Memory of detention in Mongolia still fresh for 107-year-old Japanese man
The imperial couple will offer flowers Tuesday at a memorial for Japanese who were captured by the Soviet Union after World War II and died while detained in Mongolia.
"Without water or food, I had an unimaginable experience," says Yamada, who heads the national association for former detainees and now lives in Nanto, Toyama Prefecture.
In July 1941, at age 23, Yamada received his draft notice, just six months after getting married. He was sent to Manchuria, now northeastern China, where he was assigned to guard aviation fuel at an airfield, among other duties. While in Manchuria, he learned of the birth of his first son. But the baby died when he was 3 months old without ever meeting his father.
Yamada was at an airfield near Dalian, China, when World War II ended.
He thought he could return home, but he was captured by Soviet personnel and forced into labor for the demolition of a coal-fired power plant in Manchuria. That lasted for about three months from September 1945.
In December that year, he was transported to Mongolia. At Harbin railway station, he saw three young soldiers being shot dead while attempting to escape.
In Mongolia, Yamada initially lived in a cave in a meadow and then moved to a camp near the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar in April 1946. He endured extreme cold, with nighttime temperatures dropping to minus 30 degrees Celsius. Even in July, he burned a stove fueled by animal feces.
"It's an unthinkable life for Japanese people today," Yamada says.
He returned to Japan in November 1947. Since then, he has dedicated his life to preserving the memory of the detentions and commemorating the victims. In 2005, he spearheaded a project to install a memorial in Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture, inscribed with the names of people who were born in the prefecture and died during detention in Mongolia. He attends a related memorial service every September.
Having witnessed a fellow detainee express despair the night before he died, Yamada never lost his determination to 'definitely go home.'
Citing Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the situation in Gaza, he stresses, "War should never be started."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Times
32 minutes ago
- Japan Times
Philanthropist Yoshiomi Tamai dies at 90
Yoshiomi Tamai, the founder and longtime president of the Ashinaga Foundation, which has supported over 110,000 orphaned students, died Saturday in Tokyo. He was 90 years old. Tamai died from septic shock at 1:46 a.m. on Saturday at the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center in Shibuya Ward, according to the Ashinaga Foundation. His funeral will be held privately, in accordance with his family's wishes. 'He passed peacefully, surrounded by his family and colleagues from the foundation,' said Ashinaga spokesperson Hokuto Shimada. 'He looked calm, as if simply falling asleep.' Born in 1935 in the city of Ikeda in Osaka Prefecture, Tamai began his life's work after his mother was killed in a traffic accident in 1964. His grief turned into activism as he began advocating for families of traffic accident victims and became the country's first 'traffic critic.' Yoshiomi Tamai | The Ashinaga Foundation In 1969, he co-founded a scholarship foundation for children who had lost their parents as a result of traffic accidents. Recognizing the need to go beyond traffic-related tragedies, Tamai went on to establish the Ashinaga Foundation in 1993, expanding assistance to children who lost their parents to illness, suicide or natural disasters, assuming the role of its vice-chairman. He became its president in 1998. The name of Tamai's charity, Ashinaga, comes from the Japanese translation of 'Daddy-Long-Legs,' a 1912 novel by American author Jean Webster. In the story, an orphaned girl is financially supported and sent to university by a tall stranger whom she sees only once. Inspired by this idea of invisible generosity, the foundation models its work on the principle of helping others without seeking recognition, relying on anonymous benefactors. Over the decades, Ashinaga grew into one of Japan's most prominent nonprofit organizations, known for its scholarship programs and its grassroots fundraising model. The foundation's iconic bokin (fundraising) campaigns, in which student beneficiaries stand on city streets holding donation boxes and calling out to passersby, has become a familiar sight in urban areas, such as at train stations. Through a combination of private donations and corporate support, Tamai led the foundation in raising more than ¥110 billion ($760 million). The funds have enabled over 110,000 orphaned students to attend high school and university. Ashinaga's work also expanded internationally in 2014 with the launch of the Ashinaga Africa Initiative, a long-term education program that selects gifted students from 49 sub-Saharan African countries to study at universities in Japan and elsewhere, with the goal of shaping a generation of leaders equipped to contribute to their home countries' futures. Tamai's contributions to helping orphaned students were also recognized globally. In 2012, he received the Global Fundraising Award for the organization's swift efforts following the Great East Japan Earthquake, and in 2015, he received the Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal for his human rights advocacy and efforts to break the cycle of poverty. Tamai remained closely involved with students supported by the foundation, often referring to them as part of an extended family, with scholars and colleagues alike calling him 'Tama-chan.' "When I first heard his story, I was extremely impressed by his dedication to helping children who had lost one or both parents have brighter futures,' said former Ashinaga intern Zuheily Quinones. 'It's incredibly difficult to stand on your own two feet, let alone pursue higher education, under such severe circumstances. I know he can now rest well knowing he made such a positive impact on thousands of lives through his activism." The foundation said it would continue its mission in Tamai's spirit. 'All of us at Ashinaga are determined to carry on his vision and continue supporting children who have lost a parent,' the organization said in its official statement. 'We ask for your continued support.'
