Japanese Forces

Camerata Harukichi Shimoi

Born in 1883, Japanese poet and lover of Italian literature and Dante, Shimoi teaches Japanese language at the Oriental Institute of Naples. During WWI he volunteered in the Italian Army Arditi corp, where he also teaches karate. Personal friend of the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio, who calls him "comrade Samurai", takes part at the Fiume venture. Soon he knows Mussolini, which he appreciates sharing his political views. In the second half of the twenties he comes back to Japan where spreads Italian culture and supports the interchange between the two countries. He will always be defender of the alliance between Italy and Japan. After the war knows a young Yukio Mishima. He died in 1954.