Reconstruction starts on quake-damaged Japanese war memorials in Myanmar

BANGKOK – Reconstruction and repair work has begun on a war memorial pagoda and stone monuments dedicated to Japanese soldiers who died during World War II in northern Myanmar after they were damaged by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake that hit the region in March last year.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Saturday at the site in the Sagaing region, attended by representatives from a local private organization managing the work, officials from the Japanese Embassy in Myanmar and others. The work’s completion is targeted for March 2027.

The Buddhist tower, built around 1976, will be completely rebuilt as it suffered severe damage in the major earthquake.

Stone monuments inscribed with the names of the Japanese war dead have become unreadable in some parts after being chipped away by the quake, prompting repairs and relocation work.

In April this year, the local private organization started surveys to assess the condition of the pagoda and stone monuments. It has also worked on confirming the names of the Japanese war dead with the assistance of Japan.

The head of the organization said that the group hopes to help deepen Japan-Myanmar relations through the reconstruction work.

During WWII, Myanmar became a fierce battlefield and retreat route for the Imperial Japanese military in the 1944 Battle of Imphal, in which Japanese forces unsuccessfully attempted to capture Imphal in northeastern India, resulting in about 137,000 war dead.