Last Survivor of Japan’s Pearl Harbor Attack Passes Away
Source: Masamitsu Yoshioka, last of Japan’s Pearl Harbor attack force, dies at 106 (2025-06-21)
Masamitsu Yoshioka, the last surviving member of Japan’s Pearl Harbor attack force, has died at the age of 106. Yoshioka was part of the Japanese Navy’s Special Attack Unit during World War II and participated in the surprise attack on the U.S. naval base in Hawaii in 1941. His death marks the end of living memory from the Japanese side of that historic event, which significantly impacted the course of the war. Yoshioka’s life spanned over a century, witnessing Japan’s transformation from wartime to modern times. Despite his involvement in a pivotal and controversial moment in history, he later expressed reflections on the war and its consequences. His passing closes a chapter on the personal stories of those directly involved in the attack, which remains a defining moment in 20th-century history.