POW Research Network Japan>News>Past News
| Past News |
PDF version (2002/2010) is available.
2012 |
|
| 2012-10-23 | Research Exchange Meeting; Mr. Yang Jing,Director of Shenyang University Mukden Allied POW Camp Research Institute and Ms. Yu Jie, a Deputy Director, Bureau of Press, Culture and Publishing of Liaoyuan City gave lectures on the Allied POW camps in Manchuria. |
| 2012-10-13/21 | The Japanese Government invited seven ex-Australian POWs and family members (a total of fourteen) to Japan. The Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba met them and officially apologized on behalf of the Japanese Government. Thereafter, they visited the sites of former POW camps and places that they had been in as POWs. (Tokyo, Yokosuka, Niigata and Mine). They also visited Ryozen Kannon temple and Kyoto Museum for World Peace of Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto and the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. On October 14, "POWRNJ/ Japanese Society for friendship with ex-POWs and Families" organized a friendship meeting with the Japanese citizens in Tokyo |
| 2012-10-03/08 | The Japanese Government invited two ex-POWs and two ex-civilian internees and their family members (a total of eight) from Australia to Japan. The Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba met them and officially apologized on behalf of the Japanese Government. The group visited the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama and Ryozen Kannon Temple in Kyoto. The group participated in events with Japanese youth in Hiroshima and Okayama. On October 4, "POWRNJ/ Japanese Society for friendship with ex-POWs and Families" organized a friendship meeting with the Japanese citizens in Tokyo. |
| 2012-07-22 | Exchange meeting on Italian POWs with Prof. Guido Samarani, a professor of Venezia University |
| 2012-07-21 | Lecture Meeting; Mr. Katsumoto Saotome gave a lecture on his new book titled "Halloran no Tokyo Daikushu" (Halloran's Great Tokyo Air Raid ) |
| 2012-06-10 | Study meeting; Briefing session on "Taiwan Field Work" |
| 2012-04-28 | Study meeting; Mr. Ken Arimitsu gave a lecture on "The present condition and foresight of war compensation". |
| 2012-04-20/27 | Mr. Kevin Menzies who is a son of Michael Menzies, a New Zealand POW, came to Japan to visit the former site of Zentsuji Camp, Ofuna Camp and Negishi Racecourse where his father and his comrades had been interned, as well as the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. |
| 2012-03-31 | Meeting to remember a POWRNJ member, Yoshiyuki Onogi, who passed away on March 4, 2012. |
| 2012-03-25/29 | Taiwan Field Work: Six members of POWRNJ visited several sites of former POW camps which had been established in Taiwan during World War II. They were guided by a Canadian researcher, Mr. Michael Hurst. They interviewed Mr. Lian-Dui Hou who had been a guard of POW camps, and exchanged information with Ms. Shu-Min Chung, an associate research fellow of the Institute of Taiwan History. |
| 2012-01-14 | New Year Party / Report Meeting |
2011 |
|
| 2011-12-08 | Three Canadian ex-POWs, Canada Veterans Affairs Minister and the president of the Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Association of Canada visited Japan. After attending a memorial service at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama, they visited the parliamentary secretary, Toshiyuki Kato, who officially apologized to them on behalf of the Japanese Government. See the following websites Veterans Affairs Canada>>Link CBC Canada>>Link |
| 2011-11-27/12-05 | Five ex-Australian POWs and accompanying family members (a total of ten people) invited by the Japanese Government plus two others visited Japan. The Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba met them and officially apologized on behalf of the Japanese Government. After this, one member visited a site of a POW camp in Yokohama where he had been detained during World War II and others visited places in Tokyo, Saitama, Hyogo and Okayama. The group also visited Ryozen Kannon temple in Kyoto, Tomigaoka Catholic Church in Nara and the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. On November 30th, "POWRNJ/ Japanese Society for friendship with ex-POWs and Families" organized a friendship meeting with the Japanese citizens in Tokyo. >>Details |
| 2011-10-16/23 | The Japanese Government invited seven ex-American POWs and accompanying family members (a total of fourteen people) to Japan. The Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba met and officially apologized to them on behalf of the Japanese Government. After this, they visited the sites of former POW camps (ie, Omori in Tokyo, Takaoka, Omuta etc.) where they had been detained during the World War II. The group also visited Ryozen Kannon temple and Kyoto Museum for World Peace of Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto and the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. On October 22, the group attended a friendship meeting with Japanese citizens in Tokyo organized by POWRNJ / Japanese Society for Friendship with ex-POWs and Families. >>Details |
