Inejirō Asanuma
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Inejiro Asanuma was a Japanese politician and leader of the Japan Socialist Party. Known for his large stature and powerful voice, he tirelessly toured the country delivering speeches, earning him the
Asanuma in 1952
Asanuma (standing, in kimono) during his Waseda University years (before 1923)
Asanuma and Asō in 1932
Asanuma in 1948
On 12 October 1960, Inejirō Asanuma, chairman of the Japan Socialist Party, was assassinated at Hibiya Public Hall in Tokyo. During a televised debate, 17-year-old Otoya Yamaguchi, an extreme anti-com
Inejirō Asanuma
…He lived simply in public housing for decades and was popular among working-class voters for his approachable "everyman" style. In 1960, Asanuma was assassinated with a wakizashi, a traditional short sword, by 17-year-old far-right ultranationalist Otoya Yamaguchi while speaking in a televised political debate…
Yasushi Nagao's Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph of Yamaguchi attempting to stab Asanuma for a second time
Asanuma delivering his last speech before being assassinated
Kyoko, widow of Asanuma (left) observes a moment of silence and her eldest daughter Kinue sheds tears, 13 October 1960
On 13 October 1960, more than 25,000 people took to the streets to demonstrate after the assassination of Asanuma