Matsushiro Underground Imperial Headquarters
Encyclopedia
The was a large underground bunker complex built during the Second World War in the Matsushiro suburb of Nagano, Japan
.. The facility was to be used by Emperor Hirohito, his family
, and the Imperial General Headquarters
to direct Japanese armed forces fighting against the Allied invasion of Japan
.
Parts of the caves are open to the public today, and are operated as a tourist attraction by Nagano.
on August 15, 1945. Construction was 75% completed at the end of the war, with 5856.6 sqm of floor-space (59635 cubic metres (2,105,990.1 cu ft) of volume) excavated. Between 7,000 and 10,000 Korean slave laborers were used to build the complex, and it is estimated that 1,500 of them died. Forty-six Koreans disappeared
on August 15, 1945, when Japan surrendered. The project cost ¥200,000,000.
The complex was an interlinked series of tunnels underneath several mountains. Facilities for the Imperial General Headquarters
and palace functions were constructed under Mount Maizuru; military communications under Mount Saijo; NHK
and central telephone facilities under Mount Zōzan; and the Imperial Sanctuary
under Mount Kobo
.
The complex was designed specifically to withstand B-29 bombings.
, most of the documentation relating to the Matsushiro complex was destroyed. As a result, very little is known about the day-to-day construction of the facility.
The complex today is administered by Nagano city's sightseeing bureau. The caves are mostly closed to the public - only the first 500 meters of the Mount Zōzan facilities are open.
The city of Nagano spent many years trying to attract the Olympic games, culminating in their successful bid to host the 1998 Winter Olympics
. During the bidding period and again during the games itself, peace activists accused the city of Nagano and the Nagano Organizing Committee (NAOC) of burying the past. Yamane Masako noted that "just the other day, the authorities blocked the entrances to the underground shelters with fences, despite requests that the last Imperial General Headquarters should be preserved and left be open to the public. They're afraid it will hurt their chances to get an Olympic Games to come to Nagano. They're trying to draw down a curtain around the Showa era. It's inexcusable."
During the games, the complex was omitted from all maps and tourist information passed out to visitors. Peace activists asked the NAOC to include the caves on the list of interesting places to visit in Nagano, but their requests went unanswered.
Other bunkers:
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.. The facility was to be used by Emperor Hirohito, his family
Imperial House of Japan
The , also referred to as the Imperial Family or the Yamato Dynasty, comprises those members of the extended family of the reigning Emperor of Japan who undertake official and public duties. Under the present Constitution of Japan, the emperor is the symbol of the state and unity of the people...
, and the Imperial General Headquarters
Imperial General Headquarters
The as part of the Supreme War Council was established in 1893 to coordinate efforts between the Imperial Japanese Army and Imperial Japanese Navy during wartime...
to direct Japanese armed forces fighting against the Allied invasion of Japan
Operation Downfall
Operation Downfall was the Allied plan for the invasion of Japan near the end of World War II. The operation was cancelled when Japan surrendered after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet Union's declaration of war against Japan. The operation had two parts: Operation...
.
Parts of the caves are open to the public today, and are operated as a tourist attraction by Nagano.
Construction
Construction began on November 11, 1944 and continued until Japan's surrenderSurrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
on August 15, 1945. Construction was 75% completed at the end of the war, with 5856.6 sqm of floor-space (59635 cubic metres (2,105,990.1 cu ft) of volume) excavated. Between 7,000 and 10,000 Korean slave laborers were used to build the complex, and it is estimated that 1,500 of them died. Forty-six Koreans disappeared
Forced disappearance
In international human rights law, a forced disappearance occurs when a person is secretly abducted or imprisoned by a state or political organization or by a third party with the authorization, support, or acquiescence of a state or political organization, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the...
on August 15, 1945, when Japan surrendered. The project cost ¥200,000,000.
Composition
Imperial General Headquarters
The as part of the Supreme War Council was established in 1893 to coordinate efforts between the Imperial Japanese Army and Imperial Japanese Navy during wartime...
and palace functions were constructed under Mount Maizuru; military communications under Mount Saijo; NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
and central telephone facilities under Mount Zōzan; and the Imperial Sanctuary
Three Palace Sanctuaries
The precincts of the Japanese Imperial Palace in Tokyo include structures known as the Three Palace Sanctuaries or Kyuchusanden . They are used in imperial religious ceremonies, including weddings and coronations. The three sanctuaries are:...
under Mount Kobo
Mount Kōbō
lies east of Hadano in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.It reaches a height of 235m above sea level, and together with the adjacent Mount Gongen and Mount Asama forms an area called Mount Kobo Park...
.
Purpose
The original purpose of the complex was to serve as an alternative headquarters for the Imperial General headquarters. However, in March 1945, secret orders were issued to add a palace to the complex. Yoshijirō Umezu informed Emperor Hirohito about construction of the complex in May, but did not tell him that it contained a palace. The plan was to relocate the Emperor to the complex in an armored train. When informed about the existence of the palace in July, Hirohito twice refused to relocate. It has been suggested that he refused because going to Matsushiro would have effectively isolated the Emperor and allowed the Army to rule in his name, effectively guaranteeing they would pursue the war to "suicidal extremes".The complex was designed specifically to withstand B-29 bombings.
Matsushiro today
After the surrender of JapanSurrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
, most of the documentation relating to the Matsushiro complex was destroyed. As a result, very little is known about the day-to-day construction of the facility.
The complex today is administered by Nagano city's sightseeing bureau. The caves are mostly closed to the public - only the first 500 meters of the Mount Zōzan facilities are open.
The city of Nagano spent many years trying to attract the Olympic games, culminating in their successful bid to host the 1998 Winter Olympics
1998 Winter Olympics
The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice...
. During the bidding period and again during the games itself, peace activists accused the city of Nagano and the Nagano Organizing Committee (NAOC) of burying the past. Yamane Masako noted that "just the other day, the authorities blocked the entrances to the underground shelters with fences, despite requests that the last Imperial General Headquarters should be preserved and left be open to the public. They're afraid it will hurt their chances to get an Olympic Games to come to Nagano. They're trying to draw down a curtain around the Showa era. It's inexcusable."
During the games, the complex was omitted from all maps and tourist information passed out to visitors. Peace activists asked the NAOC to include the caves on the list of interesting places to visit in Nagano, but their requests went unanswered.
See also
- Volunteer Fighting Corps
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