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© KYODOJapanese volunteer fighting for Ukraine dies in war
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60 Comments
Cricky
The man wanted to test himself in combat, years ago a Japanese (ex foreign Legionary) was killed in Iraq.. just because he was Japanese doesn’t mean he was compliant. He passed the test.
‘There have been American, British, Australian undoubtedly more, deaths serving in the Ukrainian, is not safe, it’s a war zone. It’s NOT a film or game there are no reset buttons.
changamangaliay
These kind of volunteers/mercenaries when return to their home countries causes problems. Japanese government should not promote.
Mr Kipling
War is dangerous? Who would have thought?
I guess this unnamed and soon forgotten twenty something male learned this too late.
cleo
You must be have access to a different media narrative.
The media narrative I am getting is telling me that at least 100,000 troops have been killed on each side and the number of dead and injured civilians recorded is close to 20,000, not counting all those in the mass graves not yet investigated.
More likely this young man just wanted to help.
OssanAmerica
Many people from various nations have volunteered to fight for Ukraine, and many have lost their lives. God bless them.
virusrex
There is nothing to support that assumption since there is very little information about his identity or at what point he began fighting in the war. For all anybody knows he was fighting long before any Russian was reported "fleeing".
nosuke
Well he could of been sucidal in the first place and or was unemployed and decided Yeah im gonna go fight the Russians and gets killed. RIP. This shows you that the world is fighting Russia not Ukraine themselves and you got to understand that even if Urkraine wins this war the food hike price wont return back to what is was and we all have to suffer from inflation. To volunteer to fight a war for someone else country.....not realistic man. Your just a mercenary.
Jonathan Prin
He is a hero because fighting for freedom and helping his neighbours.
If Japan was next, country would accept Ukrainians...
I remi.d you that Japan has not signed any peace treaty with Russia yet, last 2 countries after WWII.
Rodney
Where is the line between volunteer, mercenary, terrorist, or murderer.?
japan is not part of EU or NATO. Ukraine is not part of NATO or EU either. So what right does he have to go to a foreign country just because he doesn’t like their race?
Fighto!
Rest in Peace.
Some may say he was putting himself at risk. I guess when one has a social conscience, and knows right from wrong, some stand up to bullies and do what they can to help. Others actively support the bully - so long as it doesn't impact their own selfish life.
You fell on the right side of history, Sir.
Wick's pencil
No, he was hired to fight in NATO's proxy war.
Fighto!
What right do the fascist Russians have to go to independent Ukraine just because they wish to exterminate their people and culture?
Peter14
Japanese volunteer
He went their voluntarily, ie he volunteered. Whether he was paid or not for his service by Ukraine is not the point. He was not drafted, sent or conscripted, he was a volunteer.
Peter14
Ukraine gave him the right to fight for them. They armed him and provided any training he needed and his choice to fight for their freedom was his alone. He has every right to defend others. What right does Russia have to invade Ukraine for territorial expansion? None at all!
Mr Kipling
I feel sorry for his parents, they probably feel a deep sense of shame and disappointment.
Peter14
Rubbish. If his parents loved and trusted him then they feel sorrow and loss, but also pride in him defending those unable to protect themselves. There is no reason for them to feel shame or disappointment for his courage.
rainyday
What an appalling thing to say.
u_s__reamer
Going to somebody else's war in another country is always a bad decision in life, and death means a lesson too late for that young man to learn. But when will We ever learn?
Yrral
Any volunteers here,
Hiro
We thank him for his bravery and sacrifice. Our government should do more for Ukraine and not just sit by and watch millions suffer in the hands of the invaders.
englisc aspyrgend
A brave young man of courage, principle and moral sense who chose to fight a vicious tyranny and fell in that noble cause.
I feel enormous sympathy for his grieving patents, but at least they can be proud of their son who had the moral sense to judge right from wrong and the courage to act upon it and oppose the evil, they raised a good man.
Yrral
The war is over according to the number one general in the US Milley,he say Ukrainain have achieve all they can achieve,it time to negotiate
Mr Kipling
He may have thought he was acting from a moral point but also his parents may have raised an idiot who died in his twenties either because he believed the nonsense propaganda in the western press or was an active Nazi who wanted to kill Russians. Either way, a sad day for his parents.
Axel
There is a photo of him in Ukraine. Sporting a fascist era Japanese flag. That kind of thing is very popular in Ukraine these days. Though maybe not for much longer. Something big is going to happen soon.
Jtsnose
Japanese dying in a war, for a country which has little if any relation to Japan is a tragedy . . . . It makes better sense for Japanese to keep their own borders secure for and if Russia threatens . . . Japanese lands such as those claimed by Japan in the North . . . .
Axel
Another hapless American or Canadian was also captured by Chechens. Looked like a mouse among cats. They were telling him what to do in Chechen and almost crying he just kept repeating, "I don't speak Russian. I can't understand Russian" which seemed to really annoy the Chechens.
