Japanese cemeteries and cenotaphs

Many Japanese cemeteries (日本人墓地, Nihonjin bochi) and cenotaphs are located outside of Japan for Japanese people who died by various reasons and situations in history and internees during and after war. This article also lists tomb and burial places.

History

Many Japanese people traveled and died, women Karayuki-san in 19th century, then naturalization, emigration, and dispatch of forces in war. In Japanese history, oldest Japantown and Japanese cemetery is in Ayutthaya of Thailand in 14th to 18th century, and known name Yamada Nagamasa is considered as the first person be buried in out of Japan. Cemetery of war dead of Imperial Japanese Navy was attacked by Torpedo from U-boat, under Anglo-Japanese Alliance in Malta is one of furthest location from Japan, and many burial place of Japanese prisoners of war in Siberia. In Pacific War, Nanpō Islands, Philippines, New Guinea and Pacific Islands were fierce battle place and many Japanese cemetery, cenotaph or interment for war dead, and many remains is still scattered and lost in spite of the fellow soldiers organizations and/or Japanese government team seek remains.

Location, name of cemetery, cenotaph and tomb

Asia

Bhutan

• Paro - Burial place with pagoda of botanist Keiji Nishioka(西岡京治)

Cambodia

• Phnom Penh - Cenotaph, Haruyuki Takada (高田 晴行）, police, Line of duty death participate in United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia – Phnom Penh
• Siem Reap Province - Tomb, Taizo Ichinose
• Kampong Thom City, Kampong Thom Province - Atsu Elementary and junior high school and monument A in garden bearing the name Atsuhito Nakata built by his father with donation of Japanese, based on wish of local people, instead of initial idea of food supply after water flood in 1998.^[1]

China

• Hong Kong – Japanese cemetery, 465 tombs of Japanese died in Hong Kong in 67 years from 1878 to 1945.^[2]
• Harbin, Fangzheng County, Heilongjiang – Japanese Cemetery in 中日友好园林(方正地区日本人公墓)

India

• Imphal - Cenotaph, the brave Japanese war dead in Battle of Imphal (Kanji: インパール作戦戦没者勇士の碑; rōmaji: Inpaaru sakusen senbotsusha yuushi no hi)
• Worli, Mumbai - Mumbai Japanese cemetery, 3000 Japanese was in Mumbai area to procure cotton in the early Shōwa period. The most remains and property of deceased were brought back to Japan, and only 30 remains there as of 2008. – Mumbai

Indonesia

• Jakarta - Kalibata Heroes Cemetery, Ex-Japanese soldier of Pacific War participate Indonesian National Revolution
• Tabanan Regency - Cemetery park, Ex-Japanese soldier of Pacific War participate Indonesian National Revolution, Taman Pujaan Bangsa Margarana (Kanji:マルガ英雄墓地公園; rōmaji: Maruga eiyu bochi kouen)

Kazakhstan

• Karaganda - Burial cenotaph, repose of souls of Japanese prisoners of war (平和鎮魂 日本人埋葬碑 Heiwa chinkon Nihonjin maisouhi)

Laos

• Vientiane Province, Nam Ngum Dam - Several Japanese engineer surveying dam candidate location, boat overturn and died in December 1960. Burial is in premise of temple close to dam.^[3]

Malaysia

• Labuan, Borneo, Labuan Peace Park – Monument of Borneo war dead (ボルネオ戦没者の碑, Chubu taiheiyou senbotsusha no hi) for 12,000 war dead in Borneo and surrounding ocean area. (Constructed by Japanese government and with cooperation of government of Malaysia and government of Sabah in September 1982.)^[4]
• Kota Kinabalu Japanese cemetery
• Sandakan Japanese cemetery
• Tawau Japanese cemetery
• Kuala Lumpur Japanese cemetery. Cenotaph of accidentally killed people on Japan Airlines Flight 715.
• Johor Bahru Japanese cemetery
• Kuching Japanese cemetery
• Miri Japanese cemetery (in Tun Datu Tuanku Haji Bujang College)
• Penang Japanese cemetery
• Ipoh Japanese cemetery
• Malacca Japanese cemetery
• Kuala Terengganu Japanese cemetery

Mongolia

To resolve lack of labor power, Mongolian government requested to transfer Japanese prisoners of war in the Soviet Union in October and December 1945, total 12,318 Japanese prisoners forced to work and more than 1,600 died.^[5] There are 16 Japanese cemetery including listed below.

