Japanese envoy visits war cemetery

JAKARTA (JP): Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia, Taizo Watanabe, and his wife visited yesterday a hero's cemetery in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, where over 21,000 local residents were killed by Japanese troops.

According to the head of West Kalimantan's public relations department, Ya Ibrahim, the ambassador was in the province for a one-day to visit the cemetery, as well as other historical sites in the area, the Antara news agency reported.

Located in the district of Mandor, 80 kilometers from Pontianak, the cemetery is the site where 21,037 community leaders, intellectuals, sultans, and journalists were killed by the occupying Japanese forces in 1944.

Prior to independence, Indonesia was under Japanese rule from 1942 to 1945.

Prior to his visit to the cemetery, Watanabe paid a courtesy call on the police chief Col. Zakaria Rapudin, while Mrs. Haruko Watanabe visited the Negeri museum.

Later yesterday evening, Watanabe was scheduled to attend a dinner hosted by Pontianak Mayor R.A. Siregar.

Watanabe and his wife will continue their journey to East Kalimantan today. (mds)