On November 25, 1970, renowned Japanese author Yukio Mishima led a failed coup attempt at the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s Ichigaya headquarters in Tokyo. He and four members of his private militia, the Tatenokai, seized Commandant General Kanetoshi Mashita, took him hostage, and barricaded themselves in his office. Mishima then delivered a speech to approximately 1,000 soldiers below, urging them to overthrow Japan’s post-war democratic constitution—particularly Article 9, which renounces war—and restore the emperor’s divine status and national sovereignty.
The attempt collapsed when the soldiers mocked and jeered Mishima, refusing to support his call. Realizing the coup had failed, Mishima performed seppuku (ritual suicide by disembowelment), as planned.
That leaves out the best part. The soldiers below couldn’t hear him because there was a news helicopter overhead trying to film it, so it’s like if the leader of the Proud Boys screamed about cum magick to no one before disemboweling himself. The film does a really good job at exploring the social psychology of 1930s-70s Japan and how that drove him to think it was a smart idea while still showing how absurd it was.
Ngl, that was the most pathetic coup attempt.
That leaves out the best part. The soldiers below couldn’t hear him because there was a news helicopter overhead trying to film it, so it’s like if the leader of the Proud Boys screamed about cum magick to no one before disemboweling himself. The film does a really good job at exploring the social psychology of 1930s-70s Japan and how that drove him to think it was a smart idea while still showing how absurd it was.