| 2011-08-15 | The database of Meimeihyo (POW personal cards) of the KNIL (Royal Netherland Indies Army) soldiers, who died as Japanese POWs, was published on the Netherlands National Archives website. POWRNJ organized a team of their members to translate the Meimeihyo for the entrusted project by the Archives. >>Link |
| 2011-07-23 | Study Meeting (Tokyo) Mr. Harumi Sakaguchi gave a lecture on the Japanese War Cemetery in Bomana? and the records on the deceased Allied POWs at the Reizan Kannon in Kyoto. |
| 2011-05-24 | Publishing Ceremony (Tokyo) POWRNJ members held a publishing ceremony in honor of the publication of "Gadarukanaru Nihon-hei, Fezah-sutohn Shuuyo-jo Jiken wo ou" (English title: "The Featherstone Chronicles A Legacy of War" by Mike Nicolidi) with the attendance of the author and the translator. |
| 2011-05-20 | Mr. Mathew Howie, son of an ex-Australian POW Herbert James Howie came to Japan and visited, with assistance of the Ohama City Hall and POWRNJ members, the site of Ohama POW Camp where his father had been held during the war. |
| 2011-05-15 | Study Meeting (Tokyo) Mr. Sadao Ohba gave a lecture on "My wartime experiences during the Japanese occupation and as being a JSP (Japanese Surrendered Person) in Java." |
| 2011-04-23 | Study Meeting (Tokyo) Mr. Masanori Suzuki gave a lecture on his translation book "Shasatsu sareta Gadarukanaru Nihon-hei, Fezah-sutohn Shuuyo-jo Jiken wo ou" (English title: "The Featherstone Chronicles A Legacy of War" by Mike Nicolidi) |
| 2011-04 | Mr. Tokio Tobita, a POWRNJ honorary member, published a book entitled "C-kyu Sempan ga sukecchi shita Sugamo Purizon - The Sugamo Prison sketched by Class C War Criminals" through Soshi-sha |
| 2011-02-28/03-12 | Dr. Marian May, daughter of the late Rev. John May, who was an ex-Australian POW, visited the campsite in Zentsuji accompanied by POWRNJ members, where her father had been detained during the war. She also took part in the journey with the above mentioned Australian POWs at the invitation of the Japanese Government. She spent several hours with POWRNJ members and exchanged views on various subjects. |
| 2011-03-02/09 | The Japanese Government invited 5 ex-Australian POWs and the same number of their attendants (a total of 10) and 3 additional family members to Japan. The Foreign Minister Maehara met and officially apologized them as the Japanese Government. Thereafter, they visited the campsites where they had been detained in Sakata, Yokohama-Tsurumi, Niigata, Osaka, Sagano-seki, etc. during the war. They also visited the Ryozen Kannon in Kyoto, Nara Catholic Church, and Common wealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. On March 6, they attended a testimony meeting in Kyoto, and on March 8, an interchange meeting with the Japanese citizens in Tokyo. |
| 2011-02-26 | International Symposium (Tokyo) POWRNJ members held an International Symposium on the actual conditions of the Dutch POWs and the Japanese Army's POW policies as viewed from Meimei-Hyo (POW's individual cards). Kaori Maekawa, Taeko Sasamoto, Naoshi Tezuka, Miyo Sakuma, Kan Sugahara, Yuji Miwa, David Moreton, and Aiko Utsumi reported his/her allotted subject(s) (titles omitted). |
| 2011-02 | Mr. Masanori Suzuki, a POWRNJ member, published the Japanese translation of a book entitled "Shasatsu sareta Gadarukanaru Nihon-hei, Fezah-sutohn Shuuyo-jo Jiken wo ou." (English title: "The Featherstone Chronicles A Legacy of War" by Mike Nicolidi) |
| 2011-01-15 | Study Meeting (Tokyo) POWRNJ members viewed a video tape entitled "Hell in the Pacific" produced by the British Channel 4. Ms. Fuyuko Nishisato gave a commentary on the tape. |
| 2011-01-06 | Ms.Fiona Simpson and her sister Helen came to Japan from Australia, and visited the sites of the Metropolitan Police Department's Internment Camp (present Denen- chobu Futaba-gakuen) and Saitama Internment Camp (present St. Francisco Monastery in Urawa-City), where their relative Alexander Catto had been held during the war. Several POWRNJ members accompanied them. |
2010 |
|
| 2010-12-09 | "Exchange Meeting for Better Understanding" by Hong Kong Veteran Commemorative Association of Canada and POWRNJ.(Tokyo) |
| 2010-11-22/12-01 | Mrs. Lore Ridings, a daughter of Dutch POW came to Japan and visited the former site of Hiroshima No.8 Branch camp in Sanyo-Onoda City where her father had been interned, and other camp sites. |
| 2010-11-24/12-03 | A group of Dutch ex-POWs and Internees were invited by the Japanese Government and visited Mizumaki in Fukuoka Prefecture, Nagasaki, Kyoto and Tokyo. |
| 2010-11-02 | Mr. Michiel & Marco Koomen visited the former camp site of Tokyo No.7 Branch Camp in Hitachi City. |
| 2010-10-11/28 | Mr. John Davis, a son of Australian POW came to Japan and visited the former camp site of Osaka No.5 Dispatched Camp (Kawasaki Juko) in Kobe and the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. |
