Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe makes historic visit to Darwin, pays respects at Darwin Cenotaph

DARWIN, the tropical city that once bore the brunt of hostilities on the Australian mainland between two warring nations, has now become a historic meeting place of reconciliation. Shinzo Abe has become the first Japanese Prime Minister to visit Darwin since it was bombed during WWII

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison prepare to lay wreaths lat the Darwin Cenotaph during Mr Abe’s historic visit to the Top End capital. Picture: David Moir/AFP

DARWIN, the tropical city that once bore the brunt of hostilities on the Australian mainland between two warring nations, has now become a historic meeting place of reconciliation.

Shinzo Abe has become the first Japanese Prime Minister to visit Darwin since it was bombed during WWII.

Mr Abe and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison have met and paid their respects at the Darwin Cenotaph War Memorial at Bicentennial Park.

The two leaders shook hands with veterans and were joined by NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner, NT Administrator Vicki O’Halloran and Japanese Embassy Defence Attaché Colonel Yuki Kimura.

After laying a wreath below the names of those who lost their lives in battles past, they observed minute’s silence as The Last Post was played.

Mr Abe is the first Japanese Head of Government to visit the Top End capital city since the Bombing of Darwin during WWII.

With the help of two translators, the two Prime Ministers spoke of the significance of the occasion.

“The way you’ve done this today in the spirit of tremendous grace and humility is important. But more than that, you have done this as a great friend of Australia and we thank you for that,” Mr Morrison said to Mr Abe.

World War II veteran Austin Asche was posted to Darwin in 1944, two years after the Bombing of Darwin, as a RAAF serviceman.

He said the city was still in a state of destruction even then.

“The place was ruined, there were buildings bombed everywhere,” he said.

But Mr Asche said he had come to the event to shake hands with Mr Abe and to wish him well.

“I hope this will improve the relations, which are already pretty good,” he said.

“Darwin is the gateway to Asia and one of our great friends are the Japanese. You don’t blame people for generations back, you meet them as they are these days.

“Of course, in Darwin they have interests and that enormous project (Inpex) is going to Japan and we will stand to benefit.”

Mr Morrison and Mr Abe have now reconvened for annual leaders’ talks at the NT Parliament House.