Kunoichi (TV series) and Operation Jaywick: Difference between pages

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{{Infobox Military Conflict
{{Redirect|KUNOICHI|other uses|Kunoichi (disambiguation)}}
|conflict=Operation Jaywick
{{Infobox Television
|partof=[[World War II]], [[Japanese occupation of Singapore]]
| show_name = Kunoichi
| image = [[Image:Kunoichi main.jpg]]
|image=[[Image:Krait_(AWM_067338).jpg|300px]]
|caption=The Krait used to infiltrate Singapore.
| caption = KUNOICHI (''クノイチ'')
|date=September 26, 1943
| genre = [[Sports Entertainment]],<br />[[Obstacle Course]]
|place=[[Singapore]] Harbour
| camera =
|result=Z Force Victory
| picture_format =
|combatant1={{flagicon|Japan|alt}} [[Empire of Japan]]
| audio_format =
|combatant2={{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Z Special Unit|British Z Force]]<br> {{flagicon|New Zealand}} [[Z Special Unit|NZ Z Force]]<br> {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Z Special Unit|Australian Z Force]]
| runtime = 30 min in US, 20 min in UK
|commander1=Various
| creator =
|commander2=[[Ivan Lyon]]<br>Hubert Edward Carse
| developer =
|strength1=N/A
| producer = [[:ja:よしゆきこがけ|Kogake Yoshiyuki]]<br />[[:ja:ふじいまこと|Makoto Fujii]]
|strength2=15 commandos
| executive_producer = Higuchi Tide
|casualties1=7 ships damaged/sunk
| presenter =
|casualties2=None
| starring =
|}}
| voices =
| narrated = Keisuke Hatsuta<br />Wataru Ogasawara
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| country = {{flag|Japan}}
| location = Midoriyama, [[Aoba-ku, Yokohama|Aoba-ku, Yokohama-shi]], Japan
| language = [[Japanese language|Japanese]];<br />[[English language|English]] [[Subtitle (captioning)|subtitles]] and [[Dubbing (filmmaking)|dubbed]] contestant profiles in [[United States|US]] broadcast
| network =[[Tokyo Broadcasting System|TBS]]
| first_aired =
| last_aired =
| num_seasons =
| num_episodes =
| list_episodes =
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
| related = ''[[Sasuke (TV series)|Sasuke]]'',<br />''
| website =
| imdb_id = 1014786
| tv_com_id =
}}


'''Operation Jaywick''' was a special operation undertaken in [[World War II]]. In September 1943, 15 [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] [[commando]]s from [[Z Special Unit|Z Force]] raided [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]] shipping in [[Singapore]] Harbour, sinking seven ships.
{{nihongo|'''''Kunoichi'''''|クノイチ||[[Romanization of Japanese|romanized]] as '''''KUNOICHI''''' in [[Japan]]|}} is a women's [[obstacle course]] competition held in Japan and broadcast on the [[Tokyo Broadcasting System]]. It is a spin-off of [[Sasuke (TV series)|''Sasuke'']], another obstacle course series, and takes place on the same [[island]], Midoriyama. ''Kunoichi'' is different from ''Sasuke'' in that the competitors are exclusively female.


==Participants==
==Background==
[[Special Operations Australia]] (SOA), a joint Allied [[military intelligence]] organisation, was established in March 1942. SOA operated under the cover name Inter-Allied Services Department (or IASD). It contained several British [[Special Operations Executive|SOE]] officers who had escaped from [[Japanese Occupation of Singapore|Japanese occupied Singapore]], and they formed the nucleus of the IASD, which was based in [[Melbourne]]. In June 1942, a commando arm was organised as [[Z Special Unit]] (which was later commonly known as Z Force). It drew its personnel primarily from the [[Australian Army]] and [[Royal Australian Navy]].
Participants compete for a prize of 2 million [[Japanese yen|Yen]]($18,618 U.S. dollars).


In 1943, a 28-year-old British officer, Captain [[Ivan Lyon]] (of the [[Allied Intelligence Bureau]] and [[Gordon Highlanders]]), and a 61-year-old Australian civilian, Bill Reynolds, devised a plan to attack Japanese shipping in [[Singapore]] Harbour. Commandos would travel to the harbour in a vessel disguised as an Asian fishing boat. They would then use collapsible canoes to attach [[limpet mine]]s to Japanese ships.
Each competition starts with 100 competitors from a range of backgrounds such as actors, comedians, housewives, and athletes, amateur and [[Olympic Games|Olympians]] alike. The competitors are mainly Japanese, but many international competitors have participated.


Bill Reynolds was in possession of a 21.3 metre Japanese coastal fishing boat, the [[MV Krait|''Kofuku Maru'']], which he had used to evacuate refugees out of Singapore. Lyon ordered that the boat be shipped from [[India]] to Australia. Upon its arrival, he renamed the vessel [[MV Krait|MV ''Krait'']], after the [[krait|small but deadly Asian snake]].
===''Kunoichi'' All-Stars===
{{nihongo|'''Ayako Miyake'''|三宅　綾子|Miyake Ayako}} - This three-time consecutive ''Kunoichi'' champion has earned her the nickname "Queen of Kunoichi". Weighing only {{convert|90|lb|kg}}, Ayako is also an acrobatic dancer, who used to work for [[Muscle Musical]]. She achieved total victory in the 4th, 5th, and 6th competitions. In the 7th Competition however, she fell on the last obstacle of the Second Stage, the last part of the ''Swinging Beams'', which was a metal beam without a rope support like the last two. Her failure left the other competitors in visible shock because, in the words of the narrator "She was the competitor everyone was counting on!" Her current age is 31 years. As of 2008, she has cleared the first stage 4 times in a row and the second,third, and final stages 3 times in a row. Recently Ayako and a few other Muscle Musical members including the creator and Sayaka Asami broke away and created their own group, so it is now rumored that she will no longer compete.