| 2010-10-17 | POWRNJ meeting; Ph.D Kaori Maekawa delivered a lecture on "Progress report on translation project of Dutch POWs cards". |
| 2010-09-25 | POWRNJ study meeting (Tokyo). 1.Mr. Tatsuo Morohoshi (a member) made a speech on "My war experiences-the Burma-Thai railway and the Trans Sumatra Railway". 2.Mr. Nobuo Ikegami made a speech on "My war time experiences-as a commander of the civilian internment camp in Sumatra-". |
| 2010-09-18 | "Meeting with ex American POWs and their family members" was held at Shiba Park Building in Hamamatsu cho, Minato ward, Tokyo. |
| 2010-09-12/19 | Six ex American POWs and eight family members (14 in total) were invited to Japan by the Japanese government. Foreign Minister Okada had his meeting with them and officially apologized. It's the first-time apology by the Japanese government. They visited the campsites (such as Kawasaki, Omori, Yokkaichi, Iizuka, Moji depending on where they were interned), Ryouzen kannon in Kyoto, the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama and so on. They delivered lectures at International Christian University and at the Federation of Diet Members for Promoting International IC. They also attended the exchange meeting with Japanese citizens on the 18th. |
| 2010-07-24 | POWRNJ study meeting (Tokyo). 1.Prof. Gregory Hadley (a member) delivered a lecture on "Follow up story about B29 that crashed on the "Field of Spears". 2.Prof. Susan Grant made a speech on "Tracing the memories of my father, who crashed on the "Field of Spears". |
| 2010-07-12/25 | Prof. Susan Grant, a daughter of B-29 aircrew, came to Japan and visited Yokogoshi mura in Niigata prefecture, where her father crashed, the former site of Tokyo Kempei Tai Headquarters, the former campsite of Omori POW camp, Yasukuni shrine, the Center of the Tokyo Raid and War Damages, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. She also delivered a lecture at POWRNJ study meeting. |
| 2010-05-30 | POWRNJ study meeting (Tokyo). 1.Showing a Dutch documentary "Old Pain, in the Netherlands and Japan". Commentator: Prof. Aiko Utsumi. 2.Mr. Sadao Oba (a member) made a report on "My war time experiences in Indonesia and my relationship with the Netherlands". |
| 2010-04-10/11 | Richard B. Williams, a son of an American POW doctor, visited the former camp sites of Zentsuji POW Camp in Zentsuji city, Kagawa prefecture and Motoyama POW Camp in Sanyo-Onoda city, Yamaguchi prefecture with the assistance of POWRNJ members. |
| 2010-04-03 | POWRNJ study meeting (Tokyo). Mr. David Moreton delivered a lecture on a book his father wrote "Surviving the War The secret diaries of an English POW along the Thailand-Burma Railway, 1942-1945". |
| 2010-03-20 | POWRNJ meeting; "Translation project of Dutch POWs cards". |
| 2010-02-06/17 | Eight members of POWRNJ joined "The 8th Malay Peninsula Peace Cycle" and visited the former sites of the Chinese Massacre and the POW camps during WW2. |
| 2010-01-16 | POWRNJ study meeting (Tokyo). Ph.D. Kaori Maekawa (a member) delivered a lecture on "POW policy and mobilization of Asian POWs by the Japanese Army during the Asia Pacific War; Occupation of South East Asia and Heiho system by Japan". |
2009 |
|
| 2009-12-16 | POWRNJ meeting with the staff of Dutch Nationaal Archief about "Translation project of Dutch POWs cards". |
| 2009-11-21 | POWRNJ study meeting (Tokyo).Prof.Aiko Utsumi (member) made a report on "Tokyo tribunal of war criminals and POW issues". |
| 2009-10-03/04 | POWRNJ Annual meeting in Ichinomiya-cho, Chiba prefecture."Crashes of Allies' airplanes in the central area of Chiba prefecture". -Visiting the former sites of the Emry case, the Hockley case and the Bonus case- |
| 2009-07-23 | "Meeting to mark the Geneva convention" was held.(POWRNJ assisted it). |
| 2009-06-14/21 | Mr.Joe Coombs, an ex Australian POW, his two sons, and Mr.James McAnulty, a son of an ex British POW were invited to Japan by Japanese citizens including POWRNJ.They visited the former sites of Fukuoka No.26 Branch Camp in Keisen cho, Fukuoka prefecture and the Yoshikuma Coal Mine of Aso Mining Company, the current head office of the company in Iizuka city, the former campsite of Osaka No.5 Dispatched Camp in Kobe city, the Kobe factory of Kawasaki Juko Company (Coombs), and the former campsite of Fukuoka No.2 Branch Camp in Nagasaki city (McAnulty).In Tokyo, they met the Australian ambassador to Japan, the Dutch ambassador to Japan, Yukio Hatoyama (Democratic Party President), Satsuki Eda (the president of the House of Councilors) and other lawmakers.They also had a press conference at the Foreign Correspondent's Club and gave lectures to the public. |
| 2009-05-30 | The Japanese ambassador to the US, Mr.Ichiro Fujisaki officially apologized American ex-POWs at the last annual meeting of "American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor" held at San Antonio, Texas. |
| 2009-05-23 | POWRNJ Study meeting (Tokyo). Mr.Hitoyasu Shirato delivered a lecture on "POW camps in Hokkaido." He is the author of "POW camps in Hokkaido" (2008, Hokkaido Shinbun-sha). |
