23 June
Hundreds of people gathered in Imphal, northeastern India, to remember those who died in one of the fiercest battles of World War Two.
About 250 people took part in the ceremony on Saturday marking the 75th anniversary of the failed operation by the Imperial Japanese Army. In 1944, the Imperial Army launched the offensive in northeast India with the aim of attacking British forces stationed there. Tens of thousands of Japanese, British and Indian soldiers died in what came to be known as the Battle of Imphal.
An estimated 30,000 Japanese troops perished as they fought with limited supplies. During the ceremony, relatives of the fallen Japanese, as well as Indian and British representatives, observed a moment of silence at the foot of the hill where deadly fighting took place. To mark the occasion, the media was given a preview of the Imphal Peace Museum before its public opening on June 29. The facility displays items left by Japanese soldiers and plaques commemorating local civilians who died in the battle.
A local college student said no soldier willingly took part in the battle and that India and Japan should look toward the future to build a positive relationship.—NHK
