Everest Tragedy. The Defense Academy Team led by Takashi Kawakami comprised 10 members. They hoped to climb Everest by the west ridge via the Rongbuk Glacier. The climbing leader, Masashi Yokoyama, was drowned when he failed to jump across a glacial stream between Base Camp and Camp I. In spite of the tragedy, the team continued to attempt the mountain but had to give up at 8000 meters in the last week of October.

Sadao Tambe, A.A.C. and Himalayan Association of Japan