Philippine-Japan Friendship Shrine
  Note: The image of Hiroo Onoda is from the cover of
"ONODA Sentimental Journey of Lt. Hiroo Onoda"

PHILIPPINE-JAPAN FRIENDSHIP SHRINE


  Entrance gate to the path leading to the Shrine

In January 2011 I had to have two tries to reach the Shrine, as the paths leading to it were rather overgrown.

Finally a local rice farmer showed us the way.

The last of of Lt. Hiroo Onada's men, Private Kinshichi Kozuka, who died in a confrontation with the police in 1972, may have initially been buried somewhere near the shrine - perhaps the shrine is on top of the original grave.

THe Shrine is about a ten minute walk from the main road to Looc.

Update: Oct 2014
1st Lt Bob McBride, Officer in Charge, 848 AC&WS, Gozar Air Station, June 1972-July 1973, generously sent me some photos of his time in Lubang Island.

The period Bob was there coincided with the Japanese straggler, Kinshichi Kozuka, being killed by the constabulary, and the search started for Lt. Hiroo Onoda.

He also wrote: During my assignment at Gozar, I remember the commander being Major Joseph Assanza. He showed me a scar from a wound in his leg where he had been shot by a supposed bandit in the woods. (We were warned never to drive to the east end of the island to Looc because it was not safe).

Thus he has some interesting photos pertaining to the search, and the initial rememberance shrine to Kozuka is pictured below.


 

Everlasting Peace
The text on the Philippine-Japan Friendship Shrine plaque

 
Plaque on the Philippine-Japan Frienship Shrine
Memorial to Kinshichi Kozuka

The shrine marks the spot where Kinshichi Kozuka died.

View of the Philippine-Japan Friendship Shrine from the fields below
Fields below the Philippine-Japan Friendship Shrine
View of Tilik Harbour from near the Philippine-Japan Friendship Shrine
Quarry to the left of the path to the Shrine
A farmer winnowing rice on the road below the shrine
Japanese command post in the search for Hiroo Onoda
Buildings within the Japanese Command Post constructed during the search for Lt Hiroo Onoda - 1973
View of Tilik Harbour from a hill near the Kozuka Memorial

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