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39 Japanese remains cremated in Marpi
The Japan Association for Recovery and Repatriation of War Casualties light the 39 located Japanese remains from Saipan and Tinian yesterday at the Banadera trail located in Marpi. (Kimberly A. Bautista)
The Japan Association for Recovery and Repatriation of War Casualties cremated 39 Japanese remains yesterday at the Banadera Trail in Marpi.
It marked the first time World War II remains were cremated in a formal ceremony on Saipan.
The association has been working diligently to locate and repatriate all 70,000 Japanese servicemen and civilians who lost their lives during World War II so they can finally be brought home to their loved ones.
According to Japanese consul to the CNMI Kinji Shinoda, it is their obligation to bring home every single Japanese serviceman and civilian so that they may experience eternal peace.
“Today it was only 39 so we are still trying to find more Japanese remains,” he said. “It is very important to our government and to our people to bring home all the remains back to Japan.”
Shinoda said the community should expect more cremation ceremonies until every single Japanese remain is brought back to Japan.
“There are already grandchildren and great grandchildren who don’t know about them (World War II servicemen), it is very hard to find them here in the CNMI,” he said.
Shinoda is also seeking help from the CNMI government to notify the Japanese government through the JARRWC if possible Japanese remains are located or heard of.
There are currently about 31,500 Japanese remains that have yet to be located on the islands of Saipan and Tinian.
Individuals can reach the JARRWC’s Saipan office at 285-7283, their Tinian office at 287-2857, or their main office at 813-3581-2755.