• Altanbulag Selenge Province Japanese cemetery
• Sükhbaatar Japanese cemetery
• Ulaanbaatar, ダンバダルジャー Japanese cemetery - ダンバダルジャー cenotaph of Japanese (ダンバダルジャー日本人慰霊碑, Danbadarujya Nihonjin ireihi) and Cenotaph of Japanese died (日本人死亡者慰霊碑, Nihonjin shibousha ireihi), for approximately 1,700 Japanese prisoners died after war ended.(Constructed by Japanese government in October 2001.)^[6][5]
• Borujiburan (ホジルブラン) Japanese cemetery^[5]
• Nanaiha(ナライハ) burial（12 Japanese）^[5]

Myanmar

• Yangon Japanese cemetery – For Karayuki-san and Pacific War war dead. Monument of Peace, Burma (ビルマ平和記念碑, Biruma heiwa kinen hi), memorial to approximately 190,000 war dead and pray peace. (Constructed by Japanese government in March 1981, then moved and larger in size by Myanmar government in March 1998.)

Nepal

• Mustang District – Tomb, with part of ashes, Toru Kondo (近藤亨), contributed development of Mustang District.

North Korea

Cemetery and burial place of Japanese people lived in South Korea area before and after World War II. There are 71 cemetery and burial place in North Korea.^[7]

• Suburb of Pyongyang – Yongsan cemetery (龍山墓地), 2421 people evacuated to Pyongyang after World War II finish, August 15, 1945, and died in October 1945 to April 1946 due to cold temperature, lack of foods and/or illness.^[8]
• Hamhung – Cemetery and burial place.

Philippines

One of the bloodiest battlefields of Pacific War, there are many cenotaph.^[9]

• Luzon – Approximate 270 cenotaph in various locations. Kalayaan – Cenotaph of war dead in Comrades Association in arms (比島戦没者の碑, fuiripin senbutsusha no hi), commemorate approximate 500,000 Japanese war dead in Battle of Luzon. Constructed by Japanese government in March 1973.^[10]
• Visayas – Approximate 110 cenotaph in various locations, Japanese war dead of Battle of the Visayas.
• Mindanao - Approximate 20 cenotaph in various locations, Japanese war dead of Battle of Mindanao
• Leyte - Cenotaph in Tacloban, Ormoc and various locations. approximate 80,000 Japanese killed in action out of 520,000 war dead in Battle of Leyte. Guanyin, Madonna Maria (マドンナマリア観音, Madonna Maria Kanon), a peace commemoration statue between Asia, including Philippines, and Japan in the Kanfuraw Hill where Tacloban City hall is. There is Isao Yamazoe (山添　勇夫) Shrine in Dulag Airfield.
• Guiuan, Eastern Samar, Samar – Cenotaph in Dumpao Beach.

Russia (Asia region)

Almost died Japanese is Japanese prisoners of war in the Soviet Union.

• Primorsky Krai – 146 Japanese cemetery or burial place.^[11]
• Norilsk, Krasnoyarsk Krai – Cenotaph of deceased father and others, constructed by son under valuable efforts of a student from Russia to Japan, on 2 October 2015.^[12][13]
• Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Sakhalin Oblast – Japanese cemetery, location is from downtown to airport mid-way.^[11]
• Smirnykh, Sakhalin Oblast - Cenotaph, Sakhalin-Kuril Islands war dead (樺太・千島戦没者慰霊碑, Karafuto･Chishima Senbotsusha ireihi) (Constructed by Japanese government in November 1996.^[14]
• Former Maokacho (真岡町, Maokacho), Kholmsk, Sakhalin Oblast – Cenotaph of rest in peace, constructed at former Japanese cemetery place, by affiliate Maokacho people interested, in August 1995.^[15]
• Nagornaya street, Nakhodka - Japanese cemetery.^[11]
• Listvyanka, Irkutsky District, Irkutsk Oblast, Khabarovsk – Japanese cemetery place, Cenotaph, Japanese dead (日本人死亡者慰霊碑, Nihonjin shibousha ireihi) approximate 60,000 and pray eternal peace in Siberia. (constructed by Japanese government July 1995.^[14]
• Irkutsk Oblast – Cenotaph and approximate 40 burial (including oblast government built 14).^[14]
• Amur Oblast - Cenotaph and approximate 41 burial (including oblast government built 1).^[14]

Singapore

• Japanese Cemetery Park

South Korea

• Geumjeong District, Busan Metropolitan City - Cenotaph, immigrated Japanese (Kanji: 日本人塚移安之碑; rōmaji: Nihonjin tuka ian no hi)
• Port Hamilton - Japanese cemetery, removal after Treaty of San Francisco

