Memorial services held in Taki and Hita to honor war victims

Memorial services were held in Taki Town, Mie Prefecture, and Hita City, Oita Prefecture, to honor victims of the Pacific War and pray for global peace.

In Taki Town, Mayor Naoyuki Tsutsui and approximately 30 bereaved family members gathered at the Yoshida Welfare Foundation Hall. During the ceremony, Mayor Tsutsui emphasized the responsibility of passing down the history and lessons of the war to the next generation to ensure a peaceful future. The town has continued holding these ceremonies in a reduced scale since 2023 following the dissolution of the local bereaved families association in 2022.

In Hita City, approximately 85 attendees, including local officials and bereaved families, gathered at the Patria Hita civic center. The ceremony honored 3,219 war dead from the city. Yoshio Umeno, chairman of the city's bereaved families association, spoke on the ongoing nature of global conflicts and the necessity of praying for peace. Participants offered flowers and observed a moment of silence to commemorate those lost.