Otoya Yamaguchi

Otoya Yamaguchi Full Name: Otoya Yamaguchi 山口二矢 Origin: Taito, Tokyo, Japan Occupation: Japanese ultranationalist Goals: Kill Asanuma Inijiro (Win) Crimes: Murder Type of Villain: Young Terrorist

“	七生報国 天皇陛下万才 Seven lives for my country. Long live His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor!	„
	~ Excerpt from Yamaguchi's last words.

Otoya Yamaguchi (山口二矢; February 22^nd, 1943 - November 2^nd, 1960) was a Japanese young far-right activist. He attracted the attention of the media by stroking Inejiro Asanuma (浅沼稲次郎), then chairman of the Socialist Party of Japan at that time.

Overview 

On October 12^th, 1960, Yamaguchi assassinated Asanuma with a yoroi-dōshi (a traditional Japanese sword) at Tokyo's Hibiya Hall during a political debate in advance of parliamentary elections.

Three weeks after the assassination, he commited suicide in prison.

Legacy

Japanese photographer Yasushi Nagao (長尾靖) was able to capture the moment immediately after Yamaguchi withdrew his sword from Asanuma. The photograph later won Nagao he 1961 Pulitzer Prize and the 1960 World Press Photo award.

File:Otoya Yamaguchi assasination.jpg

Image of the assassination immediately after Yamaguchi withdrew his sword from Asanuma.

The second award allowed Nagao to travel abroad widely, which was almost impossible for most Japanese people at the time.