==The Attack==
{{nihongo|'''Rie Komiya'''|小宮理英|Komiya Rie}} - This is one of the top competitors on ''Kunoichi'' and is notable for advancing all the way to the Third Stage in her first tournament, and failing Domino Hill. (4th Competition) In the 5th Competition, she looked better than Miss Perfect herself, however by the time she reached the Skyway Pole in the final stage she looked defeated and her time ran out. She is a Japanese [[news presenter|newscaster]] and went into modeling after her appearance on ''Kunoichi''. She was also one of only 4 competitors who defeated the First Stage in the 7th competition, but she failed on the Monkey Bars in the Second Stage. As of 2008 she has cleared the first stage three times,the second stage twice,and the third stage once.
[[Image:NaganoMaru.jpg|thumb|right|Japanese ship ''Nagano Maru''. A ship of this class was damaged at Singapore Harbour.]]
In mid-1943, the ''Krait'' travelled from a training camp at [[Broken Bay]], [[New South Wales]] to [[Thursday Island]]. Aboard was a complement from Z Special Unit of four British and eleven Australian personnel, comprising:


*Major Ivan Lyon (Mission commander)
{{nihongo|'''Yuko Mizuno'''|水野　裕子|Mizuno Yuko}} - After almost completing the Final Stage in the 2nd and 3rd Competitions, she was thought to be the most likely competitor to complete the Final Stage, and was once thought to be the "Queen of Kunoichi". In the 3rd Competition, Yuko missed the button by 0.10 seconds. Since then, she has only made it to the Third Stage once (in the 5th competition), and hasn't passed the First Stage in the 4th, 6th and 7th competition. Besides being a ''Kunoichi'' competitor, she is also a celebrity athlete, and a regular ''Sasuke'' competitor. Fans also call her Ms. Kunoichi, for her similar status to Mr. Sasuke, [[Katsumi Yamada]]. As of 2008 she has cleared the first stage three times,the second stage three times and the third stage twice.
*Lieutenant Hubert Edward Carse (Krait's captain)
*Lieutenant D M N Davidson
*Lieutenant R C Page
*Corporal A A Crilly
*Leading Seaman K P Cain
*Leading Stoker J P McDowell
*Leading Telegraphist H S Young
*Able Seaman W G Falls
*Corporal R G Morris
*Able Seaman M Berryman
*Able Seaman F W L Marsh
*Able Seaman A W Jones
*Able Seaman A W G Huston


On August 13 1943 the ''Krait'' left Thursday Island for the U.S. Naval Base at [[Exmouth Gulf]] in northern [[Western Australia]] where it was refuelled and repairs were undertaken.
{{nihongo|'''Maho Tanaka'''|田中真帆|Tanaka Maho}} - She is a professional snowboarder/wakeboarder. Maho was considered an All-Star of ''Kunoichi'' by the second time she has competed. She is known for her impressive speed nearly matching Ayako Miyake's records. Also she made it to the Final Stage during her first appearance, in the 6th tournament, where she completed the Third Stage most difficult obstacle, ''Domino Hill'', at a very quick pace, that exceed any competitors' time who attempted or completed that obstacle (including Ayako Miyake). As she made it past the first Three Stages, it seems that she wasn't nervous about any obstacles standing in her way, but by the time she reached the Final Stage, she was unsure about her footing, constantly looking down, and began to lose speed on the ''Brick Climb'', which by the time she completed time was already up. In the 7th tournament, she was the only competitor to reach the Third Stage, however she was defeated by the obstacle that she had defeated in the previous tournament, Domino Hill. As of 2008 she has cleared the first stage twice,the second stage twice and the third stage once.


On September 2 the ''Krait'' left Exmouth Gulf and departed for Singapore. The team's safety depended on maintaining the disguise of a local fishing boat. The men stained their skin brown with dye to appear more Asiatic and were meticulous in what sort of rubbish they threw overboard, lest a trail of European garbage lead arouse suspicion. After a relatively uneventful voyage the ''Krait'' arrived off Singapore on September 24. That night six men left the boat and paddled 50 kilometres to establish a forward base in a cave on a small island near the harbour. On the night of September 26 they [[paddling|paddled]] into the harbour and placed [[limpet mine]]s on several Japanese ships before returning to their hiding spot.
'''NOTE:''' In the 4th competetion, Maho Tanaka made an apperance and failed the Hop Rocket, as seen on the TBS broadcast.


