Masayasu Hosaka, "Yukio Mishima and the Tatenokai Incident" Summary and Comments - Recommended reference book to learn about the detailed process leading up to his suicide at the Self-Defense Forces Ichigaya Camp in 1970.
We are pleased to present "Yukio Mishima and the Tatenokai Incident" by Masayasu Hosaka, published by Chikuma Shobo in 2018.
Let's take a quick look at the book.
On November 25, 1970, Yukio Mishima and members of the Tatenokai took hostages at the Ground Self-Defense Force's Ichigaya Camp and appealed for constitutional reform and the resolve of Self-Defense Force members. In the late 1960s, when anti-establishment movements such as the anti-Vietnam war and the National School Conflict were at their height, what spurred these men to make the decision? Based on in-depth interviews with the people involved, this masterpiece presents the whole story of the incident in a calm and measured manner.
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On November 25, 1970, Yukio Mishima and four members of the Tatenokai holed up in the Ichigaya Camp of the Self-Defense Forces, and after making speeches from the balcony urging the uprising against the Self-Defense Forces, both Mishima and Masakatsu Morita committed seppuku (ritual suicide). This book is the best introduction to the background and circumstances of this shocking incident.
The author states the following about the writing of this book in the "Preface to the Library Edition".
When I wrote this book, my intention was to write a history of the incident itself ten years after it took place. In order to find out how the incident was planned and carried out, I wanted to describe in as much detail as possible Mishima's statements and movements from the beginning of 1965, what kind of organizational rules the Tatenokai organization that Mishima himself created had, what kind of daily training he conducted, what kind of study groups he held, and so on. What kind of training was conducted on a daily basis, what kind of study groups were held, and what kind of topics were discussed. For this purpose, I interviewed some former Tate-no-kai members and asked them what they were thinking.
Chikuma Shobo, Masayasu Hosaka, Yukio Mishima and the Tatenokai Incident, p. 13
This book is an attempt to write as faithfully as possible about the events of that incident, but for me, the essence of the incident can only be understood if these facts are accurately grasped.bunchWe believe that the world is a place where people can live in peace and harmony. Without suppressing the contours of the facts, any commentary or critique is nothing more than a house built on sand. It seems that there are many who criticize and praise the incident without suppressing the facts.
This incident will be a teaching tool for dissecting the Japanese people in the 21st century, and it has the essence to become such a tool.
Chikuma Shobo, Masayasu Hosaka, Yukio Mishima and the Tatenokai Incident, p. 15-16
Without suppressing the contours of the facts, any commentary or critique is but a house built on sand."
According to the commentary at the end of the book, there were more than 6,000 books on Yukio Mishima as of 2000. If we add articles in weekly magazines and other publications to this number, there are countless Mishima discourses in Japan.
Each of them talks about Yukio Mishima in their own way, and their opinions of Mishima vary so widely that one wonders if there really was only one Yukio Mishima. I wondered if there really was only one Yukio Mishima. I was at a loss as to which commentary or critique to believe.
However, as the author says above, it remains important to first get the facts straight. This is especially true in the shocking and mysterious case of Mishima's suicide.
The book provides a fairly detailed look at the process that led to Mishima's suicide. I found the explanation of the formation of the Tatenokai, its progress, and Mishima's connection to the Self-Defense Forces to be particularly interesting.
I can't introduce its contents here, but I was also surprised by the number of "eh! I can't tell you about the contents of the book here, but I can tell you that I was surprised by many things that came out. I think my view of Mishima changed before and after reading this book.
Why did Yukio Mishima have to die?
This book is a very important work that offers some very important insights into this matter.
Also, in conjunction with this book, Takao Tokuoka, Ph.Goken no Hito: Yukio Mishima no Shikishi" (The Man of Five Decades: A Personal Memoir of Yukio Mishima)and by Houtarou NishiThe Yukio Mishima Incident: 50 Years Later - What Did the Police and Self-Defense Forces Know?'-' (used in place of '-')Written by Kiyoshi InuzukaThe Life of Yukio Mishima and the Man Who Died: Morita MasakatsuWe also recommend that you
Takao Tokuoka, the author of "Gokaku no Hito: A Personal Account of Yukio Mishima," was a reporter who was asked by Yukio Mishima himself to come to Ichigaya on the day of the incident and listen to his speech on the balcony. He was a reporter trusted by Yukio Mishima that much. Three years prior to the incident, Mr. Tokuoka and Mishima became friends in Bangkok and conducted various interviews. Among them, the part where Mishima talked about India was very interesting to me as a Buddhist monk. The book also includes a valuable interview with Mishima immediately after his enlistment in the Japan Self-Defense Forces and his subsequent development, which is described in detail from the reporter's point of view. This book is truly an insight into the unknown Yukio Mishima. This book is also extremely valuable for understanding Mishima's magnificent posthumous work, "The Sea of Fertility. It is a highly recommended book.
The next book, "The Yukio Mishima Incident: Testimony of the 50th Anniversary - What Did the Police and the Self-Defense Forces Know? The interview with Mr. Atsuyuki Sasa, who directed the Yasuda Auditorium incident at the University of Tokyo, reveals some shocking facts. In this book, you will learn that the Public Security Bureau was aware of Mishima's decision and what kind of decision was made by the upper echelons. I was stunned to read this book.... I highly recommend this book as well.
Another book, "Yukio Mishima and the Man Who Died: The Life of Hisshatsu Morita," gives a detailed account of Hisshatsu Morita of the Tatenokai, who committed suicide along with Mishima. The most significant feature of this book is the abundance of photographs of Morita and the Tatenokai. This book is very valuable to know the various images of those who were involved in the incident.
Together with these books, "Yukio Mishima and the Tatenokai Incident" by Masayasu Hosaka is a book that we highly recommend. We encourage you to pick up a copy.
The above is "Hosaka Masayasu, "Yukio Mishima and the Tatenokai Incident" - a recommended reference book to learn the detailed process leading up to his suicide at the Self-Defense Forces Ichigaya Camp in 1970.
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