Yokohama War Cemetery is a

military cemetery A war grave is a burial place for members of the armed forces or civilians who died during military campaigns or operations. Definition The term "war grave" does not only apply to graves: ships sunk during wartime are often considered to b ...

Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama is one of the 18 wards of the city of Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2010, Hodogaya Ward had an estimated population of 205,887 and a density of . The total area was . Geography Hodogaya Ward is located in eastern Kanagawa Prefec ...

, in Japan and located next to

Yokohama Municipal Children's Botanical Garden The is a botanical garden located at 3-122 Mutsukawa, Minami-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is open most days; an admission fee is charged. The garden was founded in 1979. See also * List of botanical gardens in Japan This li ...

. The burial grounds consists of four sections surrounded by mature trees in a park like setting: * British Section * Canadian and New Zealand Section * Australian Section * Indian Section (Yokohama Memorial) There is a Post-War Plot for those who fought during the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

1950–1953.

History

The cemetery was constructed after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

by the Australian War Graves group, and holds the remains of more than 1500 soldiers, mostly from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India, and the United Kingdom but also the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, who died as prisoners of war or during the

Allied occupation of Japan Japan was occupied and administered by the victorious Allies of World War II from the 1945 surrender of the Empire of Japan at the end of the war until the Treaty of San Francisco took effect in 1952. The occupation, led by the United States w ...

. A post-war section was added after 1953 to bury 171 soldiers who died fighting in the

The cemetery also contains a number of post-War burials, including that of the Australian

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

recipient

Ray Simpson Ray Simpson (born January 15, 1954) is an American singer best known as a former lead singer and "Cop" of the disco super-group Village People, having been in that role for over 30 years. In August 1979, he replaced original lead singer, Victo ...

. The Yokohama War Cemetery is the only location cared for by the

Commonwealth War Graves Commission The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves and places of commemoration of Commonwealth of Nations m ...

in Japan, although a memorial to Commonwealth service personnel from the First World War, unveiled in 1922 by Edward, Prince of Wales, is to be found at the historic Foreign General Cemetery in

Yamate is the name of a historic neighbourhood in Naka-ku, Yokohama often referred to in English as ''The Bluff.'' The neighbourhood is famous as having been a foreigners' residential area in the Bakumatsu, Meiji and Taishō periods. While still domi ...

, Naka-ku, Yokohama. The cemetery is a venue for annual commemorations by military veterans and their families. The cemetery has also been visited by various members of the British Royal Family including Queen Elizabeth II in May 1975,

Princess Diana Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...

in February 1995 and by

Prince William William, Prince of Wales, (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982) is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales. Born in London, William was educa ...

in February 2015.

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1945 establishments in Japan Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries in Japan Buildings and structures in Yokohama