[[Image:Krait-crew.jpg|thumb|right|The crew of the ''Krait during Operation Jaywick]]
===Regulars===
Kunoichi has several competitors who compete on a regular basis. Some of these include:


In the resulting explosions, the limpet mines sank or seriously damaged seven Japanese ships, comprising over 39,000 tons between them <ref>[http://www.dva.gov.au/media/publicat/2003/jaywick/page01.htm Operation Jaywick - 60th Anniversary<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. The commandos waited until the commotion over the attack had subsided and then returned to the ''Krait'', which they reached on October 2. The return to Australia was mostly uneventful, except for a tense incident in the [[Lombok Strait]] when the ship was closely approached by a Japanese patrol boat; however the [[MV Krait|''Krait'']] was not challenged. On October 19, the ship and crew arrived safely back at Exmouth Gulf.
{{nihongo|'''Yuko and Rena Higashi'''||Higashi Yuko/Rena}} - A mother-daughter team. Though the mother, Yuko, has yet to complete the First Stage, Rena is the second 13-year-old (the first was Saki Suzuki) to complete the First Stage, but she is the youngest to complete the Second Stage. Rena has also competed in the juniors division of ''Sasuke'' where she ran out of time just a few inches from the buzzer of the Final Stage. Yuko is a housewife, and her daughter is a [[tomboy]] and an athletic student, who joined the track and field team in order to train for ''Kunoichi''. As of today Rena is 15 years old and Yuko is 46.


The raid was later dramatised in an acclaimed Australian [[telemovie]], ''The Heroes'' (1988).
{{nihongo|'''Sayaka Asami'''||Asami Sayaka}} - Was the women's group leader in the related series, ''Muscle Musical''. Before the Muscle Musical, she was part of the dance team DIG. Recently she broke away from Muscle Musical and formed her own group with Ayako Miyake. She competed from Kunoichi 3-5 and made it to the third stage all 3 times, but unfortunately failed Domino Hill all three times in exactly the same spot. Asami's performances have earned herself a spot as one of the best competitors to date, but will probably never compete again.


==Repercussions of the raid==
{{nihongo|'''Mika Izumi'''||Izumi Mika}} - is a Jazz Dance Insturctor hailing from Tokyo. She first appeared in the 3rd competetion and wowed everyone by making it all the way to the final stage. Izumi managed a great run but ran out of time just a few feet short of the buzzer. In the following tournament Izumi was the only finalist from the previous tournament to clear stage 1, however in stage 2 she failed the Triple Hurdle. (a common casality in Kunoichi 1 and 2) Since competeing in Kunoichi, Izumi has gotten married and her official name is now Mika Makino. Izumi/Makino is rumored to return for the next tournament, but this is not confermed.
[[Image:Andrew Huston.jpg|thumb|right|Able Seaman Andrew Huston]]
The Japanese authorities in Singapore were completely surprised by the raid. Never suspecting such an attack could be mounted from Australia, they assumed it had been carried out by local saboteurs, most probably pro-Communist Chinese guerillas. In their efforts to uncover the perpetrators, a wave of arrests, torture and executions began. Local Chinese and Malays, as well as interned POWs and European civilians were targeted in this program. The incident became known as the [[Double Tenth Incident|Double Tenth]], for 10th October, the day that Japanese secret police began the mass arrests.


Given the misery visited upon the local population by the Japanese, criticism has arisen as to whether Operation Jaywick was justified, especially with its relatively limited strategic results. In the aftermath of the raid, the Allies never claimed responsibility for the attack on shipping, most likely because they wanted to preserve the secret of the ''Krait'' for future similar missions. Therefore the Japanese did not divert significant military resources to defending against such attacks, instead just using their secret police to enact reprisals against civilians.
{{nihongo|'''Hiromi Satake'''||Satake Hiromi}} - A professional [[sumo]] wrestler who, due to her large and overweight size, fails on the first obstacle in the First Stage every time. Since the start of ''Kunoichi'', she has participated in all but the 5th Competition.


Operation Jaywick was followed by [[Operation Rimau]]. Three ships were sunk, but the participants including Lyon were killed or captured and executed.
===International participants===
''Kunoichi'' has a more diverse competition than ''Sasuke''; in the 6th competition, over 20 different nations were represented.


A few foreign competitors include:


'''[[Kyra Gracie]]''' - A member of the [[Gracie family|Gracie Brazilian Jujitsu Family]]. She competed in the 6th Competition, but failed the First Stage's Balance Bridge.


'''[[Cătălina Ponor|Catalina Ponor]]''' - A [[Romania]]n Olympic gold medal gymnast. She failed the "Flying Pillar" in the First Stage.


== References ==
'''[[Oana Ban]]''' - Romanian gymnastic gold medalist in the team competition at the [[2004 Summer Olympics|Athens Olympics]]. She made it to the Second Stage in the 4th Competition, but failed on the Floating Bridge.


<references/>
'''[[Tasha Schwikert]]''' - American gymnast, [[2000 Summer Olympics|2000 Olympian]], a [[World Gymnastics Championships]] gold medalist, and the 2005 [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] all-around national champion. Finished one second after her time ran out in the Second Stage of the 3rd Competition.


==External links==
'''Diana Pickler''' - this American [[heptathlon|heptahlete]] from [[Washington State University]] competed in the 7th competition, but failed on the First Stage's Log Jam.
*[http://www.dva.gov.au/media/publicat/2003/jaywick/ Australian Department of Veterans Affairs, 2003, "Operation Jaywick, 60th Anniversary" ]
*[http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/ausarmy/zforce.htm Peter Dunn, 2005, "'Z' Special Unit in Australia During WW2" (ozatwar.com) ]
*[http://www.australiansatwarfilmarchive.gov.au/aawfa/interviews/318.aspx Interview with Horrie Young in the Australians At War Film Archive ]
*[http://www.hnsa.org/ships/krait.htm HNSA Ship Page: Krait]


