December 13 [1945]
The Honorable General MacArthur:
Dear Sir:
The cold weather has come.
Ever since Your Excellency arrived in Japan, you have been blessed with good health.
As one Japanese citizen, I offer my heartfelt gratitude and awe at your ceaseless efforts for Japan's postwar reconstruction, the building of a democratic nation, and the establishment of world peace.
I am an uncultured person, and as the saying goes, "The uncultured do not follow decorum.
" Some of what follows may be improper, but I hope you will forgive me.
What I say here is neither false nor exaggerated.
I will only honestly say what went through my mind.
On December 8, 1941, when the imperial edict for the Greater East Asia War was issued, I jumped with joy and spontaneously shouted three banzais.
I felt a great sense of relief.
I wrote this poem to express my feelings:
Why shouldn't we attack America and England For the sake of the one billion people of East Asia?
When I think of the boundless mercy of the emperor, I feel I should give all of myself.
His mercy is deeper than the sea and higher than the mountains.
How sad, I cannot repay my debt to him.
As a poorly educated and untalented person, I knew nothing about Japanese-American relations at the beginning of the war or about international relations before that.
I only knew what appeared in the newspapers and what I heard on the radio.
I believed that America and England were despicable, and that we could not share the same sky because they excluded and isolated Japan and used the world as they pleased.
They were worse than contemptible.
When sparks fall on you, you must brush them away.
I felt that we absolutely must win this war, and to win, we must endure whatever shortages and hardships come our way, so I obeyed government orders religiously.
But the war continued to go against us.
I thought we would definitely hold Okinawa, but Okinawa fell too.
The former prime minister, Suzuki Kantaro, said Kyushu would be the decisive battle.
He said we were bound to win in Kyushu, so I was confident about Kyushu.
Combat troops and civilians would join together in defending Kyushu, and I decided that I would give my life to the nation.
To sever my worldly attachments, I was ready to kill my two darling grandchildren first and then fight to the end for my country.
But on August 15 [1945] the emperor's decision to end the Greater East Asia War was announced, and I felt tom up inside with indignation.
Afterwards, however, newspaper and radio reports gradually clarified the situation, and I began to understand that it was inevitable that Japan suffer defeat.
Ever since Your Excellency and your armed forces arrived to occupy Japan in accord with the Potsdam Declaration, I have observed your activities, and my previous way of thinking has completely disappeared.
I regret my early convictions;
I am filled with gratitude now.
Especially, when I think of the generous measures Your Excellency has taken instead of exacting vengeance, I am struck with reverent awe as if I were in the presence of God.
So far, this is a letter of confession.
A man who was so full of animosity toward the United States and Great Britain came to feel that Japan's defeat was a deserved consequence and was offering his gratitude to the occupation forces.
His real intention, however, was to say, "Therefore listen to what I now have to say.
" The letter continues:
I have a favor to ask Your Excellency.
According to recent newspaper reports, accusations of responsibility for the war may reach His Majesty.
This news was so unexpected, I was stupefied.
This has to be prevented at all costs.
I considered this and came to the conclusion that I have no other means but to plead to Your Excellency for mercy.
In our country, the emperor is absolutely unique and exists above God.
He is the object of the people's faith.
I hesitate to make a comparison, but he is like the rudder to a ship.
If something should happen to His Majesty, we the people would lose our direction.
For the past three thousand years the people have received deep affection from the imperial family.
If something should happen to His Majesty, we the people would lose our purpose in living.
A country without purpose would be like a Buddhist statue without a soul, and I would not want to see this.
Please exercise Your Excellency's power and see to it that nothing happens to the emperor.
I would gladly give my life if this were required.
Please heed my plea.
Lastly, I pray to God for your country and for Your Excellency's prosperity and happiness.
Tashiro Kakutarō
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