Vito Scotti episode mirrors real life - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Charlie Chan · 05-27-2005, 10:39 AM

Remember the episode where Vito Scotti played the Japanese soldier who didn't realize the war was over? According to the Associated Press news article below, 2 Japanese soldiers, now in their 80s, have been found hiding in the mountains of the Phillipines where they've been since the end of WW2. However it sounds like these chaps were more afraid of being court martialed rather than being confused about the war still going on.

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Report: Japanese WW2 Soldiers Found Alive in Jungle
Friday, May 27, 2005

MANILA, Philippines — Japanese diplomats investigated claims Friday that two former Japanese soldiers have been hiding in the mountains of the southern Philippines since World War II.

The health ministry, in charge of repatriating Japanese overseas, said it was sending an official to the southern Philippine city of General Santos (search) on Saturday to join Japanese embassy officials attempting to reach the pair.

The diplomats failed in their attempt Friday to arrange a meeting with the two men, officials said, and were left waiting in a hotel in the port city 600 miles south of Manila. They were scheduling another meeting through a Japanese mediator who had contacted the mission.

"We are doing our best to contact the mediator. ... We will just continue to wait. We hope there will be new developments tonight or tomorrow," Japanese Consul Seiichi Ogawa said.

Yu Kameoka, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's (search) spokesman, said in Tokyo the two men apparently were reluctant to meet with officials because of the large number of people, including reporters, waiting to see them.

"According to a man who is mediating, the two men are rather worried about meeting with so many people gathered in General Santos, including those from the media," he said, adding no time has been set for a meeting.

Media reports in Japan said the two octogenarians lived on the southern island of Mindanao (search) and used equipment suggesting they were former soldiers, with one report saying they were separated from their division and later wanted to return to Japan but feared they would face a court-martial.

Koizumi said in Tokyo he hoped the mystery would be cleared up soon.

"We are checking it now," he told reporters. "It is a surprise if it's true, but we have to check first."

Goichi Ichikawa, the chairman of a veterans group in Japan, said he first alerted the Tokyo government of reports about the men in February, asking that they be rescued as soon as possible.

Ichikawa said he learned of at least three Japanese men living in the mountains of Mindanao from someone who went there late last year.

"It's amazing they were able to survive for 60 years," Ichikawa told reports in the Japanese city of Osaka. "Of course I was stunned."

Last September, a Japanese national in the lumber business ran into the men in the mountains, the Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun reported. It was learned later that they wanted to go back to Japan but were afraid of facing a court-martial for withdrawing from action, the newspaper said.

Another source told the paper that there may be more than 40 other Japanese soldiers living in the mountains and that they all want to return to Japan, the Sankei said.

Japan's Kyodo News agency said the two may be Yoshio Yamakawa, 87, and Tsuzuki Nakauchi, 83. But the health ministry declined to confirm the report, saying they could not disclose any information until officials have identified them.

The reports were reminiscent of World War II straggler Lt. Hiroo Onoda (search), who believed the war was still on when he was found in the jungles of the Philippines in 1974. He refused to give himself up until March of that year, when the Japanese government flew in his former commander to formally inform him the war was over.

Tibbs · 05-27-2005, 11:14 AM

lol wow, talk about wasting your time!

gilligan fanatic · 06-11-2005, 04:18 PM

that is an amazing story. So Sorry My Island Now almost never aired because CBS thought that it could never happen in real life. I belive a short time after So Sorry.... aired the same thing happened.

Munsters#1 · 06-11-2005, 05:33 PM

My God, what a waste of life! What do you do to pass the time?

Tibbs · 06-11-2005, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munsters#1

My God, what a waste of life! What do you do to pass the time?

lol, you think they at least had a deck of cards with them?

gilligan fanatic · 06-12-2005, 08:39 AM

they had no phone, no light, to motor cars, not a single luxury either

TJL · 06-12-2005, 08:58 AM

Wow, that's an amazing story.

I hope they at least get a parade if they make it back home.

Tibbs · 06-12-2005, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gilligan fanatic

they had no phone, no light, to motor cars, not a single luxury either

lol

Vicki L. · 06-16-2005, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJL

Wow, that's an amazing story.

I hope they at least get a parade if they make it back home.

Don't wish for that too much. Japan was with Nazi Germany in that war!

Tibbs · 06-16-2005, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJL

Wow, that's an amazing story.

I hope they at least get a parade if they make it back home.

or at least a medal or something for loyalty...cuz I sure as hell would have surrendered after sixty years!

