Black female WWII unit, ‘Six Triple Eight,' receives congressional medal
The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was credited with solving a growing mail crisis during its stint in England and, upon their return, serving as a role model to generations of Black women who joined the military.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Forward
6 hours ago
- Japan Forward
Kiichiro Higuchi: The General Who Defied History and Shaped Japan
このページを 日本語 で読む On August 15, Japan will mark 80 years since the end of World War II (WWII). While reflecting on the horrors of war and the sanctity of peace, we should also turn our attention to the history and memories that were suppressed under the occupation policies of the GHQ (general headquarters for the Allied forces) after the war. On that, Lieutenant General Kiichiro Higuchi, who rescued Jews from Nazi persecution during the war and prevented the Soviet invasion of Hokkaido, is once again attracting attention. Ryuichi Higuchi, grandson of General Higuchi, was recently interviewed by The Sankei Shimbun. Known for his research on Bach, Ryuichi Higuchi is an emeritus professor at Meiji Gakuin University. "After my grandfather retired from his post as northern repatriation supervisor, responsible for bringing back soldiers stationed overseas, he never took up another occupation. He quietly spent his days in remembrance, mourning the many subordinates he had lost," Higuchi recalled of his grandfather, who was 58 years his senior. "When he worked the fields of his wife's family in Kobayashi Town (now Kobayashi City), Miyazaki Prefecture, he would bow his head in prayer every morning, facing east, west, south, and north. He was exceptionally knowledgeable and seemed to know everything. His stories were always fascinating and captivating. Yet he seldom spoke to me about the war." Ryuichi Higuchi during an interview with The Sankei Shimbun. (©Sankei by Shunsuke Sakamaki) Five years ago, Higuchi compiled his grandfather's private records from both his military service and postwar writings. And, as editor, he published them as "The Last Words of Lieutenant General Kiichiro Higuchi" (in Japanese, 陸軍中将 樋口季一郎の遺訓) by Bensei Publishing. General Higuchi was born in 1888 in Aman Village, Hyogo Prefecture (now Minami-Awaji City). He graduated from the Army Cadet School and the Army Officer School before completing the highly competitive Army University, a training institution for officers. After serving as an intelligence officer in Russia, Europe, and Manchuria, Higuchi went on to hold a series of prominent positions. He was head of the Harbin Special Agency, second director of the General Staff Headquarters in charge of intelligence, commander of the 9th Division responsible for security in Manchuria and Mudanjiang, commander of the Northern Army, and commander of the Fifth Army. General Higuchi is often remembered as a "humanitarian general" due to the 1938 Otpor Incident that occurred when he was head of the Harbin Special Agency. Lieutenant General Higuchi, pictured during his tenure as head of the Harbin Special Agency. (photo courtesy of Ryuichi Higuchi) At that time, he issued visas to Jewish refugees who had fled Nazi persecution and gathered at Otpor Station on the Manchurian–Soviet border, arranging for them to be transported by train to Dalian and Shanghai. "When my grandfather passed away in 1970, the Asahi Shimbun reported both his death and his rescue of Jewish refugees, which caused quite a stir among our relatives," Higuchi recalled. However, he also noted a potential discrepancy in the reporting. " The Asahi Shimbun reported that 20,000 Jewish refugees were rescued, but in his own manuscripts, he recorded 'several thousand.'" "I was still in elementary school when a Jewish man who had started a business in Japan came to visit, expressing his gratitude and asking my grandfather to serve as an advisor," Higuchi said. "The fruits they brought as gifts were extravagant. My grandfather welcomed the visit but politely declined the offer, saying, 'That and this are different matters, so I must pass.'" Still, he continued, "Even a year before the Otpor Incident, at the first Far Eastern Jewish Conference, he caused a stir by delivering a congratulatory address as a guest." "He praised the Jewish people as 'inquisitive and hardworking' and expressed a desire to 'work together to contribute to world peace and the welfare of humanity.' Although Germany was an ally, my grandfather seems to have held a firm conviction that Japan must not persecute the Jews." Another of General Higuchi's recognized achievements came in August 1945, when he was commander of the Fifth Army, responsible for the defense of Hokkaido, southern Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands. He launched a "self-defense battle," successfully thwarting the Soviet army, led by its Supreme Leader Joseph Stalin, from invading Hokkaido. Eighty years ago, on August 9, the Soviet Union broke the still-valid Japan–Soviet Neutrality Pact and entered the war against Japan. It unilaterally invaded Manchuria, southern Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the Kuril Islands. Not only soldiers but also countless innocent civilians were killed and subjected to atrocities. Shumshu Island, located at the northern tip of the Kuril Islands. In response, General Higuchi ordered his troops to "continue fighting in self-defense to the exhaustion." Although the Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War was issued on August 15, the Battle of Shumshu, at the northern tip of the Kuril Islands, began on August 18. It inflicted heavy losses on the Soviet forces that had landed there. Hiiguchi