[[Category:Conflicts in 1943]]
===Other notable participants===
[[Category:Battles and operations of World War II|Jaywick]]
At least four ''Sasuke'' all-stars - [[:ja:山本進悟|Shingo Yamamoto]], Toshihiro Takeda, [[Katsumi Yamada]], and [[Makoto Nagano]] - are known to be training ''Kunoichi'' competitors. Each of them competed in the 7th competition, with their mentors (except for Yamamoto) present.
[[Category:British rule in Singapore|Jaywick]]

[[Category:Military history of Australia during World War II|Jaywick]]
*Yamamoto's trainee, Sayaka Okamoto, who is an employee at his service station, advanced to the Second Stage of the 6th Competition (where Yamamoto ''was'' present) at just 16 years of age. She failed in the Second Stage, however, falling on the last segment of the "Swinging Beams". In the 7th Competition, Okamoto failed on the First Stage's Log Jam. Like Yamamoto, Okamoto competes in her maroon [[Mobil 1]] uniform shirt.
[[Category:Special forces of Australia|Jaywick]]
*Takeda's trainee, Mieko Oshima, who fights fires alongside Takeda, competed in the 7th Competition and failed the First Stage's newly-redesigned Hop Rocket.
[[Category:Military history of Singapore|Jaywick]]
*Nagano's trainee, fitness instructor Kaori Ongaku, failed the Flying Pillar in the 7th Competition's First Stage.
*Yamada's trainee, walking instructor Nobuko Onoda, also went out on the Yellow-posted Hop Rocket in the 7th Competition. It was said that they met through Onoda's father, who is a medical expert that Yamada once consulted about a shoulder injury.

Nagano has also trained his older sister, Taeko Uchida, who has yet to complete the First Stage.

'''Narumi Kitagawa''', a professional [[surfing|surfer]], holds the record at age 41 for being the oldest competitor to complete the First Stage, doing so in the 6th competition. She completed the Second Stage that day as well, but did not advance to the Third Stage because she did not turn in one of the 6 fastest times of that stage, a special rule implemented for that competition only.

Mio Fukuzumi, who is also notable for her role as Windenu in ''[[Ninpuu Sentai Hurricaneger]]'' (adapted into ''[[Power Rangers: Ninja Storm]]'' in the United States), has also participated in ''Kunoichi''. She failed the First Stage after her foot slipped off the dancing stones at the start of stage 1.

J-Pop singer [[Asami Abe]] competed in the 7th competition, but failed on the very first obstacle, the Stepping Stones.

'''[[Chie Tanabe|Chie Nishimura]]''', a veteran [[Stunt performer|stunt woman]] and the only woman to have completed the First Stage of ''Sasuke'', has also competed in ''Kunoichi''. Her first appearance was in the 3rd competition but she failed in the Third Stage after a misstep on the Pole Vault. She initially did not plan to compete again due to her plans of having a baby, but she competed in the 4th competition just three months after having her second baby. She would fail the Hop Rocket on the first stage. She later competed in the 5th competition, where she failed the first stage's Angle Run, and then in the 7th Competition, where she just missed completing the 2nd Stage by a few seconds.

Gravure model and [[BeForU]] member, Megumi Fukushita participated in the September 2007 Kunoichi contest. She was eliminated in the 1st round after she fell on the Barrel Roll.

Tomomi Hanzawa, a member of the G-Rockets acrobatic dance troupe, reached the Final Stage in the third competition. She returned for the fourth competition, but lost too much time on the first stage's Windmill Cross and ran out of time just as she was reaching for the stage clear button. Hanzawa is currently 36 years old and still dances for the G-rockets

Kazue Watanabe, a track and field star at a Japanese University, reached the final stage in the 2nd tournament. In the 3rd and 4th tournaments, she made it all the way to the third stage but failed Domino Hill both times. It is unknown if she competed after the 4th tournament.Watanabe is currently 28.

Miho Yamada, was a gymnast who competed in the Barcelona and Atlanta Olympics. She is best know for being the first women ever to complete stage 1 of Kunoichi. Yamada would fail the Super Jump afterwards. In Kunoichi 2 she failed the Barrel Roll and in Kunoichi 4 she failed the dreaded Domino Hill. Yamada is now 35.

Masami Yusa, was a well known competitor in the first 2 tournaments where she completed stage 1 but always failed the Super Jump afterwards. Yusa resurfaced in the 3rd tournament and failed the dancing stones, shocking everyone. In her final 2 tournaments, she would make it past the dancing stones but fail the windmill cross. Yusa is a beach flag champion and is very well known for being the first women to clear the Warped Wall in Sasuke 15. Yusa is currently 35.

Yoko Mori, a member of the C.C Girls and is currently 35. She timed out on the final obstacle in stage 1 of the first 2 tournaments. In the following competetion she cleared with about 10 seconds left and made it to stage 3. After a hiatus in Kunoichi 4 and 5 she returned for Kunoichi 6 and 7 where she failed the Flying Pillar and Log Jam.

==Stages==
''Kunoichi'' is composed of four stages, with the exception of the 1st and 2nd Competitions which consisted of only three stages each. Competitors must complete a stage in order to continue to the next stage.


