Toei Co. will begin shooting a film next year on the lives of young kamikaze suicide pilots in World War II with Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara as the executive producer and scriptwriter, the film producer said Monday.

Ishihara, a novelist before turning to politics, is known for his nationalist views. He wrote the script based on his past conversations with the late Tome Torihama, who operated a canteen in Chiran, Kagoshima Prefecture, and took care of young kamikaze pilots there before departing on their suicide missions.

“The young people who headed for their deaths were saved spiritually by Ms. Tome, who was like a bodhisattva to them,” Ishihara said at a news conference.

The Japan Times: Aug. 23, 2005

Funny how he brings bodhisattva into the mix. Why do they need to be saved by Buddhist figures if they were dying for the honor of their god-Emperor? You need to keep these things straight Mr. Ishihara, whatever happened to shinbutsubunri?

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