For 60 years, Shinsaku Arai has never stopped apologizing to his two little sisters.

During World War II, Arai was the man of the house, despite being only a teenager. His father had died of an illness and his older brother was killed in battle.

Arai supported the family of five-his mother and his three sisters-by running the family paper box manufacture business.

But like so many others, Arai's life changed on March 10, 1945. As the flames from the U.S. bombs spread from the Asakusa area to the family's neighborhood, residents cried out that all children should evacuate to the nearby elementary school.

Arai's two sisters, aged 13 and 11, left.

Arai and his 16-year-old sister took refuge at a park. There, they could see the Kototoibashi bridge over the Sumidagawa river filled with frantic people. Some jumped into the water when their hair caught fire.

Arai said he could feel the heat of the road through the soles of his heavy shoes as he headed home the next day.

The fire had razed the entire neighborhood.

After Arai was reunited with his mother, he set off to the school to search for his sisters. He only found horror.

The classrooms were full of near-naked dead bodies-mostly children-one atop another and all facing down. Arai couldn't bring himself to check their faces.

More bodies with name tags were laid out near the river. He continued the search for a few days but never found his sisters.

``I should have told them to stay with me,'' Arai said. ``It's all my fault. I can never ever shake that feeling.''

Arai, now 78, offers prayers for his sisters at the family altar every morning.

On Thursday, he offered incense at the memorial Buddhist service held in Sumida Ward. ``I'm so sorry,'' he said.(IHT/Asahi: March 11,2005)