Keiko Ziak said many American soldiers who fought in the Pacific during World War II brought home Japanese flags with calligraphy on them. The Obon Society specializes in repatriating Japanese World War II flags and relics.
"They had time to open up the closets and the attics and dig through boxes they hadn't seen for many years."Īmong the items rediscovered were war souvenirs that the current owners now want to give back. "We think people being stuck at home did a deeper spring cleaning than normal," said Rex Ziak, who co-founded the Astoria, Oregon-based humanitarian nonprofit Obon Society with his wife Keiko. Next Wednesday, September 2, marks 75 years to the day since the Japanese surrender ceremony that ended World War II. Now, aging veterans and their descendants are attempting to return memorabilia to the families of their former enemies ahead of a milestone anniversary. Some people rediscovered World War II artifacts, including inscribed Japanese flags taken as souvenirs by American soldiers from Pacific battlefields. Pandemic stay-at-home orders gave lots of households extra time for spring cleaning.