Japan Institute for National Fundamentals

The 11th [Kokkiken Japan Study Award]

The works of Recipients of Kokkiken Japan Study Award

Remarks on the selection of award recipients

We have special feelings about the “Tokkotai” (Special Attack Forces) of the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy whose members sacrificed themselves to fight the Allied nations even under unfavorable conditions during the late stage of World War II.

There have been many cases of fighting to the death not only in Japan during World War II but also throughout history all over the world. Nonetheless, in scale and nature, Japan’s tokko (special attack) operations were perhaps unparalleled.

“This book depicts the story of U.S. naval vessels damaged in Tokkotai attacks between October 1944, when the special operations began in the Philippines, and August 1945, when they ended with Japan’s defeat,” writes the Japanese translator in his own foreword. Indeed, the American author, who had combed through U.S. miliary archives, compiled a complete record of Tokkotai attacks on the U.S. side. As such, the book makes almost no mention of tokko operations against naval ships of other Allied nations.

Tokkotai attacks were carried out not only by airplanes but also by midget submarines and human torpedoes. The book covers virtually every U.S. vessel that was damaged in such attacks by presenting them in chronological order. It also runs many photographs of tokko attacks, taken either aboard the vessels targeted by Tokkotai planes or from nearby ships. Moreover, it has descriptions here and there about how U.S. vessels counterattacked, making me feel like being at those scenes.

For example, the book refers to a scene in which six to eight Zero fighters attacked the aircraft carrier USS Manila Bay (p. 227). “One was shot down by an escort vessel… One rammed the central section of a Royal Australian Navy heavy cruiser… One struck the radar antenna, plunging into the sea beside it. One was hit before reaching…and crashed into the sea beside it. Two aircraft managed to attack our vessel, with the first one reaching the flight deck despite being hit by 40 rounds of cannon fire. The second one struck the starboard girder edge and plunged into the sea on the starboard side…”

It is particularly noteworthy that the translator scrutinized the records contained in the original book and added annotations. For example, pages 349-350 present an April 13 scene in which the relevant paragraph of the English book is translated into Japanese as it is. The translated paragraph reads: “On April 13, five Type 99 carrier bombers appeared in the skies over the USS Connolly…” But the translator’s annotation (p. 350) reads: “No Type 99 carrier bombers took off. The type of the aircraft in the next assault group was mistaken for a Type 99 carrier bomber. The 107th Shimbu Squadron (Type 97 fighter) …”

The translated version is full of annotations and, moreover, the Japanese edition has a list of Tokkotai attacks in its end. That is why the cover of the Japanese edition has the phrase “translated and compiled by,” in lieu of the typically simple phrase “translated by,” in its reference to the translator.

The American author lastly writes, “In this sense, the special attacks can be seen as a success, even though they did not stop the rage of the U.S. forces.” (p. 487 of the Japanese edition).

Of course, this is not a glorification of the tokko operations, but rather the American author’s solemn reflection on the gravity of the facts. I am sure that this book is worthy of our institute’s Japan Study Special Award as a collection of records of the actions of the Japanese known as tokko.

By Katsuhiko Takaike
Vice President of the Japan Institute for National Fundamentals,
Lawyer,
Japan Study Award Jury

Award Jury

Award Recommendation Committee