Helena Pagano, the great-granddaughter of the last Alaska Native chief on Attu Island, calls for Japan to provide more restitution for the 1942 invasion during World War II. The call for reparations comes after her recent visit to the island, where Japanese officials unearthed human remains as part of efforts to recover the bones of soldiers killed abroad.
Attu Island, located in the remote Aleutian chain closer to Russia than North America, was captured by Japanese forces on June 7, 1942. The incursion resulted in the death of a radio operator and the displacement of the island’s few dozen residents, who were subsequently interned in Japan. Among them was Pagano’s great-grandfather, Mike Hodikoff, the last chief of Attu Island, who later died of starvation as a prisoner of war.
The brutal conditions faced by the residents during and after the captivity have left a lasting impact, with 22 of the 41 detained Attuans dying due to malnutrition, starvation, and disease. The surviving residents were forbidden to return to their homeland post-war, as the U.S. military deemed the rebuilding costs prohibitive. Displaced Attuans were mostly relocated to Atka Island.
While Japan offered a financial restitution package in 1951 to surviving Attuans, Pagano contends that the compensation was inadequate given the trauma endured. The settlement did not account for the cultural and territorial losses, nor the deaths of Attuans during their internment.
Pagano advocates for more than just financial compensation. She presses for the establishment of a cultural center for Attuans in Alaska and calls for Japan to collaborate with the U.S. on an environmental cleanup of Attu Island. The island’s present condition includes remnants of the battle, like anti-aircraft guns and old airstrips, which Pagano believes should be handled with care and respect for historical significance.
Despite Japan’s assertion that all compensation issues were settled by the 1951 San Francisco treaty, Pagano points to other instances of Japan revisiting wartime compensation issues. Additionally, there have been recent removals of two sets of remains presumed to be Japanese soldiers, further highlighting the need for reconciliation and respect for the past.
The call for restitution is also a bid to address larger issues of historical trauma still felt by the approximately 300 Attuan descendants in the U.S. It represents an effort to preserve what remains of Attuan culture and memory in the face of wartime devastation.
Helena Pagano’s demand for Japanese reparations underscores the enduring impact of World War II on marginalized communities. Her efforts aim to restore justice and cultural dignity to the Attuan people by addressing historical grievances and encouraging collaborative solutions from both Japan and the U.S. to heal the lingering scars of occupation.
Source: Apnews
