The names of an Imperial Japanese Navy captain and his crew who died on board their submarine following a dramatic WWII battle with a Royal Australian Navy corvette now feature on a memorial plaque, marking the 80th anniversary of the attack.
There were 80 submariners on board the I-124 warship that had been waging covert operations against Australia's north when it was sunk by the HMAS Deloraine on 20 January 1942. None of the bodies were ever recovered from the now-heritage protected wreck, which rests in deep water between Darwin Harbour and Bathurst Island.
The new memorial was unveiled at the Dripstone Cliffs today, on the eve of the 80th anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin. A collaboration between the Northern Territory and Japanese Governments, the plaque is set on a stone plinth and sits alongside an existing memorial laid in 2017.
The tribute to the ill-fated Lieutenant Commander Kishigami Koichi and his crew was inspired by the Japanese Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Shingo Yamagami.
In laying a wreath at the coastal memorial last year, His Excellency committed to expand the tribute to include the names of the submariners who died in the battle; and returned to Darwin this week to unveil the new plaque with NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner.
On 20 January 2022 - the anniversary of the sinking of the submarine - the NT Government released a virtual reality dive experience of the wreck in both English and Japanese, which has had more than 26,000 visits since its launch. To view the English version go to: here and for the Japanese version see: here.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Chansey Paech:
"The new memorial is a wonderful gesture of both the Northern Territory and Japanese Governments to commemorate the 80 men who lost their lives in combat on our doorstep.
"The naming of the individual submariners honours their lives and families.
"Recognising all human loss incurred in war reflects our underlying shared humanity.
"Japanese dignitaries and visitors will also recognise the loss of Australian and Allied lives at the bombing of Darwin commemorative events on 19 February at the Esplanade Cenotaph."
Quotes attributable to Japanese Ambassador to Australia His Excellency Shingo Yamagami:
"The memorial plaque to the crew of the I-124 is a vivid reminder that the close relationship shared between Japan and Australia has been built upon the sacrifices and commitment of past generations of both countries.
"We have come a long way together over the past seven decades, but the potential in our bilateral relationship is enormous with much room to expand.
"Therefore, while never forgetting what has come before us, we can work together to a bright future."