05-27-2005, 10:39 AM	#1
Charlie Chan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 19, 2004 Posts: 114	Vito Scotti episode mirrors real life Remember the episode where Vito Scotti played the Japanese soldier who didn't realize the war was over? According to the Associated Press news article below, 2 Japanese soldiers, now in their 80s, have been found hiding in the mountains of the Phillipines where they've been since the end of WW2. However it sounds like these chaps were more afraid of being court martialed rather than being confused about the war still going on. ------------------------------------------ Report: Japanese WW2 Soldiers Found Alive in Jungle Friday, May 27, 2005 MANILA, Philippines — Japanese diplomats investigated claims Friday that two former Japanese soldiers have been hiding in the mountains of the southern Philippines since World War II. The health ministry, in charge of repatriating Japanese overseas, said it was sending an official to the southern Philippine city of General Santos (search) on Saturday to join Japanese embassy officials attempting to reach the pair. The diplomats failed in their attempt Friday to arrange a meeting with the two men, officials said, and were left waiting in a hotel in the port city 600 miles south of Manila. They were scheduling another meeting through a Japanese mediator who had contacted the mission. "We are doing our best to contact the mediator. ... We will just continue to wait. We hope there will be new developments tonight or tomorrow," Japanese Consul Seiichi Ogawa said. Yu Kameoka, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's (search) spokesman, said in Tokyo the two men apparently were reluctant to meet with officials because of the large number of people, including reporters, waiting to see them. "According to a man who is mediating, the two men are rather worried about meeting with so many people gathered in General Santos, including those from the media," he said, adding no time has been set for a meeting. Media reports in Japan said the two octogenarians lived on the southern island of Mindanao (search) and used equipment suggesting they were former soldiers, with one report saying they were separated from their division and later wanted to return to Japan but feared they would face a court-martial. Koizumi said in Tokyo he hoped the mystery would be cleared up soon. "We are checking it now," he told reporters. "It is a surprise if it's true, but we have to check first." Goichi Ichikawa, the chairman of a veterans group in Japan, said he first alerted the Tokyo government of reports about the men in February, asking that they be rescued as soon as possible. Ichikawa said he learned of at least three Japanese men living in the mountains of Mindanao from someone who went there late last year. "It's amazing they were able to survive for 60 years," Ichikawa told reports in the Japanese city of Osaka. "Of course I was stunned." Last September, a Japanese national in the lumber business ran into the men in the mountains, the Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun reported. It was learned later that they wanted to go back to Japan but were afraid of facing a court-martial for withdrawing from action, the newspaper said. Another source told the paper that there may be more than 40 other Japanese soldiers living in the mountains and that they all want to return to Japan, the Sankei said. Japan's Kyodo News agency said the two may be Yoshio Yamakawa, 87, and Tsuzuki Nakauchi, 83. But the health ministry declined to confirm the report, saying they could not disclose any information until officials have identified them. The reports were reminiscent of World War II straggler Lt. Hiroo Onoda (search), who believed the war was still on when he was found in the jungles of the Philippines in 1974. He refused to give himself up until March of that year, when the Japanese government flew in his former commander to formally inform him the war was over.
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05-27-2005, 11:14 AM	#2
Tibbs Aww! Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 28, 2004 Location: --Stranded on the other side of the island Posts: 380	lol wow, talk about wasting your time!
	__________________ Skipper: Gilligan, why don't you stop that. You don't know anything about space. Gilligan: I know one thing about it. You take up more of it than I do. Skipper: (Talking about Gilligan) I don't dislike him. I mean, it's just that I'd like to kill him every now and then. Gilligan: Mrs. Howell, I might blow up. Lovey: Oh, don't you dare get angry with me! Tibby

06-11-2005, 04:18 PM	#3
gilligan fanatic Born to Be Bad Forum Fanatic Join Date: May 06, 2001 Location: down by the Lagoon Posts: 9,954	that is an amazing story. So Sorry My Island Now almost never aired because CBS thought that it could never happen in real life. I belive a short time after So Sorry.... aired the same thing happened.
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06-12-2005, 08:58 AM	#7
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	Wow, that's an amazing story. I hope they at least get a parade if they make it back home.
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

06-11-2005, 05:33 PM	#4
Munsters#1 Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 29, 2004 Posts: 2,928	My God, what a waste of life! What do you do to pass the time?

06-12-2005, 08:39 AM	#6
gilligan fanatic Born to Be Bad Forum Fanatic Join Date: May 06, 2001 Location: down by the Lagoon Posts: 9,954	they had no phone, no light, to motor cars, not a single luxury either