Masakatsu Morita

Who was Masakatsu Morita?

Masakatsu Morita was a Japanese political activist who committed seppuku with Yukio Mishima in Tokyo.

Morita was the youngest child of the headmaster of an elementary school. Losing both parents at the age of three, Morita was cared for by his brother Osamu and educated at a Catholic school. He entered Waseda University in 1966, but was dismayed by the presence of the Zengakuren and became heavily involved in the small right-wing faction at the university. He first met Mishima on 19 June 1967, and joined the Tatenokai at its establishment in October 1968. As early as March of that year, he had written a letter to Mishima expressing a willingness to die for him.

Mishima was interested in using his society for direct political action, and he approached several members in April and May 1970. The inner circle then consisted of Mishima, Morita, Masahiro Ogawa, and Masayoshi Koga. No clear plan was developed until late June. Shortly afterwards, Mishima went on holiday to Shimoda and paid for the others to go to Hokkaido. On 2 September in Tokyo, Morita and "Chibi Koga" recruited Hiroyasu Koga, who was a Tatenokai member also, and he met Mishima to hear details of the plan on 9 September.