Masakatsu Morita

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Masakatsu Morita (森田必勝, Morita Masakatsu^?, Yokkaichi, 25 July 1945 - Tokyo, 25 November 1970)} was the Tatenokai member who committed seppuku with Yukio Mishima at the Ichigaya Camp.

He was the youngest child of a headmaster. Losing both parents at the age of two, he was cared for by his brother Osamu and educated at a Catholic school. He entered Waseda University in 1966 but was dismayed by the presence of the Zengakuren and became heavily involved in the small right-wing faction at the university. He came into Mishima's orbit in 1967, and joined the Tatenokai at its establishment the next year. The attempted coup was his idea; he brought it up in the autumn of 1969. Mishima initially rejected it.

Mishima approached the more extreme members one at a time in April and May 1970. The inner circle then consisted of Mishima, Morita, Ogawa and "Chibi" Koga. No clear plan was developed until late June. Shortly afterwards he went on holiday to Shimoda and paid for the others to go to Hokkaidō, where they recruited "Furu" Koga, whom Mishima met on 9 September in Tokyo.

All four followers were expecting to commit suicide, and were indignant when, in November, Mishima ruled that only he and Morita were to die. Morita asked Ogawa to behead him after his seppuku. On the 21st and 22nd, supplies were bought, and Morita asked "Furu" Koga to stand in for him if he should fail to behead Mishima properly. The next two days were spent in rehearsal.