Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako lay flowers and offer a moment of silent prayer at a war memorial in Amsterdam on the morning of June 17. (Pool photo)
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On June 17, during their visit to the Netherlands, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako offered a moment of silent prayer at the National Monument in Amsterdam's Dam Square, which commemorates the victims of World War II.
For many years after the war, relations between Japan and the Netherlands were strained over the treatment of Dutch prisoners of war and civilians held by the former Imperial Japanese Army.
A Japanese woman who has worked closely with former Dutch internees expressed hope that the lessons of this history will continue to be passed on to future generations.
Wartime Legacy
During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army interned about 40,000 prisoners of war and roughly 90,000 civilians in camps in the former Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. Many died in captivity.
The lingering impact of the war was evident when Emperor Showa (Hirohito) visited Europe in 1971. He was unable to make an official state visit to the Netherlands and instead made what was described as a brief stopover. During the visit, protesters threw a thermos flask at his motorcade, and no members of the Dutch royal family attended his funeral years later.
Efforts Toward Reconciliation
Relations gradually improved after Emperor Emeritus Akihito ascended the throne. In 1990, then-Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, now King Willem-Alexander, attended his enthronement ceremony.
A decade later, Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko visited the Netherlands as state guests and laid flowers at a war memorial. At a state banquet, Emperor Akihito said, "I feel deep sorrow for those who continue to bear the wounds of war."
According to Jiro Mizushima, a professor of Dutch politics at Chiba University, attitudes toward Japan in the Netherlands were negative until the 1990s. He said Emperor Akihito's remarks were widely seen as a sincere acknowledgment of the past and were received positively.
Preserving Memories for Future Generations
More than 80 years after the war, the number of surviving former internees in the Netherlands has dwindled.
Yukari Tangena-Suzuki, 75, an honorary member of the foundation Dialogue Netherlands–Japan–Indonesia, stresses the importance of preserving their stories.
The organization began its activities in 2012, the 400th anniversary of Japan–Netherlands relations, creating opportunities for former internees and Japanese residents in the Netherlands to engage in dialogue.
Tangena-Suzuki recalls meeting people who had lost children in the internment camps. "We embraced and cried together," she says. "For the former internees, it meant a great deal that we, as Japanese people, listened to their experiences."
In recent years, the foundation has produced educational materials and online content to help ensure these memories are not forgotten.
"We should learn history in order to build peace," Tangena-Suzuki says. "I hope this visit by Their Majesties will encourage younger generations, who have no direct memory of these events, to learn about this chapter of history."
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Author: Tomomi Yoshizawa, The Sankei Shimbun
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