Chedema (Kohima), June 23: Her hands clasped and eyes shut, 69-year-old Kimeo Kamiya sat on a wheelchair under a makeshift tent in this sleepy village yesterday, praying for those who died fighting in World War II. A group of fellow Japanese chanted Buddhist hymns along with the elderly woman.

One could have easily mistaken the group for relatives of soldiers killed in the war but for a quick clarification from the team leader.

It transpired that neither Kimeo nor any other member of the group is related in any way to the soldiers who perished in the war. All are activists of Inner Trip Reiyukai International, a 20 million-strong organisation of Buddhists that sends teams to ?disturbed areas? to pray for peace.

When the group sang a Japanese song, Sakura?sakura, a few elderly Nagas joined in. Khetso Pienyu from Chedema, from where the Japanese had launched an assault on Kohima, reminisced about the time he spent with Japanese soldiers during the war.

?We thought at least a few of those who survived might come back. Anyway, it is nice to meet some Japanese again,? he said.

Kimeo had first visited Kohima 40 years ago and still remembers the wonderful time she had on that trip. Accompanied by her singer daughter Masako this time, she said Nagaland was as enchanting as it was during her maiden visit.

?This is wonderful and I am sure we will come here again and again,? her daughter said, pointing to the misty hills.

The Japanese team suggested a ?peace park? at the very site from where the Japanese launched the battle for Kohima on April 5, 1944. According to one estimate, 3,333 people ? including nearly 1,000 Japanese soldiers ? died during the 64-day battle. Many of them were buried at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Kohima, which bears the poignant inscription: ?When you go home, tell them that for your tomorrow we gave our today.?

Lalit Kumar Bakshi, a Japan-based restaurateur, and Delhi-based Virender Singh arranged the trip by Kimeo and her colleagues in the Inner Trip Reiyukai International. ?We received 10,000 applications for this trip and we chose 30-odd members,? Bakshi said.

Rajya Sabha member Kedi Haralu personally took care of the Japanese team in Kohima. ?We will be happy to have more foreign guests in Nagaland,? he said.

Last month, tourists from some Latin American countries visited the state. A group from Africa had enjoyed Naga hospitality a few weeks earlier.