SINGAPORE — Seventy five years after the fall of Singapore, a Japanese government official on Wednesday (Feb 15) attended a ceremony for the first time to honour those who died defending Singapore and Malaya during World War II.

Japan’s Ambassador to Singapore, Mr Kenji Shinoda, laid a wreath in a commemoration ceremony at the Kranji War Cemetery. “I bow my head deeply before the souls of all those who perished and fell victims to the battles and hardships here 75 years ago. We must never repeat the horrors of war again,” he said in a statement.

The recommendation to include Japan in the committee for the 75th anniversary of the fall of Singapore was mooted by committee chairman Jeya Ayadurai, director of The Battlebox and The Changi Museum. He wanted to recognise that “all nations have suffered in World War II”, and that “former enemies have (moved), and are moving into the future as firm partners in peace”.

The idea received “unanimous support” from Commonwealth members in the committee, which include the embassies and high commissions of Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Mr Ayadurai added that the Japanese embassy’s acceptance to join the committee was “a significant development”. “It’s a symbolic but important message to the world on how war commemorations can be a tool for peace,” he said.

Representing the Singapore Government was Member of Parliament Vikram Nair, who said in a speech: “This shared history forms a strong foundation on which we have built our relations. All of us paid the price of war, and share a deep resolve to never have to re-live its horrors. Today, we share good and strong relations.”

Speaking to reporters after the event, Mr Shinoda said he believes his feelings of “profound grief and heartfelt condolences” to the “numerous innocent civilians” and “victims in the battles and hardship” are shared by an “overwhelming majority” of Japanese.

Two Japanese representing their community living here also laid paper cranes hand-crafted by students of Japanese School Singapore. This is to “reflect the universal wish to heal the wounds of war and continue the road to reconciliation,” the committee said.

On Feb 15, 1942, the Allied army which had been defending Malaya and Singapore, surrendered to the invading Japanese 25th Army in Singapore, heralding the start of three and a half years of Japanese Occupation.

Members of the Singapore Armed Forces’ Veterans League, three World War II veterans and overseas World War II associations, such as the Malayan Volunteers Group and Australia’s 2/10th Field Regiment Association, also attended the commemoration.

Australian Garth O’Connell, whose uncle John Knox died at the age of 41 during the Japanese Occupation, told TODAY that he appreciated the “very public” gesture by the Japanese. “They’ve got a lot of people’s admiration and respect for coming along today,” he said.

Ms Philippa Ann Evans, 79, whose father Philip Paxton Harding was shot while fighting as part of the 14th Punjab Regiment and died a day before the fall of Singapore at the age of 36, flew in from Britain to attend the event.

Her father’s remains were never found, but his name is inscribed in the Kranji memorial. “We are getting pretty old. We just need to get to this one,” she said, fighting tears. On the Japanese participation, she said: “We must put it behind us, and we want everybody to be in peace.”

While many were satisfied with the Japanese’s gesture, Singaporean Ho Weng Toh, 97, the last surviving pilot who fought the Japanese in China during World War II, is still finding it hard to forgive what the Japanese did during the war.

“Unfortunately, it is difficult for me to be able to reconcile … Even up to now, they don’t acknowledge (what they did). How to forgive? They are a great nation. They are very proud, and rightly so. But they don’t seem to think that they have done wrong. That’s the problem,” Mr Ho said.

SINGAPORE: The name of the permanent World War II exhibition, Syonan Gallery: War and Its Legacies, does not express approval of the Japanese Occupation, said Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim on Wednesday (Feb 15).

Speaking at the official opening of the gallery at the historic Old Ford Factory at Upper Bukit Timah, where the British formally surrendered to the Japanese 75 years ago, Dr Yaacob said the exhibition remembers what the pioneer generation went through, commemorates the generation of Singaporeans who experienced the Occupation and reaffirms the nation’s collective commitment “never to let this happen again”.