=== First Stage ===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Comp #
! colspan="10" | First Stage Obstacles
! Time Limit
|-
| align="center" | 1
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #A27147;" | Dancing Stones
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #ffff7f;" | Windmill Cross
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #7FFF7F;" | Barrel Roll
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #a8bbef;" | Tornado Run
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #ffaf6f;" | Triple Hurdle
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #fa5bff;" | Escape Ladder
| align="center" | 80.0
|-
| align="center" | 2
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #A27147;" | Dancing Stones
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #ffff7f;" | Windmill Cross
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #7FFF7F;" | Barrel Roll
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #dddddd;" | Gateway Bridge
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #ffaf6f;" | Triple Hurdle
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #cf4f4f;" | Escape Pole
| align="center" | 90.0
|-
| align="center" | 3
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #A27147;" | Dancing Stones
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #ffff7f;" | Windmill Cross
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #848484;" | Double Hurdle
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #7FFF7F;" | Barrel Roll
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #4f4fcf;" | Balance Bridge
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #bfbfbf;" | Hop Rocket
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #3fbf3f;" | Angle Run
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #fa5bff;" | Escape Ladder
| align="center" | 85.0
|-
| align="center" | 4
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #A27147;" | Dancing Stones
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #ffff7f;" | Windmill Cross
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #4f4fcf;" | Balance Bridge
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #7FFF7F;" | Barrel Roll
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #3fbf3f;" | Angle Run
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #bfbfbf;" | Hop Rocket
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #FF0000;" | Vertical Limit
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #cf8ce7;" | Slippery Slide
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #fa5bff;" | Escape Ladder
| align="center" | 105.0
|-
| align="center" | 5
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #A27147;" | Dancing Stones
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #ffff7f;" | Windmill Cross
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #4f4fcf;" | Balance Bridge
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #7FFF7F;" | Barrel Roll
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #3fbf3f;" | Angle Run
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #bfbfbf;" | Hop Rocket
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #cbc99a;" | Conviction Hill
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #cf8ce7;" | Slippery Slide
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #fa5bff;" | Escape Ladder
| align="center" | 100.0
|-
| align="center" | 6
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #a7a20d;" | Float Run
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #58cCFA;" | Prism Tilt
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #7fffff;" | Flying Pillar
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #4f4fcf;" | Balance Bridge
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #7FFF7F;" | Barrel Roll
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #3fbf3f;" | Angle Run
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #60bcb6;" | Falling Pole
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #fa5bff;" | Escape Ladder
| align="center" | 95.0
|-
| align="center" | 7
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #FF7F7F;" | Lilypads
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #c471a2;" | Log Jam
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #7fffff;" | Flying Pillar
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #4f4fcf;" | Balance Bridge
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #7FFF7F;" | Barrel Roll
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #ffff00;" | Yellow-posted Hop Rocket ^
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #3fbf3f;" | Angle Run
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #fa5bff;" | Escape Ladder
| align="center" | 90.0
|-
|}

^-In the 7th competition,the Hop Rocket had a large yellow post instead of the padded riser. The 7th competition's Hop Rocket is referred to here as the "Yellow-posted Hop Rocket" and colored accordingly.

===Second Stage===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Comp #
! colspan="9" | Second Stage Obstacles
! Time Limit
|-
| align="center" | 1
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #ff7f7f;" | Super Jump
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #60bcb6;" | Spinning Slopes
| colspan="4" align="center" style="background-color: #bfbfbf;" | Pendulum Bridge
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #cf4f4f;" | Floating Bridge
| align="center" | 50.0
|-
| align="center" | 2
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #ff7f7f;" | Super Jump
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #7FFFFF;" | Ledge Walk
| colspan="4" align="center" style="background-color: #bfbfbf;" | Pendulum Bridge
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #cf4f4f;" | Floating Bridge
| align="center" | 45.0
|-
| align="center" | 3
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #ff7f7f;" | Super Jump
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #4f4fcf;" | Hill Climb
| colspan="4" align="center" style="background-color: #7FFF7F;" | Spinning Log
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #cf4f4f;" | Floating Bridge
| align="center" | 40.0
|-
| align="center" | 4
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #ff7f7f;" | Super Jump
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #ffaf6f;" | Triple Hurdle
| colspan="4" align="center" style="background-color: #7FFF7F;" | Spinning Log
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #cf4f4f;" | Floating Bridge
| align="center" | 35.0
|-
| align="center" | 5
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #ff7f7f;" | Super Jump
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #4f4fcf;" | Hill Climb
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #7FFF7F;" | Spinning Log
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #cf8ce7;" | Swinging Hammers
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #cf4f4f;" | Floating Bridge
| align="center" | 50.0
|-
| align="center" | 6
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #ff7f7f;" | Super Jump
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #ffaf6f;" | Triple Hurdle
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #04b404;" | Two-Pole Bridge
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #FFFF7F;" | Net Cross
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #7f7fff;" | Swinging Beams
| align="center" | 70.0
|-
| align="center" | 7
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #ff7f7f;" | Super Jump
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #A27147;" | Dancing Stones
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #7FFF7F;" | Spinning Log
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #FF74FF;" | Monkey Bars
| colspan="1" align="center" style="background-color: #7f7fff;" | Swinging Beams
| align="center" | 65.0
|-
|}
<div class="references-small">

{{note|1|1}} In the 2nd Competition, the Second Stage time limit only applied to the first two obstacles. The competitor had 45 seconds to negotiate the "Super Jump" and "Ledge Walk", then had to hit a button to stop time, open a gate and advance to the "Pendulum Bridge" and the "Floating Bridge", which had no time limit.