| 2009-05-14/21 | Mr.Raimond Heimbach, an ex American POW, came to Japan and visited the former campsites of Nagoya No.5 Branch Camp in Yokkaichi city, Mie prefecture and of Nagoya No.11 Branch Camp in Toyoma city.In Tokyo, he had a meeting with the members of "Subcommittee on POW issues" composed by the lawmakers of Democratic Party of Japan, had a press meeting and had a meeting with members of POW RNJ. |
| 2009-05-07 | The June issue of Sekai carried an article "Validate the evidence.Indelible past of Aso Coal Mine: the fact of the hard labor backed by documents" by a POWRNJ member, Toru Fukubayashi. |
| 2009-04-28 | Mrs.Nori Nagasawa (member) was awarded an Orange-Nassau by the Queen of the Netherlands, for her achievements in contributing the reconciliation with ex Dutch POWs and civilian internees. |
| 2009-04-03 | The Shukan Kinyobi carried an article "The hard labor of the POWs by Aso Zaibatsu, hidden by the ministry of foreign affairs" by a POWRNJ member, Toru Fukubayashi. |
| 2009-03-28 | POWRNJ Study meeting (Tokyo). 1.Mrs.Mayumi Komiya (member) made a report on "Internment of the enemy: Foreign civilians during the war". 2.Mrs.Nori Nagasawa (member) made a report on "Social interaction with ex-POWs on the South Pacific cruise". |
| 2009-03-06 | Mr.Takeshi Sawada (member) published "Post war experiences of air-raid victims.Tokyo and Chongqing.Indelible past" (Iwanami booklet). |
| 2009-03-01 | Mrs.Mayumi Komiya (member) published "Internment of the enemy: Foreign civilians during the war" (Yoshikawakoubunkan). |
| 2009-02-06 | MP Yukihisa Fujita, a member of the Democratic Party of Japan, held a brief session and a press conference about the hard labor of the POWs at Aso Coal Mine.Mr.Toru Fukubayashi and Prof.Aiko Utsume (members) made reports and comments on it. |
| 2009-01-29/02-08 | Mrs.Pattie Wright, an Australian writer, came to Japan and interviewed the people who were involved with the Burma-Thailand railway project, with the assistance of POWRNJ members.She also visited the former campsite of Ohama Camp (Hiroshima No.9 Branch Camp in Sanyo Onoda city, Yamaguchi prefecture), the former camp site of Motoyama Camp (Hiroshima No.8 Branch Camp), Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima and Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo. |
| 2009-01-24 | POWRNJ Study meeting (Tokyo).Mrs.Yoshiko Tamura, Mr.Toru Fukubayashi, Mrs.Fuyuko Nishisato and Prof.Aiko Utsumi (members) made reports on "Aso Mine's POW using during the WW2". |
| 2009-01-14 | Web site was renewed. |
2008 |
|
| 2008.11.29 | POWRNJ Study meeting (Tokyo).Professor Aiko Utsumi made a report on "Senso Saiban to Horyo mondai; War criminal trials and the POW issues." |
| 2008.11.13 | At the House of Councilors, MP Yukihisa Fujita, a member of the Democratic Party of Japan questioned the Prime Minister Aso and Foreign Minister Nakasone about the hard labor of the POWs at Aso Coal Mine by showing a copy of the "Report on Aso Mining Company" (in the possession of the US National Archives) presented to him by Mr.Toru Fukubayashi (a member). |
| 2008.10.28 | Daughters of a former British POW, Ms.Paula and Judith Medcalf visited Japan to call round at the site of Mukaishima Camp (Hiroshima #4), where their father was detained. |
| 2008.10.25 | POWRNJ Study meeting (Tokyo).Mr.Takeshi Sawada (a member) made a report on "Chichi-Jima Jiken no Shinso - Bei Horyo no Shokei ni tachiatta aru Kaigun Shoui no Shogen; The truth about Chichi-Jiam Incident / Testimony of a certain Ensign who witnessed the execution of a US POW," and Mr.Hisashi Tezuka (a member) "Pekin-genjin no Kaseki funshitsu wo meguru Horyo no ugoki; Movements of POWs with regard to the missing Peking man's fossil." |
| 2008.9.27 | POWRNJ Study meeting (Tokyo).A lecture was delivered by an Australian Naval Historian Mr.Ian Pfennigwerth on "Following in the footsteps of Dr.Stening, an Australian POW." |
| 2008.6.7-8 | The 5th General meeting of POWRNJ was held in Fukushima City.Lectures and field trips regarding Fukushima Internees Camp are as follows: "Taiheiyo sensoka no Tekikokujin Yokuryu Detention of enemy aliens during the Pacific War" by Mrs.Mayumi Komia (a member); "Fukushima Gaikokujin Yoruryujo to Genbaku toka Butai; Fukushima Interment Camp and the A-Bomb Unit" by Mr.Shigeru Konno, the Fukushima Mimpo Simbun Editorial writer; "Fukushima Interment Camp /Lifting the shroud of "silence' " by Professor Robert Murphy of the Fukushima Univ.(a member), The participants visited the former Norte Dame Convent where the Internment Camp was located, Shinobu-yama with the Internees' graves, and Zuiryuji-Temple where a fragment of a simulated A Bomb is kept. |
| 2008.6.4 | The members of the "US-Japan Dialogue on POWs" held a meeting with Dr.and Mrs.Tenney in Tokyo. |
| 2008.5.31 | Dr.Lester Tenney, the author of "My hitch in hell: the Bataan death march" delivered a speech at the Kyoto Heart Pier in Kyoto. |
| 2008.5.24 | Professor Gregory Hadley (a member) delivered a speech on "Violence of Common people in Wartime / B-29 and bamboo spear" at the Study Symposium. |
