October 12, 2023 Receive a call from New Zealand Embassy about the War Cemetery

 October 12, 2023

Receive a call from New Zealand Embassy about 

the British Commonwealth War Cemetery.

Secretary asked the wreath by the Yokohama Foreign General Cemetery will have the Wreath as usual.

I answered I am not in charge, but Mr. P. Eymard, so send him the invitation and contact Mr. Higuchi who is our business manager.

I mentioned I am on the Royal British Legion Committee and the meeting will be next Wednesday. 

She said she is not sure who has the wreath or Poppies to put on your jacket. New Zealand government finally decided to be responsible  for the occasion recently so the notice is now out. Catholic Hodogaya Church said it is too late, you should give two months notice. I think only the Anglican Church(both of Japan and the world) are at least concern and interested in the War Cemetery for Christian sense of Reconciliation and I do think in the last moment they will take care of the place.

According to her file, Catholic, Anglican and Baptist are on the list, however I never met anyone except Anglican minister in the past five six years.

There were Islamic priest, Buddhist priest and last year Hindu and Jewish priests.

I asked about catering and the answer was usual "Pop Cone catering service" which the British embassy used.

She mentioned the usual caretaker, Mr. Kobayashi is not in charge and nobody is living there anymore and the new lady in charge said she is not there on week ends and has not enough staff to  take care of the place.

The War Cemetery had 60,000,000 yen budget until last year and enviously taken care well by the British government and Yokohama Foreign Cemetery which has 400,000,000 yen but never used it

and constant accusation took place for it.

Now I don't know about their future, The British Embassy which has had the prime plot  given by Meiji Emperor is now sold to Mitsubishi and shrinking and this War Cemetery is not taken well as in the past and very soon there must be a new system to take care o.f the place       Whatever it is, the transition of power and wealth and image of the Empire is definitely changing and we have tp face the change.