An interesting article from the Nippu Jiji, July 20th 1934, that notes the establishment of Onisaburo Deguchi’s Showa Shinseikai organization – “The Showa Shinseikai is Born to become the Foundation of the Patriotic Movement”.

The Showa Shinseikai (“Divine Spirit of Showa Association”) was a right wing para-military group established by Onisaburo Deguchi with the assistance of Morihei Ueshiba in 1934.

A report from the Japanese government’s Home Ministry identified the Showa Shinseikai as one of the most powerful right-wing groups in Japan, and it would serve as the model for post-war right wing ultra-nationalist activist groups. It is also noted by post-war Japanese academics as one of the main groups agitating for pre-war Japanese Fascism.

Morihei Ueshiba would take charge of training many of its para-military troops.

The article notes the participation the well known ultra-nationalist and Black Dragon Society founder Uchida Ryohei (who was actually the Vice-Director of the organization), and Toyama Mitsuru, the famous ultra-nationalist, pan-Asianist and founder of the Gen’yosha secret society established to agitate for Japanese military expansion and conquest.

Onisaburo Deguchi is pictured on the bottom left here, with Toyama Mitsuru and Ryohei Uchida.

It also notes the support of Yosuke Matsuoka, pictured top left here with Adolf Hitler.

Matsuoka was the primary architect of the Tripartite Pact forming the Axis Powers that was signed by Prime Minister Konoe Fumimaro, who was a devoted student and patron of Morihei Ueshiba.

At the time of the signing, Konoe Fumimaro was a member of the Board of Directors of Morihei Ueshiba’s Kobukai Foundation.

The article further notes the candidacy of General Sadao Araki, who served as Minister of the Army (and was convicted as a Class A war criminal) and was a student of Morihei Ueshiba, as an executive for the Showa Shinseikai.

In 1931 Morihei Ueshiba, along with Colonel Kingoro Hashimoto, was an active participant in a planned terrorist coup d’etat that intended to place Sadao Araki at the head of a military dictatorship that would more vigorously prosecute the war in China.

Morihei Ueshiba’s active participation in that event was discussed here:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14fy4tidbdR/

Lastly, there is more discussion of these issues in “Morihei Ueshiba, the Black Dragon Society & Pre-War Japan – What Aikido’s History Doesn’t Tell You”:

https://youtu.be/4Z-QTllpPUs?si=NPBdRvc6lLfHmd6C