IMPHAL, April 27 - Japanese Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu will be visiting Manipur to participate in the annual 2nd World War commemoration programme in the State on May 20.
To oversee overall situation and planning for the Ambassador�s visit, Deputy Head (Political section) Shunichi Inoue was here on a three-day visit to various World War II memorial sites in the State including War cemetery, Maibam Lokpa Ching (Red hills), INA memoial complex, Moirang and Khoyathong.
On Tuesday, the Japanese envoy had a brief interaction with the World War II victims� families at the Khurai Chingangbam Mandop where around 100 people had lost their lives when Japanese air force dropped its second bomb at Khurai Thangjam Leikai on April 20, 1943.
Expressing �deep remorse and heartfelt apologies� for the loss in the 2nd World War bombing in Manipur, Shunichi said, �Now Japan and India are close friends and we are doing lot of partnership projects in India and elsewhere.�
�We have also become friends with United Kingdom and Unites States and we would like to continue this activity of reconciliation and we would further strengthen friendship between young people of Imphal and Japan and promote Japan-Indian relations,� he added.
Writer and Sahitya Academy awardee Khuraijam Nimaicharan who is son of Angou, who was one of the many killed in the war bombing, expressed happiness and satisfaction over the visit of the Japanese envoy. He said this is a good gesture for the future generation. In November last year, Japanese Ambassador had visited Manipur and Nagaland which have many relics of World War II.
