HIROSHIMA -- Seven French soldiers are buried in a section of a military cemetery in Hiroshima that overlooks the Seto Inland Sea. The French section was established in 1900 and has been maintained by residents as a mark of friendship between Japan and France ever since, shrinking the some 10,000 kilometers separating the two countries.

       The history of the French graves in Hijiyama Military Cemetery in Hijiyama Park, Minami Ward, Hiroshima, dates to the end of the Qing Dynasty in China. In 1900, a secret society known as the Boxers staged the Boxer Rebellion, an anti-foreign uprising that targeted overseas diplomatic missions and other institutions there. In 1901, eight countries including the United Kingdom, Russia, the United States, and Japan entered Beijing to suppress the rebellion.

       This photo shows a newly installed information panel in Japanese and a cenotaph erected in 1900 with French inscriptions at Hijiyama Park in Hiroshima's Minami Ward on Nov. 19, 2021. (Mainichi/Isamu Gari)

       About 120 French soldiers injured in the rebellion were transported to Hiroshima by the Japanese Red Cross hospital ship "Hakuai Maru" and other vessels. They were treated at the local military hospital, and most were able to return to their homeland after treatment. But seven soldiers died without ever stepping on French soil again.

       With no way to get their remains back to France save an extremely long sea journey, they were buried in a spot with a spectacular view of the ocean, which stretched all the way to France. In the many decades since, people involved have kept in touch and in 2008, the 150th anniversary of the signing of the treaty of amity and commerce between Japan and France, the descendants of the French soldiers buried there were invited to Hiroshima.

       But the French cemetery was not widely known among locals. When it was built, a cenotaph was also erected and a simple inscription carved. However, it was written only in Chinese and French. Hideaki Miyama, president of the Societe Franco-Japonaise de Hiroshima, said, "Very few people knew why the French were buried there."

       Consul General of France in Kyoto Jules Irrmann, far right, and others talk about the newly installed explanatory panel at Hijiyama Park in Hiroshima's Minami Ward on Nov. 19, 2021. (Mainichi/Isamu Gari)

       To make the story more widely known, an explanatory panel was installed on Nov. 19, and a memorial ceremony was held at the site. The ceremony was organized by the Societe Franco-Japonaise de Hiroshima, the Consulate-General of France in Kyoto, and the association for the memory of French war dead. About 25 people, including French residents of Hiroshima, participated. Flowers were placed in front of the seven graves, followed by a moment of silence and the unveiling of the information panel describing how the section of the cemetery was built.

       Consul General Jules Irrmann said, "The exchange between Japan and France has exceeded 160 years, but history needs to be remembered. I came here to convey this message to the seven: you will not be forgotten." He also expressed his respect for the citizens whose grassroots activities have protected the site, saying, "I would like to thank you for carefully protecting the cemetery."

       (Japanese original by Isamu Gari, Hiroshima Bureau)

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