“Dearest Mother”: The Final Flight of Japan’s Teenage Kamikaze

Exhibited at the Chiran Peace Museum. 

Artist: Katsuyoshi Nakaya

【Title】

The Teenage Kamikaze Pilots: Remembering the "Yokaren" and the Bond with Their Mothers

■ Introduction

Hello. The other day, I visited Makata Shrine in Narita City, Chiba Prefecture. This is the place where the famous "Hifumi Shinji" (revelations) were received. On my way back, as I was driving to neighboring Ibaraki Prefecture for work and passing through a town called Ami, a certain memory came back to me.

It was about the Kamikaze Special Attack Corps, which I have been researching since around 2008. Ami Town in Ibaraki was once the site of the "Yokaren" (Naval Aviator Preparatory Course), where young boys aged 14 to 17 were trained with the expectation of joining the special attack units. My own great-uncle was one of these trainees, entering the corps and facing the end of the war just days before his scheduled sortie. Today, I want to write about these pure-hearted trainees who practiced intensely day and night for their country, and the young men who gave their lives for the people and homeland they loved.

I believe that what we can do now is to pass these stories on to future generations.

■ A Son's Final Letter to His Mother

First, please read the final will of a young boy about to sortie as a Kamikaze pilot, addressed to his mother.

“Mother, I may never see your face again. Mother, please let me see your face clearly. However, I do not want to leave any mementos behind. Because if you see them ten or twenty years from now, they will only make you cry. Mother, on the day I leave Koriyama, I will fly over our home. That will be my final goodbye. Dearest Mother.” (Source: Yokaren Peace Memorial Museum)

This letter was written by Second Lieutenant Motegi from Fukushima Prefecture. He entered the special attack unit from the Yokaren and died in action in Okinawa on May 4, 1945, at the young age of 19.

■ What Was the "Yokaren"?

To explain the Yokaren, I must first explain the "Tokko" (Special Attack / Kamikaze). There were several units belonging to the Army and Navy. The Yokaren specifically refers to the "Navy Flight Preparatory Trainees." Many Kamikaze pilots were graduates of this course, and most boys entered the special attack units right after graduation.

They were between 14 and 17 years old—the equivalent of middle and high school students today. This is why they are sometimes called the "Boy Kamikaze."

It is hard to imagine today, but this was the reality. While many believe Kamikaze pilots were strictly 18 or older, through my research and correspondence with former pilots, I have learned that there were indeed boys under 17 among them.

The word "Tokko" is short for Special Attack. It refers to missions where pilots loaded bombs onto aircraft, watercraft, or underwater weapons, and deliberately crashed them into enemy warships with the expectation of certain death.

The Yokaren system was established on June 1, 1930. As the war intensified, training young pilots became an urgent matter. These boys underwent rigorous training to become skilled aviators. However, as the war situation worsened and the enemy approached the mainland, most of them became Kamikaze pilots. Without hesitation or regard for their own lives, they gave their lives solely to save their homeland and families.

The history of Yokaren lasted only 15 years and 3 months. Yet, 80% of its graduates died in action, mostly through special attacks. There is no doubt that the peaceful life we enjoy today is thanks to these young souls who fought with absolute resolve.

Gassho (With palms joined in prayer)

From this land of prayer, I, Asahi Hanasaki, am introducing the "Harmony of Wa" to the whole world. 

（この祈りの国から、私、花咲あさひは、「和の調和」を世界中へと紹介しています。）

Asahi Hanasaki 

From this land of prayer, I, Asahi Hanasaki, am introducing the "Harmony of Wa" to the whole world. 

I am a delivery driver in Japan who also helps protect and maintain a traditional Shinto shrine and Buddhist temple. Balancing these two worlds gives me a unique perspective on modern society. Through my writing, I aim to share the warmth of mutual aid and help readers find the courage to live another day.