Shimoyama became the governor of JNR(the Japan National Railway) and whose mysterious death has not been solved. On the 5th of July, 1949, while on his way to work, he disappeared in the Mitsukoshi Department store in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. Early the next morning, his body was found in pieces on the rail line near Ayase Station of the Jyoban Line, having been run over by a train. During this time, the Yoshida Cabinet, under the control of the occupation forces, had opposed the growing labor movement. A list of 37,000 discharged workers had been published on the 4th July, the day prior to what is commonly known as "The Shimoyama Incident." Although some thought that he killed himself because he was worried about these circumstances, his death, possibly arising from his opposition to the decapitation movement, resulting in the rapid demise of the growing labor movement. At the conclusion of their investigations, the police concluded that his mysterious death was a suicide case. On the other hand, the Tokyo District Public Procurator's Office insisted that this could have been a case of murder, with possible participation by U.S. occupation forces.
Shimoyama became the governor of JNR(the Japan National Railway) and whose mysterious death has not been solved. On the 5th of July, 1949, while on his way to work, he disappeared in the Mitsukoshi Department store in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. Early the next morning, his body was found in pieces on the rail line near Ayase Station of the Jyoban Line, having been run over by a train. During this time, the Yoshida Cabinet, under the control of the occupation forces, had opposed the growing labor movement. A list of 37,000 discharged workers had been published on the 4th July, the day prior to what is commonly known as "The Shimoyama Incident." Although some thought that he killed himself because he was worried about these circumstances, his death, possibly arising from his opposition to the decapitation movement, resulting in the rapid demise of the growing labor movement. At the conclusion of their investigations, the police concluded that his mysterious death was a suicide case. On the other hand, the Tokyo District Public Procurator's Office insisted that this could have been a case of murder, with possible participation by U.S. occupation forces.
Bio by: Warrick L. Barrett
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