David Peace - Tokyo Year Zero

Bloated and punctured …

‘Did you kill that woman?’

He shakes his head –

Flesh and bone …

Captain Muto steps forward. The older Kempei officer slaps the Korean’s face. ‘Answer him, Yobo!’

The Korean says nothing.

‘This Yobo is obviously a criminal,’ says Captain Muto. ‘This Yobo is obviously guilty. There’s nothing more to say…’

The old man looks up at us all again; the two Kempei officers, the Neighbourhood Association officials, the caretaker, the boiler-man, Detective Fujita and me; the old man shakes his head again –

But now all our eyes are fixed on Captain Muto’s sword, the Kempei man’s bright and shining military sword –

The sword unsheathed and drawn –

The blade raised high –

All our gazes slowly falling to one single spot above the old Korean man’s back –

One spot …

‘It’s time!’ shouts the younger Kempei officer suddenly –

The caretaker rushing back into his cabin-cum-office, shouting, ‘The Imperial broadcast! The Imperial broadcast!’

Everyone turns to stare at the office, then back again to Captain Muto. The Kempei man lowers his sword –

‘Bring the Yobo over to the radio,’ he shouts and marches off towards the caretaker’s cabin himself –

And everyone follows him –

To stand in a semi-circle before the open window of the caretaker’s cabin-cum-office –

To listen to a radio –

Listen to a voice –

His voice …

A voice hollow, sorrowful and trembling –

‘To Our good and loyal subjects …’

The voice of a god on the radio –

‘Oh so bravely, off to Victory/Insofar as we have vowed and left our land behind …’

I can hear the strains of that song from a sound-truck again, the strains of ‘Roei no Uta’ and the voice of a god on the radio –

‘After pondering deeply the general trends of the world and the actual conditions in Our Empire today, We have decided to effect a settlement of the present situation by resorting to an extraordinary measure …’

‘Who can die without first having shown his true mettle/Each time I hear the bugles of our advancing army

The strains of the song, the voice of a god, and the heat of the sun beating down on all our hats and all our heads –

‘We have ordered Our government to communicate to the governments of the United States, Great Britain, China, and the Soviet Union that Our Empire accepts the provisions of their Joint Declaration …’

‘I close my eyes and see wave upon wave of flags cheering us into battle …’

The strains of the song, the voice of a god, the heat of the sun, and the men from the Neighbourhood Association on their knees, heads in their hands, already sobbing –

‘To strive for the common prosperity and happiness of all nations as well as the security and well-being of Our subjects is the solemn obligation handed down by Our Imperial Ancestors, and which We hold close to heart. Indeed, We declared war on America and Britain out of Our sincere desire to ensure Japan’s self-preservation and the stabilization of East Asia, it being far from Our thought either to infringe upon the sovereignty of other nations or to embark on territorial aggrandizement. But now the war has lasted for nearly four years. Despite the best that has been done by everyone — the gallant fighting of military and naval forces, the diligence and assiduity of Our servants of the State, and the devoted service of Our one hundred million people, the war situation has developed not necessarily to Japan’s advantage, while the general trends of the world have all turned against her interests. Moreover, the enemy has begun to employ a new and most cruel bomb, the power of which to do damage is indeed incalculable, taking the toll of many innocent lives. Should We continue to fight, it would not only result in the ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation, but also it would lead to the total extinction of human civilization. Such being the case, how are We to save the millions of Our subjects, or to atone Ourselves before the hallowed spirits of Our Imperial Ancestors? This is the reason We have ordered the acceptance of the provisions of the Joint Declaration of the Powers …’

‘The earth and its flora burn in flames/As we endlessly part the plains …’

The song, the voice, and the heat; men on their knees, heads in hands, sobbing and now howling –

‘We cannot but express the deepest sense of regret to Our allied nations of East Asia, who have consistently cooperated with the Empire towards the emancipation of East Asia. The thought of those officers and men as well as others who have fallen in the fields of battle, those who died at their post of duty, or those who met an untimely death and all their bereaved families, pains Our heart night and day. The welfare of the wounded and the war sufferers, and of those who have lost their home and livelihood, are the objects of Our profound solicitude. The hardships and sufferings to which Our nation is to be subjected hereafter will be certainly great. We are keenly aware of the inmost feelings of all ye, Our subjects. However, it is according to the dictates of time and fate that We have resolved to pave the way for a grand peace for all generations to come by enduring the unendurable and suffering what is insufferable …’

‘Helmets emblazoned with the Rising Sun/And, stroking the mane of our horses …’

The endless song, the endless voice, and the endless heat; men on their knees, howling, now prostrate upon the floor in lamentation, weeping in the dust –

‘Having been able to safeguard and maintain the structure of the Imperial State, We are always with ye, Our good and loyal subjects, relying upon your sincerity and integrity. Beware most strictly of any outburst of emotion which may engender needless complications, or any fraternal contention and strife which may create confusion, lead ye astray, and cause ye to lose the confidence of the world …’

‘Who knows what tomorrow will bring — life?’

The song is ending, the voice ending, the sky darkening now; the sound of one hundred million weeping, howling, wounded people borne on a wind across a nation ending –

‘Let the entire nation continue as one family from generation to generation, ever firm in its faith of the imperishableness of its divine land, and mindful of its heavy burden of responsibilities, and the long road before it. Unite your total strength to be devoted to the construction for the future. Cultivate the ways of rectitude; foster nobility of spirit; and work with resolution so as ye may enhance the innate glory of the Imperial State and keep pace with the progress of the world.’

‘Or death in battle?’

It is over and now there is silence, only silence, silence until the boiler-man asks, ‘Who was that on the radio?’

‘The Emperor himself,’ says Fujita.

‘Really? What was he saying?’

‘He was reading an Imperial Rescript,’ says Fujita.

‘But what was he talking about?’ asks the boiler-man and this time no one answers him, no one until I say –

‘It was to end the war…’

‘So we won…?’

Only silence …

‘We won…’

‘Shut up!’ shouts Captain Muto, the older Kempei officer –

I turn to look at him, to bow and to apologize –

His lips still moving but no words are forming, tears rolling down his cheeks as he brings the blade of his sword up close to his face, the thick blade catching the last sunlight –