Japanese army major dies during visit to Iwo Jima tunnel

Sunday 26th October, 05:29 AM JST

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

› Login to comment

Latest 15 of 17 Total Comments Show All

Dogdog at 09:17 AM JST - 26th October

I wonder if he gets to go to Yasakuni and hang around with Tojo and gang?
ptolemy at 10:44 AM JST - 26th October

As God said to Job, Checkmate.
Ninjazilla at 10:56 AM JST - 26th October

Ghosts?
smithinjapan at 12:18 PM JST - 26th October

Makes a lot of sense... many of the young lads on the island died of heat stroke, so let's send a bunch of kids there to go through the bunkers! As if it needs proving that it's a bad idea, this guy up and illustrates first-hand. As if there are not enough kids dying on school fields every year after being forced to work out in the summer heat.

Anyway, poor guy. Not the kind of record you want to be remembered for, exactly.
Samuraiiki at 02:50 PM JST - 26th October

Too hot in those caves.
knews at 05:20 PM JST - 26th October

The "first death on the island since WWII" line is a little misleading. It may well be true but only the military is allowed to go there because there is still a lot of live ammunition lying around. So the number of people who've been to Iwo Jima since WWII is actually quite small. It's certainly no tourist spot. I would also guess that the "annual school trip" mentioned is actually for the Self-Defense Forces Fuji School that is referred to in the article and not a regular mainland civilian school.
888naff at 06:27 PM JST - 26th October

I wonder what they teach children that visit there. Do they look at the future and say one day the rest of world we be asking for our hep building tunnels... eg channel tunnel. 45 is bit young to pass away.
OssanULTRA at 09:03 PM JST - 26th October

AP used the incorrect term "Army major" rather than a Major in the JGSDF. Even though the term Ground Self Defences Force appears in the article itself. JT goes ahead and runs this clip including the erroneous term. So a JT reader says;

I wonder if he gets to go to Yasakuni and hang around with Tojo and gang? Good job AP and JT!.
cwhite at 10:34 PM JST - 26th October

journalism at its best
The_Marion at 11:04 PM JST - 26th October

First - the battle for Iwo Jima was in Febuary and it was decidedly cool. Second - Napalm was used in the tunnels and the Japanese smothered because the Napalm burned the oxygen out of the tunnels. Third - I am sure this "ARMY" major was teaching defence, for that is the mission of the Self Defense Forces (SDF) However, he was not even born when this battle was fought
JohnBecker at 12:02 AM JST - 27th October

I suspect that even in February, hiding in tunnels under a volcanic island might get a little bit hot. Also, as the article states, many of the Japanese casualties were soldiers in the tunnels who died from heat stroke. I expect they're basing this on fact, not making it up. No argument about the napalm, it certainly was a huge factor in the tunnel casualties.

Slightly off topic... doesn't Iwo Jima go by a different name these days?
Xeno23 at 04:30 AM JST - 27th October

Iwo To, is the new name, but it still means Iwo Island. To is the other reading for the same character as Shima.

Anyway, sheesh; it's not some place to cheer over. Iwo To is a sobering monument to our worst and best qualities - regardless of which side anyone is talking about. It deserves silent reverence and deep reflection - in honor of, and remorse over those who were there.
JPYuki at 04:41 AM JST - 27th October

If the name Iwo Jima has already been changed to Iwo To, why did the news item still use the old name? A better statement would have been:

... collapsed while visiting a wartime tunnel on Iwo To, previously known as Iwo Jima, and later died, ....
Molenir at 02:39 PM JST - 27th October

Because despite the name change, common nomenclature still recalls it as Iwo Jima. IE Everyone knows what you're talking about when you say Iwo Jima, if you say Iwo to, people would ay, huh?
tzvete at 09:33 PM JST - 27th October

I watched this some days ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJqX0zC00gU