| 2008.4.23-28 | Son of an ex-British POW, Mr.Ian Pritchard came to Japan to visit the site of Innoshima Camp (Hiroshima #5). |
| 2008.4.15 | Mr.Ray "Hap" Halloran, former B-29 navigator delivered a speech at the Foreign Correspondents' Club in Tokyo. |
| 2008.3.15 | POWRNJ Study meeting (Tokyo).Ms.Naoko Jin (a member) made a report on the "Bridge for Peace; Project to tie the Philippines and Japan via video messages." |
| 2008.1.20 | POWRNJ Study meeting (Tokyo).Mrs.Fuyuko Nishisato (a member) made a report on Mukden Camp in Manchuria. |
2007 |
|
| 2007.12 | Mr.Shinetsu Okita (a member) published a book entitled "Shokuminchi Jidaino Furuhonyatachi/Karafuto, Chosen, Taiwan, Manshu, Chuukaminkoku / Kuhaku no Shominshi; Second-hand bookstores during the colonial period- Sakhalin, Korea, Taiwan, Manchuria, and China blank in ordinarily people's history." |
| 2007.12.1 | POWRNJ study meeting (Tokyo).Mr.Hisashi Tezuka (a member) made a report on the "Battle of Wake Island." |
| 2007.10.20-25 | Mr.Ray "Hap" Halloran, a former B-29 navigator came to Japan to make an appearance in a TBS program. |
| 2007.10.20 | POWRNJ Study meeting (Tokyo) .Professor Kenji Takizawa (Hakuo Univ.) and Professor Karen Takizawa (Hosei Univ.) delivered a lecture on a book they wrote "GI supuhn 4 haibun no kometsubu Horyo datta sofu ga kataru senso Four GI spoons full of rice grains, the Pacific war talked about by our grandfather." |
| 2007.10.13 | The POWRNJ held a seminar in Tokyo.The lecturers were as follows:
"Ajia-Taiheiyo Senso to Nihongun no Horyo seisaku - The Asia and Pacific War and the POW policies of the Japanese Military" by Professor Aiko Utsumi; "Hondo Kushu no Horyo hikoshi nitsuite - On the aviator POWs who bombed the Japanese mainland" by Mr.Toru Fukubayashi; "Eirempo Senshisha Bochi kara mietekita Horyo / Shibosha risuto wo bunsekisuru POWs as viewed from the Commonwealth War Cemetery / Analysis of the list of the deceased" by Taeko Sasamoto (lecturers are all members). The POWRNJ has become an approved study group of the Asian-Pacific Study Center of the Osaka University of Economics and Law headed by Professor Kinhide Mushakoji. |
| 2007.10.10 | Professor Gregory Hadley (a member) published a book on an incident of a B-29 crashed in Niigata entitled "Field of Spears: The Last Mission of The Jordan Crew" Paulownia Press.He made a speech at the Foreign Correspondent's Club of Japan. |
| 2007.9.3-9 | Ex-Australian POWs, Mr.David Barrett (Thai-Burma Railway), and Mr.Bill Flowers (Changi Camp・益isited Japan with their respective sons.They called round at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama and Ryozan Kannon Temple in Kyoto. |
| 2007.8.4 | The 13th Memorial service was held by the Japanese citizens at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. |
| 2007.7.1-9 | Daughter and her family of a British POW James Robert Butterworth who had deceased in Hakodate Main Camp, visited Japan, and they called round at Hakodate and the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. |
| 2007.5.20 | The POWRNJ conducted a "B-29 International Seminar" at a private school Eiko-Gakuen in Kamakura City.The speakers were Associate Professor Thomas Saylor of the Concordia University, Professor Gregory Hadley of the Niigata University of International and Information Studies, Mrs.Nori Nagaswa (a member), Messrs.Toru Fukubayashi (a member), Ichiro Hisano (a member), Koichi Hiramatsu (a member), and Hisashi Tezuka. |
| 2007.5.19 | About 20 people including the members of the POWRNJ visited the site of Ofuna Navy camp and Ryuhoji-Temple (Ueki, Kamakura City). |
| 2007.4.28 | The POWRNJ prepared "The Australia Seminar Reports." |
| 2007.4.1 | Mr.Ian Topham, son of an ex-British POW, Mr.Stanley Topham, who had came to Japan in June 2005, visited the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama, the Yasukuni-Shrine, the site of Mitsushima camp (Tokyo #12), and Hiroshima. |
| 2007.2.8 | Mr.Yuji Miwa (a member) published a book entitled "Umi no bohyo Senjika ni ushinawareta Nihon no shosen; Grave markers of the sea The Japanese merchant ships lost during the war." |
2006 |
|
| 2006.8.22-23 | A seminar titled "Towards a Better Understanding; Reflections on the Experiences of Australian Prisoners of the Japanese" was held under the joint sponsorship of the Division of Pacific and Asian History, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies and the POWRNJ at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia. Four speakers; Emeritus Professor Hank Nelson, Australian researcher, a former POW and a POWRNJ member made speeches. During the two-day seminar, a total number of approx.100 people attended the seminar. After the seminar, the POWRNJ members visited the Australian War Memorial and the town Cowra where the Japanese POW camp once had been located.They also visited former POWs, internees, and their bereaved families in various places in the country. |
