Unconfirmed: Two Living, Ex-Japanese Soldiers Found in Philippines (Mindanao)

Mainichi News in Tokyo (in Japanese) (linked) ^ | 26 May 2005 | Mainichi Shimbun in Japan (in Japanese)

[Spktyr]

The French usually don't even take that long. Try six seconds.

This is a reminder of the latent warrior culture of Japan, which all of Asia still fears. We exterminated most of it in WW2, but there's still traces of it there. They've got a tradition of duty and honor that goes back at least a couple thousand years.

They were horrendously effective enemies (embodying "no retreat, no surrender"), but they make excellent allies.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Yep, that is the "Everyday Newspaper" for you! (And Babelfish Translation does sound like Yoda, doesn't it?)

[JLS]

Right I thought the guys in the 1980s were flat amazing? If these two are not a hoax, it is beyond amazing.

I do not remember any recent stories indicating that locals in the PI thought someone or something was foraging in their area? Have you seen such stories? The lack of such stories was part of what caused people to think all these soldiers were gone.

[Fudd]

I was always amazed that there were a few Japanese soldiers on Iwo Jima that survived past the war. They lived off of garbage from the U.S. base there, but finally surrendered after seeing newspapers with stories about Christmas activities in Tokyo. Late '40's, early '50's, IIRC.

Not as long as these two (if true), but Iwo's not a large place to hide.

[Rebelbase]

Does this mean they won?

[Publius6961]

Service, Honor, Country.

To a fault.

The other extreme to the stupid no-right-to-live ding-dongs who ridicule patriotism.

[lilylangtree]

The islamic terrorists have nothing on these two. Talk about determination and self-will, these two take the cake and eat it.

[Sthitch]

I lived on Guam in '72 when the last Japanese solider finally "surrendered" there.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Kyodo News is now reporting it too.

The two definitely produced ID that was of Japanese Imperial Army in nature, and further signed both their names in 'kanji' (Japanese script, from China) as well. They are Japanese.

Did not say much more outside of that.

[King Prout]

traces, indeed

[Rebelbase]

"I was always amazed that there were a few Japanese soldiers on Iwo Jima that survived past the war. They lived off of garbage from the U.S. base there,"

Kind of like Eric Rudolph in Western NC.

[aBootes]

Fascinating. If you find more, I'd appreciate a ping.

[andyk]

...at the hotel of the same island general sun toss city.

Kinda rolls off the tongue.

[AmericanInTokyo]

I don't know. Could be.

But one thing is sure--they will be happy to see Japan's military power of today, as well as it's service to the far corner of the world -- name, Samawah Base in Iraq.

[Constitution Day]

[cjshapi]

Pretty amazing, if true.

[fso301]

Actually, in many cases at wars end, the Japanese servicemen weren't able to return home due to logistics and just merged with the locals. I knew someone whose Japanese father did that in Vietnam. It was the 1970's before he actually made it back to Japan with his Vietnamese wife.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Lots of cases like that, yes.

[Spktyr]

No. If past incidents are any example, they will be cleaned up, fixed up by the medics, issued new replicas of their original period uniforms, and flown to Japan, where the Emperor will order them to surrender. The surrender will be taken by the highest ranking US officer in Japan, and that will be pretty much it.

If true, they followed their last orders (go guerilla, resist the Americans, fight on for the Emperor) for over 50 years. They will be treated with honor and dignity by our military throughout the process. Remember, these are Japan's MIAs.

[joesnuffy]

Here they are...though there is something mighty fishy about this...