{{note|2|2}} In the 6th Competition, the clock started at zero and counted up when the competitor started the stage. The top 6 competitors with the best times were the ones to move on to the Third Stage. Any competitor that failed to finish within 70 seconds, or fell into the water, was disqualified.
</div>

===Third Stage===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Comp #
! colspan="3" | Third Stage Obstacles
! Time Limit
|-
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" style="background-color: #ff7f7f;" | Super Vault
| align="center" style="background-color: #8ce7e4;" | Domino Hill
| align="center" style="background-color: #4F4FCF;" | Pendulum Bridge
| align="center" | 90.0
|-
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" style="background-color: #ff7f7f;" | Super Vault
| align="center" style="background-color: #8ce7e4;" | Domino Hill
| align="center" style="background-color: #4F4FCF;" | Pendulum Bridge
| align="center" | 90.0
|-
| align="center" | 5
| align="center" style="background-color: #81ea75;" | Unforgiving Wall
| align="center" style="background-color: #8ce7e4;" | Domino Hill
| align="center" style="background-color: #ffff7f;" | Dreamers Road
| align="center" | 15.0 {{ref|4|4}}
|-
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" style="background-color: #cf8ce7;" | Peg Jump
| align="center" style="background-color: #8ce7e4;" | Domino Hill
| align="center" style="background-color: #4F4FCF;" | Pendulum Bridge
| align="center" | Unlimited
|-
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" style="background-color: #cf8ce7;" | Peg Jump
| align="center" style="background-color: #8ce7e4;" | Domino Hill
| align="center" style="background-color: #ffaf6f;" | Magic Wall
| align="center" | Unlimited
|-
|}
<div class="references-small">
{{note|4|4}} In the 5th Competition, the Third Stage time limit only applied to the final obstacle, Dreamers Road. The competitor had to press a button to start a 15-second timer before starting the obstacle and then had to hit another button in order to stop time and advance to the Final Stage.
</div>

===Final Stage===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Comp #
! colspan="2" | Final Stage Obstacles
! Time Limit
|-
| align="center" | 1-2
| colspan="2" align="center" style="background-color: #ffff7f;" | Balance Walk
| align="center" | Unlimited
|-
| align="center" | 3-5
| align="center" style="background-color: #7f7f7f;" | Ladder Climb {{ref|5|5}}
| align="center" style="background-color: #cf4f4f;" | Skyway Pole {{ref|6|6}}
| align="center" | 35.0
|-
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" style="background-color: #ff7f7f;" | Brick Climb
| align="center" style="background-color: #cf4f4f;" | Skyway Pole {{ref|6|6}}
| align="center" | 30.0
|-
| align="center" | 7
| align="center" style="background-color: #d746f4;" | Net Climb
| align="center" style="background-color: #cf4f4f;" | Skyway Pole {{ref|6|6}}
| align="center" | Unknown
|}

<div class="references-small">
{{note|5|5}} In the 5th Competition, the Ladder Climb alternated from one side to the other.

{{note|6|6}} The Skyway Pole is sometimes called the Pole Climb or the Skyway.

</div>

==Obstacles==
===First Stage===
Participants are given 80 to 105 seconds to complete First Stage.

In the 1st Competition, the First Stage proved to be a difficult course, as only two people were able to move on to the next stage. This caused a major change in the First Stage, making it less difficult than in the 1st Competition.

;Dancing Stones
:9 vertical poles, each topped with a rounded pad, are arranged in an offset pattern. The competitor must step from pole to pole, balancing on the rounded mound, to cross the obstacle. From the 4th Competition onward, the mound on a central pole near the beginning of the obstacle is on a spring, making it somewhat more unstable than the others. Along with the "Hop Rocket", the "Dancing Stones" are responsible for most contestant eliminations.
:In the 7th Competition, the "Dancing Stones" was a Second Stage obstacle.

;Lilypads
:A set of five small floating pads in a pool of water that alternate sides. The contestant must hop across these five [[bullet]]-shaped pads to the other side.
:This has a similarity to [[Sasuke (TV series)|Sasuke's]]'' "Sextuple Step".

;Windmill Cross
:A sloped [[carousel]] spins slowly. Three narrow fins radiate from the center, providing a narrow place to safely walk. The contestant must walk across a fin to reach the center of the carousel, and across another fin to reach the opposite side before jumping to safety. Contestants who fall off the fin onto the carousel rarely can avoid sliding down the sloped sides and into the water below.
:In the 1st Competition, the obstacle was composed of three small windmills rather than the one big windmill used in later competitions.

;Log Jam
:Two stationery round "logs" are placed above a pool of water. The logs are separated forcing the contestant to maintain balance while walking across the logs, but also while jumping to the second log. The second log is about three quarters the size of the first, and is also placed lower and to the right.
:In the 7th competition, the buzzer that starts the "Flying Pillar" was placed at the start of the Log Jam. The buzzer, when hit, sounded a horn and started the "Flying Pillar"'s downward journey, forcing contestants to move quickly while maintaining balance.

;Balance Bridge
:A long, flat plank stretches between two risers. The plank can rotate along its long axis.
:In the 3rd Competition, a fin-like protrusion running along part of the long axis was in center of the Balance Bridge making it similar to the version in [[Sasuke (TV series)|Sasuke]] in the first 7 competitions.
:In the 4th Competition and onward, 3 large rectangular holes are cut along the long axis. Each of these served to make running straight down the middle difficult.
:This obstacle was also on [[Sasuke (TV series)|Sasuke]] for eight competitions (1st-7th and 11th).

;Barrel Roll
:Contestants must balance on the side of a steel barrel as it rolls down a slow incline, similar to the "Balance Tank" on [[Sasuke (TV series)|Sasuke]].

