Japanese Imperial Navy Anthem

Across the sea, corpses in the water;
Across the mountain, corpses in the field;
I shall die only for the Emperor,
I shall never look back.

These I believe are the opening lines to the IJN Anthem. It's quite a beautiful melody. If you've seen the film Tora, Tora, Tora you may recall the very earlier scene where Yamamoto comes aboard the battleship Nagato to formally take command of the Combined Fleet a band is playing a soft, slow and passionate melody which is the music to the words above.

Can anyone tell me the official name of that anthem, if it has one? (This isn't a quiz, I genuinely want to know.)

 

Been a while, but I believ it is "Umi Yukaba"
Umi Yukaba - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
YouTube - ‪Umi Yukaba‬‏

 

I gather from the Wiki article this song has no special relationship with the IJN.

 

Think I heard something recently where the US anthem was banned by some college as being too violent. Not sure how accurate this is. :
iOwnTheWorld.com » Blog Archive » Indiana School Bans National Anthem – “Too Violent”

 

"Umi Yukaba" was special to all Japanese military forces, not just the Imperial Japanese Navy.

"Umi Yukaba" would probably be similar to Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever", which all US military band play. While, the Japanese "Gunkan March" would be comprable to our "Anchors Aweigh" or the "Navy Hymn"

 

As I understand it, "Umi Yukaba" is a reverent adjunct to "Kimigayo," the Japanese National Anthem. Perhaps the best analogy would be the relationship that the patriotic song "America the Beautiful" holds to the "Star Spangled Banner."

As Takao so correctly points out above:

"'Umi Yukaba' was special to all Japanese military forces, not just the Imperial Japanese Navy."​

I do recall the scene in "Tora! Tora! Tora!" where "Umi Yukaba" is played during Adm. Yamamoto's command ceremony aboard the battleship Nagato. You can listen to (and watch) a similar ceremonial playing of "Umi Yukaba" by a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force band on YouTube at: YouTube - ‪

Takao is again correct inasmuch as the official Imperial Japanese Naval March was "Gunkan Koushinkyoku," the "Battleship March." The "Battleship March" remains the official march of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. You can find a rousing live version of this march by a naval band at: YouTube - ‪[

Hope this is helpful.

Mike