TOKYO —

Japanese peace groups are set to unveil a cenotaph in Guam on May 18 to honor the more than 20,000 Japanese and U.S. soldiers as well as islanders who lost their lives in the Battle of Guam in 1944. Peace Ring of Guam, a Guam-based nonprofit organization, and its Japanese arm have erected the monument by the sea in Agat Village, one of two locations on the western coast where U.S. forces landed and fought with Japanese troops.

Kensuke Haga, vice president of the Guam group, said he hopes many Japanese tourists will visit the Agat WWII Peace Memorial Monument and learn about wartime incidents on the resort island including massacres by Japanese soldiers of members of the local Chamorro ethnic group. “‘We want to share the pain Japan inflicted on the Chamorro people during the war to create true friendship between Japan and Guam,’’ Haga, 59, said.

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5 Comments

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  soothsayer at 09:03 AM JST - 5th May

  I take my hats off to these people. The government should take a leaf out of their books.

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  Area66 at 12:34 PM JST - 5th May

  To soothsayer, I can only add 'Ditto'... and point out that your post here doth prove you a sayer of sooth.

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  GrouchyGaijin at 06:48 PM JST - 5th May

  On a recent trip to Guam, and having burrowed through the tunnels used by the guy who stayed there until the 70's....I was reminded of McArthur's musing aloud, as he walked through the rubble of Tokyo: "What were these people thinking?"

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  OssanULTRA at 11:47 PM JST - 5th May

  "We want to share the pain Japan inflicted on the Chamorro people during the war to create true friendship between Japan and Guam,’’ Haga, 59, said."

  This is actually pretty impressive. Escpeacially since I've never even heard of the Chamorro people of Guam. Hat's off to Mr Haga. In the same vein, I have yet to hear any American, individual or organization say anything about what we did to the Moro peoples of the Phillipines.

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  amerijap at 04:19 AM JST - 10th May

  First, the location inferred me that the memorial was for those 'Nisei' Japanese-American who fought for their pride by joining the army(the 244th battalion?, I guess) to fight for their country( the U.S.) despite their own situation (racism and life in concentration camp during WWII).

  Turns out this is a different one. But, well, it's quite impressive, especially for those who are struggling to find their ethnic/cultural identities throughout its history of island.

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