;Tornado Run
:Contestants must cross a set of three balance beams, each only 7 inches wide, while a wind machine blows at {{convert|55|mph|km/h}} against them in an attempt to throw them off balance. The first beam is positioned directly against the wind machine, thus creating a headwind; the second beam is at a 45 degree angle against the fan, and the third beam runs alongside the wind machine, resulting in a crosswind.

;Gateway Bridge
:Contestants must use balance to tiptoe their away along a bridge, about 5cm wide and 60cm long, and then turn 90 degrees and tiptoe along a second bridge.

;Angle Run
:The contestant runs along a riser tilted at a 45 degree angle. At the end of the obstacle, the contestant must jump across the water to a small cushion to continue the course. Starting in the 5th Competition, the contestant would run across one angled riser, then jump to and run across a second angled riser facing the other direction before reaching the end of the obstacle.

;Hop Rocket
:Assisted by the bounce from a mini-[[trampoline]], contestants try to jump across a large gap and land on a padded riser on the opposite side. In the 3rd Competition only, a small platform was located in the center of the gap to aid the contestant. In the 7th Competition, this immediately precedes the "Yellow Post", explained below.

;Yellow Post
:The obstacle is a padded yellow post in a pool of water. The competitors must bounce on a small trampoline onto the post. Then, the contestant must hop off onto a mat nearby and continue to the "Angle Run".

;Vertical Limit/Conviction Hill
:The Vertical Limit is a combination between the "Hill Climb" and the "Warped Wall" where the contestants must climb a hill with two ropes available.
:In the 5th competition, it was remade into the Conviction Hill where the contestants ran up two ramps decreasing in height, it is similar to the "Crooked Wall" on [[Sasuke (TV series)|Sasuke]].

;Slippery Slide
:Contestants ride a [[zip-line]] over a pit of water. Before reaching the end, the contestant must let go of the zip-line and drop to a small cushioned island in the water below. The contestant then crosses a series of narrow balance beams to reach the "Escape Ladder".

;Escape Ladder
:The contestant climbs a rope ladder to reach the upper platform and hit the finish buzzer to complete the stage.

;Escape Pole
:The contestant most climb up a pole to reach to upper platform and hit the buzzer to complete the stage. Very similar to the "Skyway Pole".

;Float Run
:The contestant must run across five foam floats, two large squares and three narrower rectangles.

;Prism Tilt
:The contestant must run across a prism-shaped object that is on an axle. Used for only one time on [[Sasuke (TV series)|Sasuke]].

;Flying Pillar
:The contestant must use a springboard to catch and hang from a soft pillar, then hold her feet up avoiding a pool of water to land on a floating platform.
:Similar to the "Log Grip" on [[Sasuke (TV series)|Sasuke]].

;Double Hurdle
:Used only once, this obstacle consists of a pair of hurdles, the second of which is about double the size of the first.

;Falling Pole
:The contestant must slide down an inclined pole over the water to a floating platform, then follow a balance beam to the "Escape Ladder".

===Second Stage===
In the first five competitions, a competitor only had from 30 to 50 seconds to complete the entire course.

In the 6th Competition, it was turned into a time trial, with only the six fastest competitors (assuming more than six complete the course successfully) advancing to the Third Stage. In addition, the 6th Competition's Second Stage carried a 70-second time limit.

By the 7th Competition, the course used the original rules, which the competitors must complete the Stage under a certain time limit.

;Super Jump
:It requires contestants to stand on a mattress-like platform that slides down a slope that ends in a ramp. Before the platform hits the end of the ramp, she must jump off it in order to land on the small cushion. The ''Sasuke'' equivalent is the "Downhill Jump" but it was slidedown, has a skateboard, and has a zipline to grab on instead of a cushion to jump on however there is a mat to land on afterwards.

;Spining Slopes
:There are two sloped round platforms that rotate. The contestants have to jump from one to another to get to the next obstacle.

;Spinning Log
:The contestant must cross a spinning log in order to reach the other side. Also on ''Sasuke'' for the first two competitions and returned in the 17th competition as the Log Slope.

;Ledge Walk
:The competitor must cross two sections of ledge at the bottom of a wall, with water below. The second section has two short strips sticking out of the wall at about knee height to increase the difficulty. This obstacle once was on Sasuke.

;Floating Bridge
:The competitor must cross several floating logs that gradually sink when stepped on.

;Triple Hurdle
:There have been two different obstacles with this same name, one appearing in the First Stage and Second Stage and another in just the Second Stage:

;Swinging Hammers
:The competitors must cross a bridge while avoiding four swinging hammers. This obstacle is similar to ''Sasuke's'' "Hammer Dodge".

;Two-Pole Bridge
:The contestant must balance a foot on each of two parallel metal poles and traverse them to the next obstacle.

;Net Climb
:The contestant must climb a cargo net. The netting design is similar to ''SASUKE'''s "Jump Hang", The function is VERY similar to SASUKE's "Net Bridge". This was one of the two final stage obstacles in the 7th competition. The final stage's net climb is much larger.

;Swinging Beams
:The contestant must cross two beams that are suspended by rope, with ropes hanging above the middle of each beam to assist in crossing. The first beam is made of a wood. The second beam is made of [[bamboo]]. The contestant must then cross a third beam made of metal that is supported by metal poles and lacks the middle assist rope.

;Hill Climb
:The competitors must scamper up a 60°, {{convert|16|ft|m}} hill. Also found on ''Sasuke'' in the first four competitions.

