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Courtesy Call on Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Koichiro Gemba by Former Australian Prisoners of War

November 29, 2011
Japanese

Tuesday, November 29, from 2:20 p.m. for about 15 minutes, 12 people including five former Australian prisoners of war and their family members, who are visiting Japan on the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, paid a courtesy call on Mr. Koichiro Gemba, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan. The overview of the meeting is as follows.

1. Minister Gemba said to the Australian POWs that he hoped this visit would contribute to the reconciliation and to strengthen friendship between the two countries. Minister Gemba reiterated Japan’s feelings of deep remorse and heartfelt apology for the tremendous damages and sufferings Japan inflicted on the many people involved during the war, including former Australian prisoners of war who had suffered a tragic experience. Minister Gemba presented each of the five former prisoners of war with copies of relevant documents including an extract from the roster of the prisoners of war during their time in captivity. Minister Gemba noted that preparations are ongoing to hand over to Australia copies of all records kept in Japan since the end of the war, including "individual records" of Australian prisoners of war, and said that he hoped the handover would be done as soon as possible.
   
   
2. On behalf of the Australian members, Mrs. Lorna Johnston expressed their appreciation to the Japanese/POWs Friendship Program, and said she was looking forward to the rest of the events of the invitation programme. She also stated that she hoped the visit would contribute to enhance peaceful and friendly relations between Japan and Australia toward the future.
   
   
3. The two sides had exchanges of opinion in a warm atmosphere. A member told that they were warmly welcomed at the sites visited and another said that she had not visited Tokyo in the last 70 years and was surprised to see how Tokyo developed marvellously after the city had been reduced to rubble after World War II.

• (*The foregoing is a provisional translation. The date indicated above denotes the date of issue of the original press release in Japanese.)

Related Information (Japan-Australia Relations)