“Perfect purity is possible if you turn your life into a line of poetry written with a splash of blood.” ― Yukio Mishima, [Runaway Horses](https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/1642235) Yukio Mishima (1925–1970), the pen name of Kimitake Hiraoka, was one of Japan's most celebrated and controversial authors. In the context of the global upheavals of [[1968]], Mishima stands out as a complex figure whose life and work reflected both the turbulence of the era and his own deeply personal and ideological struggles. While much of the world in 1968 was focused on leftist movements, anti-war protests, and demands for greater freedom and equality, Mishima represented a starkly different perspective, rooted in traditionalism, nationalism, and a longing for Japan's pre-modern past. --- ### **Mishima's Background and Literary Career** - Mishima was a prolific writer, producing novels, plays, short stories, and essays. His works often explored themes of beauty, death, sexuality, and the clash between traditional Japanese values and modern Western influences. Some of his most famous works include *Confessions of a Mask* (1949), *The Temple of the Golden Pavilion* (1956), and *The Sea of Fertility* tetralogy (1965–1970). - Despite his literary success, Mishima felt increasingly alienated from post-war Japan, which he saw as having abandoned its cultural and spiritual heritage in favor of materialism and Westernization. --- ### **Mishima's Political Ideology** - In the 1960s, Mishima became increasingly involved in right-wing nationalist politics. He founded the **Tatenokai** (Shield Society), a private militia of about 100 students dedicated to the restoration of the emperor's pre-war status and the revival of traditional Japanese values. - Mishima's ideology was deeply reactionary. He opposed the leftist student movements of the 1960s, which he viewed as destructive and unpatriotic. Instead, he idealized the samurai code of *bushido* and the pre-World War II imperial system. --- ### **Mishima and the Global Context of 1968** - While 1968 was marked by global protests against authoritarianism, war, and inequality, Mishima's actions and beliefs stood in stark contrast. He was critical of the post-war Japanese government for its perceived weakness and subservience to the United States, particularly under the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty (ANPO), which was a major target of leftist protests in Japan. - Mishima's nationalism and traditionalism were out of step with the progressive, anti-establishment spirit of 1968. However, his dramatic and theatrical approach to politics—culminating in his shocking public suicide—reflected the same sense of urgency and disillusionment that drove many of the era's revolutionaries. --- ### **Mishima's Ritual Suicide (1970)** - On November 25, 1970, Mishima and four members of the Tatenokai staged a dramatic protest at the Ichigaya Camp, the headquarters of the Japan Self-Defense Forces in Tokyo. Mishima delivered a speech to the soldiers, urging them to rise up and restore the emperor's power. When his speech was met with ridicule and indifference, he committed **seppuku** (ritual suicide), an act that shocked Japan and the world. - Mishima's suicide was both a personal and political statement, reflecting his despair over Japan's modernization and his belief in the purity of death as a means of preserving honor and tradition. --- ### **Legacy** - Mishima's life and death remain deeply controversial. To some, he is a symbol of artistic genius and unwavering commitment to his ideals. To others, he represents the dangers of nationalism and the romanticization of violence. - In the context of 1968, Mishima's story highlights the diversity of responses to the era's social and political upheavals. While many sought to dismantle traditional systems and embrace progressive change, Mishima sought to revive a lost past, making him a unique and polarizing figure in the history of the 20th century. Mishima's life and work continue to provoke debate, reflecting the enduring tensions between tradition and modernity, individualism and collectivism, and art and politics.