Yrral
Armchair General,the real American general say stick a fork in this war,he think this war is done
Fredrik
He was fighting was a cause he believed was right, and earns our respect. Though, we should not show any respect to the politicians that are fueling this war for their own agenda, causing innocent people to die.
tooheysnew
Oh, you’re sure are you ?
most foreign fighters fighting for Ukraine are volunteer.
they are fighting for a worthy cause, unlike the Russian hired mercenaries who are fighting for a paycheck
signal11
So, that word "mercenary." It doesn't really think what you think it means. Receipt of pay is not the only determinant of whether or not that would apply someone, either in popular usage or by legal definitions for the simple reason that pay has been a function of all matter of miitary formation
For starters, volunteers for the Ukrainian International Brigade contract to the Ukrainian military for the duration of the volunteer's service, which places them under a flag - Ukraine's , a party to the hostilities - and under the command of its commissioned officers. By definition, these are not mercenaries in the modern military sense.
In modern colloquial or layman's usage, a mercenary is a soldier of fortune, or one who engages in the activities of war primarily for monetary or material reward, with the explicit or implicit understanding that other allegiances being of little of no consequence or.
ReasonandWisdomNippon
If a Japanese citizen dies fighting for Ukraine and helping Ukraine, his a mercenary or suicidal apparently.
If his from the West or any other country; his a hero, freedom fighter, greatest person in the world.
Pomeranian
Japanese hero.
Antiquesaving
Really? Why? I imagine a large portion of the ethnic Russians born in the south east territories of Ukraine and many Russians feel they are fighting for a cause they believed in and died.
Are you going to say the same thing about them?
Antiquesaving
I have no care for people going looking for war this guy or the Canadian that first did 2 tours in Afghanistan then left his partner and daughter to go get killed in Ukraine.
Don't give me the freedom junk, it is adrenaline junkies,
I have seen war, in June 1982 Beirut Lebanon during what was supposed to be a brokered cease fire as a real volunteer ( no pay) medic helping evacuate civilians to join their families in France and Canada, all hell broke loose, I was caught in the middle I watched people blown apart bombs don't discriminate women, children, old young.
So I know so many here want WW3 but sorry if Ukraine needs to negotiate now in order to save lives then that is what should be done.
This insane idea they are going to take back everything including Crimea is nuts and all it does is kill more people.
All those saying keep fighting, good job for these dead guys.
I say put your lives were your mouth and bravado are go to Ukrane and help see how you deal with bombs, shells and mortars.
1982 was 40 years ago, but in my head I still see the dead like it was yesterday.
I got heavily criticised and called name for saying I wouldn't fight unless no other choice, those that have never been in war are always the loudest to call for war and fastest to send other to war.
Antiquesaving
Really? Strange how Ukraine has had to fight against this non fighting Russian army for every centimeter.
Ukraine keeps telling us about how Russian soldiers are killing everyone.
But you say they aren't willing to fight.
OK, if you say so.
Strangerland
Only because they're believing the lies Russia is telling them.
There is no justification for invading a sovereign nation and murdering it's innocent civilians. There isn't any ambiguity here, Russia is in the wrong, and any soldier who advances into Ukraine instead of turning his weapon on the people telling him to advance into Ukraine, deserves the death they get in Ukraine.
Strangerland
Yes really, that's why they've had to do forced conscription, on punishment of imprisonment or death.
Strangerland
I see Antiquesavings is still of the opinion that the Ukrainians should just lay down their arms and let the Russians take over their country. Because he thinks that's a moral and intelligent stance. Does anyone concur with him?
Antiquesaving
Perhaps they know history better than some western politician and internet warrior.
If Ukraine was so sweet and good how come it made war criminals of the OUN UPA National heroes?
How come Poland had to pass a law in 2018 to make it officially a crime to deny the crimes of OUN UPA, why does Ukraine permit the fascists UPA black and red flag to be flown and on uniforms.
It didn't even take a year after the 2014 coup to whitewash their history and declare ethnic cleansing UPA heroes.
Remember number one corrupt country in Europe is Russia number 2 is Ukraine, that is the EU and USA listing.
Antiquesaving
And again the false information, no conscription despite what the western news and politicians like to say.
These are not conscripts anymore than those called up by the USA From the reserves were.
You seem to like to mix things up.
If these are conscripts then you need to agree the army reserves called up when the USA invaded Afghanistan and Iraq are also conscripts.
These are men previously in the military than chose to remain on the reserve list, and like in the USA if a reservists is called up and refuses to go they will be arrested and prosecuted.
Funny how you leave that part out.
Strangerland
No history allows invading a sovereign nation and committing war crimes on its innocent civilians mate. Sorry (not sorry) that your argument is a failure.
Sorry, are you saying it's ok to invade a sovereign nation and commit war crimes on their innocent civilians? That puts you in the wrong mate. Sorry to point out reality to you.
