Nineteen years after leaving his home country (6)

　
(6) Straight for my home country by the repatriation ship --- surprised at the different look of Okinawa

While I was working at the plant, the issue of repatriation was becoming noisy and in December 1958, the Japanese Delegation and the Vietnamese counterpart arrived at an agreement in Hanoi. We, the first batch of returnee of nine persons, were gathered in Hanoi on February 2nd, 1959. Having been supported by consistent humanitarianism and friendly affection of the Red Cross Society of Vietnam and Vietnam World Peace Committee, leaving countless memories and traces, we took leave of mountains and rivers of Vietnam, which could be called the second homeland.

Messrs. Miyamoto and Nakamura of the Red Cross, and Mr. Hirota of Japan Peace Committee was on board to attend us. We were intoxicated by the flavor of our home country after nineteen years with miso soup, pickled radish, sushi rolls and so on. We were single-mindedly moved by the nostalgia of our homeland.

On February 8th, we left the last port Cam-pha for Hong Kong. The calm sea became rough gradually and the old ship used for more than thirty years swung ominously. Waves were becoming higher and higher at the offing of Hainan.

On February 11th, the ship arrived in the neon-lit port Hong Kong. With no interval of relaxing, the ship heading for our home country was buffeted by stormy waves. The wind became stronger and stronger, and the ship pitched and rolled like a leaf with uncanny noises as if it would be going to sink.

Three friends of mine had been bedridden for many days without taking foods. Despite of such situation, one of returnee Mr. Teruya was high-spirited and busied himself in taking care of others.

A few days later, the ship at last made her way off Taiwan. Waves made a hall at bottom of the ship and seawater entered into the oil tank, forcing the ship to stop frequently in stormy ocean. Although nobody spoke, everybody in the ship looked worried with gloomy faces.

Even a bad imagination that I might die just before arriving at my homeland came to my mind. The old ship buffeted by stormy waves could not come straight to my homeland but entered in a port of Okinawa on February 21st for refueling, being towed by a tanker. Mr. Teruya brought up in Okinawa was very much pleased in the ship to receive a telegram from his real younger brother who lived in Okinawa. Mr. Hirota of Japan Peace Committee immediately sent a telegram to the government to let him land in Okinawa to go to his brother's home, but the government did not allow for unknown reason.

When I reached Okinawa, what surprised me was tens of jet planes continually flying with uncanny noises spreading all over the island. Several warships like floating castles boasted imposingness, and roaring sounds of bombs dropped were sometimes heard. On top of a mountain, imposing radar site was seen hazily. I was thrown into a really disgusting commotion.

(To be continued)