Japanese historian Yu Hirayama who claims that Yasuke was a Samurai has been revealed to be a former member of the Japanese Communist Party.
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
Hirayama made his claim on X where he wrote, “It seems like there’s a lot of talk about Yasuke, a black man who served Oda Nobunaga. There are very few historical documents about him, but there’s no doubt that he was a ‘samurai’ who served Nobunaga. Regardless of one’s social status, if one’s master promoted one to the rank of ‘samurai,’ one could become one in medieval (warring states) society.”
He then shared his explanation, “I can say this because the historical documents state that ① Nobunaga gave him a “stipend,” ② he was given a house, and ③ he was given a sword.”
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
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From there, he elaborated, “Being given a ‘stipend’ and serving Nobunaga closely fulfills the important requirements of a ‘contract between master and servant’ and ‘agreement to receive a stipend.’ It is also important that he was allowed to carry a sword, so he was a two-sworded servant and not a servant (servants were not allowed to carry swords). And if he was given a house, there’s no room for doubt.”
Hirayama continued, “He was probably a slave until Nobunaga took over the missionary slave, but due to the above ① to ③ , he probably became a ‘samurai’ of his own volition.”
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
He concluded his assertion by attempting to counter arguments that he could not be a samurai given his life was spared and he was returned to the Church by a retainer of Akechi Mitsuhide.
Hirayama wrote, “During the Honnoji Incident, Akechi’s side did not kill Yasuke because he was an ‘animal’ or ‘not Japanese’, but that was only because Akechi did not recognize Yasuke as a ‘samurai’ (probably because he had discriminatory feelings). At that time, it was common for a master to promote someone of low status to a ‘samurai’. To begin with, there is a good example in Hideyoshi.”
Yu Hirayama on X
In a subsequent post Hirayama would also address criticisms stemming from the fact that Yasuke never had a surname or family name and thus could not be a samurai.
Hirayama wrote, “Surnames (family names) and samurai status. Some have criticized the fact that they were not samurai because they did not have a surname. Indeed, the presence or absence of a surname (family name) is a very important point of contention. However, during the Sengoku period, there were people who were of samurai status even without a surname. Let me introduce the most easily understandable example.”
Yu Hirayama on X
He then shared, “In August 1567, Takeda Shingen ordered his clan, hereditary retainers, local lords, and vassals of local lords in Kai, Shinano, and western Kozuke to submit petitions. This is the famous ‘Ikushima Ashishima Shrine Petition’ (Shimonogo Petition). Among them is a petition signed jointly by local lords Koizumi Kisensai Shigenaga and Koizumi Takumisuke Munemasa of Ogata County, Shinano, and a petition signed jointly by Koizumi’s vassals. The petition, which has an invoice with the words ‘Kami Koizumi’s vassals,’ is signed jointly by eight Koizumi vassals, but it is written ‘Heisuke (blood seal), Sojiro (blood seal), Shirouemon (blood seal), Yarokuro (blood seal), Fujiemon-no-jo (blood seal), Chusuke (blood seal), Fujizo (blood seal), and Han’emon-no-jo (blood seal),’ and we can see that none of them have a family name or signature, and only a blood seal is affixed.”
Yu Hirayama on X
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He continued, “So, are they not of samurai status? As they are vassals (vassals) of the local lord Koizumi Shigenaga, I think there is no doubt that they are of samurai status. I think they just have not yet been bestowed with a surname (have received a surname). They are people called ‘Tonohara,’ and are of village samurai status, with respectful addresses of ‘Tono’ and ‘Kata’ in the village.”
Yu Hirayama on X
“It is believed that there were several stages in the rise from peasant status to samurai status, and one could not rise to the top in one leap,” he elaborated. “First, at the discretion of their lord, one was placed at the bottom of the samurai hierarchy, and by accumulating achievements, one’s status rose. You often hear stories of lords giving their surnames or giving one character (part of their name) to their lords, but this was the result of their devotion to loyalty.”
Yu Hirayama on X
Next, he wrote, “It is unusual for a black person to be given the name ‘Yasuke’ by Nobunaga himself, along with other treatments he received. That is why Ota Ushiichi recorded it in ‘Nobunaga Koki,’ and probably also wrote about it in ‘Ietada Nikki’ because it was a well-known story at the time. However, while Yasuke’s treatment could have improved after that (the fact that he was by Nobunaga’s side until the Honnoji Incident is the best evidence of this), I don’t think he reached the point of being given a surname. However, it is simplistic to say that he was not a samurai just because he did not have a surname. Since he was given a gift of a noshi wrapped around his scabbard, he was treated as a warrior. ‘Kojiki Ruien’ clearly states that ‘only warriors can be given this name.'”
Yu Hirayama on X
He then concluded the thread, “Just to be sure, I’ll add a note. Some people use Miura Anjin as an example, but when exactly was William Adams allowed to use the name Miura Anjin? It couldn’t have been right after Tokugawa Ieyasu met with him. He was also given the surname (family name) in recognition of his loyalty. It wasn’t sudden. Everyone, please look into it carefully.”
Yu Hirayama on X
After Hirayama’s comments went viral, it was revealed that he’s a former member of the Japanese Communist Party and appears to be an adherent to communist ideology.
As noted by X user DLibryum, Hirayama posted in the middle of January 2024, “There’s been a lot of talk about the state of the Japanese Communist Party convention. It hasn’t changed at all since the end of the Showa era, when I was a member, and the early Heisei era, when Miyamoto Kenji was in power. During my time, I remember Iri Kazutomo being expelled for criticizing Miyamoto Kenji, but I wonder how long they intend to hold on to Lenin’s unique organizational theory, which sought to build a party under Russia’s unique autocratic regime, as a golden rule. This time in particular, I think the situation is even worse than it was in the Showa era. The expulsion of Shimosato Masaki in the Heisei era was also truly terrible.”
