Japan-Hungary relations in WW2

[Hebime 1,637]

As a Hungarian myself, and as a person who is intrested in WW2, I was focused on collecting a lot of WW2 pictures and videos regarding hungarian tanks, soldiers, etc. As I did that, I found something that somehow bugs me for a while. Namely pictures and videos that makes me believe, that Hungary and Japan had excellent diplomatic relations during WW2. So why do I think that? I will show you now.

 

 

This is a picture of some 38.M Toldi tanks returning to Budapest from the Eastern front in 1941. They are marching through the streets of the city during a parade. You can see the flag above the tank on the left side, which is deffinately the flag of Japan. I know that it's common sence to decorate the streets with the flags of allied nations as well, but on the other hand, I never ever saw one picture nor video about German soldiers marching through a city which was decorated with any other flags except their own red flag with the swastika. This goes for Italian troops too. Of course, if you guys can show me pictures of that, proving me that I'm wrong, I'd really like to see it.

 

Here is a video too, which shows us the event mentioned before:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0FLRTKe8_g

At 2:43 to 2:44, you can see two Japanese children with their own flag. Again, I never ever saw Japanese kids on videos made by German or Italian journalists during the war.

 

And now, for the most surprising thing I found on the internet.

This man is Lieutenant dr. Sunji Sasamoto who was a Japanese photojournalist. He served alongside the Hungarian warjournalists of the 2nd Hungarian Army in 1942, on the Eastern front. He even recieved an award from the Hungarian government. So why was he there? Why the one and only Hungarian army in the whole Eastern front, and not any other army, especially Germans or Italians? And again, I never really saw any pictures of Japanese journalists serving in the Wehrmacht or the Italian army.

 

As I said before, all these evidences are making me believe that the two countries had really good diplomatic relations, but sadly I can't find any written articles nor documents which can confirm it or describe it to me. So I'm asking you guys, especially those of the Japanese community: what do you guys know or think about Japan-Hungary relations in WW2?

Edited August 9, 2015 by Hebime

[Sodanjumala 589]

Well it's not unheard of there being foreing reporters from 2 very different countries. And in Japan there was very keen interest of how things work in Europe so I don't think there was any special relationship.

 

 

But foreing flags in military parade, that is weird. Only thing that I can think of is that parade went next to the japanese embassy and there was some japanese people watching it.

Edited August 9, 2015 by Sodanjumala

[Hebime 1,637]

Well it's not unheard of there being foreing reporters from 2 very different countries. And in Japan there was very keen interest of how things work in Europe so I don't think there was any special relationship.

That's quite true. But still, there is this question: Out of the many armies, especially German ones which were more successful and technically advanced, why did dr. Sasamoto chose to go to the only Hungarian army in the whole front? And even if it's not unheard of, why is it so hard to find journalists from the Far-East in Europe? That's why I asked for pictures or names.

 

But foreing flags in military parade, that is weird. Only thing that I can think of is that parade went next to the japanese embassy and there was some japanese people watching it.

You might be right. Nowdays, the Japanese embassy is in Buda, the other side of the Danube river where this event took place. But in 1942, the Japanese embassy might had been at Andrássy street, in Pest, where the Gyorshadtest marched thorugh. Andrássy street is the place where most embassies were, are, and will be, it's like a traditional place for them.

Edited August 9, 2015 by Hebime

[Sodanjumala 589]

Sunji Sasamoto doesn't ring any bells and after quick digging, I found nothing regarding him.

 

 

But war photography as a whole in eastern front was bit of mess. Germans and Soviets didn't like having foreigners in front lines there because they wanted total information control. Most of the pictures from that theater was often staged, manipulated and certainly taken by very trusted person who kept his mouth closed. 

 

So, if you wanted to eastern front as reporter, you had better luck outside of Germany or Soviet Union. Most reporters from France for example were in Romania.

Edited August 9, 2015 by Sodanjumala