A Japanese soldier hid in the jungle alone for 28 years, unaware that the world war had ended.

A Japanese soldier hid in the jungle alone for 28 years, unaware that the world war had ended.

Japanese soldier Shoichi Yokoi participated in World War II. However, he was rescued from the deep jungle of Guam nearly 28 years after the war ended. Photo: AP

During World War II, Japanese soldier Shoichi Yokoi took refuge in the deep jungles of Guam, fearing capture by American soldiers. He had no idea what was happening in the world. Surviving by eating fish, frogs, and rats from the sea, he managed to live in the jungle for 28 years. Today, a memorial event is held to reflect on his story.

At that time, World War II was at its peak. In the Pacific region of Guam, Japanese and American soldiers were face-to-face. The intense attacks by the American forces nearly defeated the Japanese. Shoichi Yokoi, a Lance Corporal of the Japanese Imperial Army, took shelter in the deep jungles of Guam with a few companions.

Then, something astonishing happened. On this day, January 24, 1972, Shoichi Yokoi was rescued from the deep jungle of Guam. By then, 28 years had passed. The Second World War had ended, Japan had surrendered after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and even recovered from the war's devastation, becoming one of the world's leading economic powers.

However, Shoichi knew nothing of this. To survive the war, he had concealed himself in the jungle. He believed that if he was captured, he would be taken prisoner by the Americans, which he saw as the ultimate disgrace for himself, his family, and his country. So, he chose to live in the forest.

Although Shoichi had hoped that one day his former comrades would find him and bring him back to Japan, that never happened until much later. Exactly 53 years ago, on January 24, 1972, local hunters discovered Shoichi in the deep jungle of Guam. By then, he was 57 years old. He was later honored as a "war hero" and brought back to Japan. However, he could never adjust to Japan's modern life and never felt comfortable in it.

Shoichi Yokoi was born during World War I, on March 31, 1915, in Shawari, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. He was a witness to both world wars of the 20th century. In 1941, during the Second World War, he joined the Imperial Japanese Army.

Fearful and Weak

Regarding the rescue of Shoichi Yokoi from the deep jungle, his nephew, Ami Hatashin, said that Shoichi was very fearful at that time.

After living alone in the jungle for so many years, he was terrified to suddenly see so many people. He tried to pick up a hunting rifle he had with him. However, due to prolonged malnutrition and starvation, he had become so physically weak that it wasn’t possible.

Hatashin further stated, “He (Shoichi) was scared. He thought the people who found him were there to take him as a prisoner of war. That would have been the greatest disgrace for a Japanese soldier and his family.”

In other words, at the time of the rescue, Shoichi didn’t know that World War II had ended almost 28 years ago. He had been completely cut off from the outside world during his time in the jungle.

Book Based on Experience

Two years after the rescue, a book was published about Shoichi’s experience. The book, published in Japanese, also included the experiences of the rescuers. Hatashin wrote the book after hearing their stories.

In 2009, Shoichi’s book was also published in English, titled Private Yokoi’s War and Life on Guam, 1944–1972.

Hatashin said, "I am proud of him (Shoichi). He was a shy and quiet person, but his presence was extraordinary."

Surviving on Frogs and Rats

In July 1944, the American forces launched a fierce attack on the Japanese soldiers in Guam. As a result, the Japanese defense collapsed, marking the beginning of Shoichi's long trial.

The fighting was so intense, and the casualties so high, that Shoichi was tasked with protecting his platoon. At that point, the Japanese defense had fallen apart, and Shoichi and his comrades fled into the jungle.

Hatashin wrote, “While fleeing, the Japanese soldiers were extremely cautious to avoid being captured. They would erase their footprints as they walked.”

Initially, they ate animals captured by the local people. Eventually, the number of soldiers dwindled, and at one point, it was reduced to just a few dozen.

Due to American patrols and local hunters, the Japanese soldiers retreated deeper into Guam's dense jungle. Their food became frogs, eels from the river, and rats. Some of these frogs were poisonous.

Shoichi had set traps to catch eels from the river. He also created a safe underground shelter for himself, made strong with bamboo. Hatashin said, “He (Shoichi) was a very skilled person.”

Hatashin further said, “To survive in the deep jungle, Shoichi had to think constantly. As a result, he had very little time to think about his family or his own hardships.”