Healing WWII wounds after 70 years: Japan-Naga Reconciliation Summit underway

Alice Yhoshu
KOHIMA, NOVEMBER 28

A two-day Japan-Naga Christian Reconciliation and Revival Summit got underway in Kohima today with a Reconciliation Service held at the Khedi Baptist Church where the Japanese and Naga delegates reminisced on the atrocities their people have committed to each other during the Second World War (WWII) when Kohima became a battlefield then. Seventy-one years on, the two communities have come together to seek forgiveness from one another in a true Christian spirit, closing the wounds of the War in the hope to bring healing to the people of both the countries and to develop friendship through evangelism.
“We want to express to you our heartfelt apologies that the Japanese really caused a lot of trouble, anxiety and problem to you….. We actually should have come here much sooner because the actual battle happened 71 years ago,” said Rev. Jun Takimoto, Senior Pastor Shinshiro Church, Aichi, Japan.
Speaking at the Reconciliation Service on behalf of the Japanese, Rev. Jun while expressing regret that it has taken them seven decades to come and reconcile with the Nagas, said he believed everything works out according to God’s plan and that they (the Japanese) could finally be here today must be part of the providence of God. He said this year is a commemorative year, 70 years after the end of WWII, and in the Bible 70 years is known as a period of time for deliverance and for restoration to take place, and he strongly believes that God must have planned this to happen in this significant year.
“I desire from my heart that in these two days of meetings that the blessing of God will be poured out onto the land of the Nagas,” he stated, adding, “Thank you for everything that you have done for us. We express our desire for repentance and for reconciliation with all of you.”
“The gathering here today is very significant and historic because we are here to seek forgiveness from God and from each other,” asserted Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho, NBCC general secretary, speaking on behalf of the Church in Nagaland. He said the Japanese and the Nagas were not enemies then and now, and even the War was not fought between the two but when the Japanese fought their enemy, the Naga soil particularly Kohima became the battlefield and there was a kind of war of abuse, of unkindness, high handedness, sacred murder and hatred.
“When the war ended, and you returned to your land in fewer numbers you carried with you regrets and hurts. Our population become smaller as well as our hardships were many. Nagaland, especially Kohima region was left like a midnight party whose guests left with all the food consumed with no leftover for the hosts,” he said. He maintained that the occasion is important because the people have come together to bury the past hatred and ask for forgiveness of the wrongs they have done to each other, and strengthen the little kind deeds they have done in between to strengthen their bond.
Stating that the people have lived with guilt for over seventy years and today they want to bury that guilt in love and forgiveness at the feet of the cross of Jesus Christ, the reverend underscored that the church must boldly play the role of bringing healing to the people.
“On behalf of the church as we welcome our Japanese friends we say thank you in the name of God Almighty, and we also say forgive us of the wrong we have done and may the generations to come be friends from this day forth till Jesus returns and take us home to a world where there will be no war, no hatred and no tears of suffering but only worship of Jesus, the lamb of God, the King of kings and the Lord of lords,” he announced.
During the programme, WSBAK executive secretary Rev. Dr. Hevukhu Achumi presided over the ‘Act of Reconciliation’ wherein, delegates from Naga churches and the AJRM delegates from Japan, Thailand, Korea and the USA pledged their forgiveness and reconciliation. The two groups also exchanged Holy Bibles which was followed by a reconciliatory prayer offered by Rev. Achumi.
In his address on behalf of the government of Nagaland, NLA speaker, Chotisuh Sazo highlighted the relationship that India shared with Japan, a gist of WWII and how the Nagas were to be involved in the War, and the pain and sufferings that ensued for the people from the War.
He stated that the participation of Nagas in WWII was mainly due to the Battle of Kohima, which was a part of Burma Campaign and was fought between the British and Japanese forces from 4 April 1944 till 22 June 1944.
While acknowledging that both the Nagas and the Japanese had suffered to a great extent during this war, the legislative assembly speaker said it is good though that today God has opened a way for both Nagas and the Japanese to come together to forgive and reconcile with each other and to reconcile with God.
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“I request our Japanese friends to forgive and forget whatever wrongs that had been committed on Japanese by our people and we too forgive you in the name of the Lord,” Sazo stated.
On behalf of Naga elders and also on behalf of the veterans of the War, Khietso Pienyü from Kohima’s neighbouring village of Chedema and Zhavise Vihienuo of Chiechama also delivered brief speeches and asked for forgiveness from the Japanese in the name of Christ and called upon the Nagas to forgive the Japanese in Christian spirit.
Vihienuo particularly mentioned that many young Nagas who joined the British forces against the Japanese during the War died and many injured, while many Japanese soldiers were also killed by the Nagas. He recalled that as the war became fiercer, there was scarcity of supplies and assistance which resulted with the Japanese indiscriminately entering Naga villages forcefully searching for food and using Nagas into forced labours. This, he said, had angered the Nagas and they retaliated unfavourably towards the Japanese, thereby committing acts of disgrace in the process.
“On behalf of Naga elders and on behalf of the WWII Naga veterans, I plead to the Japanese people to forgive us in God’s name. We also forgive the Japanese people. Let us, in Christian love, unity and as brothers and sisters, testify to the world the way of God’s Kingdom of Peace,” he said.
In his message, the president of the All Japan Revival Mission (AJRM) Rev. Dr. Paul K Ariga said, “We (the Japanese) are here to receive your forgiveness through the Blood of Jesus Christ.” He narrated how God has continuously worked with the Japanese people through the years though they did not know Him.
He talked about his first encounter with the Holy Spirit and how he came to “know” that God has a plan for every nation, every peoples, every tribe and every person, and that it must begin with true repentance. He laid emphasis on 4 Rs- Repentance, Reconciliation, Revival and Reformation- to carry out the plan of the Lord.
Rev. Ariga also informed that on the basis of these 4Rs, the Christian community in Japan, under the aegis of AJRM started a mission to reconcile with people from different countries for war crimes and atrocities that Japan has committed during World War II. He said the AJRM has been to London for reconciliation between the British and the Japanese in 2003, Hawaii (with the Americans) and Korea in 2007, Korea in 2009 and 2011, Taiwan in 2012 and Thailand in 2014 and with the people of Manipur and Nagas this year.
He also delivered a brief sermon based on excerpts from the Bible including the 2nd Chronicles 7:14-16, Galatians 4:4 and Ephesians 2:14.
Rev. Ariga also stressed that to bring a reconciliation of the world, the catalyst must be the Holy Spirit along with the efforts from every believer.
It is interesting to note that the Japan-Naga Reconciliation and Revival Summit initiated by AJRM is being supported by four denominations in Nagaland – the Nagaland Baptist Church Council, Assembly of God Church, Nagaland Pentecostal Church and Nagaland Christian Revival Church.
The Reconciliation Service was chaired by UBC Kohima Pastor and convener of the organix=zing committee, Rev. Dr. Rachülie Vihienuo while the Word of God was read by the Senior Pastor First Assembly of God Church Kohima, Rev. TR Angami, welcome address was delivered by Pastor Khedi Baptist Church Rev. Sehu Belho, and Pheluopfhelie Kesiezie conveyed a message of greetings from Kohima Village.