CHAPTER SIX
HONOR
HONOR
Life is for one generation; a good name is forever.
—Japanese Proverb
The first kanji for the Japanese word translated as honor in English is mei, meaning reputation. The second kanji is yo, which means to praise or admire. The Japanese word meiyo (honor in English) literally means to have an admired or praiseworthy reputation.
Webster defines honor as a good name or public esteem, (reputation), a showing of merited respect (recognition), a keen sense of ethical conduct (integrity). This is the foundational essence of the Way of the Warrior. Bushido is a code of integrity that brings respect. Perhaps no other characteristic is more influential in Japanese culture than that of one’s sacred honor. Whether bowing when greeting, properly presenting business cards or conducting one’s life as an expression to preserve family reputation, honor is infused in Japanese society.
The samurai lived by the code of honor and refused to compromise because it was a reflection of not only his character, but also his lord, his clan, his family, and his future generations. In feudal Japan, honor was considered a sacred duty by the samurai, and he would rather choose death than surrender or bring shame to his lord or family. The samurai held themselves to high standards, knowing their words and actions were a reflection beyond themselves. Honor is the cord that binds the code of bushido together. Honor is adherence to principles considered righteous.
What is left when honor is lost?
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Publilius Syrus
The Declaration of Independence was signed and adopted on July 4, 1776, by 56 patriots who pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor. Notice of these three items, sacred honor, is the only one that is a principle. Honor was equivalent to their life or their fortune. These men, like the samurai, regarded this principle as foundational to their lives. They risked everything that had meaning to them.
Why should honor be held in such a high regard? Perhaps the answer is found in a line from the movie Gladiator: “What we do in life echoes in eternity.” An echo is a reflection of sound waves. Our reputation, our honor is a reflection of who we are and what we stand for.
Whether in your personal or business life, the reputation you develop is far more valuable than the size of your bank account or a prestigious location. It defines your integrity and can be the key that unlocks the door to opportunity. Guard your good name. Instill in your family and employees the importance of an honorable reputation, as it will lead you into your future.
In this chapter, we’ll look at honor as exemplified by the life of Saigo Takamori, who was one of the most influential samurai in Japan during the nineteenth century. He lived in the period known as the Meiji Restoration, a time of great turmoil in Japan. This era saw the end of the samurai rule and the advancement of modernization. However, the principles that had guided Japan for nearly 700 years would be the foundation on which a modern society would be built.
The military shogun was locked in a political battle with factions seeking to restore the power of the imperial court and emperor. Takamori strove to maintain the samurai ways against the onslaught of Western influence and modernization. Rather than surrender his way of life, he chose to adhere to the samurai principle of death before dishonor. Saigo Takamori was a man of principle, and he is recognized as the last samurai.
Honor is a significant principle in the Japanese character. Much humiliation was inflicted on the Japanese American population living on the West Coast after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Many had family living in Japan; some had been educated in Japan. Most lost their property and spent time behind barbed wire; this was an assault on their pride, and most of all, their honor.
In this chapter, we will also discuss the life of Roy Matsumoto, whose family was divided by World War II. He was a member of the Military Intelligence Service and used his Japanese language skills to assist the U.S. military efforts in World War II. He acted honorably and considered the good of all even when the decisions were so personal.
As a sansei, I was taught to work hard, study diligently and exemplify good citizenship. By my actions, I would bring honor to not only my family and me, but also the entire Japanese community residing in the United States. Much was at stake as a Japanese American after World War II.
One wonders if the idea of honor has lost its place of significance in the twenty-first century. Leadership requires honor. Without honor, there is no honesty, respect, benevolence, or courage. Without a foundation, it is hard to rise above ground level. Remember: what you do in life echoes in eternity. Let your echo be one of honor.
Larger than life, Saigo Takamori was a man of uncompromising principle and action. His large stature was extraordinary for nineteenth-century Japan—six feet tall and over 200 pounds. His sharp gaze and intense eyes reflected his unwavering character. A force to be reckoned with, Takamori adhered to the bushido code until his death as a tragic hero. In the end, he was unwilling to compromise, choosing an honorable death rather than betray his principles.
Saigo Takamori was born on January 23, 1828, in the castle town of Kagoshima, which is located on the southwestern corner of the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. He was the eldest of seven children born to Saigo Kichibei and Masa, both of samurai lineages. His father was a samurai of koshogumi (small name guard) rank, the lowest rank of so-called white-collar samurai. His father struggled financially to support the large and extended family and had to borrow money to make ends meet. These humble beginnings gave the younger Saigo a heart for the less fortunate.
Takamori’s career began in 1844 when, at 16, he was made a minor official at a rural tax office. Courageously, he submitted petitions proposing measures to lessen peasant distress and denounced corruption. His boldness caught the attention of Lord Shimazu Nariakira, daimyo (feudal lord and vassal of the shogun) of the Satsuma prefecture. Lord Nariakira was one of the most important people at the time in Japan, having influence in both the Imperial Court and the shogunate government. Though of modest rank, Takamori soon became a part of Lord Nariakira’s inner circle of retainers. He was dispatched to gather intelligence in the capital city of Edo (present-day Tokyo) during this period.
