The Immortal Regiment in Tokyo

The “Immortal Regiment” event and a concert in honor of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War were held on May 5th at the Russian Embassy in Japan.

Descendants of the victors with portraits of their relatives and friends, participants in the Great Patriotic War and home front workers, honored the memory of heroes, veterans of the army and navy, partisans, prisoners of concentration camps, Leningrad blockade survivors and children of war.

“Immortal Regiment” is a nationwide event held in Russia and a number of countries near and far abroad to perpetuate the memory of the participants and victims of the Great Patriotic War. It was first held on May 9, 2012 in Tomsk on the initiative of local journalists, and in 2013 it became Russia-wide.

“I am glad that today we have all been united by participation in the march of memory, the procession of the “Immortal Regiment” – a truly popular undertaking, which today unites tens of millions of people… We fought with an army that united under its misanthropic banners practically the entire population of Europe, with an army that many considered invincible. But we did overcome it… And in our days there is a desire to achieve the total destruction of the Russian world. But no matter what plans the Western sponsors of modern fascism try to build, we stand firmly on our borders, which are now running along the fronts of a special military operation, where our soldiers and officers heroically defend the high ideals of humanism, like their grandfathers and great-grandfathers 80 years ago,” said Nikolai Nozdrev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to Japan.

A minute of silence was observed in memory of those who defended the Motherland, who selflessly forged a common victory, who contributed to the liberation of the world from Nazism, who fought for the future of our country, so that we and our children could live in peace.

The Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao took part in the Immortal Regiment march.

“Compatriots living in different regions of Japan, as well as representatives of other countries, are taking part in the ceremonial events dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory. Even tourists who happened to be in Tokyo on this day decided to join the ceremonial events at the Russian Embassy,” said Elena Koreeda, coordinator of the Immortal Regiment in Japan.

The “Rossiyanka” ensemble of the Richard Sorge School at the Russian Embassy performed military songs and dances dedicated to the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Young artists performed songs from the war years: “Roads”, “Polyushko-Pole”, “Smuglyanka”, “Katyusha”, “Victory Day” and other musical pieces, and also recited poems from Alexander Tvardovsky’s poem “Vasily Terkin. A Book About a Fighter”.

A thematic exhibition “Walk of Fame” was held, which presented photographs of participants in the Great Patriotic War, as well as short stories about their lives and exploits.

A field kitchen was operating on the embassy grounds, offering participants buckwheat porridge and tea.

After the official part of the program, the event continued with informal friendly communication, during which guests were able to share stories from the lives of their heroic ancestors.

There are stories that will be passed down from generation to generation.

Memory is stronger than time!