an P800 daily subsidy for every day of confinement in the hospital,” Mr. Aquino said.

He reported that the Department of National Defense has allocated P1 million for health insurance for qualified veterans under a memorandum of agreement between the PVAO and PhilHealth.

The President said the government was also closely watching the implementation of the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Act that allocates $9,000 for non-US citizens and $15,000 for US citizens.

“Our generation has a lot to learn from our veterans. We would do well to emulate the spirit of service that they exhibited,” President Aquino said.

“Let us show that their sacrifices have not gone to waste,” he added.

Mr. Aquino also cited the US and Japan as the country’s best allies after the war.

“I know that three generations ago, the three of us were in conflict, but since then, our country has had no greater friends than the United States and Japan,” he said.

“Time has proven that we can count on allies like them, and I am confident that they will stand by us should there be a threat again to our security and sovereignty and that they will support the path that we have taken toward transparency and progress,” the President said.