On this day (June 30) in 1966, the Beatles would play their first of five shows at Tokyo, Japan’s Nippon Budōkan, unknowingly amid a swirl of death threats. The beloved British boy band – made up of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr – had touched down in the country the night before, and when they descended from their aircraft, they waved to a sea of adoring … security?
Videos by American Songwriter
The Fab Four were unaware that they would be supervised by a team of security personnel during their trip to Japan; and for their entire stay, they were confined to their presidential suite. “The boys were in a bubble,” Professor Carolyn Stevens, author of the 2018 book The Beatles In Japan, explained of the band’s experience. “They weren’t even allowed to go shopping.”
They instead had hosts who got them what they needed. “John snuck out, and he got as far as an art gallery, then he got caught,” the professor said. “Paul snuck out; he got almost to Meiji Shrine.”
And the reason for all the precautions? The band had – unbeknownst to them – received death threats. Public protests against the group had also taken place during the time of their arrival. “Protesters from right-wing groups lined the streets, saying the Beatles were insects that needed to be crushed,” Stevens detailed.
With Japan then in a post-World War II era, the country was re-establishing its cultural identity and many people were reportedly against the Western influences the pop band would bring with them. It also didn’t help that the band would be performing at the Budōkan, a martial arts stadium.
“They said the Budōkan is a sacred place for martial arts,” the professor explained. “And it’s located very close to sacred spots – the Yasukuni Shrine and the Imperial Palace … they thought, ‘Do we really want a big rock concert there?’ The concert was an affront to their sense of tradition. They asked, ‘Why does Japan’s future have to be Western? Can Japan have a future that is Japanese?’”
The five concerts, however, went on as planned and the Japanese teens’ love for the group was undeniable. Those in attendance screamed for the mop-topped four-piece but were instructed to remain seated as the city’s authorities feared the possibility of snipers.
The Beatles only learned about the threats after they left the country for a stint in the Philippines. “Their management only found out about it after they had arrived,” the professor added, “and they decided not to tell the boys, because they wanted them to have a good time and perform well.”
(Photo by David Redfern/Redferns)
