Royal snub in store for Japan emperor

But, instead of facing the carriage, the former PoWs, some now in their late eighties will turn their backs on Akihito and whistle the wartime march `Colonel bogey’. The veterans plan to march to Buckingham Palace itself to hand in a letter of protest demanding what they call proper official apology from the Japanese Emperor for war excesses.

The protest by former PoWs would be reminiscent of the reception Akihito’s father got 27 years back during his last statevisit to Britain. PoWs had lined up entire mall and stood in stony silence as wartime Emperor Hirohito’s carriage passed down the mall in 1971. Time still does not appear to have healed the deep wounds felt by the World War II veterans.

Plans for demonstration which Japanese experts said would be taken as a “deep insult’ are contained in a confidential letter sent by leaders of the Japanese labour camp survivors association to its 9,500 members throughout the United Kingdom.