Address from Consul General Takaoka: Commemoration for the Russian Cruiser Varyag, later Japanese Cruiser Soya
2019/8/31
Provost Helen Moonie,
Consul General Andry Pritsipov,
I would like to express my appreciation for being invited to this thought provoking ceremony to remember the heroic story of the captain and seamen of the Russian cruiser Varyag in 1904 and the dramatic aftermath of the ship, which later served as the cruiser Soya in the Japanese Imperial Navy before she was given her eternal respite here off the coast of Lendalfoot.
The Battle of Chempulo Bay in 1904 was a landmark in the history of naval campaigns, not just because it presaged the eventual outcome of the Russo-Japanese war, which in turn has fundamentally changed the course of 20th Century history, but also because of the rare subsequent development prompted by the exceptional bravery and valour displayed by Captain Rudnev and his crew.
In 1907, as an extraordinary imperial gesture to recognize the bravery of the former enemy, the Japanese Emperor Meiji awarded Captain Rudnev with the Order of the Rising Sun.
Because Varyag was such a well-built cruiser and possibly honouring the Samurai spirit of Captain Rudnev, the Japanese Imperial Navy decided to salvage the sunken vessel and put into its service once again with its name changed to Soya, which is Japan’s northernmost cape in Hokkaido, facing Russia across the Sea of Japan.
Later in 1916 when Japan and Russia were allies in the First World War, the vessel was returned to Russia and became the Varyag again. The rest of the story is not in Japan’s hand and well known here.
This story brings home two profound historical lessons to me. Firstly, after more than one hundred years, we now know that being enemy once does not mean that you have to fight each other forever. Quite on the contrary, you can build a history of cooperation such as space cooperation between Japan and Russia, with which I was involved in as Consul General of Japan in Houston in the United States.
Secondly, the value of Samurai spirit and heroism as well as engineering feat which built, salvaged and repaired Variag transcend the individual historical events and will be remembered for a long time.
Therefore, I am immensely fortunate to lay wreath today together with Provost Moonie and Consul General Pritsipov, who will soon be leaving Scotland as I understand. Thank you very much for the arrangement in spite of your busy schedule.
Finally I would like to recognize the recent very successful tour of Japan by the Ayrshire Fiddle Orchestra. Their moving performance at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park was very well received. I would like to congratulate all of the orchestra and express thanks for what they did in Japan. They are really great treasure of this peace loving area of South Ayrshire.
Thank you very much for your attention.
Consul General Andry Pritsipov,
I would like to express my appreciation for being invited to this thought provoking ceremony to remember the heroic story of the captain and seamen of the Russian cruiser Varyag in 1904 and the dramatic aftermath of the ship, which later served as the cruiser Soya in the Japanese Imperial Navy before she was given her eternal respite here off the coast of Lendalfoot.
The Battle of Chempulo Bay in 1904 was a landmark in the history of naval campaigns, not just because it presaged the eventual outcome of the Russo-Japanese war, which in turn has fundamentally changed the course of 20th Century history, but also because of the rare subsequent development prompted by the exceptional bravery and valour displayed by Captain Rudnev and his crew.
In 1907, as an extraordinary imperial gesture to recognize the bravery of the former enemy, the Japanese Emperor Meiji awarded Captain Rudnev with the Order of the Rising Sun.
Because Varyag was such a well-built cruiser and possibly honouring the Samurai spirit of Captain Rudnev, the Japanese Imperial Navy decided to salvage the sunken vessel and put into its service once again with its name changed to Soya, which is Japan’s northernmost cape in Hokkaido, facing Russia across the Sea of Japan.
Later in 1916 when Japan and Russia were allies in the First World War, the vessel was returned to Russia and became the Varyag again. The rest of the story is not in Japan’s hand and well known here.
This story brings home two profound historical lessons to me. Firstly, after more than one hundred years, we now know that being enemy once does not mean that you have to fight each other forever. Quite on the contrary, you can build a history of cooperation such as space cooperation between Japan and Russia, with which I was involved in as Consul General of Japan in Houston in the United States.
Secondly, the value of Samurai spirit and heroism as well as engineering feat which built, salvaged and repaired Variag transcend the individual historical events and will be remembered for a long time.
Therefore, I am immensely fortunate to lay wreath today together with Provost Moonie and Consul General Pritsipov, who will soon be leaving Scotland as I understand. Thank you very much for the arrangement in spite of your busy schedule.
Finally I would like to recognize the recent very successful tour of Japan by the Ayrshire Fiddle Orchestra. Their moving performance at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park was very well received. I would like to congratulate all of the orchestra and express thanks for what they did in Japan. They are really great treasure of this peace loving area of South Ayrshire.
Thank you very much for your attention.