Letter from Cebu (8) ”Relations between Japan and Cebu – Remembering the War Dead
2022/9/7
Letter from Cebu (No.8)
“Relations between Japan and Cebu – Remembering the War Dead”
“Relations between Japan and Cebu – Remembering the War Dead”
(Statue of the Goddess of Mercy in Cebu)
I explained in “Letter from Cebu (6)”, that there were fierce battles between the US forces that landed on Cebu on March 26, 1945, and Japanese forces stationed around the stronghold where the Statue of the Goddess of Mercy is located, and that after the stronghold fell on April 16, the remaining soldiers moved to the north of the island, being engaged with sporadic fighting, and they surrendered after the war ended on August 15, 1945. More than 6,000 people died of battles or of diseases.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare dispatched a team for recovering the remains of the war dead for the first time in Cebu in 1974. After that, friends and families of the war dead visited Cebu and inserted several wooden stick memorial markers into the soil.
Several years later, a new hotel (Cebu Plaza Hotel) was planned to be built in that place, and there were voices that the wooden memorial markers should be removed. Mr. Sadahiro Okada, (Former Lieutenant Commander, Accountant officer and Adjunct base commander of the stronghold) was concerned about this removal plan. The then the President of Kuraray Chemical, Mr. Toyoshima, who was a friend of Mr. Okada, asked his official, Mr. Kosuge, stationed in Cebu as a member of Cenapro Chemical Corporation, to gather necessary information. Mr. Kosuge visited Mr. Soriya who had taken care of the memorial markers.
In 1979, the first Naval forces memorial group led by Mr. Okada (32 members) visited Cebu. The Cebu Plaza Hotel formally asked the group to remove memorial markers. The two sides negotiated and agreed as follows;
The memorial markers will be removed by the memorial group.
A Statue of the Goddess of Mercy will be built instead.
The memorial group will bear the cost of construction and repair.
The hotel will provide the land for the statue for free.
The hotel will maintain and take care of the statue.
On May 21, 1983, the unveiling ceremony of the statue was held when the third Naval forces memorial group visited Cebu. The memorial party was held at the Plaza hotel that night. Commanders of Philippine Army, Navy and Air Force, the Mayor of Cebu City, and the Mayor of Mandaue City, and other dignitaries attended the party.
I explained in “Letter from Cebu (6)”, that there were fierce battles between the US forces that landed on Cebu on March 26, 1945, and Japanese forces stationed around the stronghold where the Statue of the Goddess of Mercy is located, and that after the stronghold fell on April 16, the remaining soldiers moved to the north of the island, being engaged with sporadic fighting, and they surrendered after the war ended on August 15, 1945. More than 6,000 people died of battles or of diseases.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare dispatched a team for recovering the remains of the war dead for the first time in Cebu in 1974. After that, friends and families of the war dead visited Cebu and inserted several wooden stick memorial markers into the soil.
Several years later, a new hotel (Cebu Plaza Hotel) was planned to be built in that place, and there were voices that the wooden memorial markers should be removed. Mr. Sadahiro Okada, (Former Lieutenant Commander, Accountant officer and Adjunct base commander of the stronghold) was concerned about this removal plan. The then the President of Kuraray Chemical, Mr. Toyoshima, who was a friend of Mr. Okada, asked his official, Mr. Kosuge, stationed in Cebu as a member of Cenapro Chemical Corporation, to gather necessary information. Mr. Kosuge visited Mr. Soriya who had taken care of the memorial markers.
In 1979, the first Naval forces memorial group led by Mr. Okada (32 members) visited Cebu. The Cebu Plaza Hotel formally asked the group to remove memorial markers. The two sides negotiated and agreed as follows;
The memorial markers will be removed by the memorial group.
A Statue of the Goddess of Mercy will be built instead.
The memorial group will bear the cost of construction and repair.
The hotel will provide the land for the statue for free.
The hotel will maintain and take care of the statue.
On May 21, 1983, the unveiling ceremony of the statue was held when the third Naval forces memorial group visited Cebu. The memorial party was held at the Plaza hotel that night. Commanders of Philippine Army, Navy and Air Force, the Mayor of Cebu City, and the Mayor of Mandaue City, and other dignitaries attended the party.
