Imperial Japan celebrated a Korean boy’s angry blood vow to sun goddess Amaterasu offering up his life as a fighter pilot to avenge the U.S. bombing of Ise Shrine in 1945

The following article serves as a tragic testament to the extent of Imperial Japan’s propaganda and its devastating impact on Korean youth during the colonial period. It tells the story of a 15-year-old Korean boy, Yoshiyama Kakei, who became enraged after hearing news of a U.S. air attack on the Ise Jingu shrine—one of the most sacred Shinto sites in Japan, dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu. The shrine, located in Ise, Mie Prefecture, was likely strafed during the Bombing of Nagoya on January 14, 1945.

What makes this article particularly striking is how it illustrates the depth of indoctrination under the Japanese colonial regime. The boy, from a rural area in Goseong County in Gangwon Province, expressed his outrage not merely as loyalty to the emperor but as a personal sense of spiritual violation. His reaction shows that Koreans were systematically taught to feel a connection to the broader pantheon of Shinto deities, not just the emperor himself.

In his desperation to atone for what he saw as a grave offense against the divine, this young boy wrote a letter pledging his life for vengeance—using his own blood. His willingness to volunteer as a fighter pilot reveals how deeply Imperial Japan’s wartime propaganda and the state Shinto religion had permeated the minds of the most impressionable Korean youths.

[Translation]

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) January 25, 1945

"Goddess, I offer up my blood in apology"

A Young Aviation Soldier’s Fiery Blood Petition

Enraged by the report of despicable enemy aircraft violating the sacred grounds of Ise Jingu Shrine, a young Korean boy, Yoshiyama Kakei, solemnly swore vengeance and submitted a blood petition to become an aviation soldier.

15-year-old Yoshiyama Kakei from 2-617 Dong-ri, Goseong-eup, Goseong County, Gangwon Province, graduated from elementary school last year. As a trainee at the Goseong South Youth Training Institute, he has been undergoing rigorous preparation to become an Imperial soldier. However, upon hearing the Imperial Headquarters’ announcement on the 14th that the despicable B-29 bombers had attacked the sacred grounds of Ise Jingu—worshiped by 100 million people—and destroyed the Saikan and Kagura-den, he was enraged by the sheer arrogance and brutality of the enemy Americans.

Unable to allow even a moment’s delay, his young blood boiled with fury, and he made a firm vow of vengeance. He resolved to take to the skies and fight, writing in blood:

"Amaterasu Omikami, please forgive me. I offer my blood in apology in place of my own body. Transcending life and death, I dedicate myself to annihilating the enemy Americans."

Burning with fiery, pure determination, the young boy also enclosed the following letter dated January 24th, addressed to the commander of the Japanese Korean Army, applying to become an aviation soldier. Below is the content of his letter, revealing his heartfelt resolve:

"(Omitted introduction) In this sacred era of Showa, how can we ever apologize to the gods, to our ancestors, and to our descendants for allowing the divine grounds of the Grand Shrine of Ise to be defiled? When I think about this, my heart aches with such sorrow that I cannot even cry. Clenching my teeth and tightening my fists, I swore that I myself would avenge this outrage.

There is no time left to hesitate. Right now, the soldiers on the frontlines believe in us, enduring harsh battles with unwavering determination. When I think of their struggles and the spirit they carry within their hearts, I am filled with nothing but profound gratitude.

I, too, must take to the skies of decisive battle as soon as possible and dedicate everything to His Majesty. That is the most important duty we bear. Please, grant me this wish and allow me to take revenge. I humbly beg you."

[Transcription]

京城日報 1945年1月25日

神様・お詫びに僕の血を

少年飛行兵に烈々血書で熱願

醜翼伊勢神域を侵す報に憤激、断乎復仇を誓う半島少年の飛行兵血書志願。

江原道高城郡高城邑東里二区六一七吉山河圭君（１５）は昨年国民学校を卒業。高城南青年訓練所生として皇兵への練磨を続けているが、去る十四日醜翼B２９が一億崇拝の伊勢神宮神域を爆撃し斎館、神楽殿を破壊した大本営発表を聞き敵米の余りの不逞暴虐ぶりに憤激。もはや一刻の猶予もならず、と若き血潮を憤激に沸らせ断乎この復仇を誓って空征く決意を固め、『天照大神様、お許し下さい。僕の身に代って血でお詫び致します。死生を超越し敵米撃滅にこの身を捧げます』と血書。

これに烈々火と燃ゆる少年の至純な決意を綴った次の如き手紙を添えて二十四日朝鮮軍司令官宛に少年飛行兵を志願して来た、以下同君の決意を披瀝した手紙の内容：

「（前略）この昭和の聖代に皇大神宮の神域を汚したこと神様に先祖に子孫に何とお詫びしましょう。そのことを考えます時、私は泣くにも泣けない思いで胸を痛めました。そして歯を喰いしばり拳を握り、きっとこの仇を自分の身で討つと誓ったのです。

