Nov 25 (Japan Times) - Jiji Press has confirmed the existence of a sword-slashed uniform of a former Ground Self-Defense Force officer attacked by author Yukio Mishima during his failed coup attempt 50 years ago.
The uniform was that of Katsumi Terao, 91, who was a GSDF major and budget officer at the Eastern Army headquarters at the time of the incident in the GSDF Ichigaya camp in central Tokyo on Nov. 25, 1970.
That day, Mishima and four members of his Tate no Kai private militia barricaded themselves in the office of the district army’s commanding general, taking him hostage.
Terao, who later became a major general, has disclosed the whereabouts of the uniform for the first time ahead of the 50th anniversary of the incident. Jiji Press confirmed the uniform was kept in a warehouse in the GSDF’s Kodaira camp also in Tokyo.
The uniform had U-shaped slashes and what appeared to be a bloodstain. It seemed to be the winter uniform introduced in 1958.
It had the rank badge of major and the badge of the Eastern Army. Terao’s full name was handwritten on the inside of the uniform.
Source: ANNnewsCH
