JAPAN 70 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Hagakure, Kokutai, Meiji Restoration
Document Summary
Medieval notion of chu (total loyalty) to one"s feudal lord transformed into loyalty to tenno (emperor) who as a kami (living god) became integral part of shinto religion. Senjin kun (ethics of battle: make it your joy to use every last bit of your physical and spiritual strength in what you do. Do not fear to die for the cause of everlasting justice. Do not die in such a way as to leave a bad name behind you . Mission for every japanese soldier, sailor, airman to die for their emperor: reward: senshi (death in battle, to flee from enemy=dishonor to name and to dai nippon teikoku (empire of great. Strong ritualized tradition of self-disembowelment: seppuku: badge of courage/honor for 3rd level of japanese social class (samurai, most famous suicide: writer mishima. Killed himself in 1970 after exhorting soldiers of japanese self-defence force to join him against post-war democracy that denied japan her military/kamikaze spirit.
