of Japan Tokyo, Fah. 14
sufuerie: that led. to the overthrow A airing incident fa the, fal of feudalism in Japan and the aube World Powers ig. vocalled by" the ent emergence' of Japan death. of Sadéo Tinoma, they last sur of the Byakkot Tiger Band.
ter Tuling Japan for two-anda-half centuries, the Tokugawa Shogunate had been overthrown and the Emperor restored to power; but isolated groups, loyal to the old shogun, continued to offer resistance in remote parts of the country. One of the last to surrender was, the Lord of Aizu, and many, even of his own personal followers, were urging him to give in. Amongst his retainers, however, was a group young boys, all of samurai birth, Who were niembers of his fencing School. True to their master, they pledged themselves to fight to the fast and, organizing themselves into single band under the name of Byakkotai, they set out to engage the enemy.
Though most of them were no more! than 16 or 17 years of age, they made a terrific onslaught and, in a hand-to-hand encounter, no" less than 17 out of the 37 composing the Vand were killed. The 20 survivors, inded, were
ing hill, where they inten:
ad to withdraw to a neighbour. form prior to making a final onslaught.
On reaching the top of the hill, however, they saw. their Lord's castle in flames and realized that nothing more could be done; but, rather than surrender, they decided to die in accordance with samurai tradition. by, disembowelling themselves. All 20 of them accordingly, committed hara-kiri, but in the case of one of them, a youngster of 16, the self-inflicted wounds proved not to be fatal, When the Imperial troops arrived on the scene soon after, they found him still breathing.
traordinary example of loyalty, they ud, greatly impressed by thigh nursed him back to health.
'By the time he had recovered, the civil war was at an end and he' was, taken into service the new Government. 'The name' of the uth thus saved was Sadao Tinuma.
is this same Tinuma whose death, ai the age of 75, has jest occurred.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.