Still taboo in Australia-Japan history? Japanese researcher aims to grasp the meaning of New Guinea Campaign

ANU graduate Dr Yoshinori Kosaka, a Sydney-based part-time researcher for Nanzan University in Japan, believes that we need to uncover the truth around the campaign to build a better future for the three countries involved- Australia, Japan and Papua New Guinea.

Dr Yoshinori Kosaka, a Sydney-based part-time researcher at Nanzan University in Japan, studies the New Guinea Campaign during WWII from the perspective of three countries, Japan, Australia, and Papua New Guinea. Insets in the image: P, PF, PK and PM leaflets, Album 3, Far Eastern Liaison Office collection, Australian War Memorial Credit: SBS/Australian War Memorial

The New Guinea Campaign is one of the least-talked about war events due to its harshness and misery. Not many people involved in the battle survived. Even among the survivors, not many of them talked about what happened.

Australia and Japan once fought against each other, but now the two countries enjoy the strongest ties ever.

As a sign of friendship and reconciliation, Japanese officials are invited by Australian counterparts to the ceremonies to commemorate the Bombing of Darwin and the Attack on Sydney Harbour, both happened in 1942.

The New Guinea Campaign is a different story.

"I went to Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway in Concord West last November to attend the memorial ceremony. There was virtually no Japanese presence," Dr Kosaka said.

In the audio, Dr Kosaka talks about his research and how he would like to utilize his position as a Sydney-based Japanese academic who has researching experience both in Australia and Papua New Guinea.

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