愛媛えひめ沖おきの戦闘せんとう機き「紫電しでん改かい」引ひき揚あげ当時とうじの公文こうぶん書しょ見みつかる

About 50 years ago, a fighter aircraft from the former Japanese Navy called the “Shidenkai” was salvaged off the coast of Ehime Prefecture. For the first time, official documents from that time have been discovered, recording the exchanges between Ehime Prefecture, which advocated for the salvage, and the national government.

The prefecture is considering making the official documents available to the public, and hopes that people will once again reflect on the importance of conveying the horrors of war.

Shidenkai was an aircraft developed as a replacement for the Zero fighter at the end of the Pacific War. It was found on the seabed off the coast of Ehime Prefecture in 1978, and the prefecture salvaged it the following year.

It is the only one in the country that still exists in its original form, and after being salvaged, it has been displayed at a prefectural facility in Ainan Town. However, while organizing materials for the development of a new exhibition facility, more than 30 official documents were newly discovered, including detailed records of exchanges with the national government regarding the salvage of the aircraft, as well as drawings showing the repair status of the aircraft after it was salvaged.

This is the first time a prefectural official document regarding the recovery has been found, and it records how the Ministry of Health and Welfare at the time expressed reluctance, stating things like, We have absolutely no intention of salvaging the aircraft, on the grounds that it was assumed there were no remains left in the aircraft.

On the other hand, the prefectural side reportedly argued that from the perspective of national sentiment, it is necessary to recover the aircraft and confirm it.

The prefecture is also considering making some official documents public, and hopes that by preserving such records and aircraft, people will reflect on the importance of conveying the horrors of war.