Dark day brings NZ and Japan together
One of New Zealand’s darkest home-territory incidents of World War II was remembered yesterday in Wairarapa.
Nearly 50 people died – mostly Japanese prisoners of war (POW) – in what’s known as the Featherston Incident at the military POW camp 75 years ago.
A host of dignitaries including the Japanese ambassador were present at Featherston Memorial Garden to commemorate the event which is now seen as something uniting the two countries.
Ambassador Toshihisa Takata said he sincerely appreciated the efforts made by local people to remember the incident and form relationships with his country.
He believed that those involved in World War II would be proud of the progress that had since made between the two nations.
‘‘They would be proud to see us in hope remembering this together as a united group. We hope for Japan and New Zealand to have peaceful, productive and positive relations into the future.’’
South Wairarapa Mayor Viv Napier, Secretary of Defence Ron Mark and Minister of Internal Affairs Tracey Martin laid wreaths at a war memorial and a special Japanese memorial inside the small park north of Featherston on State Highway 2.
Georgia Jamieson Emms sang the national anthems of both nations.
There is some dispute about how events unfolded on February 25, 1943 but it is agreed tensions had been building in the camp prior to this incident.
Forty-eight Japanese prisoners died and one New Zealand guard was killed following a sit-down strike when some prisoners refused to work.
After one of the Japanese lieutenants was shot and wounded, it is alleged some of the prisoners charged or were preparing to attack the guards. They opened fire, killing the inmates.