Ghosts of Cowra breakout haunt Japan to this day (original) (raw)

Prisoner A: " 'Never live to experience the shame of being taken prisoner by the enemy' ... that's what the Imperial Japanese Military Regulations say, hence there must be no prisoners. So what's happening here now are the dreams of ghosts" — from "Cowra no Hancho Kaigi" ("Honchos' Meeting in Cowra").

Last week in Tokyo's bohemian Shimokitazawa quarter, I never expected to encounter one of those "ghosts." Yet there he was at the Suzunari Theater, one of the few survivors of a breakout by Japanese troops from a POW camp in Australia that featured in a play whose premiere I attended there the night before.

The opening night of the new work from the renowned Tokyo-based Rinkogun theater company had ended with long and loud applause for the cast of 38 Japanese and American actors, much to the delight of the play's writer/director, Yoji Sakate, 51.