Masashi Ushitani
Born in 2005 in Nagano Prefecture. Currently a student at the National Institute of Technology, Nagano College (Nagano Kosen), majoring in Electronic and Information Engineering. Utilizing his expertise in information engineering, he also develops websites as a hobby.
In 2023, he began researching his great-grandfather, who died in action during the “Battle of Shumshu” while accompanying a ceasefire negotiation envoy as an interpreter. While balancing his studies, he visited Yasukuni Shrine and the National Diet Library, and attended the National Memorial Service for the War Dead as a bereaved family member. Over the course of approximately two and a half years, he traced his great-grandfather’s footsteps.
In 2024, he submitted a proposal based on the records of this investigation to the “20th Publishing Koshien” (a publishing competition for students) and won the Runner-up (Semi-Grand Prix) award. In 2025, he made his debut as an author with “The War That Didn’t End on August 15: Tracing My Great-Grandfather Who Fell in the Battle of Shumshu” (Seishun Publishing). His dream is to visit Shumshu Island.
Newspaper Coverage
Shinano Mainichi Shimbun, “Making War Personal from a Family Perspective: Nagano Kosen Student Publishes Essay Tracing Great-Grandfather’s Footsteps”, January 18, 2026, Page 7
Shinano Mainichi Shimbun, “Imperial General Headquarters Announcements in Both Old and New Character Forms: Nagano Kosen Student Developing Website”, January 18, 2026, Page 7
Nagano Citizen’s Newspaper, “‘Great-Grandfather’s War’ Made into a Book: Nagano Kosen Student Ushitani, Publishing Koshien Award Winner”, January 15, 2026, Page 1