Assassination of Crown Princess Kanami

Yamataian Crown Princess Kanami, in line to be the 125th Empress of Yamatai, was assassinated on May 7, 1933, in Wanshu, then part of the Yamataian New Territories. She was giving a speech at Wanshu Central Station at 3 pm when she was shot by Mochizuki Takashi, a Chiseian Royal Army sniper who had gone AWOL and was hiding in a nearby building. A second gunman hiding in the crowd, Murakami Kichiro, then opened fire on the Yamataian royals with a revolver. Murakami succeeded in seriously injuring Kanami's daughter Princess Kotomi and Governor-General Terauchi Yoshimichi before he was shot in the leg and captured by Tokkeitai sergeant Taketa Masaki. Kanami's younger daughter, Princess Kiyono, was only lightly wounded and would become the next Crown Princess.

After the assassination, the Tokkeitai began a city-wide crackdown and reprisal attacks against the Wanshu Resistance. Murakami revealed under interrogation that there was a second shooter, and a wide manhunt began across the entire New Territories. Imperial Grand Marshal Katase Megumi placed the Yamataian military forces on high alert. Initially believed to be an attack ordered by Chisei, many within the Yamataian government began preparing for open war to break out between both countries one again. Chisei denied any involvement but also began preparing for a potential preemptive Yamataian attack. By May 20, both sides had mobilised armies on both sides of the border and were extremely close to war, also sending the regional economy into a downward spiral.

By this time, the Tokkeitai investigation had progressed to the point where Mochizuki was recognised as operating independently of Chisei, prompting a round of diplomatic communiques to attempt to defuse the situation, though the Tokkeitai still struggled to capture the man. On May 25, Mochizuki carried out a bombing of the Tokkeitai Headquarters with assistance from the Wanshu Resistance, but was arrested as he attempted to flee the scene. Interrogation revealed that Mochizuki was not linked to Chisei and had deserted the Royal Army some months ago, and was seeking revenge against Yamatai for the deaths of his sister's family when they were executed for harbouring a resistance operative. Uncharacteristically, Yamatai allowed Chisei to extradite Mochizuki as a Chiseian citizen and AWOL soldier, calming the cross-border situation somewhat. By 10 June, both sides had withdrawn their forces from the border.

Empress Kikuko was devastated by the news of her daughter's death and fell into a depression, withdrawing and rarely leaving the Heian Imperial Palace until her death in 1935.