も早一刻の猶予も許されません。今日前線の兵隊さんは私たちの来ることを信じて苦しい戦闘に耐えつつ頑張っておられるのです。その兵隊さんのお姿、その心中をお察しいたします時、私たちはただただ感謝に堪えません。そして私たちも一刻も早く決戦の大空に続きすべてを大君に捧げ奉ることが最も大切な任務であると思っています。どうかこの希望を叶えて仇を討たして下さい。お願いいたします。」

Source: 키워드 검색 - 신문 검색 - 대한민국 신문 아카이브

Imperial Japanese cartoon from 1943 shows how Koreans were forced to bow to the Emperor every morning, speak Japanese, and accept poverty without complaints

This 1943 propaganda cartoon depicts an idealized portrait of life as model Korean subjects under Imperial Japanese rule. It shows a soldier reading a letter from his mother written in Japanese in Katakana, mother and child making their daily mandatory morning bow towards the Imperial palace, a "cheerful village that does not complain", two older Korean women speaking Japanese with joy, and a Korean mother sitting with her son reading a war propaganda story about a fighter pilot.

The translated text is as follows.

Frame 1: 母の手紙はカタカナばかり
Translation: "Mother's letter is written entirely in Katakana."
Context: The scene depicts a young soldier holding a letter and thinking of his mother. The fact that the letter is written only in Katakana suggests that his Korean mother is not fully literate in Japanese. 

Frame 2: 東に向かって朝の遥拝
Translation: "Morning worship facing east."
Context: This frame depicts Koreans performing 宮城遥拝 (Kyūjō Yōhai), the mandatory daily bowing towards the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. This ritual, imposed at 7 AM each morning with loud sirens, was meant to instill loyalty to the Japanese Emperor. It was part of the larger effort to erase Korean identity and enforce subjugation through cultural and religious indoctrination. 

Frame 3: 不平を言わない明るい部落 （平和里入口）
Translation: "A cheerful village that does not complain." (Peaceful Village Entrance)
Context: The “cheerful village” was often, in reality, a buraku—a shantytown where Koreans were often forced to live under poor conditions. By claiming that the village “does not complain,” the cartoon sends an overt message of compliance and submission, discouraging any dissatisfaction with their hardship. The name 平和里 (Peace Village) is deeply ironic, as these settlements were known for their substandard housing, lack of infrastructure, and poverty. The propaganda intent here is clear: to depict forced displacement as harmonious and orderly.

Frame 4: 下手でも国語で話す嬉しさ （あれあれ、あれがねえ～）
Translation: "The joy of speaking Japanese, even if spoken poorly." ("Well, well, that is…")
Context: This frame encourages Koreans to speak Japanese, reinforcing the Imperial policy of 国語常用 (Kokugo Jōyō), or mandatory use of the national language. Speaking Japanese was a requirement in schools, workplaces, and public life, with the use of Korean strongly discouraged or punished. The forced language shift was part of Japan’s broader assimilation campaign.

Frame 5: 本が読めて良いお母さん （荒鷲の勇ましいお話です）
Translation: "A good mother who can read books." ("This is a valiant story about an Arawashi fighter pilot")
Context: This frame glorifies military propaganda, depicting a mother sitting in front of her son and reading a story about 荒鷲 (Arawashi), or Wild Eagle, a reference to Imperial Japan’s fighter planes.  The scene emphasizes the idealized role of a “good mother” as someone who educates her children with militaristic narratives, preparing the next generation to be loyal to Imperial Japan. 

The アイウエオ行進曲 cartoon strip was part of a larger four-page supplement published in the November 18, 1943 issue of Maeil Sinbo (매일신보 / 每日申報), the last remaining Korean-language newspaper during the Imperial Japanese colonial period. By 1940, all other Korean-language publications had been shut down, and Maeil Sinbo, under strict Japanese control as a tool for Imperial propaganda, became the last operational Korean-language newspaper in Korea.

This supplement was written in basic Japanese, primarily using Hiragana and Katakana, to make it accessible to Koreans with limited Japanese literacy. But it was not just a language learning aid - it also doubled as a war propaganda medium.

One of the most telling features of this supplement was its vocabulary column, which defined common Japanese words for Korean readers. This particular edition introduced words that started with い in Japanese, such as ‘house’ (家) and ‘dog’ (犬), making it appear like a simple educational tool. However, the section entitled「復習、国語の近道」(Review: The Shortcut to the Japanese language) reveals the true intent behind the supplement.

At first glance, this section provides simple definitions of Japanese words in Korean, such as:

• 今月 (kongetsu) - This month
• 二十日 (hatsuka) - The 20th day

However, when these vocabulary words are strung together in context, they form a war propaganda sentence:

"卒業生もできるそうですね。今年職についてなるべく特別志願兵制。今月二十日迷ってる、間に合わない。"
("It seems that even graduates can do it. This year, as much as possible, join the special volunteer soldier system. If you hesitate past the 20th of this month, it will be too late.")

This sentence was a direct push for young Koreans to volunteer for the Imperial Japanese Army, reinforcing the recruitment drive for Korean soldiers under the 特別志願兵制度 (Special Volunteer Soldier System). This “voluntary” system was anything but voluntary—Koreans were heavily pressured, and by 1944, forced conscription was officially enacted.