How did Japan pick its kamikaze pilots during WWII?

 Kazuo Odachi, a 97-year-old man, is shown below. He is the final living kamikaze pilot from World War II. At the age of seventeen, he was initially chosen for his mission.

Japanese kamikaze pilots during WWII were chosen through a rigorous process evaluating flying skills, mental fortitude, and loyalty to the emperor. Despite the immense pressure and danger, 97-year-old Kazuo Odachi remained committed to his duty and willingly sacrificed his life for his country. His story serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by young men and the devastating impact of war on individuals and families.

Reading his words is eerie. Unusually candid, Odachi shares his story without holding back. He believed that the entire situation had been largely forced upon him. Odachi recollects that he was asked to "volunteer" and that he almost instinctively raised his hand:

"I'm not sure why, but it just seemed to go up. The Southern Cross constellation was sparkling brightly in the direction my hand was pointing when I gazed up at it. "How many days am I left with?" I asked myself. "Perhaps one or two. I'm not going to be around for very long. I can still clearly see the Southern Cross in my thoughts. I will always remember that image and moment."

Everything about it is just so depressing. Alongside his fellow pilots, Odachi had two best friends who joined the army. Both perished in the conflict.

He had to cancel his own last-minute mission. A car pulled onto the runway just as he was getting into his aircraft, accepting his fate for one last kamikaze mission, and informed him that all pilots needed to return to base right away due to "an important radio announcement." Hirohito was the one declaring Japan's capitulation. At the last moment, the last kamikaze pilot was saved.

The relief and confusion that must have washed over Odachi in that moment are unimaginable. To go from accepting his fate to suddenly being spared at the eleventh hour must have been a whirlwind of emotions. The weight of the survivor's guilt must have been heavy on his shoulders as he processed the news of his friends' deaths and the realization that he was now one of the lucky ones. The war may have been over, but the scars of his experiences would undoubtedly stay with him for the rest of his days.

As Odachi tried to make sense of the conflicting emotions swirling inside him, he couldn't help but feel a sense of disbelief at his own survival. The thought of starting afresh in a world that had been torn apart by war was both daunting and overwhelming. He knew that he would have to come to terms with the trauma he had endured and find a way to move forward, even as he grappled with the memories of those he had lost. Despite the uncertainty of the future, Odachi knew that he would carry the weight of his past with him, a constant reminder of the sacrifices made in the name of duty and honor.

When Kazuo Odachi got home, his country was in ruins. He didn't want his grandchildren to think of him as "some weird fanatic," so he kept the fact that he had been chosen as a kamikaze pilot a secret, even from his own family. He maintains that kamikaze pilots were "just teenagers cajoled into committing suicide," not heroes. In the image below, that's Odachi on the back left; his two allies never came back.