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Port of Call |
LAST UPDATE July 12, 2005
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| site design imagesparkle.com |
| May 26, 2005 |
Hong Kong – The Hong Kong Never Seen in Guided Tours |
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| The famous and futuristic Hong Kong skyline |
Peace Boat arrived at the bustling port of Hong Kong after six days at sea, the first port of call of the 49th Global Voyage. Despite a sky overcast with misty rain, participants were treated to an unobstructed view of Hong Kong’s skyline, including Victoria Peak, as the ship berthed at Queen’s Pier. Geographically tiny, not only is Hong Kong recognized as one of the world’s largest economic centers, but it also carries a weighty and tumultuous history. Hong Kong is a deep water port which made it desirable to occupying forces, and thus it was occupied by the British in 1842 and by the Japanese during World War II. Again falling under British control after World War II, Hong Kong finally returned to China as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) under the “one country, two systems” formula on July 1, 1997. |
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| A message peace through protection of Japan’s peace constitution and reconciliation between people, delivered by participants from the Peace Boat |
The legacy of the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong was featured on an educational tour organized by Peace Boat, to expose the legacies of Japanese military aggression during World War Two. Amidst heightened tensions between the governments and people of China and Japan regarding highly inaccurate and disrespectful presentation of history in textbooks approved by the Japanese government, such a program is a positive step towards people recognizing and healing the wounds of the past. From December 25, 1941, known as Black Christmas for the unconditional surrender of the British authorities to the invading Japanese military, Hong Kong was subjected to nearly four years of hunger and cruelty under the occupation. The unwillingness of the Japanese government to engage in a meaningful reconciliation, and to participate in the healing and repair of damage both mental and physical caused by the occupation underlies the great outrage and fear expressed by people throughout Asia as Japan continues its modern remilitarization. |
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| Curious school kids watch participants passing through the history museum |
Participants first visited the Hong Kong Museum of History. The museum is separated into eight galleries, including one titled “The Japanese Occupation.” The gallery itself is designed as an air-raid shelter, complete with flickering lights, to capture the essence of wartime. Through various media, relics and historical photographs, participants learned about the harsh conditions of life in Hong Kong under the Japanese military occupation. Before the war, the estimated population of Hong Kong was 1,600,000 including refugees and forced labor from China. At the time of Japan’s surrender in 1945, the population had fallen to 600,000. During the Japanese occupation, schools taught the Japanese language, etiquette and culture to exercise more effective control over the population. Despite the occupation, groups of local people organized food, necessities and news from the outside to resistance groups trying to counter Japanese rule. With the war’s end on August 15, 1945, the Japanese left Hong Kong in disarray, followed by the British to reclaim their colony. |
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| Inside the legislature building |
Peace Boat participants later visited the Hong Kong Legislative Building—a unique opportunity as the public are normally not allowed inside. The 100 year old building was used as the headquarters of the Japanese Imperial Army during the Japanese occupation, and it was here that prisoners were kept and subjected to interrogation. The participants were led on a thorough exploration of the building by two members of the Hong Kong general assembly: Albert Chun Yan Ho, who was recently elected member from the Hong Kong Democratic Party, and Leung Kwok Hung, nicknamed “Long Hair,” who in the past was often thrown out of the general assembly for his outbursts as a grassroots lobbyist before he became an elected member. Albert Ho spoke about his hopes that Japan and China continue to maintain their friendship, despite the textbook issue, and respect each other through proper dialogue and repatriation. |
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| Participants passing quietly between the graves of both local people and Japanese people who died during the occupation |
After a lunch of Dim Sum, the tour ended at the foreigners cemetery of St. Michael’s where Japanese people were buried during the occupation. Many of the gravestones dating back to the late 18th century list infectious diseases brought over by the British as cause of death. In the area of the cemetery where the Japanese were buried, unmarked stones are dispersed between large ornate gravestones. Here, women who were forcibly sent to Hong Kong from Kyushu to be used as prostitutes for the Japanese Imperial Army and administration are buried. Eventually, a proper gravestone carved with the names of all these women was erected to commemorate their lives.
Mr. Aikawa, a participant in his 70’s, reflected that it is a shame that many people in Japan merely work all their life and remain in their own country, without experiencing other cultures. Peace Boat has allowed him to expand his mind and learn about other points of view from people in different countries. After the visits addressing Japan’s occupation, Mr. Aikawa felt a need to change negative perspectives and apologize for what happened in the past. He further pondered if the aggressiveness of the Japanese military was merely a product of war, that war alone fuels such anger that is expressed so overtly. Mr. Aikawa sincerely hopes that it was only because of war that the Japanese military acted brutally against others and not inherent within the culture. With these thoughts, what is evident is that individuals can make a difference, even regarding painful and “touchy” subjects, and that education is one of the key tools of building peace globally. |
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