| 2006.8.5 | The 12th Memorial service by the Japanese citizens was held at the Commonwealth War Cemetery. |
| 2006.7.17 | A POWRNJ Study meeting (Tokyo)."The mass breakout of the Japanese POWs at Cowra" was talked about.After showing a documentary "Itsuwari no bohyo; the false grave markers" produced by the Yomiuri TV in 1987, Mr.Isamu Fukuda, who had repatriated from Cowra camp and Ms.Sayuri Kigawa, daughter of the 3rd President of the Cowra Association delivered lectures. |
| 2006.6.7 | The artist Kiichiro Ueda, through the intermediation of Mr.Yuji Miwa and Mrs.Yukako Ibuki (members), presented a painting of Ohryoku- Maru to the Hell ship Museum at Subic Bay. |
| 2006.5.28-6.8 | An ex-British POW, Mr.Frank Planton and his family visited Japan. After attending the decoration ceremony for Mrs.Tamura and Mrs.Sasamoto at the British Embassy, they visited the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama, and the sites of Kamaishi Camp・・endai #5・・ Ohashi Camp (Sendai #4), and Hakodate Main Camp. |
| 2006.5.30 | Mrs.Yoshiko Tamura and Mrs.Taeko Sasamoto (members) were awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) by the Queen of the United Kingdom.The decoration ceremony was held at the British Embassy in Tokyo. |
| 2006.5.14 | A POWRNJ Study meeting (Tokyo).Mr.Yuji Miwa (a member) reported on the modernization of Japan and merchant ships to other members. |
| 2006.4.2 | A POWRNJ Study meeting (Tokyo).Mrs.Mayumi Komiya (a member) reported the results of her researches on the civilian internee camps in Japan during WWII to other members. |
| 2006.3.5 | A POWRNJ Study meeting (Tokyo).Mr.Kan Sugahara, WWII historian delivered a lecture on the Imperial Japanese Navy and the Naval Academy. |
| 2006.2.5 | A POWRNJ Study meeting (Tokyo).Mr.Norio Suzuki, son of Colonel Kunji Suzuki, the commander of Omori Camp (Tokyo Main Camp), delivered a lecture on his fathers Sugamo prison diary. |
| 2006.1 | An ex-American POW, Mr.Everett Reamer and the bereaved family members of an ex-American POW, Mrs.Nancy Brown and her child visited Japan.They called round at the sites of Osaka Main Camp, Tanagawa Camp (Osaka #4), Sakai Prison, and the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. |
2005 |
|
| 2005.12 | The POWRNJ prepared a record of Japanese high-school students' impressions when had mixed with the students of Cheney high-school in the UK. |
| 2005.11.28-29 | For the purpose of producing a documentary on a hell ship Lisbon- Maru, the staff members of Phoenix TV in Hong Kong came to Japan, and gathered information on the spot at the sites of Osaka Main Camp and Kobe Camp (Osaka #2).The POWRNJ collaborated with them. |
| 2005.11 | The bereaved family of an ex-British POW, Mr.and Mrs.Kathleen Booth came to Japan to visit the site of Ohama Camp (Hiroshima #9) and the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. |
| 2005.9.23-25 | The 4th General meeting of the POWENJ was held at Tenryu village in Nagano prefecture.The attendees visited Hiraoka dam, site of Mitsushima Camp (Tokyo #12), camps used by the Chinese and Koreans who were forced to come and work in Japan, and their crematory. |
| 2005.8.17 | A former B-29 crewmember and POW, Mr.Martin L.Zapf visited Japan to pay a call at Masuda City in Shimane Prefecture, and Mukaishima Camp (Hiroshima #4).TV Asahi broadcast a documentary on his visit under a title of "Hiroshima wo saishoni mita beihei; a US soldier who was the first to see Hiroshima." |
| 2005.8.15 | The 60th Annual Memorial service was held at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. |
| 2005.8.12 | Translation by Masanori Suzuki - a member of the POWRNJ, on the thesis by Professor Gregory Hadley, who is also a POWRNJ member - entitled "Kensho Kougun no Horyo/ Netto-shakai wo hitoriaruki; Netsuzo sareta Satogashima Gyakusatsu Jiken; Verification The Imperial Army's POWs/ a fabricated Sado Is.massacre incident developed a life of its own in the Internet" was carried on a weekly magazine Kinyobi. |
| 2005.8.6 | The 11th Memorial Service by the Japanese citizens was held at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. |
| 2005.8.2-11 | By the educational program of the Imperial War Museum, 33 students of the Cheney High School of Oxford City visited Japan.They paid calls at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama, the Yasukuni-Shrine in Tokyo, Hiroshima and Tenryu-village in Nagano prefecture, and mixed with the Japanese high-school students there.The POWRNJ assisted them with their visit to the Cemetery, Yasukuni-Shrine, and Anglo-Japanese debates at Yokohama Eiwa Women's Seminary. |
| 2005.6.7-11 | An ex-British POW Mr.Stanley Topham and his son visited the Commonwealth War Cemetery and the site of Mitsushima Camp (Tokyo #12) in Nagano prefecture.The BBC broadcast a program on their visit on August 15. |
| 2005.5.22 | The Mainichi Dailies carried an article related to "Chubu Kempei-tai Shoko Shashin; a photo used as evidence of the Chubu Military Police Incident," found in the US National Archives by Mr.Toru Fukubayashi, a POWRNJ member. |
