Tuesday, June 23, 2009

The Prime Minister Attends the Memorial Ceremony to Commemorate the Fallen on the 64th Anniversary of the End of the Battle of Okinawa

Prime Minister Taro Aso attended the Memorial Ceremony to Commemorate the Fallen on the 64th Anniversary of the End of the Battle of Okinawa, on the Memorial Day for the War Dead, hosted by Okinawa Prefecture at the Peace Memorial Park in Itoman City. The ceremony was attended by Mr. Hirokazu Nakaima, Governor of Okinawa Prefecture, and others representing the prefecture, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the House of Councillors, relevant Cabinet Ministers, and the bereaved family members, who paid tribute to the people who lost their lives to the battle.

At the ceremony, after opening remarks were delivered, attendants observed a minute of silence at noon. That was followed by words of mourning by the Okinawa Association of War Bereaved Families, the offering of white chrysanthemums by representing participants, a peace declaration by Governor Nakaima, and the reciting of a poem by a local elementary school student.

Later, Prime Minister Aso delivered an address. He said, "I express my feeling of sincere mourning for the souls of the war dead. My heart is filled with an immense grief today when I think back to the indescribable anguish experienced by the people of Okinawa. Okinawa, which literally became a burnt-out wasteland, has achieved a remarkable development after the war, overcoming many difficulties through constant efforts by the people of Okinawa. I will continue to make my utmost efforts for the development of Okinawa so as to ensure the people of Okinawa lives of prosperity, and I will also consider the modality of the development while taking into account the Okinawa Prefecture's basic plan.

"An undetonated bomb exploded in Itoman City this January. I once more express my heartfelt sympathy to the victims of the incident. The government has established the Safety Fund for Measures for Undetonated Bombs and Other Matters in order to dispel the anxieties of the people of Okinawa, and will continue to steadily advance measures for undetonated bombs.

"The concentration of the US military facilities in Okinawa is placing a great burden on the people in local communities. I will listen to the sincere voices of the people living in Okinawa and do my utmost to reduce the burden.

"Never have I forgotten that Japan's peace and prosperity today is built on the precious sacrifice of the war dead. Japan should never repeat the tragedy and calamity of war. I will devote my efforts to the creation of peace for the development of Okinawa, of Japan, and of the world."