Photography show documents Indonesia-Japan friendship

Photography show documents Indonesia-Japan friendship

JAKARTA (JP): Friendship between two nations can be expressed
in different ways, one of them being through photographs.

And a spirit of friendship is what emerges from a collection
of recent photographs of former members of the Japanese
occupation forces who, for one reason or another, decided to stay
in Indonesia after World War II ended.

The photographs, by Yohiro Cho, are on display at the
Japanese-Indonesia Friendship Festival, currently underway at the
Jakarta Fairground in Kemayoran.

The soldiers photographed were officially classified by the
Japanese government as "missing in action". Of approximately 600
such former soldiers in Indonesia, Yohiro managed to find about
100.

Many stayed on because of fear or shame about returning to
their home country after the defeat. Others stayed because they
found warmth and family in Indonesia.

According to the accompanying captions, some of the Japanese
shown in the photos went into hiding after the war, fearing
retribution. However, many of them joined the Indonesians in the
fight for independence from the Dutch.

The photographs show these former soldiers, some of whom have
adopted Indonesian names, with their new-found families. One
shows an aging Japanese with a physical disability sustained
during the war, while another shows the widow and daughter of a
former Japanese serviceman.

The Japanese settled down in Medan, North Sumatra; Cirebon,
West Java; and in a number of other places across the
archipelago.

"According to old military law, they should have been shot for
deserting the army and being unpatriotic," reads the caption
beside one of the photos. "They can be considered victims of
Japanese militarism," it adds.

The photos, mostly taken between 1982 and 1985 when Cho was
teaching at a Japanese school in Jakarta, are "a momento...to
commemorate 50 years since the end of the war", reads another
caption.

One visitor to the exhibition said that, although he was
impressed with the photographs, he regarded the exhibition as an
attempt to "wash away Japan's burden over its wrongdoings."

The festival, organized by the Japanese embassy and the
Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture to commemorate
Indonesia's 50th anniversary of independence, will run until Oct.
29. It will feature arts and sports events at several venues in
the city.

The exhibition is open daily from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. for
students and from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. for the general public. On
weekends the exhibition is open from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.

One section provides information about Japanese language
courses, while another displays colorful kites and traditional
toys. There is a model of an ancient city and its inhabitants, as
well as the latest in computer games.

Large panels near the entrance show paintings by Japanese and
Indonesian children.

Another interesting part of the display, reflecting
Indonesian-Japanese ties, is the stand of a Tokyo-based
international environmental organization, the Organization for
Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement.

Established in 1961 by philosopher Yonosuke Nakano, the
organization works in Asian Pacific countries to disseminate
agricultural skills and environmental awareness.

As Japan rebuilt itself after World War II, the philosopher
Nakano wanted Japan and its neighbors to grow together in peace,
on the basis of food security and a sustainable environment, said
agricultural instructor Suzuki Koki, who was manning the stand.

The organization set up a Jakarta office in 1979. One of its
activities here has been since the Children's Forest Program.
Hundreds of students from 55 schools have participated in the
program, mainly elementary students in the third to sixth grade.

Training in agricultural techniques and forestry programs are
carried out by the organization in Jakarta; West Java; and Aceh,
Lahat, Palembang and Lake Toba in Sumatra. (anr)