Taiwan

• Tainan - Houkakuji temple (宝覚寺) Japanese cremated remains morgue. The former Japanese cemetery (三板橋墓地) before was exhumation and displacement took place in 1997. Then tomb of Akashi Motojiro moved to Cemetery (福音山基督教墓地) in Sanzhi District, Taipei, other remains moved to Hougakuji temple 宝覚寺 in Taichung.
• Sanzhi District, Taipei – tomb of Akashi Motojiro
• Taipei – Tomb of Teacher Mr. Rokushin(六氏先生)
• Taipei - Cyuwa zenji(中和禪寺) Japanese cremated remains morgue
• Tainan - Tomb of Yoichi Hatta and his wife.
• Kaohsiung - 覆鼎金 Japanese cemetery
• Hualien County – Japanese cemetery of Houden　immigration village (豊田移民村日本人墓地)
• Hualien County – Konohon company Communal cemetery (コノホン社共同墓地)
• Pingtung County 恒春県 Cyouonji temple (潮音寺) - At Bashi Channel, Imperial Japanese Navy destroyer Kuretake (呉竹), transport Tamatsu Maru and many other ships attacked then shipwrecking by United States Navy in Pacific War time. This area was called Cemetery of Ships (Fume no hakaba; 船の墓場) in Japan, more than 100,000 killed in action. Japanese veteran Hidetsugu Nakajima (-2013) (中嶋秀次) survived for 12 days and saved in August 1944. He built ’’Cyouonji’’ temple (潮音寺) privately with his cost in 1981 for killed fellow soldier memorialization and, 60 deceased's family, Taiwanese and Japanese attended menorial ceremony in August 2015.^[16]

Tajikistan

• Dushanbe, Tajikistan office of United Nations Development Programme - Cenotaph, Yutaka Akino (秋野豊), voluntary participate from Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan) staff, dead on duty of United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan.^[17]

Thailand

• Ayutthaya - Japanese cemetery is in Ayutthaya
• Kanchanaburi - Cenotaph, Kanchanaburi Memorial Monument (Kanji: カンチャナブリー慰霊塔; rōmaji: Kanchanaburi ireitou), Japanese soldiers worked to build Mueang Kanchanaburi District Burma Railway, including prisoner of war of Allies of World War II and workers from the Southeast Asia region. Built by Japanese army railway build troops in 1944. Epitaph is in language with Japanese, English, Malay, Tamil, Chinese and Vietnamese.

Uzbekistan

Thirteen Japanese cemeteries in Uzbekistan.^[18][19]

• Andijan
• Angren
• Bekabad
• Bukhara
• Chirchiq
• Fergana
• Kokand
• Tashkent – Tashkent Japanese prisoners of war in Tashkent Yakkasaray citizen cemetery (ヤッカサライ市民墓地内タシケント抑留日本人墓地)^[20][21]

Vietnam

Hội An - Hội An Japanese cemetery, 30 years after many Japanese started foreign trade by Red seal ships, but Sakoku began then people could not return to Japan and died there.

Africa

Madagascar

• Two cenotaph of four Japanese Imperial Japanese Navy killed in Battle of Madagascar in Antsiranana, named Diego-Suarez prior to 1975. First cenotaph for two of four Japanese constructed in 1976 by Japanese embassy. Second cenotaph of four Japanese constructed by voluntary war veteran in 1997.

Oceania

Australia

• Cowra - Cemetery of Cowra breakout Japanese.
• Broome, Western Australia – Approximately 900 burial of Japanese immigrate in Meiji period from Taiji, Wakayama pearl picking by diving.
• Thursday Island, Queensland – Japanese cemetery, immigrated in Meiji period to end of World War II pearl picking by diving.

Guam

• South Pacific Memorial Park, Cenotaph of South Pacific war dead and ossuary built in May 1970.^[22]

New Zealand

• Featherston – Memorial enotaph of Featherston prisoner of war camp

Northern Mariana Islands

• Banzai Cliff, North end of Saipan – Cenotaph of war dead in central pacific Ocean (中部太平洋戦没者の碑, Chubu taiheiyou senbotsusha no hi) for 43,000 Japanese killed in action and 12,000 war dead citizen regardless of nationality including Japanese migratior to Saipan, Tinian, Guam islands till 1945 war end.(constructed by Japanese government and with cooperation of government of Northern Mariana Islands in March 1974.)