said, "At the time, Stalin demanded that US President Harry Truman approve the occupation of northern Hokkaido. If my grandfather had not ordered the war of self-defense to destroy the Soviet army, not only Hokkaido but also the Tohoku region would have been divided and occupied." "When I was in junior high, Germany was split into East and West, and the Berlin Wall was built (in August 1961)," Higuchi went on. "My grandfather, who was then living in Oiso Town, Kanagawa Prefecture, once told me, 'Ryuichi, draw a map of Germany,' and spoke to me about Berlin." "When I became a graduate student, I studied in East Germany for [J.S.] Bach research, and witnessed firsthand the tragedy of Germany's division. My grandfather likely took pride in having prevented the Soviet occupation of Hokkaido. A US strategic researcher also told me, 'If the Soviet Union had invaded Hokkaido at that time, a free and open Indo-Pacific would not have been possible.'" In his book, "The Last Words of Kiichiro Higuchi," General Higuchi wrote the following about the Soviet Union's entry into the war against Japan: "The Soviet Union launched a sudden and forceful attack, much like a thief breaking down a private back door. Such 'unlawful behavior' cannot be tolerated. If it were allowed, similar reckless and illegal acts by the enemy could erupt everywhere, making a 'peaceful conclusion' to the war impossible." Joseph Stalin led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953 . "The Soviets are capable of committing such outrageous acts without hesitation. They are not gentlemen, but fearsome lawbreakers." After the war, Stalin demanded that Lieutenant General Higuchi be handed over as a "war criminal." But General Douglas MacArthur of the GHQ refused. One reason for this refusal is said to have been pressure from Jewish organizations, which opposed Higuchi's extradition. Eighty years after the end of the war, Japan's security environment continues to deteriorate. Some media outlets and commentators, as in previous years, prominently emphasize "peace" while questioning the development of the country's defense capabilities. For them, General Higuchi's book also contains the following pertinent recollection: "In the Japan of the past, there was an ideal. Even if that ideal sometimes went too far, there was a clear goal to strive toward, and life was not spent in mere drunken dreams. Today, that has been completely lost. And people live like beasts — or like birds — simply enjoying each day as it comes. Can such people truly have any value in existence?" He also wrote the following about the Constitution of Japan: "The preamble of this Constitution can generally be seen as a written version of the Potsdam Declaration, essentially saying, 'We were wrong. From now on, we will follow what the United States says.' Such content does not belong in the constitution of a sovereign nation." "In placing too much emphasis on pacifism, it has degraded into a submissive 'anti-war principle,' relying on the goodwill of other nations to ensure security and survival. This is far too servile and detached from reality." Lieutenant General Higuchi in his later years. (courtesy of Ryuichi Higuchi) "If our homeland, Japan, is to truly restore its independence, then naturally a constitution must be created that aligns with the spirit of the Japanese people." To safeguard peace and protect Japan and its people today, should we not look to Lieutenant General Higuchi's words for guidance? "Looking at the international situation, wars are breaking out all over the world. Around Japan, Russia, China, and North Korea are allied in ways we cannot predict. There is also concern over a potential crisis in Taiwan. This is no time to preach peace alone," Higuchi said. "My grandfather, operating within a rigid, top-down military system, was able to think for himself and make independent decisions. He was truly unique. Even from the perspective of his grandson, he was an extraordinary person," he added. "If he were alive today, I think he would say to Japan: 'It's time to stop being complacent about peace and seriously consider the country's geopolitical risks in the world.'" The Lieutenant General Kiichiro Higuchi Memorial Foundation is working to erect a bronze statue honoring General Higuchi at Sapporo Gokoku Shrine in Sapporo, Hokkaido. For more details, please visit the foundation's website: Author: Masashi Yano このページを 日本語 で読む
Japan Forward
6 hours ago
- Japan Forward
Yasukuni Shrine Marks 80 Years of Peace, Honor, and Remembrance
In the early morning light of August 15, 2025, the 80th anniversary of Japan's World War II surrender, a steady stream of visitors makes its way through the towering torii gates of Yasukuni Shrine. Some wear solemn black suits, clutching photos or memorial tablets of lost relatives. Others, including smiling young couples in North Face t-shirts pushing baby strollers, chat quietly as they make their way through the crowd. While the mood is solemn, moments of warmth and laughter ripple through the lines of visitors. They have come to pay their respects on this landmark 終戦記念日 (End of War Memorial Day), honoring the souls of those who fell in the conflict. The atmosphere is one of hushed reverence, a blend of grief, gratitude, and quiet pride. "Every year, I make sure to come here on August 15," said a middle-aged father visiting with his young daughter. "As Japanese, we have a duty to pass on our history. It's important to teach the next generation about our past, especially a place like this." At 7:30 AM, as cicadas drone in the humid summer air, hundreds of people are already lined up to offer prayers. One by one, they approach the haiden (worship