This kinda says a lot about his stance pic.twitter.com/qwgS1tOZyJ
— DLibryum (@DLibryum) July 21, 2024
In another post around the same time, he appeared to announce his exit from the party, “Today, I felt that the Japanese Communist Party had come to an end. The ghost of Stalinism hung over the party leadership, and a Stalinist female party leader appeared with a terrifying speech. I have no hope for anything anymore. Farewell, Japanese Communist Party.”
Yu Hirayama on X
He also wrote, “I may be your senior. I’m a former party member. I also served as a prefectural committee member for the Young Communists. Also, isn’t the key to a majority revolution (revolution in developed countries) how to win over the majority who are neither party members nor supporters? That kind of talk will only push you into the enemy’s shoes. At least read Ueda Koichiro’s “Theory of Revolution in Developed Countries” and “United Front Debate.” That way of thinking reveals your theoretical weakness.”
Yu Hirayama on X
As noted by historian Anna Zofia Cichocka a board member of the board of the Paweł Włodkowic Institute, communists use historical revisions to impose ideology.
She explains, “As soon as the Bolsheviks came to power in Russia in 1917, history, as a science of the past, was destroyed. It became a political tool totally controlled by the communist authorities and an instrument of communist propaganda. History was completely subordinated to Marxist-Leninist ideology, and it was the Communist Party that always decided which interpretation of that ideology was correct. This made it possible to constantly manipulate and rewrite history according to the ever-changing needs and political sensitivities of the Soviet regime at a given point in time. The result was lies and manipulation on a mass scale.”
A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft
On top of Hirayama being a communist, X user purplewhale24 shared that he’s a member of Pony Canyon and specifically its Area Alliance Department, which according to the company “embraces the mission of ‘Revitalizing regions, energizing Japan through the power of entertainment.’ Our primary focus lies in regional revitalization and branding, utilizing our proficiency in planning, producing, and promoting entertainment content. Through innovative approaches, we showcase the distinctive charm of local areas while fostering sustainable community development.”
Purplewhale24 notes, “The new historian saying Yasuke is a samurai is Yu Hirayama. His is partnered with Pony Canyon, a music and entertainment company, to promote Japanese culture through ENTERTAINMENT and is also a PR media site trying to globalize to the west.”
The new historian saying Yasuke is a samurai is Yu Hirayama. His is partnered with Pony Canyon, a music and entertainment company, to promote Japanese culture through ENTERTAINMENT and is also a PR media site trying to globalize to the west. pic.twitter.com/06kmWYOYYa
— Purple Whale | Question Everything (@purplewhale24) July 21, 2024
He added, “2024 is Pony Canyon’s first year of globalization and has met with US music industry members and US press to help with the expansion of their newly established North American branch for music and anime distribution. It always happens when Japan opens a branch in California.”
2024 is Pony Canyon’s first year of globalization and has met with US music industry members and US press to help with the expansion of their newly established North American branch for music and anime distribution.
It always happens when Japan opens a branch in California. pic.twitter.com/mQ0q4bO0fe
— Purple Whale | Question Everything (@purplewhale24) July 21, 2024
Furthermore, purplewhale24 detailed that Pony Canyon US partnered with Crunchyroll subsidiary Right Stuff Media for distribution.
Purplewhale24 wrote, “Pony Canyon’s US distribution is handled by Right Stuff Media, which is a subsidiary of CrunchyRoll, which is owned by Sony Pictures and Sony Music Entertainment. Now we know why Yu Hirayama is pushing the narrative that Yasuke was a samurai. It’s Sony in disguise.”
Pony Canyon’s US distribution is handled by Right Stuff Media, which is a subsidiary of CrunchyRoll, which is owned by Sony Pictures and Sony Music Entertainment.
Now we know why Yu Hirayama is pushing the narrative that Yasuke was a samurai. It’s Sony in disguise. pic.twitter.com/f8VDnBIgZ8
— Purple Whale | Question Everything (@purplewhale24) July 21, 2024
Purplewhale24 also shared, “MUFG (aka MUFJ) which is lending money to Fuji Media Holdings which owns Pony Canyon who is promoting Yu Hirayama as a historian promoting Yasuke was a historical samurai for Ubisofts Assassins Creed is majority owned by none other than: BlackRock, Vanguard, [and] Goldman Sachs.”
MUFG (aka MUFJ) which is lending money to Fuji Media Holdings which owns Pony Canyon who is promoting Yu Hirayama as a historian promoting Yasuke was a historical samurai for Ubisofts Assassins Creed is majority owned by none other than:
BlackRock
Vanguard
Goldman Sachs pic.twitter.com/SFuVCtRAhs— Purple Whale | Question Everything (@purplewhale24) July 21, 2024
He added, “Fuji Media Holdings owns Pony Canyon. The biggest lenders of FMH are included below. MUFG (MUFJ) has one of the strongest grips on DEI. They were also one of Sony’s financial backers when Sony first started.”
Fuji Media Holdings owns Pony Canyon. The biggest lenders of FMH are included below. MUFG (MUFJ) has one of the strongest grips on DEI. They were also one of Sony’s financial backers when Sony first started. pic.twitter.com/zSdZF59FFf
— Purple Whale | Question Everything (@purplewhale24) July 21, 2024
What do you make of Hirayama being a communist and his connections with companies that are attempting to push identity politics and globalization?