Papua New Guinea

• Wewak - Cenotaph of New Guinea campaign war dead (ニューギニア戦没者の碑, Nyuginia senbotsusya no hi), Commemorate and reward for 130,000 Japanese killed in action and 50,000 residents war dead. Constructed by Japanese government with cooperation of Papua New Guinea in September 1980.^[10]
• Rabaul, New Britain, Bismarck Archipelago - Cenotaph of Japanese killed in action in South Pacific Ocean (南太平洋戦没者の碑, Minami taiheiyo senbotsusha no hi), 200,000 killed in action and war dead in Battle of Rabaul and Southeast Area Fleet. Constructed by Japanese government and Comrades Association in arms (戦友会, Senyukai) in September 1980.^[10]

Marshall Islands

Majuro - Cenotaph of war dead in east pacific Ocean (東太平洋戦没者の碑, Higasi taiheiyou senbotsusha no hi) (constructed by Japanese government with cooperation of government of Republic of the Marshall Islands in March 1984.)^[10][23]

New Caledonia

• Thio - Burial of 230 Japanese. Immigrants of nickel mining since 1892.^[24]
• Burial, war dead crew of Japanese submarine I-17^[25]

Palau

• Peleliu - Cenotaph, war dead in west pacific (西太平洋戦没者の碑, Nishi taiheiyou senbutusya no hi), built in March 1985.^[26]

Saipan

• Banzai Cliff – Cenotaph, war dead in central pacific (中部太平洋戦没者の碑, Cyubu taiheiyou senbutusya no hi), built in March 1974.^[27]

Solomon

• Guadalcanal - Solomon peace commemorative park, Cenotaph, war dead in Solomon Islands area (ソロモン諸島方面戦没者慰霊碑, Soromon houmen senbutsusha ireihi) built in 1998.^[28]

North America

Dominican Republic

• Dajabón Province – Cemetery of Japanese settlement in the Dominican Republic.

United States

• Colma, California – Colma Japanese cemetery, three crew of Japanese warship Kanrin Maru, and others.
• Owens Valley, Inyo County, California - Manzanar. Tomb and cenotaph is near to visitor center. Cenotaph is built with 15 cents donation from each family in the camp in August 1943, holding remains of six person not identified relatives.
• Queens, New York City - Mount Olivet Cemetery. Tomb of doctor Toyohiko Takami (高見 豊彦) started the Japanese American Welfare Society (紐育共済会) with Jokichi Takamine in 1914.
• Bronx, New York City - Woodlawn Cemetery. Tomb of Hideyo Noguchi, Jokichi Takamine, Ryoichiro Arai (新井 領一郎) one of funder of Japan Society and others.
• Brooklyn, New York City – Cypress Hills National Cemetery. Tomb of Shido Yamada (山田 志道), representative of former Sony, Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo, in New York, and others.
• Makiki, Honolulu, Hawaii – Makiki Japanese cemetery built in the early 1900s by Japanese immigrants, and first cemetery of Imperial Japanese Navy nearby.
• Honolulu, Hawaii, Kakaako Waterfront Park - Cenotaph of victims of Ehime Maru and USS Greeneville collision.

South America

Bolivia

• Santa Cruz Department – Japanese cemetery in Santa Cruz de la Sierra public cemetery.

Brazil

• São Paulo - Álvares Machado Japanese cemetery.
• Marajó, Pará – Japanese cemetery. Grave robbed in Jangle.
• Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo – Cenotaph MONUMENTO　EM HOMENAGEM AOS PIONEIROS DA IMIGRAÇÃO JAPONESA FALECIDOS (ブラジル日本移民開拓先没者慰霊碑)

Peru

• Cañete Province, Lima Region - Casa Blanca Japanese cemetery.

Europe

Malta

• Tomb of war dead of 2nd Special Squadron (大日本帝国第二特務艦隊戦死者之墓) in Kalkara Naval Cemetery. Under Anglo-Japanese Alliance, Winston Churchill call for squadron reinforcements to Imperial Japanese Navy, and attacked by Torpedo from German Empire U-boat.

Russia (Europe region)

• Moscow - Donskoy Japanese cemetery in Donskoy Monastery. Tomb of Yasunao Yoshioka (吉岡 安直), Harbin Consul Funao Miyagawa (宮川 船夫) pass away in prison in Moscow in 1950, and others.

