Shōichi Yokoi - WWII Japanese Soldier Living Underground for 28 years!!

In January 1972, Japanese World War II soldier Shoichi Yokoi was discovered in the jungles of Guam, having spent 28 years in hiding since the war’s end in 1945. Two local hunters encountered Yokoi near the Talofofo River, where he had been living in an underground shelter he dug himself. The remarkable footage from his return to Tokyo in February 1972 shows the emotional homecoming of a man who had refused to believe Japan’s surrender was genuine.

Yokoi, an army sergeant originally from Aichi Prefecture, survived by crafting tools from jungle materials and catching small animals. His handmade clothing from tree bark and his carefully maintained shelter demonstrated incredible survival skills. Upon his return to Japan, Yokoi became an instant celebrity, with his famous first words being “It is with much embarrassment that I return alive.”

The soldier’s prolonged isolation reflected the deep indoctrination of Japanese troops, many of whom were taught to choose death over surrender. While other “holdouts” were found in subsequent years, Yokoi’s case gained particular attention due to the length of his survival and his eventual adaptation to modern Japan, where he later married and became a television personality.

His story remains one of the most extraordinary examples of wartime psychology and human endurance, illustrating both the power of military conditioning and the resilience of the human spirit. The footage of his return continues to serve as a poignant reminder of war’s long-lasting personal consequences.

Wikipedia

Here is one of many videos on YouTube - He was found in 1972, although the video states the year as 1974.

  

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Japanese Soldier Found Living in the Jungle

8:30 minutes