80th Anniversary of the Tokko Pilots and Their Sacrifice

Toward the end of the Greater East Asia War, around 6,000 special attack tokko pilots set out to defend Japan. In the process, they sacrificed their lives.

It has been 80 years since the first wave of Japanese Imperial Navy's kamikaze units launched their assault on the United States fleet. That Pacific War battle occurred off the coast of Leyte Island in the Philippines. Reflecting on those brave troops reminds us of the vital importance of preserving Japan's independence and peace.

Sacrifice and Valor

During the war, approximately 2.3 million members of the Japanese Imperial Army and Navy lost their lives. Many intense battles unfolded, including heroic stands on the Pacific islands. Among these, the tokko units, whose members did not expect to return, are remembered for their remarkable courage. 

On October 25, 1944, during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the main forces of the Japanese and US navies clashed. Under Lieutenant Yukio Seki, the Shikishima Squadron launched suicide attacks with Zero fighters and dive bombers. They achieved significant results, including the sinking of an escort carrier.

During the Okinawa campaign after March 1945, the Imperial Army and Navy deployed a total of 2,571 tokko attack aircraft. Airborne troops also participated in the operation. Maritime tokko attacks were also conducted using human torpedoes known as kaiten and small boats called shin'yo.

Tokko attacks, whose members did not anticipate survival, were not regarded as a conventional tactic. This was acknowledged by their planner, Rear Admiral Takijiro Onishi, who referred to them as "beyond the bounds of command."

Onishi took his own life shortly after the end of the war by committing ritual suicide (seppuku). He did so without a kaishakunin, the typical assistant responsible for carrying out the beheading at the ritual's end.

A Complex Legacy

After the war, tokko were criticized as "symbols of militarism." Although the military may have felt they had no alternative, it is fair to criticize their choices. They sent many promising young men to their deaths. 

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In contemporary Japan, it is crucial to adopt diplomatic and defense strategies to safeguard the nation. This approach should avoid resorting to extreme tactics like those used in the past.

The American military sustained significant losses due to the tokko attacks. They damaged over 400 American ships and affected many personnel. Subsequent studies have shown these attacks instilled a deep sense of crisis within the upper echelons of the US command.

US forces referred to the tokko attacks as kamikaze and regarded them as an unorthodox tactic. Nevertheless, many American soldiers respected the pilots. They shaped the world's perception of the Japanese as a formidable force and continue to watch over Japan today.

A profound sense of respect and sorrow overcomes those who consider the myriad of emotions that each tokko pilot must have felt. Japan must remember the fallen and, as a nation, ensure that we honor and memorialize them. 

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(Read the article in Japanese.)

Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun