LAGAWE, Ifugao — Provincial officials, community elders, and Japanese embassy officials will lead the burning of over 1,000 pieces of bones believed to be those of fallen Japanese soldiers who died during the hostilities between the American and Filipino soldiers on one hand and the Japanese Imperial Army on the other in sacred rites in Barangay Uha, Kiangan town on November 21-22, 2009.

Prior to the burning of the sacred bones, Japanese and Ifugao peace and cleansing rituals will be performed in the area in order to appease the soldiers and their relatives so that they will continue to have good luck in life.

Last May, about the same number of bones of fallen Japanese soldiers were also burned in the same area after they were reportedly recovered by Filipino and Japanese historians over the past several months.

Ifugao, particularly Kiangan town, was the last stand of the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II before Gen. Tomoyoki Yamashita surrendered to the pursuing American and Filipino forces on September 2, 1945.

Yamashita’s surrender was formalized when he signed his surrender documents at the Ambassador’s Residence located inside Camp John Hay (CJH), Baguio City on September 3, 1945.

Historians disclosed it is a Japanese belief that if the bones of fallen soldiers will not be blessed and returned to their country, their family members from the ancestral line of the soldier will reportedly suffer from bad luck in his or her life until such time that the bones will be returned.

Over the past several months, at least 6,000 bones of fallen Japanese soldiers have already been burned in different parts of the country with most of them burned and blessed in barangay Uha here.