Asahi Shimbun
5 hours ago
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: History lessons too often skip imperial Japan's war atrocities
Imperial Japanese Army troops at the Marco Polo Bridge in the suburbs of Beijing in 1937 where the Second Sino-Japanese War began (Asahi Shimbun file photo) I leafed through the pages of a thick tome titled 'Takasakishishi,' a history of the city of Takasaki in Gunma Prefecture. There, I came across an account of the Imperial Japanese Army's 215th Regiment, which had been stationed in the area during World War II. The unit was deployed to the Burma campaign, a series of military operations fought in what was then the British colony of Burma—today's Myanmar. It was in a village called Kalagon where a notorious atrocity took place. On the evening of July 7, 1945—exactly 80 years ago today—soldiers of the regiment's 3rd Battalion entered and occupied the village under orders to sweep the area for guerrillas suspected of collaborating with British paratroopers. They rounded up the residents and subjected them to harsh interrogations in an effort to identify those aiding British forces. The following day on July 8, out of approximately 1,000 villagers, more than 600 were massacred. Among the victims were children, the elderly, women and men. Later, the soldiers set fire to the village. Records of the postwar British tribunal that investigated the massacre are preserved in the city's history. Maj. Seigi Ichikawa, the commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion, admitted to the killings along with other defendants. However, they claimed that the massacre was 'a lawful reprisal' for acts of hostility committed by some of the villagers. According to Japanese historian Hirofumi Hayashi's 'Sabakareta Senso Hanzai' ("War crimes on trial"), the battalion commander was asked why he had taken the lives of even infants during the tribunal. He replied, 'To save time and accomplish my mission.' He further stated that the orders from his superiors 'included killing the children.' Eighty years after the war, how many people today still remember—or even know of—this incident? Even memories of the victims of war are not easily passed down. All the more so, the history of perpetrators—unless we make a deliberate effort—can all too easily fade without a trace. Today, July 7, is also the anniversary of the 1937 Lugouqiao Incident, better known as the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, when clashes between Chinese and Japanese troops near the Marco Polo Bridge outside Beiping (now Beijing) erupted. This seemingly localized skirmish drew Japan into a dark and disastrous war against China. This too is a grim chapter in Japan's wartime history that must never be forgotten. —The Asahi Shimbun, July 7 * * * Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
Japan Times
10 hours ago
- Japan Times
A furever friend: Tips for responsible dog ownership in Japan
Past the ticket gates, Spencer Walther emerges from the subway, lugging what looks like a large laundry bag. 'Welcome! Welcome to Tokyo!' I squeal, hopping up and down as he deposits his ticket and squeezes past the barrier. 'Is this...?' 'Yep, meet Kitsune,' Walther says. Inside the black pouch, through a mesh window, I can see a red mameshiba — the toy version of Japan's Shiba dog breed — sitting still and stoic as a garden statue. One brown eye rolls toward me imperiously. 'She's ready to be out of her travel bag now.' We put Kitsune in a harness and leash and are soon settling down at a nearby Anea Cafe, a popular restaurant chain that welcomes dogs. Here, Kitsune stretches her legs and enjoys a bowl of yam mash. 'I always knew I wanted a dog,' says Walther, 29, as he watches her scarf down her meal. 'I can't speak Japanese, and dogs also can't speak Japanese. I thought we could relate to each other and not speak Japanese together.' Originally from Wasilla, Alaska, Walther is in his third year of teaching for the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program in Matsumae, Hokkaido — a climate not too different from the one in which he grew up. In the two-and-a-half years since he adopted her, Kitsune has become a favorite companion of Walther's students, coworkers and fellow JETs. She's also become his best friend. Owning a 'fur baby' is on the wishlist of many young newcomers to Japan, particularly those who have pets at home and miss them. Unfortunately, due to the stress of acclimating to a new environment, various Japan-specific obstacles to adoption (including language barriers), animal-prohibitive rental housing and the ongoing expenses that a pet entails, few foreign residents are able to follow through with pet ownership. Yet attaining and properly caring for pets in Japan is possible and, as Walther attests, perhaps not as difficult as people think — so long as a person is well-prepared, responsible and diligent. What follows is a general guide with notes and suggestions for those who are specifically thinking about dog ownership in Japan. Acquiring an animal Japan has rescue shelters as well as some animal cafes that help to rehome pets, such as Cafe Lua and Rescue Dog Cafe Tachikawa. Tokyo-based couple Ice Elloso, 37, and Reyna Marquez, 31, who are from the Philippines and the United States, respectively, adopted their 6-year-old Chihuahua, Lume Chichi, from an 'anifare' (animal welfare) pop-up event run by Animal Refuge Kansai. Depending on where you live, however, it can be challenging to find an agency, as there seems to be less enthusiasm surrounding 'adopt, don't shop' in Japan as in other countries. Reyna Marquez and her partner adopted Lume Chichi from an "anifare" (animal welfare) event run by Animal Refuge Kansai. | Courtesy of Reyna Marquez Once a potential pet owner finds an adoption agency, they may encounter a slew of additional obstacles — especially if, like Walther, they are a foreign resident, unmarried and male. Many animal shelters flatly refuse to give animals to individuals who are neither permanent residents nor citizens of Japan, fearing they could leave the country abruptly and abandon their animals. Even Tokyo resident and Japanese citizen Atsushi Fukumori, 46, who owns a rambunctious corgi named Cai, found it impossible to adopt a rescue dog when he was searching for a pet. 