Everest, West Ridge Attempt. Our expedition consisted of Atsuhiro Aso, Kazuo Nishimura, Ryoten Hasegawa, Shunichi Machi, Junichi Tanaka, Makoto Nebuka, Junichi Sakamoto, Kouichi Matsuda, Norio Ohonishi, Touichiro Mitani, Morio Nakanishi, Kazuyoshi Sakuma, Shin Taguchi, Tsuyoshi Takano, Sakaki Matsumura, Yasuaki Arai, Yasuaki Hayashida and me as leader. We attempted the Yugoslavian route on Everest’s west ridge. The main body of the party arrived with nine tons of baggage at Base Camp at 17,550 feet on March 24. We started the climb on March 25. We established Camps I (on the Lho La), II, III (on the shoulder of the west ridge), IV and V at 19,850, 22,000, 23,625, 24,600 and 26,575 feet on April 11, 21, 25, May 5 and 15 respectively. On May 16 Matsuda and Nakanishi made the first summit attempt, followed on May 17 by Tanaka and Pemba Lama and on May 19 by Matsuda and Mitani. On May 20 at 3:30 P.M. Tanaka and Taguchi got to 28,700 feet or 8750 meters, but they were unable to climb the last 300 feet to the top because of fatigue and lack of oxygen.

Shinichi Nakajima, Meiji Alpine Club, Japan