Tatenokai

The Tatenokai (楯の会) or Shield Society was a private militia in Japan dedicated to traditional Japanese values and veneration of the Emperor. It was founded and led by the author Yukio Mishima.

Related Topics:
Militia - Japan - Yukio Mishima

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The Tatenokai was created in 1967, recruiting its membership primarily from the staff of Ronso Journal, an obscure right-wing college newspaper. In an unusual move, the Tatenokai was granted the right to train with the nation's armed forces, the Japan Self-Defense Forces. In 1970 three Tatenokai led by Mishima briefly seized control of the Self-Defense Force's headquarters and attempted to rally the soldiers to stage a coup d'etat and restore imperial rule. When this failed, Mishima and Masakatsu Morita, the Tatenokai's main student leader, committed seppuku (ritual suicide).

Related Topics:
1967 - Ronso Journal - College newspaper - Japan Self-Defense Forces - 1970 - Masakatsu Morita - Seppuku

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