re: #228 ckkatz

Interesting song, thanks for posting it!

Some context from the song comments:

“This song was sang by Japanese soldiers who were sent to RABAUL island in Papua New Guinea during the World War Ⅱ. Japanese army was defeated and withdrew from the island. This is farewell (SAYONARA=SARABA) song from the soldiers to the island and they say we will come back again. The fighting in the island was very sad but this song sang it rather cheerfully.”

Additional info
en.wikipedia.org

One note from the Wiki article:

“As in most Pacific War campaigns, disease and starvation claimed more Japanese lives than enemy action. Most Japanese troops never even came into contact with Allied forces, and were instead simply cut off and subjected to an effective blockade by the US Navy. Garrisons were effectively besieged and denied shipments of food and medical supplies, and as a result, some claim that 97% of Japanese deaths in this campaign were from non-combat causes.”

The “saraba” reference reminding me of this great song sung by Tanimura Shinji the chorus of which ends “saraba, Subaru-yo” (the constellation, not the car).

谷村新司　昴 すばる1991