History of Japan facts

Kendo and karate. Kendo, along with other martial arts, was banned in Japan in 1946 by the occupying powers. This was part of "the removal and exclusion from public life of militaristic and ultra nationalistic persons" in response to the wartime militarisation of martial arts instruction in Japan.

Torpedoes. In the final stages of World War II, the Japanese used Kaitens, manned torpedoes. Early designs allowed the pilot to escape after the final acceleration toward the target, but provision was dropped later. The kaiten could operate for several hours, and it was able to attack several times in case of a miss.

Japan. The Shinyo ("Sea Quake") were Japanese suicide boats, driven by one man, to speeds of around 30 kn (56 km/h; 35 mph). Around 6,200 Shinyo were produced for the Imperial Japanese Navy and stored on the coast of Japan for the ultimate defense against the invasion of the Home Islands. Only a small number of them were used in action in the Phillipines and Okinawa, sinking some gunboats and auxiliary ships.

Hideki Tojo was a general of the Imperial Japanese Army and the Prime Minister of Japan during much of WW II. He was responsible for ordering the attack on Pearl Harbor. After the war, Tojo was arrested, sentenced to death by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, and hanged on December 23, 1948.

Japan resisted two attempts of naval invasions (the second with the help of typhoon known as Kamikaze). With the exception of the occupation of Japan at the end of World War II, these failed invasion attempts are the closest Japan has come to being conquered by a foreign power in the last 1500 years.

Jimmu. Emperor Jimmu was the first Emperor of Japan, according to legend. His accession is traditionally dated as 660 BC. According to Japanese mythology, he is a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu, through her grandson Ninigi, as well as a descendant of the storm god Susanoo. He launched a military expedition from Hyuga near the Seto Inland Sea, captured Yamato, and established this as his center of power. In modern Japan, Jimmu's accession is marked as National Foundation Day on February 11.