Share
Principal Secretary, School Education, Menukhol John and officials with the Japanese delegation at Chief Secretary's Conference Hall on Sep. 10. (DIPR)[/caption]
Dimapur, Sep. 10 (EMN): A Japanese team tasked with recovering the remains of its soldiers killed in the Great War has arrived in Nagaland for a 10-day visit.
According to a DIPR report, the Japan Association for Recovery and Repatriation of War Casualties (JARRWC), after reaching Kohima, held a meeting on Tuesday with officials of Nagaland government at the chief secretary’s conference call on Tuesday.
For decades, Japan has collected and recollected fragments of its devastating war history. ‘Bone collecting’ missions were sent to various parts of the Asia-Pacific and on the 70th anniversary of World War II (in 2015), the Japanese government revealed plans to repatriate the remains of over one million soldiers.
Since then, the JARRWC has been operating in South and Southeast Asia, Russia and East Asia, and the Pacific, to fulfil its task.
According to the DIPR, the Japanese team will be interviewing people with information about the remains of the Japanese war dead.
“Besides that, field investigation of burial sites of the remains will be done based on the information collected in research activities…the team will be visiting villages like Jotsoma, Kigwema, Riisoma etc., under Kohima district where the information of the mortal remains of Japanese war dead is found,” it reported.
Leader of the Japanese team, Kazuhiko Furumoto, requested the state government to support their survey mission and provide safety and security measures wherever and whenever needed.
“He also sought the support and guidance of Anthropology department, Kohima Science College in ascertaining the information about the mortal remains from anthropological aspects. He mentioned that the next phase of exploration is scheduled to be conducted from November 10-24, 2019 where the team will focus not only in plain areas but also in hilly and mountainous areas. In the 2nd phase, the team will visit Yikhum village under Wokha district, Chakhabama, Jessami etc.,” read the report.
The state government also assured to support the mission and provide security measures in addition to providing necessary assistance and information, it stated.
The delegation also agreed to have a meeting with the state government before the team leaves Nagaland after the end of the 2nd phase in November.
The Principal Secretary of School Education, Menukhol John chaired the meeting.