Hiroo Onoda Quotes & Sayings

One must always be civic-minded. — Hiroo Onoda

In what, then, can those engaged in this kind of warfare place their hope? The Nakano Military School answered this question with a simple sentence: "In secret warfare, there is integrity." And this is right, for integrity is the greatest necessity when a man must deceive not only his enemies but his friends. With integrity - and I include in this sincerity, loyalty, devotion to duty and a sense of morality - one can withstand all hardships and ultimately turn hardship itself into victory. This was the lesson that the instructors at Futamata were constantly trying to instill in us. One of them put it this way: "If you are genuinely pure in spirit, people will respond to you and cooperate with you." This meant to me that so long as I remained pure inside, whatever measures I saw fit to take would eventually redound to the good of my country and my countrymen. — Hiroo Onoda

Life is not fair and people are not equal. — Hiroo Onoda

Some dreams are best not to wake up from. — Hiroo Onoda

Never complain. When I did, my mother said that if I didn't like my life, I could just give up and die. She reminded me that when I was inside her, I told her that I wanted to be born, so she delivered me, breastfed me and changed my diapers. She said that I had to be brave. — Hiroo Onoda

People cannot live completely by themselves. — Hiroo Onoda

Men should never give up. I never do. I would hate to lose. — Hiroo Onoda

Without a huge shock, the sleepy-head, ignorant Japanese will never wake up. — Hiroo Onoda