Takijiro Onishi headed aviation development in the Ministry of Munitions and, in some accounts, originated the attack idea. After gathering the information needed to evaluate the operation, he became a firm opponent. His objection was strategic: he did not believe the strike would deliver what Japan required from the war. His transfer to command the Eleventh Air Fleet then removed a well-informed dissenter from the immediate planning process.
Notable Point · 38:51-39:33
Onishi became an opponent after studying the attack
Takijiro Onishi's access to the planning evidence led him to conclude that the strike would not achieve Japan's strategic needs.