The "cenotaph area" for a death for Self-Defense official was completed in the Defense Agency at Ichigaya,Tokyo. The country invested about 600 million yen, and brought together 16 monuments of the Self-Defense Forces and the old Japanese army, etc. which were dotted in the Defense Agency, were gathered in 6000-square meter one corner of the Defense Agency east side, and they were re-fixed. It becomes the place where the floral tribute of the Director General of the Defense Agency and foreign important persons as well as the bereaved families may visit.
There were 1700 or more death Self-Defense officials, it has been first to have outlaid national expenditure for the victim-to-duty institution since the Self-Defense-Forces foundation in 1954 .The cenotaph was built in 1962 and it was rebuilt in 1980,but it was provided with contribution of members or a mutual aid society.
Former Prime Minister Mori who attended at an announcement ceremony of September 11,2003 as an appeal person of the cenotaph area foundation greeted in this way.
'Would a wife of self-defense dead soldier tell a child that his father died for a country or her child must not be assigned to such a work? It becomes bereaved family's pride that the country comforts the souls of the people who risked their lives to the country. '
For the Self-Defense Forces which duties expand such as international peace cooperation, maintenance of a cenotaph area is even it is small, but it can be said to be one step for dignity.
(Above Yomiuri paper on October 2, 2003)