[caption id="attachment_116671" align="alignnone" width="560"]
Japanese ambassador Kenji Hiramatsu speaking at Khurai Chingangbam Mandop in Imphal, where around 100 people were killed during Japanese bombing during world war II on April 20 (1944), Sunday.[/caption]
Imphal, May 21 (EMN): Japan Government will start collection of the remains of war in Manipur and Nagaland within this fiscal year, according to Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu.
“We’re planning to send a team of people to collect the (war) remains within this fiscal year to make sure that as many as remains can be collected,” said Japanese Ambassador. He also sought support from governments of Manipur and Nagaland.
However Ambassador Kenji after attending a floral tribute ceremony on Sunday at Khurai Chingangbam Mandap in Imphal on where around 100 civilians were killed during Japanese bombing in WWII 74 years ago, did not elaborate the details of the upcoming collection project. The function was organised by Chingangbam Mandop Sevayak Committee.
The battles of Imphal and Kohima which took place from March until July 1944 were among the bitterest battles during World War II wherein Japanese armies which attempted to destroy the Allied forces, but were returned back into Burma with heavy losses. The fight for Imphal went on longer than that for Kohima, lasting from March until July. Kohima was smaller in scale, and shorter, from April to June.
Presumably, there are still approximately ten thousand remains of the Japanese soldiers in the region, Japanese envoy said while addressing the 73rd anniversary of battle of Imphal, World War II held under the aegis of Manipur Tourism Forum and 2nd World War Imphal campaign foundation in association with Tourism department, on Saturday.
It is estimated that 5000 soldiers of Indian National Army, 5,000 soldiers of the British Commonwealth Force and 30,000 soldiers of the Japanese Army sacrificed their lives. The people of Manipur and Nagaland suffered greatly from these battles and aerial bombings.
The visiting Japanese envoy also had a discussion with Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh before leaving the state on Sunday morning, on possible future, cooperative projects including infrastructure development and people to people exchange programs.
He also announced that a seminar will be held in November for Indian students who are desirous of studying in Japan.
“The Japanese government is inviting 25 persons from Manipur and Nagaland to visit Japan,” Hiramatsu said. Interestingly the popular seasonal flower, which was in fact newly reported in India last month by a Manipur based scientist of North East institute of Science and Technology became the centre of attraction during yesterday’s anniversary function.
Known as Kombirei (in Manipuri) or Kakitsubata (in Japanese), this mauve-blue colour flower Iris Laevagata Fisch(Japanese iris), was an indigenous species of Japan for more than one thousand years, according to Japanese Ambassador.
Terming the use of this flower in Manipuri New Year- Cheiraoba in April every year as a “mysterious link between Japan and Imphal”, he said. Reacting to it, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren while addressing the gathering, jokingly said that the flower might have passed (to Japan) from Manipur) as people here offered it during Cheiraoba every year.
However the visiting Japanese envoy said their humble initiatives will bear fruits and seeds and eventually bloom as flowers of friendship between Japan and the states of Manipur and Nagaland.