| 2005.4 | Professor Akiko Utsumi, a POWRNJ member, published a book entitled "Nihongun no Horyo-seisaku; The policies of the Japanese Military on POWs." |
| 2005.4.10 | The bereaved family members of an ex-British POW Mr.and Mrs.Rosemary Hopkins came to Japan to visit the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. |
| 2005.4.4-10 | Son of an ex-Australian POW, Mr.Pat Flanagan and his wife came to Japan.They visited the site of Ohama Camp (Hiroshima #9) and the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. |
| 2005.3.28 | An ex-American POW, Mr.Oscar Leonard and his family came to Japan.They visited the sites of Tokyo #2 Camp in Kawasaki, old NKK Ohgi-machi factory, and the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. |
| 2005.3 | An ex- British POW, Mr.David Russell and his family came to Japan.They visited the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama and the site of Ikuno Camp (Osaka #4). |
| 2005.3.26 | Ms.Pek Iona , a free-lance TV director and granddaughter of a Japanese Army Lt.General Phon Saic? (Korean: Japanese pronunciation is "Kou Shiyoku), who was executed on a charge of the Ohryoku-Maru incident, etc., came to Japan to interview former General's subordinates, Korean war criminals, and Japanese researchers on the General.The POWERNJ assisted with her interviews. |
| 2005.3.22 | The POWRNJ received the Australia-Japanese Foundation Award, and縲?a presentation ceremony was held at the Australian Embassy. |
| 2005.3.19 | The POWRNJ study meeting (Tokyo).Mr.Masanori Suzuki, a POERNJ member, and Mr.Stanley Guy, a British writer, delivered lectures. |
| 2005.3 | Mr.Masanori Suzuki, a POERNJ member, translated "Snaring the other tiger" &by Ian Ward, and published it under the Japanese title of "Shogun wa naze korosaretaka - Why the General was executed? The Australian War Criminal Trial, Tragedy of Lt.General Takuma Nishimura. |
| 2005.3 | Professor Gregory Hadley, a POWRNJ member, completed a thesis to prove that "The POW massacre incident in Aikawa, Sado Is." by James MacKay appeared on "Betrayal in High Places" was a fabrication.His thesis was introduced on the Sankei Dailies, Shikoku-Shimbun, Niigata-Nippo, and others. |
| 2005.1-2 | Articles pertaining to the list of the Allied POWs deceased in Japan during WWII were carried on the Mainichi Dailies, the Japan Times, Kahoku-Shimpo, Okinawa-Shimpo, the Courier Mail of Australia, and the Daily Telegraph of England. |
2004 |
|
| 2004.12.28 | The POWRNJ prepared a list on the Allied POWs who were deceased in Japan during WWII, and published it on their website. |
| 2004.11.2 | The Japan Times carried an article "Justice reaches dead-end" by a POWRNJ member, Ms.Satoko Kogure, on Mitsushima Camp (Tokyo #12). |
| 2004.10.30-31 | The 3rd General meeting of the POWRNJ was held in Miyazu-City, Kyoto Prefecture.The participants visited the sites of Oeyama Camp (Osaka #3), Chinese Camp, and Korean Camp. |
| 2004.10 | Ex-British POW, Mr.William Rose came to Japan, and visited the site of Mitsushima Camp (Tokyo #12) Camp, and other places. |
| 2004.9.12-20 | Mr.Grant McLachlan, grandson of a former British POW, came to Japan from NZ to produce a movie.He visited the sites of Mitsushima Camp (Tokyo #12) Camp and Kanose Camp (Tokyo #16) and interviewed at the Yokohama Bar Association. |
| 2004.8.15 | A book entitled "Horyo Shuyojo Hokyu Sakusen B-29 Butai Saigo no Sakusen; Logistic operation for the POW Camps - the last Operation by the B-29 Units" was published by the members of the POWRNJ, Messrs.Toru Fukubayashi, Yozo Kudoh and Yoshishige Okuzumi. |
| 2004.8.13 | Activities of Mrs.Taeko Sasamoto, a POWRNJ member, titled "Hakkutsu sareta Rengogun Horyo no Kiroku; Unearthed records of the Allied POWs" was broadcast on an NHK program "Today's World" |
| 2004.8.10-16 | Ex-British POWs, Messrs.George Dunbar, Eric Robinson, John Phillips, Robert Pogson, and their families, a total of 8 persons came to Japan to visit the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama and the site of Ikuno Camp (Osaka #4). |
| 2004.8.9 | Mrs.Taeko Sasamoto with help of Mrs.Yoshiko Tamura for interviews (both are the POWRNJ members) published a book entitled "Rengogun Horyo no Bohimei; The Epitaph of the Allied POWs." |
| 2004.8.7 | The 10th Memorial service was held by the Japanese citizens at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. |
| 2004.8.4-10 | Mr.David Barrett an ex-Australian POW who had been forced to labor at Burma- Thai Railway, and his family came to Japan.They visited the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama, Hiroshima, Kurashiki, and other places during their stay. |
| 2004.7.26 | The Yokohama Bar Association's Special Committee for investigating the B & C Classes War criminal trials published a book entitled "Hohtei no Seijoki, BC Kyu Sempan Yokohama Saiban no Kiroku - The Stars and Stripes of the Military tribunal Records of the Yokohama Military tribunal for Classes B & C War criminals." |
