POW calls out Japan's prime minister over WWII apology
In a historic address to a joint session of Congress, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed condolences for the American lives lost in World War II. He also expressed remorse for Japan's actions toward its Asian neighbors during the war. VPC
By Lei Xuan, Medill News Service 4:23 p.m. EDT April 30, 2015
Japan PM offers condolences for American WWII dead
The Bataan Death March happened shortly after the Battle of Bataan in the Philippines in 1942, when Filipino and American service members surrendered to Japanese forces. Due to a lack of food and their mistreatment from the Japanese army, hundreds of American prisoners died during the forced march.
Tenney spent three years in Camp 17, a prisoner of war compound in Japan. A retired college professor, he wrote about the experience — and of the horror he witnessed — in his 2007 memoir, "My Hitch in Hell." The ordeal left him scarred psychologically, and for years he battled the guilt of having surrendered.
Abe mentioned Bataan during his speech, but that's not enough for Tenney and others who want the Japanese government to go further.
"What we expect is more than the battle," said Jan Thompson, president of American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Memorial Society, who was with Tenney at Thursday's press conference. "The speech was so vague. He didn't give us one definitive sentence to send that message to us that he does know the true history."
During Tenney's visit to Japan in 2010, he received an official apology from Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada. Tenney said he is not asking for money or an apology, but for the Japanese government to acknowledge that fact.
"They don't believe what happened, and that's very disgraceful," said Tenney. "And that will probably hurt me more than anything else."
Thompson said Tenney and others deserve vindication.
"There has been a statement from cabinet members of Abe, who are basically saying they don't believe the Bataan Death March ever happened. Abe has not come out to condemn that. Abe had the opportunity yesterday to say one word or one sentence."
After the prime minister finished his speech at the U.S. Capitol, he walked over to Tenney and shook his hand.
"I told him that friendship was the most important thing that we have left — for the Japanese and for the Americans," said Tenney, "and we must make the most of it. And then he said 'Goodbye.'"
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/2015/04/30/pow-calls-out-japans-prime-minister-over-wwii-apology/26647173/
