A special memorial service for the dead wac conducted in Japan Memorial in Tanjung Merah region, Bitung, yesterday. The Irei Sai (Consolation Rite) ceremony, led by Rear Admiral Masao Kawamura, Commander of Japan Training Squadron, Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF), was attended by about
200 crew of JDS Shimayuki.
There is no official data of how many Dai Nippon (Japanese soldiers) died along the coast of Bitung during World War II. However, many believes that there were thousand of them. Locals also believe that some oftheir spirits still lingers. There are many unconfirmed stories of locals seeing Japanese soldiers wandering thereabout at nights, or stories of what sounds like Japanese words being spoken there while there were nobody there.
The ceremony attracted the attention of hundred of locals. They gathered around the memorial service site. The atmosphere of the ceremony is such that they seemed to know that it was a sacred secremony. So, unusually, they spoke to each other in a very low tone, almost unheard to the one they spoke to.
After the ceremony, which take about 1 hour to conclude, Rear Admiral Kawamura said Japanese Navy is in North Sulawesi to participate in Sail Bunaken, especially the International Fleet Eeview, and also to enhance the good relationship between his country and Indonesia. He also said that event provide a kind of a break for the crew and an opportunity to replenish their logistics. He also congratulate Bitung as a beautiful, orderly, and safe city