hall), toss a coin as an offering, and clap twice before murmuring prayers for the souls enshrined here. Yasukuni Shrine has been the central site for commemorating Japan's war dead since it was founded by Emperor Meiji in 1869. Its very name means "peaceful country" or "land of peace" in Japanese. Today, it enshrines the spirits of about 2.5 million individuals who gave their lives in conflicts from the 19th century through World War II. Among them are soldiers, nurses, factory workers, and others who served the nation, from the Boshin War (1868-69) to the Greater East Asia War of the 1940s. Each name is inscribed in the shrine's Yushukan museum rolls and remembered as eirei, guardian spirits of the country. Visitors to Yasukuni Shrine. August 15, 2025 (©JAPAN Forward) This year's commemoration carries special weight: eight decades have passed since the guns fell silent in 1945. Japan has enjoyed 80 years of peace and rebuilding, but the memories of war's sacrifices remain potent. Approximately 3.1 million Japanese, both military personnel and civilians, lost their lives in World War II. Emperor Naruhito, speaking at a separate official memorial ceremony in Tokyo, expressed, "I earnestly pray that the horrors of war will never be repeated." Those sentiments are shared by many who come to Yasukuni. They do not visit to glorify conflict. Instead, they come to mourn, to give thanks, and to pray that such tragedy never befalls Japan again. Many visitors to Yasukuni on this day are children or grandchildren of the war generation. The aged veterans and bereaved spouses who once dominated the grounds are now fewer each year. In their place, younger Japanese are stepping forward to carry the torch of remembrance. Parents can be seen explaining the significance of the shrine to their kids, ensuring that the stories of sacrifice are passed on. Nearly half of the attendees at the nearby Budokan memorial event in 2024 were born after the war, underlining the importance of preserving these lessons as the eyewitness generation fades. That same imperative is felt here at Yasukuni. "For me, it's simple," said a 33-year-old man from Kanagawa. "This is a sacred place to honor those who built today's Japan. Whether they were Japanese, American, or Chinese soldiers, everyone who fought back then contributed to shaping the world we live in. My visit is about gratitude, not politics." On this day, visitors include lawmakers and political figures who come in a private capacity to pay their respects alongside ordinary citizens. They emphasize that honoring those who gave their lives is a natural duty for any nation. Many offer prayers for peace and national prosperity, underscoring the shrine's role as a place of solemn unity. Among them this year was LDP Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama, who visited on August 14 to offer a tamagushi. "Three of my uncles were killed in the war," he explained to reporters. "I can't make it on the 15th, so I came today." On August 15 itself, Sanseito brought 88 members, including 18 national lawmakers, in its first-ever group visit to Yasukuni. Party leader Sohei Kamiya expressed gratitude to those who "fought to defend the country and to protect everyone," and pledged to work for politics that ensures Japan "will never again be drawn into war." Former minister Sanae Takaichi also attended. She stressed that honoring a nation's war dead "should never become a matter of diplomatic relations." At the same time, Former House of Representatives member Shuichi Takatori called it "very regrettable" that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba did not attend in person. Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, too, paid his respects. Koizumi is the first confirmed Cabinet member to do so since the Ishiba Cabinet took office, continuing a six-year tradition of ministerial visits on this day. Other lawmakers also visited, including former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi and former Liberal Democratic Party Policy Research Council Chair Koichi Hagiuda. Members of a cross-party parliamentary group that makes an annual visit to the shrine were also present. Eighty years have now passed since the war's end – a span that has turned former battlefields into history lessons and personal tragedies into family lore. Yet, standing on these sacred grounds in 2025, one feels that the connection between past and present remains vivid and unbroken. Visitors to Yasukuni Shrine. August 15, 2025 (©JAPAN Forward) In a nation that has not seen war in eight decades, Yasukuni Shrine continues to serve as a touchstone of collective memory. It is a place where ordinary Japanese citizens come to contemplate the cost of peace. Each August 15, they renew an implicit pact: to remember those who sacrificed their lives and to ensure that their sacrifice was not in vain. A woman in her forties epitomized this. Visiting with her teenage daughter, she said, "My grandfather is enshrined here, and I want my daughter to know the importance of remembering." Her daughter, standing beside her, added quietly, "We learned about the war in school, and I hope something like that never happens again." Author: Daniel Manning
Toronto Star
a day ago
- Toronto Star
Genshitsu Sen, Japanese tea master and former Kamikaze pilot trainee, dies at 102
TOKYO (AP) — Genshitsu Sen, a former Kamikaze pilot trainee and grand master of the Japanese tea ceremony who promoted peace through the art of tea, has died, officials said Thursday. He was 102. Sen had been hospitalized since falling and experiencing difficulty walking in May. He died early Thursday after developing breathing trouble, Urasenke officials said.