Let's not forget, you've been advocating for Ukraine to just give up and let Russia invade them, from the start.
Antiquesaving
Strange Iraq didn't seem to bother the USA or UK, 800,000 Iraqi died, any WMD?
What you really mean is
No history allows invading a sovereign nation and committing war crimes on its innocent civilians unless the USA, UK, Canada EU etc ...are doing it mate.
There fixed your statement.
Abe234
The soldier that joined up are not mercenaries. They are soldier who stepped up to t he plate, and decided they wanted to help Ukraine. Some will give all, while all will give some.
So today on Remembrance Day, I’ll stand and, remember that he wanted to help liberate Ukraine along side all the other foreign legion soldiers who wanted to stand up to an invading country. At ease, you duty is done!
We saw how appeasement works, (Germany WW2) or giving the wrong signals embolden an enemy, Argentina pre 1982 they both read the signal wrong. China is watching this and will see if we loose interest. North Korean is also watching to see if we loose interest.
Sven Asai
Could he at minimum perfectly communicate with the people there, civilians, comrades, enemies? Was he really capable of saying at least something easy, like ‘Give me a gun and some ammunition.’ in Ukrainian language, or ‘ Don’t shoot, I am an unarmed volunteer from Japan.’ in Russian language? Highly probably only equipped with a smartphone , a few dollars and many naive illusions in his head, right?
ushosh123
Perhaps it's just this individual had the freedom to choose what he wanted to do. Which isn't afforded to everyone. I doubt anyone decides to volunteer to fight in a war thinking it's fun and games free of consequences regardless of how much knowledge or lack of they had of the situation prior. So to that I salute you.
Ronin Tsukebin
Why don't all the woke liberals also sign up for the war against Russia and make a name for yourselves?
But remember this. When the Soviet Union fell apart there was an agreement that joining NATO was off limits for all former Soviet territories/republics, especially Ukraine which has control of the largely Russian Crimea where it has had a warm water fleet on the Black Sea for 250 years. It is a key to Russia's southern defenses. Indeed, most of the Crimea and eastern Ukraine would choose to be Russian, not Ukranian.
However, the US has been meddling in Ukranian affairs for a long time now, funding the Orange Revolution and the overthrow of a duly elected government. Russia said enough is enough especially with the acidic and provocative Biden regime. So Russia invaded territory strategic to its long term national interests as any nation would. Ukranian membership in NATO is clearly a mortal threat to Russia. The incompetent Biden administration, ramrodded into office by Covid-related factors and misinformation, continues to supply arms and fight a proxy war there. Russia and Ukraine, two Slavic and primarily Orthodox nations, are now essentially in a civil war with the West making a killing providing arms and strategic intelligence to the one it favors. For what?
Well, apparentlly its allows for "brave and heroic" volunteers to go there and lose their lives like this poor Japanese man; and then us to comment on it as self-virtuing computer warriors. Astounding. What a world we live in!
cleo
Many Ukrainians speak good English. This young man could be one of the (admittedly not many) Japanese studying in Ukraine. For example, Kyiv University has a student exchange scheme in place.
Some of them previously in the military decades ago, now well past call-up age. Some students, too young to have ever served in the military. Some with medical problems or disabilities, unfit for service.
Some had no military experience, detained during anti-war protests, pulled off the streets or out of the underground.
Sent to the front with no training, no food, no equipment.
Funny how you leave that part out.
TokyoLiving
What a stupid way to die, in a war on the other side of the world that belongs to NO ONE in Japan..
According to sources from other media, over 1000 more Ucranian pais mercenaries died, stop playing the international hero, if you want to defend something, defend your own countries and your families..
Completely true, apart from doing a great stupidity, he left a great void in his family, this should never have happened..
Antiquesaving
Please verify your information, it was a reservists call up.
So no old men no one that was not previously in the military.
Most countries have reservists and the USA, Canada and UK called theirs up during Afghanistan.
You call other for believing Russian propaganda, then you repeat obvious western propaganda.
Give a reason why would the Russian military care to use protesters as they know they won't fight.
I know your reply " because Putin, blah blah blah" .
Do you honestly think Russians are that stupid? Do you always believe everything the USA and UK tell you?
If so, please remind me where are the WMDs in Iraq, how did Isis start? Why is Libya and Syria messes?
Oh right I forgot only Russia is capable of propaganda.
Look up gulf of Tonkin incident see how real that was, look up Pinochet, the Shaw of Iran etc....
I unlike most here not only don't believe Putin I don't believe the USA, in most cases if the USA says it is blue, you can better it is red.
This false narrative the USA promotes democracy. Has been proven false for over 100 year based on all the dictatorship and banana republics the USA has installed around the world.
Yrral
Antique,These Ukrainain do not have proper military gear to fight a war,got to go begging other to equip ,the chief US military general has call for a halt to the war,and insist on negotiating Google Milley Ukraine Negotiate
Yuuju
Brave hero, rest in peace and watch over us from the Heaven.