Peace experience by a World War II Japanese soldier

This report was published in The Rotarian Magazine, by Seiji Imaizumi, a member of the Rotary Club of Kawagoe, Japan.

Although this is a World War II history narrative, the subtitle could be, "The lasting impact of kindness." I am including in the "Let's Write" blog because The Rotarian Magazine transcended cultural biases about the Japanese in World War II, to report about how kindness (Shinsetsu) can change people.  

親切

Shinsetsu

I'm accustomed to reading about World War II survival histories from European survivors. Therefore, I was impressed to realize how this particular Japanese soldier's survival story was about the kindness he received from strangers who protected him from certain death by the British army in Burma (Myanmar). Certainly, there must be other stories like this one, so I admire the Rotarian Magazine, because the subject is about the generational power of kindness.

MY SHOES were so worn that I had to tie a rope around them to hold them together.  Sometimes, I had to eat small animals, even grass. But, I kept walking hoping to reach somewhere safe.  I spend every day thinking I was probably going to die. Come tomorrow, I would say to  myself, I won't be in this world.
Most of my unit died during the Battle in Imphal, India*, which took place near the border with Burma (no Myanmar), in 1944.  British soldiers surrounded them and killed or captured nearly everyone. I was not among them, because I had been ordered to investigate how we could cross a nearby river. If the circumstances had been different, I would have died too. 

In fact, the British army was searching for any remaining Japanese soldiers, so I retreated into the Burmese mountains to hide.  This was near the end of World War II, and Japan was losing steam, so our food and ammunition hadn't been replenished in a long time. I had nothing left. I walked about 15 miles a day over very difficult terrain.

Finally, I found a house. It was one room. If you opened the door, you could see the entire house.  But, the family took me in. They gave me food.  When British soldiers came, they told me to hide under the bed.  Once the British moved on, they told me I could come out.

I stayed in hiding until the war ended. I kept moving and everywhere I went, families took me in.  I didn't worry that someone would tell the British. I later heard many stories about how local people were hiding other Japanese soldiers.  No matter where I went, I heard this kind of story. They were very kind to us.

I returned to Japan in 1946, and had to start over.  For years, I struggled to farm on land that no one wanted to cultivate.  Everyone was poor.  It was a difficult time. But, I knew from experience that if I wanted to live, I would find a way. I had the strength and will to survive. I also started thinking about how I would repay the kindness of the Burmese people.

I began dairy farming and my life stabilized so I started the Imaizumi Memorial Burmese Scholarship Foundation.  The scholarship is for students from Myanmar who study in Japan.  In 1989, we awarded our first scholarships. Today, about 200 young people have received the scholarship.

I've mentored many of the students who've studied here in Japan, and my goal is for them to have the skills they need to bring prosperity to their country.  Investing in the next generation was the best way I could think of to repay the strangers who took me in. And, for my my comrades to rest in peace.  I hope this generation brings peace and proserity to Myanmar.  

As told to Vanessa Glavinskas and Reiko Tokiyama

Rotary - Promoting peace is one of Rotary's six areas of focus.  Learn about the different ways you can work for peace at rotary.org/our-causes.  

*Battle of Imphal took place in the region around the city of Imphal, the capital of the state of Manipur in northeast India from March until July 1944. Japanese armies attempted to destroy the Allied forces at Imphal and invade India, but were driven back into Burma with heavy losses.