もともとは戦時中に日本海軍が建設した飛行場ですが、戦後の我が国の補償・支援によりこれまでの飛行場が拡張されてきました。今回のプロジェクトでは、国際線と国内線にターミナルが分かれ、さらに近代化されるようです。

 

3月15日（水）、ソロモン諸島ソガヴァレ首相ほか閣僚はじめ、我が国の三輪・在ソロモン諸島特命全権大使、北野・駐日ソロモン諸島名誉領事出席のもと、盛大な引渡式が執り行われていました。

 

また、目下、当会会員を（一社）日本戦没者遺骨収集推進協会による同島遺骨調査に派遣中ですが、当会主催による『ガ島戦80年慰霊巡拝』の再開も期待されます。

ありがたいことに、ソロモン諸島の人々はとても親日的です。今後、益々両国の友好親善が促進されることを当会としても切に願っています。

 

※写真提供 SIBC News

 

【 Handover Ceremony of Honiara Airport Renovation 】

 

A project to renovate Honiara International Airport (formerly Lunga Airfield) on Guadalcanal has terminated with the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

 

Originally constructed by the Japanese Imperial Navy during the WWII, the airfield has been expanded with postwar compensation and support from Japan. The new project is likely to further modernize the terminal by dividing it into two separate terminals for international and domestic flights.

 

On March 15, a hand over ceremony is being held in the presence of Solomon Islands Prime Minister Sogavare, Solomon Islands Cabinet members, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Miwa of Japan to Solomon Islands, and Honorary Consul Kitano of Solomon Islands to Tokyo.

 

In addition, the Japan Association for Recovery & Repatriation of War Casualties(JARRWC) is currently dispatching our member of All Japan Solomon Association to conduct a survey of the Japanese servicemen’s remains in Honiara, and we look forward to the resumption of the “80th Anniversary Memorial Tour to the

Battle of Guadalcanal” hosted by our Association.

 

Thankfully, the people of Solomon Islands are very friendly to Japan. We sincerely hope that the friendship and goodwill between the two countries will be further promoted in the future.

 

※Photos provided by SIBC News