Peter Goldsbury

In connection with the friendship between Morihei Ueshiba and Okawa Shumei, the right-wing ultranationalist discussed in the column, here is the text of a letter written by Ueshiba to Okawa in December, 1954. This is well after Okawa's war crimes trial, his confinement to a mental hospital as a result of his behavior at the trial, and his subsequent release from hospital.

The letter is good evidence of the friendship between Ueshiba and Okawa, but also of the rather different levels involved. Ueshiba uses honorifics and refers at the end to Okawa Shumei Sensei (which is the normal form of address for a politician / known political fixer). In the letter Ueshiba apologizes that they were not able to meet. Apparently, Okawa went to visit Ueshiba in Tokyo, but he was not there, and Ueshiba profusely apologizes and hopes that they will be able to meet in 1955.

The letter is some evidence against the thesis that O Sensei was holed up in Iwama until 1956 onwards.

I have transcribed the text to Roman script, but have not had time to make a translation. I will do this in 2009 if time permits.

Best wishes to all,

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昭和二十九年十二月十三日　茨城県岩間町　合気会より。
Showa 29 nen 12 gatsu 13 nichi Ibaraki-ken Iwama-machi Aikikai yori.

謹啓　時下初冬到来の候益々御健勝の段御喜び申上ます。
Kinkei Jika shoto torai no ko masumasu gokensho no dan oyorokobi moshi agemasu.

陳者此度は小生の紀州行の都合にて拝眉の機を延引致し洵に申訳なく残念至極に存じました。
Nobureba (sate) konotabi wa shosei no Kishu yuki no tsugo nite haibi no ki wo enin itashi makoto ni moshi wake naku zannen shigoku ni zonjimashita.

帰京後直に御目にかヽる所存でございましたが、しばらく東京を不在にしておりたる為所用繁多を極め、またまた、延引いたし恐縮に存じます。
Kikyo go jika ni ome ni kakaru shozon de gozaimashitaga, shibaraku Tokyo wo fuzai ni shite oritarutame shoyo hanta wo kiwame matamata, enin itashi kyoshuku ni zonjimazu.

其上老令の故もあり、歯の治療に忙殺されている有様でございます。
Sonoue rorei no yue mo ari, ha no chiryo ni bousatsu sarete iru arisama de gozaimasu.

勝手ながら来春早々御目にかゝる時間を是非とも都合仕るべく心掛けております故、何卒違約の儀、平に御容赦
の上、新年の御慶申上げる機会を御与え下され度、御願申上ます。
Katte nagara raishun sousou ome ni kakaru jikan wo zehi tomo tsugo tsukamatsuru-beku kokorogakete orimasu yue, nanitozo iyaku no gi, hirani goyosha no ue, shinnen no gyokei moushi ageru kikai wo oatae kudasare taku, onegai moshi agemasu.

いづれ拝眉の上。　　　　　　　　　　　　勿々不一
izure haibi no ue. Sousou fuitsu.
十二月十三日　　　　　　　　　　　植芝盛平
12 gatsu 13 nichi Ueshiba Morihei
大川周明先生　侍史
Okawa Shumei Sensei jishi
（宛先）神奈川県愛甲郡中津
(atesaki) Kanagawa-ken Aikou-gun Nakatsu