Ichigaya Military Base

The car arrived at the Ichigaya military base of the Jietai(Japan's Self-Defense Forces) a little before 11:00 AM. Mishima and his followers had received permission from the government to train at the base in 1966, so many people there knew him. As he drove onto the grounds many of the soldiers on duty greeted him. Mishima drove up to the army headquarters and entered the building.

Once inside the building, Mishima was greeted by Major Sawamoto, an aide to General Kanetoshi Mashita, commander of the Eastern Army in Japan. The Major left Mishima and his four followers alone for a moment and then reappeared telling Mishima that the General was ready to see him. Mishima and his group followed the Major into the room.

Once inside the room the Major pointed to four chairs lined up against the wall of the office and told the four students to sit there. Mishima stepped forward to greet General Mashita. The General was a gray-haired man of 57 years old who had once served in the Pacific war. He greeted Mishima warmly by saying "How nice to see you again." Mishima told the General that he wanted the four students to meet him since they had distinguished themselves by carrying other members of his army down from Mt. Fuji who had been injured during training. Mishima told the General that these four students were to receive a special commendation later in the day.

Mishima and the General began to talk when Mishima offered to show the General his sword which he was carrying by his side. While the General was admiring the sword, Chibi-Kogu grabbed him from behind and Furu-Koga and Ogawa came forward to help Chibi-Kogu subdue the General. Masakatsu Morita tried to fasten the doors closed, but he couldn't find anything solid to tie the wire to so that the door would be secured. Eventually the group barricaded the door to the office with tables and chairs.

Unknown to everyone in the room, there was a peephole that looked into the General's office from just outside the entrance door. Major Sawamoto happened to be looking into the office to see if they were all ready for tea when he saw what was happening to the General. Major Sawamoto then went to get his immediate superior Colonel Hara. The two men tried to get into the room, but they couldn't get past the barricade. After trying to get into the room unsuccessfully, the two men went to get General Yamazaki, the chief of staff. At 11:20 AM a group of men from the Jietai pounded on the door to the General's office and eventually broke through the barricade. After a brief confrontation where Mishima threatened to kill General Mashita if the men did not leave the room, the men withdrew. Mishima then told Colonel Hara that he wanted all of the men at the base to assemble in the courtyard. He had prepared to give a speech at 11:30 AM. It was already 11:30 AM and Mishima's plan were already running behind schedule.