Hara-kiri prosecution

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32563, 24 March 1971, Page 21

Hara-kiri prosecution

(N Z P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) TOKYO, March 23. Three young students told a Tokyo court today that they joined the author, Yukio Mishima, in a hara-kiri ritual because they were “ready to die like dogs to save Japan from spiritual decay.”

The three members of the writer’s now-defunct patriotic private army, the Tatenokai (Society of the Shield), joined Mishima and another follower in an abortive attempt last November to incite Japanese Army units to rebel against the course of the nation’s post-war life. Having failed, Mishima and his assistant, Masakatsu {Morita, ripped open their stomachs with swords, and

were beheaded by colleagues, the defendants, in traditional Samurai fashion. Hiroyasu Koga, aged 23, Masayoshi Koga, aged 22, and Masahiro Ogawa, also aged 22, faced five charges when they made their first appearance in the Tokyo District Court today. The main charge is killing by request and this is the first time that the hara-kiri ritual established by the ancient Bushido (warrior’s code of conduct) has been the subject of prosecution under Japanese criminal law. Today’s hearing was taken up with the reading of the indictment by the prosecution, clarification of certain points at the request of the judge and the defence and, finally, statements made by the three defendants. They told of their growing frustration at “the spiritual decay” of the Japanese

people under the influence of a post-war economic boom and a peace Constitution written by the occupying allies in a bid to turn Japan into a model Western-style democracy.

“The Constitution was imposed under the sabres of (occupation commander, General Douglas) Macarthur, and should have been scrapped immediately Japan became independent again in 1952,” they said. They attacked “the destruction of Japan’s traditions, culture and history by the hypocrisy and deceit of postwar generals intent only on protecting their own lives and making money.” For this reason, they said, they joined Mishima’s private army of 80 men, intent on sacrificing their lives to inspire the nation to a return to the old ideals of the Samurai Warriors of feudal Japan.