The last Samurai

Otoya Yamaguchi (22 February 1943 – 2 November 1960)

On October 12, 1960, the 17year old Otoya Yamaguchi assassinated Inejiro Asanuma, head of the Japan Socialist Party, during a televised political debate for the coming elections for the House of Representatives. While Asanuma spoke from the lectern at Tokyo’s Hibiya Hall, Yamaguchi rushed onstage and pierced Asanuma twice with a 33cm yoroi-dōshi (a traditional samurai sword) through his ribs and abdomen. Asanuma died before he reach the hospital.

Otoya Yamaguchi hung in his cell, while being held in a juvenile detention facility, some days later, on November 2.