| 2004.6 | The Japan Times carried an article "Casualty of War" by Ms.Kogure on the mistreatment of Iraq POWs. |
| 2004.5.5 | At the POWRNJ study meeting in Tokyo, former Japanese Military personnel, Mr.Masao Hirakubo (served in Burma), Mr.Tatsuo Moroboshi (constructed the Thailand-Burma Railway), and Mr.Sadao Ohba (served 2 years' hard labor on Java Is.after the war) talked about their own experiences. |
| 2004.5.4 | The Japan Times carried an article "Past and Present" by a POWRNJ member, Ms.Satoko Kogure on the former Australians POWs visited Japan in April this year, and the list of the war dead prepared by the POWRNJ. |
| 2004.5.3 | The POWRNJ set up a website on the Internet, and published a list of some 1,700 Allied POWs, whose remains are buried at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. |
| 2004.5.1 | Professor Aiko Utsumi, a POWRNJ member, published a book entitled "Sugamo Purizon Sempan tachi no Heiwa undo; The Sugamo Prison and Peace movements by war criminals." |
| 2004.4.9-18 | Ex-Australian POWs, Mr.Neil MacPherson, Mr.Jack Boon, Mr.Jack Simmonds and their families, a total of 6 persons, came to Japan.They visited the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama, and the sites of Takefu Camp (Osaka #7), Saganoseki Camp ( Fukuoka縲?#13), Senryu Coal Mine Camp (Fukuoka #24), and Mitsui Coal Mine Camp (Fukuoka #17). |
| 2004.4.6 | Study meeting with regard to a POW bill" was held by Representatives Eiko Ishige, Konno Azuma, and interested POWRNJ members.Lawyer Toshiaki Mabe, who is also a POWRNJ member, delivered a lecture. |
| 2004.3.15 | Mr.Grant McLachlan, grandson of a former British POW, came to Japan from NZ to produce a movie.He visited the sites of Mitsushima Camp (Tokyo #12) and Kanose Camp (Tokyo #16), and interviewed the people there. |
| 2004.3.13 | Ms.Noriko Hirata, a POWRNJ member, translated and published "Summer will come gain" by John Lane, who was an Australian POW of during WWII.The Japanese title of the book is "Natsu wa Futatabi yattekuru." Mr.and Mrs.Lane came to Japan to visit the former site of Kobe Camp (Osaka #2) and to attend the publication ceremony. |
2003 |
|
| 2003.11.2-3 | The 3rd General meeting of the POWRNJ took place in Tokyo.Mr.Yuichi Hatto (former Sergeant, served in Omori Camp) and Mr.Tokio Tobita (former Sergeant, served at Shinagawa POW Hospital) delivered a lecture respectively.Thereafter, the members visited the sites of Omori Camp (Tokyo Main Camp) , Shinagawa POW Hospital, and Sumidagawa Camp (Tokyo #10 ) |
| 2003.8.15 | Mrs.Fuyuko Nishisato, a POWRNJ member, translated and published "UNIT 731 Japanese Army's Secret of Secret by Peter Williams & David Wallace under the Japanese title of "731 Butai no Seibtsu-heiki to Amerika Baio-Tero no Keifu." |
| 2003.8.2 | The 9th Memorial service was held by the Japanese citizens at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. |
| 2003.7 | Mr.Shimpei Ishii, a POWRNJ member, translated and published a book entitled "The Wages of Guilt; Memories of War in Germany and Japan" by Ian Buruma, the Japanese title of which is "Senso no Kioku Nihonjin to Doitsujin." |
| 2003.5.21-25 | Five members of the POWRNJ attended the 59th Annual assembly of the American Defenders of Bataan & Corregidor (ADBC) in Albuquerque , New Mexico. |
| 2003.3.19 | Mrs.Yukako Ibuki, a POWRNJ member and others translated "My Hitch in Hell: The Bataan Death Marcy" by Lester I.Tenney, and published under the Japanese title of "Bataan Tohi Michinori." Dr.and Mrs.Tenney attended a party to celebrate the publication of the books. |
2002 |
|
| 2002.10.13-14 | The 2nd General Meeting of the POWRNJ was held at Joetsu City, where Naoetsu Camp (Tokyo #4) had once been located.The members visited the Memorial Peace Park, monuments and a museum built at the former campsite. |
| 2002.9.4-10 | An ex-Australian POW, Mr.Jack Thorpe and his son came to Japan, and visited the site of Tadakuma Coal Mine Camp (Fukuoka #22) in Fukuoka Prefecture, Kure City, and the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. |
| 2002.8.3 | The 8th Memorial Service by the Japanese citizens was held at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama. |
| 2002.7.13-14 | Mr.John Glusman, son of the former American medical officer, who was a captive of the Japanese during the war, came to Japan to visit the sites of Tsumori Camp (Osaka #13) in Osaka and POW Hospital in Kobe. |
| 2002.5.13 | A member of the POWRNJ, Mrs.Fuyuko Nishisato, published a book, "The 731st Biological Warfare Unit of the Japanese Army - whose war crime was acquitted by the US." |
| 2002.4.17 | With cooperation of the POWRNJ, a documentary entitled "Verification of the 212 dog-tags; ex British POWs' scars and post war compensation" was broadcasted. |
| 2002.4.11-16 | Ex-Australian POWs, Mr.Neil MacPherson and Mr.Owen Heron, and their sons came to Japan.They visited the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama and the Senryu Coal Mine Camp site (Fukuoka #24) in Nagasaki Prefecture. |
| 2002.3.31 | The POW Research Network Japan (POWRNJ) was organized in Tokyo. |
