A building that is a replica of the World War II Japanese battleship Yamashiro opened in Butuan City on 1 December. Governor Nilo Demerey Jr. said the new building is a symbol of the “enduring friendship between Japan and Dinagat Islands and the whole country as well.”
“Japan, during the pandemic and after the onslaught of Typhoon Odette in Dec. 2021, donated around PHP700 million ($19m AUD) for the recovery of the island and its residents,” Demerey said. The building, he said, would also serve as a token of appreciation for Japan’s continuous assistance to the people of the Dinagat Islands.
On 25 October 1944, in the Battle of Surigao Strait, Vice Admiral Shoji Nishimura, Commander of Japan’s Southern Force, was in his flagship Yamashiro with a force which comprising battleship Fuso, the heavy cruiser Mogami, and the destroyers Shigure, Michishio, Asagumo, and Yamagumo. They faced a much larger force of the US Seventh Fleet under the command of Rear Admiral Jesse Oldendorf. Also present was the Australian heavy cruiser, HMAS Shropshire and destroyer, HMAS Arunta.
Nishimura was among the more than 4,000 Japanese navy men who died after the Yamashiro and five other ships were destroyed during the battle. The Yamashiro was sunk in the vicinity of Hibosong Island in the town of Loreto on Dinagat Island. Demerey said the edifice would be a captivating attraction, standing alongside famous tourist sites in Dinagat and enriching the island province’s historical significance.
Source: Philippines News Agency
