| Reports of visits to Japan of POWs |
Former American POWs visit Japan at the fifth invitation of the Japanese Government
2014-10-12/20
Seven former POWs and their family members visited Japan from October 12 to 20, 2014. This is the fifth program that the Japanese government has run for former Australian POWs. All of them were over 90 years old and the oldest was 99 years old. They were warmheartedly welcomed wherever they visited and enjoyed the fruitful trip. Some newspapers and broadcasts reported about their visit.
Itinerary
| 12 Oct. (Sun) | Arrive at Narita airport |
| 13 Oct. (Mon) | Visit Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama |
| 14 Oct. (Tue) | Meeting with the members of the Diet / Visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Meeting with Japanese citizens / Reception by MOFA |
| 15 Oct. (Wed) | Visit the American ambassador / Press Conference / Meeting at Temple University |
| 16 Oct. (Thu) | Scheduled visits (Osaka & Yokkaichi / Tokyo & Kawasaki / Hitachi) |
| 17 Oct. (Fri) | Scheduled visits (former camp sites) |
| 18 Oct. (Sat) | Kyoto (Ryozen Kannon / Ritsumeikan International Peace Museum) |
| 19 Oct. (Sun) | Sightseeing |
| 20 Oct. (Mon) | Depart from Kansai Airport |
Visitors' biography
|
Mr. Anthony Costa, was born in January 1920. 94, California. |
|
|
Captured in May 5, 1942 in Corregidor |
|
|
Mr. Daniel Crowley, was born in May 1922. 92, Connecticut. |
|
|
Captured in May 6, 1942 in Corregidor |
|
|
Mr. Warren Jorgenson, was born in March 1921. 93, Nebraska. |
|
|
Captured in May, 1942 in Corregidor |
|
|
Mr. Oral C.Nichols Johnson, was born in March 1921. 93, New Mexico. |
|
|
Went to Wake Island as a laborer in 1940 and was captured there in December 23, 1941 |
|
|
Mr. William R. Sanchez, was born in July 1918. 96, California. |
|
|
Captured in Corregidor in May 1942 |
|
|
Mr. Jack Schwartz , was born in 1915. 98, California. |
|
|
Captured in Guam in December 9, 1941 |
|
|
Mr. Darrel D. Stark, was born in 1923. 91, Connecticut. |
|
|
While in hospital, he was captured as a POW in April 9, 1942 |
|
13th October: Visit the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama
| In the Cremation Memorial at this cemetery, 48 Americans' ashes are enshrined. They perished at Moji port after surviving the tragedy of Oryoku maru, Enoura maru and Brazil maru. |
 |
14th October: Meeting with the members of the Diet
| Ex-POWs talked about their experience with the members of the Diet who have been making efforts to resolve POW issues. |
 |
14th October: Meeting with Japanese citizens
| In the afternoon, a friendship meeting with Japanese citizens was held in Tokyo. It was very fruitful with 60 participants including them. Please see the details >> Link to PDF |
 |
15th October: Visit American Embassy
| The ambassador Caroline Kennedy welcomed the POWs. They enjoyed the time with her. |
 |
16th – 17th October: Visit former camp sites
POWs divided in three groups visited the POW camp sites where they had been held.
1. Tokyo-Kawasaki group (Mr. Sanchez, Mr. Schwartz and Mr. Nichols)
| Heiwajima Kannon statue at Omori camp site |  |
| At Omori Camp site which became a boat race |  |
| At Showa-Denko Kawasaki factory |  |
| Mitsui Futo where Tokyo 2-B was located |  |
2. Hitachi-Ashio group (Mr. Clowley）
| At Hitachi Mine Museum |  |
| In a tunnel of former Ashio Mine |  |
3. Osaka-Yokkaichi group (Mr. Costa, Mr. Stark and Mr. Jorgenson)
| They visited Ishihara Sangyo Yokkaichi Factory in Yokkaichi City and Nittsu Osaka Branch in Osaka City. There is no photo, as none of POWRNJ members could accompany them. |
18th -19th October: Visit Kyoto
All members gathered at Kyoto. They visited Ryozen Kannon Temple where more than 40,000 cards of POWs and civilian internees, who perished during the WW2, are kept. They also visited Ritsumeikan University International Peace Museum and enjoyed sightseeing.
| At Ryozen Kannon Temple |
 |
