I have learned that the Japanese Disabled Veterans Association decided on Oct. 3 to disband because its members have aged. Few Japanese know that such an organization still exists in Japan, but it is something Japanese should remember.
It's easy to imagine how difficult life must have been for many members. Some say they were unable to marry because of their disabilities. Others say that for want of employment, they had no choice except to solicit people for donations in order to scrape by.
During Japan's prosperous times, these people seem to have been relegated to the back burner of help. There is no way to know these people without considering the calamities and sorrows they experienced during and after World War II.
One member says he regrets that the organization will disappear but that it is a matter for congratulation that it has never come across any veterans who were disabled after World War II. I believe that Japanese citizens can repay these veterans by striving to continue keeping this peace as long as possible.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.