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A War That Gave Heartbreak on Both Sides

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A War That Gave Heartbreak on Both Sides 32 BOMBING OF DARWIN 75TH ANNIVERSARY SUNDAY FEBRUARY 19 2017 A war that gave heartbreak on both sides And so it was, on the eve of TWO Japanese lovers, split by World War II in the the 70th anniversary of Japan’s Territory, united only in death. This incredible tale surrender, that Japanese war- time widow Miyoko Kawahara of enduring love from Tokyo to the Top End began found final peace in the waters in the 1940s and finally drew to a close in 2015 in off Darwin near where her air- crew husband had perished. the aquamarine waters off Darwin Harbour, as In a simple ceremony, Miy- GARY SHIPWAY recounts oko’s ashes were given to the sea by five members from three generations of her fam- ily, led by Noriyo Ito, the DARWIN will forever hold a Shinji was just 22, and he daughter of Shinji Kawahara. special place in the heart of and crew member Tomihiko They travelled from Tokyo Japan’s Kawahara family. Tanaka were flying another of for the moving ceremony, It is the final resting place of their many information gath- This was the first time the Shinji Kawahara and his ering missions over Darwin. family of a Japanese World devoted wife Miyoko. Unlike other missions, they War II victim had scattered the Shinji and Miyoko rep- ran into grave trouble, ashes of their loved one in Aus- resent the side of a war that 26,000ft in the air. tralia. Noriyo Ito said the pil- the northern shore of the Japa- even time can struggle to heal; Their aircraft was no match grimage to Darwin in 2015 was nese island of Kyushu. away from the fighting, but no for the faster, deadlier Royal a sad, but emotionally fulfilling In a tearful exchange Mr less painful. Australian Air Force Spitfires journey. Styles presented them with a Their wartime story is like that swooped them over the “Life was hard for my moth- DVD recounting the family’s many. A young love torn apart Timor Sea somewhere near er. Her marriage to my father journey to the Northern Terri- but never forgotten. Bathurst Island, northwest of was very short and I was only tory, the story of her father and As the Territory commem- Darwin. eight months old when he the casting of Miyoko Kawa- orates the 75th Anniversary of Both Shinji and his fellow died,” Ms Ito said. hara’s ashes into the sea off the Bombing of Darwin, we re- flight crew member Tanaka “She never stopped loving Darwin. member there was great heart- were killed in the showdown. my father. I was sad I never got Mr Styles said World War II break on both sides. Their bodies sank to a to know him … I didn’t know was “more a subject of interest Miyoko and Shinji’s tale re- watery tomb, never to be what happened except that he rather than anger” for many flects the spirit of forgiveness recovered. had died in Australia. To know Australians. and friendship now shared be- that my parents are together “We are firm friends with tween countries and people ■ ■ ■ ■ brought great happiness.” Japan, and we’re happy to sup- who were once enemies. port this request to bring the In 1943, Miyoko Kawaha- DESPITE Shinji’s physical ■ ■ ■ ■ family peace in their quest,” he ra’s young husband was one departure from the world, said. “The Territory saw more half of a Japanese Navy air- Miyoko’s love for her husband NORIYO Ito’s pilgrimage to than two years of being on the crew flying a reconnaissance never once waned. Darwin to lay her mother to war’s front line, with air raids mission near Charles Point Her last wish before she rest had a moving postscript. carried out until the end of northwest of Darwin. died in 2014 was for her ashes Peter Styles, former NT 1943. The war in the Pacific was to join her husband’s body at Minister for Multicultural “There was great heart- raging and Darwin had been the site of the downed aircraft Affairs, caught up with Noriyo, break and tragedy, and we bombed some 18 months off the Northern Territory 72, and her daughter Rie Ito, remember the fallen from both earlier. coast. 48, in the city of Fukuoka on sides.” Left: Noriyo Ito, the daughter of Japanese pilot Shinji Kawahara who was shot down near Darwin (pictured top left with wife Miyoko), scattered the ashes of her mother, the pilot’s widow, in Darwin Harbour in 2015. Yuzuru Ito, and Dr Tom Lewis assisted her. Above: Shinji Kawahara Pictures: KATRINA BRIDGEFORD 32 NT NEWS / SUNDAY TERRITORIAN, Sunday, February 19, 2017 NTNE01Z01FC - V1.
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