Mitsuyasu Maeno - The Attack

The Attack

In early March 1976, Maeno flew around Kodama's neighborhood in Setagaya, gaining knowledge of the area in preparation for an attack. On the morning of March 23, 1976, Maeno arrived in the western suburbs of Tokyo at Chofu Airport with two friends. All three were dressed in the uniforms of kamikaze pilots, and Maeno informed airport officials that they were renting two planes for a kamikaze segment of a film. The flight was to prepare publicity for a planned film on the suicide bombers. Before 9:00 a.m., the actor posed in his uniform, with white scarf, rising-sun images on his sleeve, and a headband in front of the Piper Cherokee plane he had rented.

Maeno in one plane and his two companions in the other, the three flew around Tokyo for a period of about one hour. Maeno then told his friends that he had business in Setagaya – Kodama's neighborhood. The other plane, with the cameraman on board, accompanied Maeno on the flight to Kodama's residence. Maeno flew low over Kodama's home, circling twice before diving into the building. An amateur radio operator reported that at 9:50 a.m. he heard Maeno call out "JA3551" – the number of his plane – and then saying emotionally, "Sorry I haven't replied for a long time. Long live the Emperor! (天皇陛下万歳, Tennō heika banzai!?)," after which the transmission suddenly ceased.

Maeno hit the second floor veranda of the home, and died in the crash. The crash caused a fire which started on the second floor of the home, and two servants were injured in the attack. Kodama was resting in another part of the building when Maeno attacked. He was not harmed in the attack, and was carried from his home in a blanket. Kodama's yakuza bodyguards then went quickly to work to stop the fire. Angered, the guards attacked reporters who arrived on the scene. The reporters later complained that police had warned them not to "excite the young men."

When news of the attack became known, a group of approximately 20 right-wing demonstrators arrived on the scene and clashed with the police in front of Kodama's home. At first fearing a conspiracy, police later confirmed that Maeno had acted on his own.