Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Reigning Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko laid flowers at the Heroes’ Cemetery — a simple yet meaningful gesture for Filipinos.
The imperial couple on Wednesday (January 27) honored Filipinos who died defending their country’s freedom from Japanese occupation during World War II.
The cemetery is arguably one of the most significant markers of the liberation of Manila in 1945.
More than 30,000 of those buried here are military personnel who perished in the infamous “death march” from Bataan to Capas, Tarlac.
“As you know, the emperor express[ed] his profound remorse to the loss of lives of many Filipinos when the fight was done in 1945 between the Japanese army and the U.S. armies,” Hatsuhisa Takashima, press secretary to the emperor, said.
The majesties of Japan have also previously visited other Pacific battle sites like in Palau in 2015, and Saipan in 2005.
For historian Ricardo Jose, the emperor’s remorse over the war helps improve Japan’s image.
Jose said the emperor’s pacifist views and gentle demeanor balances out the Japanese government’s aggressive stance.
“The emperor is trying to show that the Japanese government or Japanese people themselves realize the damage the war cost these countries,” said Jose.
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Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has consistently pushed for changes in the country’s laws by revising the country’s war-renouncing constitution.
But according to Jose, the emperor’s deeds have always reminded Japan’s political leaders to know their limits.
“I think with the emperor’s remorse, sincerity, this binds the administration that they cannot go too far. They cannot challenge what the emperor does… It kind of channels the activities of the current administration that they cannot go beyond what the emperor is doing.”
Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko also offered flowers at the monument of Philippine national hero Jose Rizal.
The imperial couple is also scheduled to visit the Japanese Garden in Laguna later this week. It is a memorial park built to pay homage to fallen Japanese soldiers of the Second World War.
Many years have passed since that dark period between the Japanese and Filipino people. In recent years, the two countries have maintained warm relations.
But historians said Filipinos should never forget about what happened, if only to prevent history from repeating itself.
