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His Excellency Fumio Kishida,
Prime Minister of Japan.
The Hague, 8 March 2022
Petition: 328
Subject: The Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies started 8o years ago after the Java Sea battle.
Excellency,
27 February 1942, 80 years ago, the Java Sea naval battle took place between Japan and the Combined Striking Force of Dutch, Australian, British and American naval forces. The Combined Forces tried to stop the Japan invasion of Java. They failed and the former Dutch East Indies were invaded by the Japanese military.
The memorial service remembering that 80 years ago the battle took place was attended by Princess Beatrix, the former Dutch Queen. On the Dutch side about 1.000 naval service men died. The surviving Dutch from Dutch East Indies remember it well. They still hope that one day Japan will acknowledge that it has the honorable duty to accept the historic responsibility for the unlawful attack and subsequent invasion, and acknowledge the misdeeds of its military during the occupation. The failure to accept this continues unmeasurable pain and sorrow for the survivors and their next of kin.
Prime Minister,
The present Russian invasion of Ukraine reactivate the raw memories of war and subsequent harsh occupation by the Japanese military. History appears to be repeated now by Russia for the Russians, equivalent to Japan’s historic pronouncement “Asia for the Asians”.
Our sympathy is with the Ukrainians and we hope that Russia will not be able to occupy Ukraine as Japan did in Asia.
We look forward to our discussion with the Ambassador today and to your acknowledgement of the receipt of this petition confirming your personal attention and the need for a meaningful dialogue.
On behalf of the Foundation of Japanese Honorary Debts.
J.F. van Wagtendonk
President.