See also

• Japan War-Bereaved Families Association
• Foreign cemeteries in Japan
• Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery

References

1. ↑ Atsu Elementary and junior high school, Travel guide
2. ↑ "香港日本人墓地慰霊祭" [Hong Kong Japanese cemetery memorial service] (in Japanese). 2008-03-16. Retrieved 2016-08-26. 
3. ↑ "ラオス発展貢献の知られざる日本人" [Not widely known Japanese contributed to Laos development] (in Japanese). 2014-03-24. Retrieved 2016-06-06. 
4. ↑ "慰霊碑を訪ねる" [Visiting cenotaph] (in Japanese). Retrieved 2016-06-06. 
5. 1 2 3 4 "モンゴル慰霊団参紀行記" [memorial journey in Mongolia] (in Japanese). Retrieved 2016-06-06. 
6. ↑ "日本人死亡者慰霊碑（モンゴル）" [Cenotaph of Japanese died (Mongolia)] (in Japanese). Retrieved 2016-06-06. 
7. ↑ "平壌郊外の日本人墓地、遺族が初の墓参り" [Bereaved family first visit to Suburb of Pyongyang Japanese cemetery] (in Japanese). 2012-10-01. Retrieved 2016-06-06. 
8. ↑ "平壌市龍山墓地日本人埋葬者名簿" [Name list of burial Japanese in Yongsan cemetery, Pyongyang] (in Japanese). 2011-08-01. Retrieved 2016-09-10. 
9. ↑ "NGOフィリピン戦没者慰霊碑保存協会" [Philippines WAR MEMORIAL PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION, INC.] (in Japanese). Retrieved 2016-06-06. 
10. 1 2 3 4 >"戦没者慰霊事業：ニューギニア戦没者の碑" [Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, implementation of commemorative project for war dead] (in Japanese). 2016-01-01. Retrieved 2016-06-06. 
11. 1 2 3 "在ウラジオストク日本領事館、４．我が国との関係､(8)見どころ,(10)日本人墓地" [Consulate-General of Japan in Vladivostok, Relation to Japan,(8) watch spot, (10) Japanese cemetery Japanese] (in Japanese). Retrieved 2016-06-06. 
12. ↑ "シベリア抑留の地に日本人慰霊碑　ロシア人留学生が尽力" [Japanese Cenotaph, by effort of student from Russia] (in Japanese and Asahi Shimbun). 2015-11-06. Retrieved 2016-06-06. CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)
13. ↑ Yomiuri Shimbun 2016-01-10 Ver. 13S Page 37
14. 1 2 3 4 Home page of Japan War-Bereaved Families Association in Japanese
15. ↑ Yomiuri Shimbun 2015-04-24 Ver. 13S Page 7
16. ↑ Yomiuri Shimbun 2015-Aug.-3 ver. 13S page 4
17. ↑ Shinzō Abe floral tribute on 2015-10-24, Yomiuri Shimbun Page 4, 13S edition 2015-10-25
18. ↑ "タシケントに眠る日本人抑留者" [Japanese prisoners of war buried in Tashkent] (in Japanese). Retrieved 2016-06-06. 
19. ↑ "在ウズベキスタン日本国大使館" [Japanese Embassy in Uzbekistan] (in Japanese). 2016-01-01. Retrieved 2016-06-06. 
20. ↑ タシケント抑留日本人墓地、ウズベキスタン
21. ↑ 在ウズベキスタン日本国大使館
22. ↑ 南太平洋戦没者慰霊協会, South Pacific Memorial Association, Inc.
23. ↑ 東太平洋戦没者の碑, ホーム > 政策について > 分野別の政策一覧 > 他分野の取り組み > 戦没者遺族等への援護 > 戦没者慰霊事業の実施 > 戦没者慰霊事業：東太平洋戦没者の碑, Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare
24. ↑ "ニューカレドニア日本人移民120周年" [120 anniversary of Japanese Immigrants to New Caledonia] (in Japanese). 2012-08-05. Retrieved 2017-01-18. 
25. ↑ ニューカレドニア日本人墓地へ
26. ↑ 西太平洋戦没者の碑, ホーム > 政策について > 分野別の政策一覧 > 他分野の取り組み > 戦没者遺族等への援護 > 戦没者慰霊事業の実施 > 戦没者慰霊事業：西太平洋戦没者の碑, Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare
27. ↑ 戦没者慰霊事業：中部太平洋戦没者の碑, ホーム > 政策について > 分野別の政策一覧 > 他分野の取り組み > 戦没者遺族等への援護 > 戦没者慰霊事業の実施, Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare
28. ↑ 慰霊碑紹介 All Japan Solomon Association