Kongur Tiubie. The Japanese National Defense Academy Expedition was composed of Majors Kiyonori Kimura, climbing leader, and Chitosi Andoh, deputy climbing leader, Captains Yohichiro Yamaguchi and Kunio Horoshima, Lieutenants Shigeyuki Koga, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Takao Kiyofuji, Osamu Sato and Yuzuru Kato, Sergeants Toshihiro Okuchi and Takashi Sekine, Dr. Kazuko Nagano and me as leader. We did not use Chinese porters or animals above Camp I. The advance party, five members led by Andoh, arrived on June 12 at Kashi via Urumchi. On June 15 the party left Kashi by car and set up Base Camp at 12,000 feet by Little Karakuru Lake that same day. On June 20 Camp I was established at 15,100 feet at the base of the central ridge on the south slope of Kongur Tiubie. The snow limit is 16,000 feet. On June 28 Camp II was set up at 17,725 feet on the central ridge. From July 3 to 5 they prepared the route on the ridge and carried loads above Camp II. I arrived at Base Camp with seven members on July 4. Between July 16 and 21 we carried loads to Camps II and III and prepared the route to Camp IV. Starting on July 22, Andoh and four others were tied down in Camp III by the weather. On July 28 they descended as Kimura and three climbers reached Camp III. On August 3 the Kimura party established Camp IV at 20,350 feet below an ice ridge, the “Elephant Nose.” From August 4 to 12 we deployed all members at Camps III and IV, pioneered the route and carried loads through the ice-block zone on the center of the upper slope. On August 13 and 16 Camps V and VI were established at 22,300 and 23,800 feet. On August 17 Yamaguchi and Koga reached Camp VI. We used artificial oxygen for sleeping at Camps V and VI. On August 18 we had the first fine day in many. The attack party left Camp VI at 9:30 and at 1:30 P.M. stood on the very top (7595 meters, 24,918 feet). On August 24 we withdrew from Base Camp. The weather was particularly bad above 21,325 feet, only a quarter of the days being fine.

Takashi Kawakami, Japanese National Defense Academy