P.O. Box 665, Yung Ho, Taipei 234, Taiwan, R.O.C. Telephone: 886 2 8660-8438       Facsimile: 886 2 8660-8439 E-Mail: society@powtaiwan.org

For the past two years there has been an effort here in Taiwan to recognize the sufferings of former Commonwealth and Allied prisoners of war at the hands of the Japanese during World War II.

This project came about as a result of information coming to light in late 1996 about the notorious POW camp at Chinguashi, Taiwan, formerly known as Kinkaseki. A committee was formed to organize a memorial service in May of 1997 and to oversee the construction of a memorial to the POWs of Kinkaseki and other places in Taiwan. The Kinkaseki POW Memorial was officially dedicated on November 23, 1997.

The memorial project was finally completed in the spring of this year with the erection of several information plaques about the POW camp on the site, and a low wall along one side of the memorial.

It was also the objective of the committee to make sure that the ex-POWs were informed of the memorial and of the fact that they and their comrades had not been forgotten. During the past year a worldwide search for the surviving POWs of Kinkaseki was undertaken, with the result that more than 140 living survivors and immediate next-of-kin were located.

Since the job the Kinkaseki Memorial Committee was formed to do has been completed, the committee has recently been stood down, but the ongoing job of locating survivors and also identifying the other camps in Taiwan remains.

To this end we would like to announce the formation of a new society to carry on the work begun by the Kinkaseki Memorial Committee. This new organization is called the "TAIWAN POW CAMPS MEMORIAL SOCIETY", and like the Kinkaseki Committee, is made up of representatives of the Commonwealth and Allied community here in Taiwan.

• to continue the search for survivors of the Taiwan POW camps from 1942 - 45
• to search for the locations of the former Japanese POW camps on the island of Taiwan
• to ensure that the survivors of these POW camps know that they and their comrades are not forgotten
• to participate with the Commonwealth and Allied community each year in a memorial service for the Taiwan POWs at Kinkaseki
• to help educate the people of Taiwan in a little-known part of their history
• to provide information to scholars, researchers, museums and POW groups on the Taiwan POWs' story

The TAIWAN POW CAMPS MEMORIAL SOCIETY will continue to send newsletters to all those formerly interested and associated with the Kinkaseki Memorial project, and it is our hope that we will have the continued support of the Commonwealth and Allied community here in Taiwan. We would appreciate help from anyone who might have information about surviving POWs or the former POW camps on Taiwan.