Japanese soldier apologises for his role in war with China in 1930's

(21 Apr 2001)

1. Wide shot Japanese veteran Yasuyoshi Shioya offering his sword to People Liberation Army (P-L-A) representative
2. Close up of sword blade where confession has been engraved
3. Pull out to wide of Japanese veteran presenting sword
4. Wide of Japanese veteran walking to P-L-A soldiers and bowing
6. Medium of P-L-A soldiers
7. Wide shot Japanese vetaran offering his military cap to P-L-A representative
8. Mid shot of P-L-A representative receiving Japanese military uniform
9. Wide shot Japanese veteran showing his clothes
10. Close up calligraphy hand painting made by Japanese veteran
11. Wide Japanese veteran offering his calligraphy to P-L-A representative together with a letter (red ribbon)of apologies
12. Wide Japanese veteran shaking hands wit P-L-A representative
13. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Yasuyoshi Shioya, veteran
"The younger generation does not know the history because they are not taught it. To me it's not a good thing they are not told the truth that we invaded China. One last time before I die I wanted to help the two countries to better understand each other. It's wonderful I have been given this opportunity."
14. Pull out from Japanese veteran walking though museum to wide of museum display and Japanese veteran going up steps
15. Close up Japanese veteran going up stairs
16. Wide shot Japanese veteran looking at Japanese swords from Second World War confiscated from Japanese soldiers and displayed in museum
17. Pan of Japanese swords
18. Close up face of Japanese veteran walking through Japanese war artifacts displayed in museum
19. Wide Japanese veteran talking to P-L-A officer while looking at bayonet displays
20. Wide Japanese veteran looking at Second World War machine guns
21. Mid shot Japanese veteran walking
22. Wide shot interior of museum with tank on display
23. SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Yasuyoshi Shioya, veteran
" I am not a politician. I am just a civilian- a civilian representing other Japanese citizens. It's sure that Taiwan is a part of China however I am not fully satisfied myself about it, but still it is not good I think that the Japanese government granted a visa to Lee Teng Hui."
24. Wide shot Japanese veteran and P-L-A representative walking down museum stairs
25. Wide shot exterior building of China Military Museum

STORYLINE

A Japanese war veteran on Saturday apologised to China for his conduct in the occupation of Manchuria in the 1930s.

At a ceremony in Beijing's military museum on Saturday, 83 year old Yasuyoshi Shioya presented a sword to a representative of the People's Liberation Army.

An apology in Japanese was engraved on the sword's blade.

The veteran also donated his army uniform to the museum.

Yasuyoshi Shioya was not representing the Japanese government but he said he hoped his apology would go some way towards improving relations between the two countries.

The atrocities committed in China by Japanese troops in the 1930s and Second World War are still a major point of frictions between China and Japan today.

The Chinese government has requested a formal apology from the Japanese, though this has not been forthcoming.

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