Masakatsu Morita, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetMasakatsu Morita
political activist
Date of Birth: 25-Jul-1945
Place of Birth: Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, Japan
Date of Death: 25-Nov-1970
Profession: activist
Zodiac Sign: Leo 
About Masakatsu Morita
- Masakatsu Morita (?? ??, Morita Masakatsu, 25 July 1945 – 25 November 1970) was a Japanese political activist who committed seppuku with Yukio Mishima in Tokyo.Morita was the youngest child of the headmaster of an elementary school.
- Losing both parents at the age of three, Morita was cared for by his brother Osamu and educated at a Catholic school.
- He entered Waseda University in 1966, but was dismayed by the presence of Communists Zengakuren students at the University and became heavily involved in the small right-wing faction at the university.
- He first met Mishima on 19 June 1967, and joined the Tatenokai at its establishment in October 1968.
- As early as March of that year, he had written a letter to Mishima expressing a willingness to die for him.Mishima was interested in using his society for direct political action, and he approached several members in April and May 1970.
- The inner circle then consisted of Mishima, Morita, Masahiro Ogawa (?? ??), and Masayoshi Koga (?? ??) ("Chibi" Koga).
- No clear plan was developed until late June.
- Shortly afterwards, Mishima went on holiday to Shimoda and paid for the others to go to Hokkaido.
- On 2 September in Tokyo, Morita and "Chibi Koga" recruited Hiroyasu Koga ("Furu" Koga), who was a Tatenokai member also, and he met Mishima to hear details of the plan on 9 September.All four followers were expecting to commit suicide, and were indignant when, in November, Mishima ruled that only he and Morita were to die.
- On 21 and 22 November 1970, supplies were bought, and Morita asked Hiroyasu Koga to stand in for him if he should fail to behead Mishima properly.
- The next two days were spent rehearsing. On the morning of 25 November, the group drove to the Japan Self-Defense Force's Ichigaya garrison on the pretext of a friendly visit.
- They barricaded themselves inside General Mashita's office, taking him prisoner, and issued demands.
- At noon, Mishima began to make a speech from the balcony to assembled troops, but his words were drowned out by helicopters and he spoke only briefly.
- Immediately after his return from the balcony, Mishima stabbed himself in the abdomen and Morita then attempted to behead him.
- After three failed attempts by Morita, Hiroyasu Koga stepped in and beheaded Mishima.
- Afterwards Morita stabbed himself in the abdomen and Koga beheaded him as well.
- Masayoshi Koga, Masahiro Ogawa, and Hiroyasu Koga were freed from prison for good behavior in October 1974.
- All three were age 26 at the time.
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