Kokoda- Japanese Soldiers left for dead!

Kokoda is the resting place for the remains of Australian, Japanese and Papuan New Guinea soldiers and carriers who fought in the battles along the Kokoda Track. In February this year I, along with members of my Kokoda Spirit team discovered the full skeletal remains buried along the Kokoda Track of four Japanese soldiers killed in an ambush by the Australians in the moss forests near Mt Bellamy. Our discovery was reported to the Australian Government who put us in contact with the Japanese High Commission in Port Moresby. We were assured by the Japanese Embassy that they would make every effort to recover the remains and return them to Japan. We were also able to identify personal items of the soldiers including ID tag of one of the Soldiers. The skeletal remains of these soldiers are still buried on the track and are in a very vulnerable position. It is now September and the remains still have not been recovered, once again I have been in contact with the Japanese in regards to recovering their war dead from Kokoda. There seems to be no interest from the Japanese in recovering these soldiers.It seems a shame that these young Japanese soldiers sent to war by their government are left buried in a shallow grave far from home on the Kokoda Track.

No matter what your thoughts are regarding the brutal and savage tactics used by the Japanese, these soldiers are someones son, brother, husband or father.

I hope we can make some progress soon before the next wet season hits Kokoda.

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