I am very distressed that the Australian government has seen fit to enter into a defence pact with Japan that will allow Japanese soldiers to be stationed in Australia. The treatment of Australian soldiers that were prisoners of war, held by the Japanese was disgraceful. Thousands of our brave young soldiers died as a result of this shameful treatment and the people of this nation must never forget the terrible depravity of their Japanese captors.

Now we have Japanese whalers in our waters slaughtering the whales for so called scientific purposes. The world knows that science plays no part in their actions. We gaol Indonesian fishermen who fish illegally in our waters and we sink their boats. The same treatment should  be metered out of those barbaric Japanese whalers. How can we possibly address this issue adequately whilst we have Japanese soldiers on our soil? It also sends the completely wrong message to the Japanese as it appears that we are condoning their shameful actions. I have spoken to the chief of the RSL on the issue but neither are they prepared to do anything about it. How weak and gutless has Australia become when the memory of the soldiers who saved us from invasion can so easily be dismissed.

Bert Collins 

Sydney

further reading The Forgotten Race-- Fighting For Recognition