The remains of war: Apology and forgiveness

The Remains of War is an eye-opening collection of reminiscences about the atrocities committed by the Japanese Imperial Army soldiers during World War II, including a series of bloody massacres. It is a sequel of sorts to the author's first book, Walang Hiya (Without Shame), which, in 1990, was the first book to examine and acknowledge this dark era in Japan's past. Through extensive research, Mr. Ishida became sympathetic to the plight of the Filipino victims. He collaborated with other World War II veterans in order get firsthand accounts both from Japanese assailants and their Filipino victims, and to expose the harsh truth of these horrible war crimes heretofore gone grossly unacknowledged by the Japanese government and its military leaders. Ishida strongly believes that the present Japanese political leadership, once confronted with the overwhelming evidence of his book, should take full responsibility for the horrible acts committed against the Filipino people during World War II, and that they should offer an official and public apology, expressed through compensation. Whether or not this will happen remains to be seen. However, with The Remains of War, it is clear that at least one Japanese citizen and veteran has taken a significant step toward acknowledging and rectifying the shame of his nation's past. (5 1/2 x 8 1/4, 336 pages, b&w photos)