Japanese Navy veteran recalls the blitz
Osaka (Japan), Dec. 5: Navy aircraft mechanic Kuniyoshi Takimoto watched as Japanese planes roared off the aircraft carrier Hiryu to attack Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941.
The shock assault 75 years ago on Wednesday in Hawaii sparked patriotic celebration in Japan but left Takimoto feeling uneasy. “I wondered if such a poor country would be all right fighting such a big one,” the former real-estate agent, now 95 and one of the few Japanese participants still alive, said at his home in Osaka.
This attack brought America into World War II — though it was already well underway for Europe, and China.
This year’s anniversary comes after President Barack Obama’s visit in May to Hiroshima, the Japanese city pulverised by a US atom bomb in the closing days of the conflict. “It was just a start... And more or less a deceptive attack,” Mr Takimoto said stressing that given its surprise nature some success was virtually guaranteed.
He and other crew members were stunned when first informed of the mission after their flotilla departed towards Hawaii.
“We had to do our jobs rolling the dice against death.” Despite his misgivings about the risks of attacking the US, Mr Takimoto was proud to support the pilots.
But the initial success of the raid, the tide was fated to quickly turn — confirming Mr Takimoto’s fears.