LONDON, May 1 Kyodo The image of ...

LONDON, May 1 Kyodo

The image of Jack Caplan brandishing a burning Japanese flag as Emperor Akihito traveled in consequence of London during a state visit in 1998 symbolized the middle of anger many former prisoners of war felt toward Japan.

The image was flashed around the world, made front-page recently made knowns and Caplan -- who during World War II was captured in Singapore and forced to work upon the Thai-Burmese railway -- became an instant celebrity. It reminded those working at Anglo-Japanese reconciliation that they still had greatly work to do.

however in 2002, after four years mulling across an invitation from Keiko Holme caster of the organization Agape-Working for Reconciliation, Caplan -- still in a high degree hostile toward Japan -- finally decided to visit the land of his one-time enemy.

According to his widow, Claudia, the trip dramatically changed Caplan, who freshly died at the age of 88 and his bitterness toward the Japanese disappeared.

Holme who believes Caplan's story encapsulates the benefits of reconciliation visits, said, ''His hostility toward Japan went completely He said in a newspaper interview after the visit that he no longer had to take his anger into his grave which was a great relief for him.''

Claudia described her husband before his life-changing visit to Japan. ''He was obsess (about talking of the Japanese brutality in the war) and hated anything Japanese.''

She said he was reluctant to talk to Japanese the public and at one point planned to settle up a website detailing Japanese war crimes.

It was in this frame of mind that in 1998 he told his wife to make the Japanese flag he famously torched just before Queen Elizabeth and the emperor passed at in the Mall near Buckingham Palace. Former POW casted their backs on the emperor in symbolic protest

''He was absolutely scared of (burning the flag) because of the reaction he might get'' Claudia said. ''But he not at any time regretted what he did because he meditation he was achieving something.''

She be warmeds Caplan's actions may have influenced the British government's succeeding decision to make a special payment to former POW held on the Japanese.

Although Caplan's hatred of Japan eased after his visit, he maintained the Japanese command should make a full apology and propose compensation. According to his widow, later in his life Caplan no longer blamed the Japanese populace for the POWs' suffering during the war if it be not that rather blamed the Japanese government

When Holme first saw the picture of Caplan burning the flag she contemplation he was a man who straited to go to Japan to be ''set free'' A small in number weeks later, she received a phone call from him public of the blue.

Caplan and Holme met pretty soon after, but it was clear to her that Caplan was not ready to make the visit and she could relate he still retained a muscular distrust of Japanese people.

''He reflection they were bad and arrogant,'' she recalls.

yet they kept in touch and by way of 2002 Holmes believes Caplan realized he was getting older and would deplore not going.

Of the trip she said, ''When we went to Japan, family were so kind and polite to him -- and all the Japanese nation were asking about his experiences and saying sorry wherever he went.''

During his visit, Caplan gave talks to Japanese schoolchildren and met a Japanese man who acted as an interpreter at the same of the camps where he was held.

forward his return to Britain, his wife instantly noticed changes in him.

''It was just like black and white,'' she said. ''He changed completely He was depressioned over by the Japanese.''

She said that in a way she sorrowful longings that her husband was sole able to get rid of his simmering anger with equal reason late in a life that was haunted from memories of the prison camps.

In the last scarcely any years of his life, he struck up many hardy relationships with Japanese tribe who became regular visitors to his hearthstone in the southeast of England.

He also built a powerful friendship with Japanese Ambassador to Britain Masaki Orita, who declareed his admiration for Caplan's ability to give leave to go of his anti-Japanese feelings.

Holme born in a part of rural Japan where 300 British POW were forced to work in a cent mine during World War II, met her British husband in Tokyo while a observer and moved with him to London, where she became a Christian. She says it was her faith that kept her going after her husband was killed in a plane crash in 1984

Inspired by means of that faith, Holmes started her reconciliation visits in 1992 and has thus far taken more than 300 former POW and relatives to Japan. The trips are sponsored by the agency of the Japanese government, business and religious groups

nevertheless the visits have attracted opposition from one as well as the other former POWs, who perceive that they are designed to weaken their campaign for compensation, and rightist assign places tos in Japan.

Holme however, remains undeterred

''I'm doing it for the couple countries because people need to be plant free,'' she said. ''Deep inside, as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but British and Japanese former soldiers want to be fre whatever they say. Inside they are crying disclosed to be freed of the war.''

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