Hiroo Onoda formally surrendered in the Philippines in 1974 after remaining in hiding since World War II.
Onoda was a second lieutenant in the Imperial Japanese Army assigned to Lubang Island in the Philippines. He and several comrades continued guerrilla activities after Japan’s 1945 surrender because they believed reports that the war had ended were enemy propaganda.
One comrade surrendered in 1950, and the other two died in later encounters. Onoda remained alone from 1972 until Japanese adventurer Norio Suzuki found him in February 1974.
Onoda refused to surrender until his former commanding officer, Major Yoshimi Taniguchi, personally relieved him of duty. He surrendered to Philippine forces on 10 March 1974. He was not the final Japanese holdout: Teruo Nakamura was arrested in Indonesia later that year.