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Japanese memorial rites remember war dead
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Posted on May 12 2009
Another memorial service paying tribute to those who perished during World War II was led by 196 visiting Japanese and about 20 from the local community at Banzaii Cliff on Sunday, a day after over a hundred visiting Koreans and members of the local community held a similar ceremony also in Marpi.
Ayako Matsumoto, vice president of Pacific Eagle Enterprises Inc., event organizer, yesterday said Sunday’s memorial service was led by the Nenpou Shinkyou Buddhist Denomination, which built the peace memorial monument at Banzai Cliff last year.
The monument honors the hundreds of Japanese civilians who jumped to their deaths during the last days of the Pacific War.
“They came back with 196 persons who include Ms. Reiho Inayama, the highest priest of this denomination, two guest priests, Mr. Baigan Ryoushun of the Yuzu Nenbutu Denomination, and the believers,” Matsumoto told Saipan Tribune.
Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Perry Tenorio and Japanese Consul Tsutomu Higuchi joined the group during the ceremony, which included prayers and planting a flame tree and a plumeria tree in honor of those who died during the war.
Before the peace ceremony, the visiting Japanese group cleaned up Banzaii Cliff and other Marpi areas, just like last year.
Carlos Ketebengang, in a separate phone interview, said the group of about 120 individuals collected 460 lbs of trash on Saturday in Marpi in time for the peace memorial the following day.
Matsumoto said the cleanup was done with the help of DEQ’s Ketebengang and Joe Kaipat, along with Marianas Visitors Authority’s Martin Duenas, Frank Tudela and Hiroko Tenorio, and officers and employees of PDI, Aglaia Restaurant, Kan Pacific Saipan Co. Ltd., PMT and Pacific Eagle.
“The Nenpou Shinkyou Buddhist Denomination would like to thank all people who supported them to have a successful ceremony. They would like to come back again next year and the succeeding years to come,” Matsumoto added.
Saipan was a major battleground between Japanese and American forces during World War II.
