In proportion to the strength of the heart of love for people, the determination to lay down one’s life for love becomes stronger. Just as Jesus Christ did.
This is the secret of the strength of Japan’s young samurai. It is never a strength that arises from a savage heart. As proof of this, I hope that you will read these letters of heroic spirits, and I will post them here.
We, the people of Japan, wish for the happiness of your country and the happiness of people all over the world.
From the Battle Lines of Okinawa to My Wife
May 27, 1945 Killed in action at Kyan, Okinawa
He was 29 years old
There will still be a few opportunities to write to you. But the time is finally approaching. You can’t predict what time it will be, but it will probably come faster than you expect. Before that time comes, I would like to say what I need to say. However, when I picked up the pen, I realized that I had nothing to say. Now I have to be strong. We are in a position where we must shake off feelings of loneliness and sadness and move on to the mission that has been given to us. I just want to forget about everything and fight and fight and fight through. I want to fight without sparing, forgetting not only to live but also to die. I don’t think I’m going to rot on an isolated island in the South Seas, but I’m going to build a fortress of corpses around my homeland. I am sure that one day of glorious peace will come upon you. At that time, if you remember the little hardships that I have endured, that is what we hope for.
It is true and pleasant to think that we are dying for our beloved Japan and the people we love living in Japan. As I have not allowed fate to be a good husband to you, I feel at ease that I have fulfilled some of my duty to you by thinking of it.
Once the war is open, we will do everything we can to take the best path. In the unlikely event that something happens, even if the circumstances are unknown, please remember for the rest of your life that I died with this feeling, and that I prayed for your happiness until the end.
Since then, my body has been in the same good shape as ever. As always, I wish you happiness.
Take care of yourself.
10 Feb 1945
Therefore, there may be a slight mistranslation or a slight nuance mistake.
I paid close attention to the English translation, such as translating it into Japanese again and checking it, but I would appreciate it if you could take that into consideration and read it.
Just in case, I’ll post the original text below.
Thank you for taking an interest in Japan culture.
「沖縄の戦陣より妻へ」
陸軍中尉 渡辺研一命
昭和二十年五月二十七日 沖縄本島喜屋武にて戦死
栃木県出身 東京大学卒 二十九歳まだお便りする機会は何度かありませう。しかし時機はいよいよ迫りつつあります。それが何時であるかはもとより予測することは出来ませんが、おそらくは、あなた達の予想外の速さでやつて参りませう。その時の来ない中に、言ふべき事は言つて置きたいと思います。然し、いざペンをとつてみると今更乍ら申すことのないのに気がつきます。今の私は強くあらねばなりません。寂しい、悲しいといふやうな感情を振り捨てて与へられた使命に進まなければならぬ立場にあるのです。ただ一切を忘れて戦つて戦つて戦ひ抜きたいと思ひます。不惜身命 生きる事は勿論、死ぬことすらも忘れて戦ひたいと念じて居ります。南海の一孤島に朽ち果てる身とは考へずに、祖国の周囲に屍のとりでを築くつもりで居ります。何時かはあなた達の上に光栄の平和の日がおとづれて来ることと思ひます。その日になつて私の身を以てつくしたいささかの苦労を思ひやつて下されば私達は、それで本望です。
愛する日本、その国に住む愛する人々、その為に吾等は死んで行くのだと考へることは真実愉しいものです。運命があなたにとつての良き夫たることを許さなかつた私としては さう考へることによつて あなたへの幾分の義務を果たし得たやうな安らかささへ覚えます。
一度戦端が開かれれば、一切の手段をつくし最善の道を歩むつもりです。万一の事があつたさい、たとへ 一切の状況が不明でもあなたの夫はこのやうな気持ちで死んで行つた事だけは、さうして最後まで あなたの幸福を祈つて居た事丈は 終生 覚えてゐていただきたいと思ひます。
その後体の調子は相変らず、すこぶる好調です。いつも乍ら御自愛を祈ります。
御機嫌よう。
昭和二十年二月十日
英霊の言乃葉 1