Key Facts
• August 23: Memorial held at Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery, Tokyo.
• Approximately 180 attendees, including former internees and families, offered flowers.
• Event marks 80 years since Stalin’s secret internment directive in 1945.
• 17,000 unidentified remains of internees stored at the cemetery.
• Many remains remain uncollected from Siberia.
• Former internee Katsumi Nishikura, 100, emphasized the harsh conditions victims faced.
• Yoshinori Ezoe, 81, shared his father’s story, whose remains are still missing.
• Victims’ names, compiled by the late Tsuneo Murayama, were read aloud.
• 46,300 names read over four days by 100 participants nationwide.
• Kayoko Hataguchi, 72, read 322 names, highlighting the importance of remembering individuals.
Summary
A memorial event was held on August 23 at Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery in Tokyo to honor victims of Siberian internment after World War II. Approximately 180 attendees, including former internees and their families, paid tribute by offering flowers. The event, organized by the Siberian Internees Support Center, coincided with the 80th anniversary of Stalin’s secret directive initiating the internment. The cemetery houses 17,000 unidentified remains, with many still uncollected. Former internee Katsumi Nishikura, 100, highlighted the severe conditions victims endured, while Yoshinori Ezoe, 81, shared his father’s tragic story. A separate event featured the reading of 46,300 victims’ names, compiled by the late Tsuneo Murayama, over four days. Participants, including Kayoko Hataguchi, 72, emphasized the importance of remembering each individual to preserve history and promote peace.