(Statue of Goddess of Mercy in Cebu)
（The Filipino-Japanese Memorial Monument at Plaza Independencia）
The Statue of the Goddess of Mercy was established mainly by ex-Naval forces members and their bereaved families and friends. It is not known who founded the Filipino-Japanese Memorial Monument located at Plaza Independencia, in front of Fort San Pedro, Cebu City.
But there is the following unconfirmed information about this memorial.
“This memorial is believed to have been founded by those who were related to the Imperial Army 173rd Independent Infantry battalion led by Lieutenant Colonel Seiichi Onishi. The Onishi battalion arrived in Cebu on January 22nd 1944. Their mission was to eradicate Filipino guerrillas and they succeeded in that mission. But, with the end of the World War II, Lieutenant Colonel Onishi was accused by the local people as a BC class war criminal and faced the Far East Military Tribunal in Manila. At the tribunal, US Army Lieutenant Colonel James M. Cushing, who led the guerrillas, testified that Onishi just followed orders from his superior, and was not guilty. Lieutenant Colonel Onishi was not executed. He was released after being sent to the Sugamo prison.”
This memorial says as follows;
“This memorial is dedicated to the Filipino and Japanese war dead during the last war. Time has taught us a lesson that no gains have been achieved by victories in war. On the other hand, Peace has brought about love and brotherhood amongst the peoples on this earth. It is therefore our hope that there shall be no more wars in the future to come upon us and that everlasting peace shall ever reign on this earth.”
The Statue of the Goddess of Mercy was established mainly by ex-Naval forces members and their bereaved families and friends. It is not known who founded the Filipino-Japanese Memorial Monument located at Plaza Independencia, in front of Fort San Pedro, Cebu City.
But there is the following unconfirmed information about this memorial.
“This memorial is believed to have been founded by those who were related to the Imperial Army 173rd Independent Infantry battalion led by Lieutenant Colonel Seiichi Onishi. The Onishi battalion arrived in Cebu on January 22nd 1944. Their mission was to eradicate Filipino guerrillas and they succeeded in that mission. But, with the end of the World War II, Lieutenant Colonel Onishi was accused by the local people as a BC class war criminal and faced the Far East Military Tribunal in Manila. At the tribunal, US Army Lieutenant Colonel James M. Cushing, who led the guerrillas, testified that Onishi just followed orders from his superior, and was not guilty. Lieutenant Colonel Onishi was not executed. He was released after being sent to the Sugamo prison.”
This memorial says as follows;
“This memorial is dedicated to the Filipino and Japanese war dead during the last war. Time has taught us a lesson that no gains have been achieved by victories in war. On the other hand, Peace has brought about love and brotherhood amongst the peoples on this earth. It is therefore our hope that there shall be no more wars in the future to come upon us and that everlasting peace shall ever reign on this earth.”
（The Filipino-Japanese Memorial Monument）
(The memorial monument commemorating the fourteenth Southern Army hospital)
The Fourteenth Southern Army Hospital was located in Cebu from August 1942 to April 1945. The hospital was forced to shift to many places in the Philippines as the military situation worsened. The hospital had 455 medical staff and 600 to 800 patients during the peak period, only 30% of them survived when the war ended. The Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Hospital is operating in the place where the fourteenth Army hospital was located.
The Fourteenth Southern Army Hospital was located in Cebu from August 1942 to April 1945. The hospital was forced to shift to many places in the Philippines as the military situation worsened. The hospital had 455 medical staff and 600 to 800 patients during the peak period, only 30% of them survived when the war ended. The Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Hospital is operating in the place where the fourteenth Army hospital was located.
(The fourteenth Southern Army hospital memorial monument)
Hideki YAMAJI
Consul General of Japan in Cebu
Consul General of Japan in Cebu
(Reference)
“Origins of the Statue of the Goddess of Mercy”, Memorial team of visiting Cebu, Supporting group for the Statue of the goddess of mercy
History of Kuraray chemical, Chapter 6
Cebu-toh Tsushin 1998 September Vol47
Cebu-toh Tsushin 2002 July VOL 111
Cebu-toh Tsushin 2009 July VOL 169
“Origins of the Statue of the Goddess of Mercy”, Memorial team of visiting Cebu, Supporting group for the Statue of the goddess of mercy
History of Kuraray chemical, Chapter 6
Cebu-toh Tsushin 1998 September Vol47
Cebu-toh Tsushin 2002 July VOL 111
Cebu-toh Tsushin 2009 July VOL 169
(end)