There was concern among factions of the samurai class that the Tokugawa shogunate would yield to foreign pressure and growing Western influence. By the 1850s Japan would be forced to open itself and end a long closed period, or sakoku, to foreign trade with the arrival of U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry.
In 1858 Takamori was in Kyoto assessing the possibility of an alliance between the Imperial Court and those like himself who were against foreign influence. During this time, Lord Nariakira became ill and died. This sudden death shocked Japan, providing an opportunity for the Tokugawa government to crack down on those showing anti-shogunate leanings, which included Takamori.
Takamori was exiled to Amami Oshima, an island in southern Satsuma, from 1859 to 1862. In 1862, he was pardoned and brought out of exile due to the respect and credibility he attained as the foremost retainer to Lord Nariakira.
Takamori became active in Japanese politics, where his words and actions were sympathetic to the imperialist cause. After he arrived in Osaka, he began meeting with passionate samurai and ronin. These men impressed him, and he later wrote that they were the sort of people “with whom I would like to die in battle.” Their selfless devotion to the noble cause and request to lead them was appealing to him.
By 1873, the situation in regard to samurai had rapidly deteriorated. Takamori resigned all of his government assignments and retreated to a remote village in Kagoshima Prefecture in southern Japan.
After six months, Takamori set up private schools, or shigakko, that taught military academics and bushido philosophy. The shigakko was comprised of former officers and soldiers of the Imperial Guard who followed Takamori to Satsuma. By 1876, over 130 schools were operating in Kagoshima Prefecture.
The ratio of samurai to the overall population in Satsuma was nearly one in four, the highest in Japan. The Satsuma samurai had the most formidable reputation and the largest stockpile of weapons of any area. A potential uprising of the Satsuma samurai was not to be taken lightly.
On March 28, 1876, the government banned carrying of swords except for soldiers, police, and officers at state ceremonies. This ban was a major blow to the samurai, who had enjoyed this elite status for centuries. In addition, in August, the samurai’s stipend was reduced by 30 percent. Both of these actions were an assault on samurai privileges and identity, and were viewed as a means to undercut their stature.
The government sent warships to Kagoshima to remove weapons from the government arsenal, because they feared a rebellion. This action led to open conflict between the government forces and those samurai loyal to the imperial household. The protestors approached Takamori, who was reluctantly persuaded to lead the rebels against the new central government. The Satsuma rebels numbered around 40,000 troops, but were no match for an army of 300,000 equipped with modern weapons. The Satsuma Rebellion was doomed to fail from the beginning. Their number soon dwindled to between 400 and 500, but these samurai were willing to die for their cause. Takamori and his followers made their way to Shiroyama, a hill where the remaining samurai would make their last stand.
The leader of the government’s forces wrote a letter asking Takamori to surrender, but he refused, and spent his last night drinking sake with his men, unwilling to go against his samurai principles. On September 24, 1877, at 3:00 a.m., the government soldiers attacked Shiroyama. Takamori and the remaining samurai used their swords and bow and arrows, fighting until the bitter end.
With the government victory, the samurai era officially ended. Saigo Takamori lost the battle to preserve the unique samurai tradition and culture, yet he is considered an honorable hero. The principle of honor and the samurai ideals were, to him, more important than his own life.
The story of Saigo Takamori provides a very real example of the bushido code as it was embraced and practiced by Japanese samurai. Perhaps this is the reason he is referred to as the Last Samurai. From his story, we begin to understand the power behind the concept of honor. Though few are faced with the prospect of defending their principles to the point of death, the esteem given to those who do so is noteworthy. He didn’t win, yet he maintains an admirable reputation to this day. Why? Because he was not willing to compromise what he believed, regardless of the cost. That is what distinguishes those possessing honor. They do not always get the prize, but they know in their heart of hearts that they did the right thing, and that brings respect even from their detractors.
As with Takamori, your reputation and honor extends beyond your present situation; it is something that has been instilled in the bushido code, and it is preserved in the educational and social codes of Japanese society throughout generations.
Japan is a society that strongly adheres to a protocol. Saigo Takamori came from humble beginnings, yet this did not stop him from rising to prominence. Are there circumstances or situations that are preventing you from stepping into your greatness?
You may be faced with situations in life that require you to defend what you believe. At this time, you need a warrior’s resolve. How do you make decisions when your principles are being challenged? Sometimes it may be easier, prudent, or more convenient just to go with the flow and not rock the boat. The right decision may not be easy or popular, but you know deep down inside, you must do what is right, regardless of the outcome. Like Takamori, your principles, honor, and reputation are at stake. He did not separate his personal and professional decisions—they were one. Can this be said about you and your decisions?
How much is your personal or business reputation worth? It is a question perhaps not asked often enough. To the samurai, it was worth everything.