“The name ‘Syonan Gallery’ has evoked some strong reactions in our community, and quite understandably,” noted Dr Yaacob. “Some among older Singaporeans who lived through that dark period feel that the name legitimises the occupation. Others among them say that Syonan was a painful fact of history, and we should call it what it was.”

The gallery, which was formerly known as Memories at Old Ford Factory, was renamed after a year-long revamp by the National Archives of Singapore (NAS). To date, it has received more than 400 public donations, with items ranging from personal letters, diaries and photographs to war artefacts and maps.

“The reactions show us how indelible an imprint those three-and-a-half years had left on their lives and on Singapore,” added Dr Yaacob. “Younger Singaporeans did not have the same indelible life experience as their parents and grandparents. But I hope this gallery will give them a sense of what it was like to live through that dark period, and inspire all of us to build and defend our nation.”

Dr Yaacob also said the exhibition, which captures the dark and painful years after Singapore fell, reminds Singaporeans to “never again take our peace, harmony and sovereignty for granted.”

(Photo: NLB)

The minister added that terrorism continues to be a significant threat facing the world today, as he cited incidents in Orlando, Paris, Nice, Sydney and Jakarta that occurred last year.

“Today, threats and challenges to our way of life continue to come in all shapes and sizes, and in increasingly diverse forms,” he said. “The true test of having remembered and learnt the lessons of war is that we live lives of courage and of resilience, every day, today. Far beyond having a strong defence force, we need to all do our part to build community, and to build harmony.”

A traditional weapon presentation ceremony was also held for the Singapore Armed Forces recruits from the 2nd Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment at the former Ford Factory to “demonstrate the young soldiers’ commitment to defence”, the Ministry of Defence said.

The building was gazetted as a national monument in 2006.

SINGAPORE: While many have never experienced the horrors of war, they must never forget the lessons learned and the commitment and sacrifices of their forefathers in protecting the country and its way of life, said Government Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Affairs Vikram Nair on Wednesday (Feb 15). 

Mr Nair was speaking at a ceremony at Kranji War Cemetery commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Fall of Singapore during World War II. The event marks the first time former Allied nations such as Singapore, Australia, the United Kingdom and India are working together with Japan to organise a commemoration ceremony in the spirit of reconciliation.

“This commitment to remember the horrors of war and to defend Singapore is at the core of Total Defence,” said Mr Nair. “It is when every Singaporean is resolved to play their part, and contribute to keeping Singapore strong on all fronts, that we can be confident of safeguarding our nation and our home against different threats and challenges that come our way.”

The ceremony aslo honoured the sacrifices of military personnel who fought in Malaya and Singapore during the War and subsequent Occupation, as well as civilians who had lost their lives.

Among the 300 present at the ceremony were members of the Singapore Armed Forces’ Veterans League, war veterans or former civilian internees and overseas WWII veteran associations such as the Malayan Volunteers Group and Australia’s 2/10th Field Regiment Association.

Unveiling of the commemorative plaque fo the 75th Anniversary of the Fall of Singapore during World War II. (Photo: Loke Kok Fai)

Japanese Ambassador to Singapore Kenji Shinoda said it was always painful for him and the Japanese people to look back and think about what happened in Singapore 75 years ago.

“I express my feelings of profound grief and heartfelt condolences. I believe that such feelings are shared by the overwhelming majority of Japanese,” said Mr Shinoda, who also laid a wreath at the ceremony.

Members of the Japanese community also laid paper cranes folded by students of The Japanese School Singapore. These cranes symbolised the wish to heal the wounds of war, and continue on the road of reconciliation.

A commemorative plaque for the anniversary was also unveiled to mark the anniversary by Commissioner of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Lieutenant General William Rollo. This will be eventually be mounted inside the Battlebox on Fort Canning Hill – the former underground command centre of the Malaya Command during the War, and the place where the decision to surrender was made in 1942.