13 Jun Wartime Diary Exhibition Marks 70 Years of PH-Japan Friendship

In commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of Philippines-Japan Friendship, the Filipinas Heritage Library (FHL), with the support of Toshiba International Foundation, presents the exhibition Between Two Worlds: A Philippine Diary, 80 Years Ago—by Shinichi Komatsu from July 2 to August 16, 2026 at the Ayala Museum.  

This exhibition presents the unembellished, firsthand account of Shinichi Komatsu — a civilian engineer dispatched to the Philippines in 1944 who became a Japanese prisoner of war during World War II. His experience is recorded in Ryojin Nikki (Prisoner’s Diary), a richly illustrated visual diary that survived the war against all odds and has since been preserved and digitized.  

Through this exhibition, audiences are invited to reflect on the complexities of war and its impact on individuals — beyond nationality and era — while fostering dialogue and deeper understanding between Japan and the Philippines. At its heart, Komatsu’s writings reveal universal truths and emotions that speak to our shared humanity, inviting empathy across generations and borders.  

“Through my grandfather’s diary, I hope this exhibition will encourage a deeper understanding of our shared history and strengthen the friendship between our two nations,” says Shiko Komatsu, grandson of Shinichi Komatsu and representative of the Komatsu family. Komatsu and Dr. Karl Ian Uy Cheng Chua, a Japanese studies specialist from the U.P. Asian Center, have played a central role in co-curating the exhibition and its accompanying programs, in collaboration with FHL. They will both attend the opening reception on July 11 at 4:00 PM in the Ayala Museum where guests will have the opportunity for meaningful dialogue and exchange.   

In conjunction with the exhibition, FHL will host two talks delving into broader themes and parallels in Philippines-Japan history and cultural life, particularly on the following topics: Dogs in Selected Philippine-Japan Writings on July 18, and Visual Histories on August 15. Both talks will be held at 4:00 PM in the Ayala Museum, with the support of the Hall family under the Roderick Hall Memorial Lectures. Tickets for the talks are available at bit.ly/fhl-eventsportal while the exhibition itself is free and open to the public.  

This program also marks a significant year for both the Filipinas Heritage Library and Ayala Foundation, as they celebrate their 30th and 65th anniversaries, respectively. Drawing from FHL’s Roderick Hall Collection on WWII in the Philippines that includes Japanese-language materials offering complementary perspectives on the war, the exhibition reflects the Library’s three decades of preserving and making Philippine history and culture more accessible. For 65 years, Ayala Foundation has worked alongside communities, partners, and institutions to expand access to education, strengthen leadership, preserve culture, and support community development. Through initiatives such as this exhibition, the Foundation continues to create spaces for learning, dialogue, and cultural understanding that connect people, perspectives, and generations.  

“This partnership between Filipinas Heritage Library, the Toshiba International Foundation, and our co-curators strengthens our commitment to fostering cultural exchange, dialogue, and reflection. Through the stories presented in this exhibition, we offer an opportunity to reckon with complex histories, deepen mutual understanding between the Philippines and Japan, and imagine a thriving future together,” states Jorell Legaspi, Senior Director for Arts and Culture of Ayala Foundation.