War-related Materials: Urgent Action Needed to Preserve Them for Future Generations

Editorial

15:09 JST, May 7, 2026

Eighty years have passed since the end of World War II, and there are concerns that memories of the war are fading. Urgent action is needed to protect the historical materials left behind by those who lived through the war from being discarded or scattered and lost.

The number of people who experienced the war is decreasing with each passing year. The children of soldiers and others who died in the war are now over 80 years old. As the generational transition progresses, a situation is emerging in which the firsthand experiences of those who lived through the war are not being adequately passed down.

As the heads of families change, there have been a series of prominent cases in which large quantities of personal effects from that time — such as diaries, letters, military equipment and military handbooks — are discarded. Large amounts of military equipment and other items are also being listed on online auctions.

Some people are reluctant to speak about their harrowing wartime experiences. Consequently, the significance and value of these materials are likely not being conveyed to family members in many cases.

In addition, even when attempts are made to donate such materials to local governments’ museums or other facilities, requests are sometimes denied on the grounds that “they do not fall within the scope of the museum’s exhibitions” or “there is no storage space.”

Under such circumstances, memories of the war could inevitably fade, and the lessons of history could be forgotten.

In February, the Yamagata prefectural government launched a study group to discuss measures for collecting, preserving and exhibiting war-related materials, as well as plans for passing on these memories to future generations. Over the course of about a year, the study group will discuss methods for assessing the current status of these materials, their storage and utilization, and initiatives to preserve the testimonies of survivors, and then compile a report.

According to the prefectural government, last year, which marked the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, a growing sense of urgency emerged, amid its efforts to pass on stories of the war, that materials would become scattered and lost and the passing down of memories would stall as time goes on.

The Toyama prefectural government also intends to establish a council this fiscal year to examine methods for collecting and exhibiting materials related to events such as the Toyama air raid, which caused significant damage just before the end of the war.

Cooperation between prefectures and municipalities is essential for identifying the locations of such materials and determining where they should be stored. It will also be necessary to establish criteria for what types of materials to collect.

Given tight fiscal situations, rather than building new facilities, one option is to utilize existing ones — for example, donating military clothing to museums and depositing diaries and letters in archives.

Regarding storage, with the exception of materials that require proper temperature and humidity control, one option is to utilize locations such as vacant school buildings. Deepening collaboration with local high schools and universities should also help increase interest among young people.

It is hoped that local governments will assess whether their current systems can ensure the preservation of materials and the passing down of memories for future generations.

The central government also bears a heavy responsibility. In addition to supporting local government initiatives, it should also explore ways to preserve necessary materials collected by researchers in the private sector, universities and elsewhere.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 7, 2026)