Imperial army veterans issue a cautionary message to future generations
Surviving Japanese World War II Veterans Share Their Stories
As the number of Japanese World War II veterans continues to dwindle, the stories of those who lived through the conflict are becoming increasingly precious. One of the most notable surviving veterans is Kunshiro Kiyozumi, who served as the youngest sailor aboard the I-58, an attack submarine of the Imperial Japanese Navy. At 97 years old, Kiyozumi has been featured in recent commemorations and reflections on the war.
Kiyozumi's story is significant not only for his youth at the time but also because he represents a generation grappling with the legacy of the war many decades later. He and other veterans have been involved in memorials, such as those held by ex-residents of the Northern Territories (disputed islands seized by Soviet troops post-war), where memories of displacement and loss remain vivid.
Other veterans, such as Kenichi Ozaki, Hideo Shimizu, Tadanori Suzuki, Tetsuo Sato, and Masao Go, are less documented in current historical records. Ozaki, now 97, enlisted in the Imperial army at 15 and was rushed to the Philippines, where he witnessed fellow soldiers dying from attacks by Philippine guerrillas or starvation. Masao Go, who was born in Taiwan when it was a Japanese colony, joined the Imperial army in 1944 and was assigned to an air base in Japanese-occupied Korea, training as a radio operator on a bomber.
Suzuki was sent to the tropical island of Sulawesi, now in Indonesia, and trained on a small torpedo boat. He was captured at the war's end and it took him six months to get home. Sato joined the army in 1940 at the age of 18 and was sent to Japanese-occupied Burma (now Myanmar) just before the offensive against the city of Imphal in British-ruled India.
Tetsuo Sato, 105, is a living veteran who is still angry about a battle he fought in during World War II. No further details about the battle are provided. Suzuki's boat was one of eight sent to intercept a U.S. destroyer, and he saw a pillar of flame rise from the U.S. ship after launching a torpedo. Kiyozumi lived a quiet life after Japan's surrender in 1945, working at a utility company and rarely speaking about his wartime experiences.
Historical accounts of Japanese World War II veterans such as Kunshiro Kiyozumi highlight personal stories that reflect both the wartime experiences and the long-term impact of the conflict. If you require more detailed personal stories or official military histories for each individual, specialized archives, veteran associations, or Japanese historical research publications might provide more comprehensive information beyond these publicly reported highlights.
As of March, there were only 792 Japanese war veterans still collecting government pensions, half the number of a year earlier. The passing of these veterans means that the opportunity to learn from their experiences and perspectives is rapidly diminishing. It is important to preserve and share their stories to ensure that the lessons of the past are not forgotten.
References
- NHK World
- The Japan Times
- Kyodo News
- The stories of Japanese World War II veterans, such as Kunshiro Kiyozumi, are gaining significant attention in general news and politics, as their numbers continue to decrease and the war fades into history.
- Reflections on war-and-conflicts, like that of Kunshiro Kiyozumi, are featured in various historical records and news sources, including NHK World, The Japan Times, and Kyodo News, offering a personal perspective on the long-term impact of politics on individuals' lives.
