Tatenokai
Encyclopedia
The Tatenokai or Shield Society was a private militia
in Japan
dedicated to traditional Japanese values and veneration of the Emperor. It was founded and led by the author Yukio Mishima
.
The Tatenokai was created on October 5, 1968, recruiting its membership primarily from the staff of Ronso Journal, an obscure right-wing college newspaper. In an unusual move, the Tatenokai was granted the right to train with the nation's armed forces, the Japan Self-Defense Forces
. On November 25, 1970 Mishima and four Tatenokai members briefly seized control of the Self-Defense Force's headquarters and attempted to rally the soldiers to stage a coup d'état and restore imperial rule. When this failed, Mishima and Masakatsu Morita
, the Tatenokai's main student leader, committed seppuku
(ritual suicide). The rest of the members, around 90 people, were not informed about Mishima's plan at all.
In March, 1977, four Japanese nationalists took 12 hostages at the headquarters of Keidanren
(Japan Federation of Economic Organizations), spreading leaflets at the scene that denounced big business. The hostages were released, unharmed, after an eleven-hour standoff during which the hostage takers spoke for more than three hours to Mishima's widow, Yoko. Some of the hostage takers were believed to have been former members of the Tatenokai.
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
dedicated to traditional Japanese values and veneration of the Emperor. It was founded and led by the author Yukio Mishima
Yukio Mishima
was the pen name of , a Japanese author, poet, playwright, actor and film director, also remembered for his ritual suicide by seppuku after a failed coup d'état...
.
The Tatenokai was created on October 5, 1968, recruiting its membership primarily from the staff of Ronso Journal, an obscure right-wing college newspaper. In an unusual move, the Tatenokai was granted the right to train with the nation's armed forces, the Japan Self-Defense Forces
Japan Self-Defense Forces
The , or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF or SDF, are the unified military forces of Japan that were established after the end of the post–World War II Allied occupation of Japan. For most of the post-war period the JSDF was confined to the islands of Japan and not permitted to be deployed...
. On November 25, 1970 Mishima and four Tatenokai members briefly seized control of the Self-Defense Force's headquarters and attempted to rally the soldiers to stage a coup d'état and restore imperial rule. When this failed, Mishima and Masakatsu Morita
Masakatsu Morita
was the Tatenokai member who attempted to commit seppuku with Yukio Mishima at the Ichigaya Camp.He was the youngest child of a headmaster. Losing both parents at the age of two, he was cared for by his brother Osamu and educated at a Catholic school...
, the Tatenokai's main student leader, committed seppuku
Seppuku
is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. Seppuku was originally reserved only for samurai. Part of the samurai bushido honor code, seppuku was either used voluntarily by samurai to die with honor rather than fall into the hands of their enemies , or as a form of capital punishment...
(ritual suicide). The rest of the members, around 90 people, were not informed about Mishima's plan at all.
In March, 1977, four Japanese nationalists took 12 hostages at the headquarters of Keidanren
Japan Business Federation
is an economic organization founded in May 2002 by amalgamation of Keidanren and Nikkeiren...
(Japan Federation of Economic Organizations), spreading leaflets at the scene that denounced big business. The hostages were released, unharmed, after an eleven-hour standoff during which the hostage takers spoke for more than three hours to Mishima's widow, Yoko. Some of the hostage takers were believed to have been former members of the Tatenokai.
The members who rose the action on November 25, 1970
- Yukio MishimaYukio Mishimawas the pen name of , a Japanese author, poet, playwright, actor and film director, also remembered for his ritual suicide by seppuku after a failed coup d'état...
, leader - Hiroyasu KogaHiroyasu KogaHiroyasu Koga is a former Tatenokai member and kaishakunin responsible for the decapitations of Yukio Mishima and Masakatsu Morita during their seppuku on November 25, 1970...
, Kanagawa UniversityKanagawa University, abbreviated to is a private university in Japan. The main campus is located in Rokkakubashi, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture.- History :The university was founded in 1928 by as . It was an evening school for the working youth... - Masayoshi Koga, Kanagawa UniversityKanagawa University, abbreviated to is a private university in Japan. The main campus is located in Rokkakubashi, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture.- History :The university was founded in 1928 by as . It was an evening school for the working youth...
- Masakatsu MoritaMasakatsu Moritawas the Tatenokai member who attempted to commit seppuku with Yukio Mishima at the Ichigaya Camp.He was the youngest child of a headmaster. Losing both parents at the age of two, he was cared for by his brother Osamu and educated at a Catholic school...
, Waseda UniversityWaseda University, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate... - Masahiro Ogawa, Meiji Gakuin UniversityMeiji Gakuin Universityis one of the Christian universities in Tokyo and Yokohama which was established in 1863. The Reverend Dr. James Curtis Hepburn was one of the founders and the first president...