'Some organizations only allow adoption by married couples,' says Fukumori. 'In some cases, the household must include at least one woman ... to be eligible. So for someone like me — a single man — it felt like the barriers were extremely high.' Whether adopting an animal at a shelter or buying one at a pet store, expect long processing times and mountains of paperwork. However, the biggest barrier to pet ownership may not come down to who you are but where you are. Finding a rental that permits animals can be a challenge, limiting your residential options. On top of that, finding a house or apartment — to rent or buy — that is spacious enough to accommodate your pet needs to be taken into consideration. The larger the breed the more you'll need to think about whether they will be comfortable or not. Elloso and Marquez kept their dog's needs in mind when apartment-hunting, while Fukumori used his desire for a pet to make good on his dream of buying a house. Out in small-town Hokkaido, Walther was lucky enough to receive a decently large house from his board of education; he was doubly lucky when the organization told him a dog would be no problem. 'Where I move next might be more risky,' he says. An owner's toolkit Besides vaccines and spaying or neutering dogs on arrival, owners in Japan should consider a list of both helpful and necessary items for their pet. One item Walther stresses for Shiba owners is a harness. Given their small heads and thick necks, collars slip easily from these breeds. Walther also makes sure his house is well-stocked with flea and tick shampoo, as ticks are a particular hazard in Hokkaido. He recounts an episode when he took Kitsune for a hike and found her covered in ticks afterward. Even while avoiding tick-infested areas, he is sure to check his dog carefully for parasites several times a week: looking inside her ears, around her eyes and between her toes. Like humans, dogs can get Lyme disease. Besides travel bags for public transport, Fukumori recommends investing in a car seat harness for keeping dogs safe when traveling by car. He's also a fan of keeping your dog well crate-trained. 'It's much safer and more secure than a dog car seat, in my opinion,' Fukumori says. 'It also becomes incredibly useful during trips or even in emergencies, like natural disasters.' Atsushi Fukumori recommends crate-training your dog for safer transport in cars and emergency situations. | Courtesy of Atsushi Fukumori Less serious but still a point of contention among pet owners in Japan is the idea of pet clothing: It's not unusual to see dachshunds paraded around a park in T-shirts and baseball caps. Marquez and Elloso keep a collection of dresses and tiaras for their Chihuahua daughter, but they point out that shoes are sometimes necessary to protect against hot asphalt or icy snow. Insulated coats can be a blessing for less hardy animals in the colder months. A final reminder, especially for those living in a Japanese city: Bring a bottle of water on walks to wash away urine as a common courtesy. Elloso also champions flushable poop bags, which can be disposed of in any toilet. Traveling with a copilot One privilege dog lovers enjoy more than cat lovers is the prospect of bringing your pet with you on your domestic travels. This has certainly been one of the greatest joys for Walther and Fukumori, who both drive. 'She's great in the car and loves going around,' Walther says. Walther and Kitsune have driven all over Hokkaido, hopped on ferries for road trips across Tohoku and explored the mountains west of Tokyo and Gunma. Two years ago, they summited Mount Fuji together ('She was a little grumpy from the cold') and, more recently, Walther and his father went cycling on the Shimanami Kaido with Kitsune ensconced, princess-like, in a little dog trailer. 'When I'm not driving, the shinkansen is my best friend; they allow dogs (up to 10 kilograms),' Walther says. 'I buy the ¥200 dog pass, but no one's ever asked to see it. Public transport, like Tokyo subways, trains and buses, are very dog-friendly if your dog is small enough and has a travel bag.' Spencer Walther has traveled all over Japan — by car, train and ferry — with Kitsune in tow. | Courtesy of Spencer Walther Though Walther and the others have dogs small enough for easy travel (Fukumori's hefty corgi pushes the upper limits), they all bemoaned the punishing task of finding dog-friendly hotels and Airbnbs. Visiting restrooms, convenience stores and restaurants with a dog leash or travel bag in hand, they agree, can also be difficult — though Elloso and Marquez have the added advantage of being able to pass Lume Chichi off to the other whenever one wants to visit the shops or facilities. Despite the costs and inconveniences, it goes without saying all four interviewees treasure their dogs more than anything. 'I used to worry that having a pet might limit my ability to travel, that it would make my world smaller, but it's the total opposite,' Fukumori says. 'I got my driver's license because of Cai. He's taken me to places I never would have gone on my own.' Walther says he has met and befriended many new people who fawn over Kitsune wherever they go. 'Animals are just the best,' he says, beaming. 'They never let you down. They'll always be there for you on your worst days, happy to see you. ... I think they're the most joyful beings out there.'
