Yasuhira Kiyohara

Yasuhira Kiyohara
Native name	清原 康平
Born	14 January 1914 Uki, Kumamoto, Empire of Japan
Died	7 April 2001(2001-04-07) (aged 87) Japan
Allegiance	Empire of Japan
Service / branch	Imperial Japanese Army
Years of service	1935–1936
Rank	Second Lieutenant
Battles / wars	February 26 incident

Yasuhira Kiyohara (married name Yasuhira Yukawa; 14 January 1914 – 7 April 2001) was a Japanese second lieutenant of the Imperial army who was sentenced to life imprisonment for directing a mob in the February 26 Incident of 1936. He was assigned to the 3rd Company, 3rd Infantry Regiment. He was granted amnesty in December 1941.

After amnesty, he became the president of an airplane company. After the World War II, he was engaged in various enterprises related to Korea since he was acquainted with Korean President Park Chung-hee.

Life

He was born in Kumamoto Prefecture in 1914.

Attempted coup d'état (February 26 Incident)

The February 26 incident was an attempted coup d'état in Japan, from February 26 to 29, 1936, carried out by 1,483 troops of the Imperial Japanese Army who believed that those around Emperor Hirohito were morally corrupt. Several leading politicians were killed, and the center of Tokyo was briefly occupied by the rebelling troops. The coup, however, was a failure. Following the coup's failure, Kiyohara was court-martialed for mutiny and sentenced to life imprisonment. He was released under an amnesty in December 1941.

Seicho Matsumoto and Kiyohara

Seicho Matsumoto (松本 清張, Matsumoto Seicho) was one of the most influential writers of the history of modern Japan as well as of mystery novels. In his Showa Shi Hakkutsu 『昭和史発掘』, Matsumoto cited what Yasuhira Kiyohara later revealed in 1986. Kiyohara stated that he led his group of soldiers to the front of the Imperial Palace without any machine guns or weapons. Matsumoto believes that they were immature and misunderstood Emperor Hirohito. Kiyohara said in a round-table discussion that "it was our program that we enter the Palace with the permission of Emperor Hirohito through Military Officer General to his Majesty Honjo. However, Emperor Hirohito was very furious at our coup d'état."

Konpaku

He wrote a book titled Konpaku in which he describes the coup and Chizuko Mifune, a younger sister of his mother.

References

• An hour with Park Chung-hee. Yasuhira Yukawa, Bungei Shunju January Issue of 1962.
• This is the Showa Revolution, Yasuhira Yukawa et al. Bungei Shunju February issue of 1967.