Photo/Illutration This photo taken by the U.S. military in March 1945 shows the Sumidagawa river and the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo's Chuo Ward after the Great Tokyo Air Raid. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

During my childhood in Tokyo, I often heard stories from relatives and local adults about U.S. air raids on the Japanese capital during World War II.

These horror tales, heard nearly half a century ago, left a lasting impression. One story, in particular, stands out: “locking eyes with an American flier on a plane while fleeing.”

The thought of how close the plane must have flown filled me with both surprise and terror.

In “Gendai Minwa Ko: Jugo” (modern folktales considered: the home front), a collection of testimonies about the war from people on the home front, by children’s literature author Miyoko Matsutani, many similar accounts are recorded.

A man from Asakusa testified that on the day of the Great Tokyo Air Raid in 1945, he saw the face of an American flier in a B-29 flying just above the rooftops. He suffered severe burns all over his body from incendiary bombs and lost seven family members.

The book also recounts the harrowing experience of a woman who fled from machine gun fire. Taking cover behind a telephone pole, she spotted a young American pilot in a low-flying fighter plane—who smiled and blew a kiss. This eerie and incongruous behavior from the assailant instilled a profound sense of terror.

Matsutani observed that the air raid effectively shattered the notion of a “home front,” exposing civilians to the unilateral devastation of war. The relentless, indiscriminate bombings from the air dragged civilians on the ground into the very heart of the battlefield.

March 10 marks the 80th anniversary of the Great Tokyo Air Raid, which reportedly claimed approximately 100,000 lives.

The nature of aerial bombardment often obscures the identity of its victims, yet there were moments where eyes locked between bomber crews and civilians. These personal encounters, as recounted in the testimonies, serve to amplify the stark ruthlessness and profound misery of war.

Air raids, which became a significant tactic during World War I, have evolved into a new era with the advent of remote-controlled drone attacks.

Although the human gaze from above may no longer witness the impact directly, unarmed civilians still tremble in fear beneath drones, bearing the brunt of this modern warfare.

--The Asahi Shimbun, March 9

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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