Seppuku in Japan: honor by suicide

*Seppuku (Japanese: 切腹, “cutting the belly”), sometimes referred to as harakiri…

“Abdomen/belly cutting”, is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by Japan’s ancient samurai warrior class.

The grisly act typically involved stabbing oneself in the belly with a short sword, slicing open the stomach and then turning the blade upwards to ensure a fatal wound.

Seppuku first developed in the 12th century as a means for samurai to achieve an honorable death.

Swordsmen performed the ritual to avoid capture following battlefield defeats.

The pictures above show a Japanese soldier performing the ritual suicide to avoid being captured by the Allies during World War 2.