Matsumoto Kanji
Legion of Merit
The Wakaji Matsumoto family was divided by World War II; two sons fought in the U.S. Army, and three sons fought for the Japanese Imperial Army.
Roy Matsumoto was raised on a farm in Southern California and learned the Japanese work ethic. When he was eight years old, he was sent to Japan to live with his paternal grandparents in Hiroshima, where he received a traditional education. The family later joined him but eventually decided to send him back to America to finish his education. This made him a kibei (a Japanese American born in the United States, educated in Japan, and later returned to America). After graduating from Long Beach Polytechnic High School in 1933, he delivered groceries to Japanese immigrant families in Southern California, and learned many Japanese dialects, idioms, and slang. Little did Matsumoto realize at the time that his Japanese language skills would save many lives and make him a hero.
With the growing tensions from Nazi Europe and from imperial Japan, the possibility of an America at war surely weighed heavily on young Matsumoto. He had family in both camps. How does one choose loyalties when the consequences become so personal?
When President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 in February 1942, Matsumoto was uprooted temporarily to the relocation center at Santa Anita racetrack in Arcadia, California. He was eventually relocated to the newly established Jerome Relocation Center in Arkansas and faced an extremely difficult time. Times were hard not only for young Matsumoto, but also for all Japanese Americans, many of whom were U.S. citizens living on the West Coast. Their loyalty to their homeland was questioned, causing an assault on the honor they held so dear.
At the same time, the U.S. government was secretly searching for Japanese linguists and recruited Matsumoto from the Jerome incarceration camp. He attended basic training at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and later the Military Intelligence Language School at Camp Savage, Minnesota. In the fall of 1942, he volunteered for service in the 5307th Composite Unit, Provisional, along with 13 other nisei linguists. This opportunity was Matsumoto’s chance to demonstrate his loyalty to the country he loved and to restore the honor tarnished by the incarceration. Matsumoto and 13 other Japanese Americans joined the clandestine group known as Merrill’s Marauders, who gained fame by surviving in the jungles of World War II Burma. This was no ordinary outfit. The Marauders worked deep behind the Japanese lines to gather intelligence as well as disrupt, and demoralize the enemy on their own turf. Of the 2,700 original Marauders, only 200 survived until the end of hostilities.
Matsumoto’s language skills allowed him to intercept and interpret messages on Japanese telephone lines and captured documents. He would then alert his unit of enemy plans and weapon storage. As an example of his unique abilities, he gleaned the exact Japanese language pronunciation needed to direct an assault from a Japanese field instruction manual. With this knowledge in hand, he bravely stood up with his rifle and gave the Japanese command to charge to an unsuspecting Japanese unit. In response to his command, this unit charged into a waiting American ambush. For his service, Matsumoto was decorated with the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star.
After the war, Matsumoto was assigned to U.S. Army headquarters in Shanghai, to investigate Japanese war crimes. He knew about the catastrophic bombing of Hiroshima, where over 100,000 lives were lost. His family lived in Hiroshima, and his father’s photography studio was located less than two blocks from the epicenter. Imagine the heart-wrenching emotions that must have entered Matsumoto’s mind.
I can’t imagine being in that kind of situation. On one hand they are trying to serve the U.S., but on the other hand, they have compassion for the people that are supposedly enemy; which is their own blood, their own friends and family.
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Jake Shimabukuro, ukelele musician
One of Matsumoto’s cousins, a soldier in the Japanese Army and prisoner of war in Shanghai, recognized him and shared the unexpected news that the Wakaji Matsumoto family had been spared. They had relocated to the countryside outside of Hiroshima because of a lack of photographic supplies. In order to maintain military security, photography was forbidden by the government in Hiroshima. Photography had saved their lives! Matsumoto found out from his cousin that one of his brothers who had remained in Japan was also a prisoner of war in Shanghai. He went to the prison to reunite with his brother, where they spoke for several hours. Both his cousin and brother were later released from prison and returned to Japan.
What began as a volunteer service in World War II became a distinguished career in the U.S. Army for Roy Matsumoto. In addition to the Legion of Merit, he was awarded the Combat Infantryman’s badge, two Distinguished Unit Citation Ribbons, and five Bronze Stars. In 1993, he was inducted into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame, and in 1997, he was honored in the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame. In November 2010, Matsumoto was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal along with other nisei veterans from WWII. The U.S. government is still finding more nisei to award the medal to, now in most cases, posthumously.
Like many other Japanese Americans of his generation, Roy Matsumoto is a living example of what a person of honor is all about. In spite of the situation created by Pearl Harbor and Executive Order 9066, he put those slights aside and rose to the occasion, restoring the honor and good reputation of himself, his family, his generation, and his heritage. Because of the tenacity and dedication of his daughter, Karen Matsumoto, his story is being told. He unassumingly attributes his survival to luck and his fluency in the Japanese language, but we certainly can attribute it in part to his desire to restore the honor of his people.
Honor, a praiseworthy reputation – what is it worth to you?
No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave.
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Calvin Coolidge