;Monkey Bars
:A set of [[monkey bars]] must be crossed by the competitors. The monkey bars are set on a pivoting mount on the scaffolding above. This is later used as SASUKE's "Swing Ladder".

=== Third Stage ===
A third stage was placed before the Final Stage beginning in the 3rd Competition. Like the previous stages, the Third Stage is composed of balance-based obstacles. In the 3rd-4th Competition, each competitor was given 90 seconds to complete the course.

For the 5th Competition, the time limit to complete the first two obstacles was eliminated. The contestant starts the timer during the final obstacle. This timer was removed in the 6th Competition to make it similar to the men's third stage.

;Super Vault
:The competitor pole vaults over two bodies of water. The second landing area has an upward incline, making it harder for competitors to land on it without falling into the water behind them. Removed in 5th Competition. This obstacle was also on ''Sasuke'' except that there was only 1 platform instead of 2.

[[Image:Kunoichi dominoes.JPG|thumb|right|150px|Contestant Rie Komiya crossing Domino Hill.]]
;Domino Hill
:The competitor balances and walks across 40 upright, foam [[dominoes]]. If a competitor loses her balance and touches a domino with her hand, she is disqualified. In the 7th tourmament, it appears that the red zone of dominoes has been changed to something that looks like the "Dancing Stones". Based on Kinniku Banzuke's "Sponge Bridge" event though there is no blue zone.

;Pendulum Bridge
:The competitor walks across a {{convert|4|in|cm}} wide, plank-like bridge that moves back and forth, like a [[pendulum]], when walked on. It was removed in the 5th Competition, but reinstated in the following one. This was in the 1st and 2nd Competitions in the Second Stage as the "Swinging Beam".

;Unforgiving Wall
:It is a combination of the Cliff Hanger and Ledge Walk. The women are given a footholes in addition to 4 handholes. The wall is tilted backward about 10 degrees every gap, meaning the women must cross it leaning backward. There are four sections, with the second and third each rising {{convert|1|ft|m}}, and the fourth going down {{convert|1|ft|m}}. Replaces the "Super Vault" in the 5th Competition.

;Dreamers Road
:"Dreamers Road" is a long balance beam over a chasm of water. Before the competitor begins crossing, she must hit a button to begin the 15-second timer. To complete the stage, she must cross the balance beam and hit the final buzzer at the end before the 15-second timer runs out. Replaces the "Pendulum Bridge" in the 5th Competition. It is similar to the original Final Stage, the "Balance Walk", but smaller, and no cylindrical bumps.

;Peg Jump
:Added for the 6th Competition and replacing the "Unforgiving Wall", the competitor must jump across to five small platforms of differing heights. Similar to Sasuke's Pillar Path but wider.

;Magic Wall
: A wall that must be scaled using rock-climbing equipment. To increase the difficulty the second third is leaning backward. No one has yet attempted this obstacle.

===Final Stage===
In the first two competitions, there were only three stages. The Final Stage became the fourth stage beginning with the 3rd Competition.

Nobody made the Final Stage in the 1st Competition. The Final Stage in the 2nd Competition involved a long balance beam with cylindrical bumps, over a pool of water. The competitor was supported by a harness. There was no time limit.

The Final Stage was revamped for the 3rd Competition, making it similar to the Final Stage of ''Sasuke''. The competitor has 35 seconds to complete two obstacles. In the 3rd and 4th Competitions, it was to climb up a {{convert|10|m|ft}} tower using ladder rungs attached to the sides of the walls, then climb a {{convert|5|m|ft}} pole to a landing and the finishing button. In the 5th Competition, the ladder rungs alternated, making it more difficult for the competitor to reach the end, since they would have to climb the opposite wall every few steps. For the 6th Competition, the tower was replaced by a {{convert|10|m|ft}} "Wall Climb". In the 7th Competition, the wall tower was replaced with a {{convert|10|m|ft}} "Net Climb", however, no one has reached this "newest" Final Stage. Unlike ''Sasuke'', ''Kunoichi's'' Final Stage competitors are not dropped into a free fall if they fail to finish before time runs out. However, they are still supported by a safety line. The ladders and wall and net slide out of the way when the competitor transitions to the "Pole Climb", but are not timed like ''Sasuke's'' "Spider Climb".

==United States and United Kingdom broadcasts==
The program can be seen in the [[United States]] as '''''Women of [[Sasuke (TV series)|Ninja Warrior]]''''' on the [[G4 (TV channel)|G4 channel]]. Just like in the regular version of ''Ninja Warrior'', the [[play-by-play]] commentary and interviews with participants are [[Subtitle (captioning)|subtitled]] in English while the introduction, player profiles, and replays have been [[Dubbing (filmmaking)|dubbed]] by voice actor [[Dave Wittenberg]]. Each episode is a 30-minute portion of the Japanese broadcast.

It has also been broadcast in the UK on the channel [[Challenge]] along side ''Ninja Warrior''. It is dubbed by [[Stuart Hall (presenter)|Stuart Hall]].

Episodes also feature segments such as "Ninja Killer" (an obstacle from a stage that took out the most contestants), and "Warrior Wipeout" (the best wipeout from a ''Women of Ninja Warrior'' contestant). As of now, all 7 competitions have aired in the USA, and competitions 1,2,4,5 & 6 In The UK (Competitions 3 & 7 Are planned for the 3rd series).

==Results==
The following is a list of people who advanced the farthest and reached at least the third stage in each competition. Under each competition, the results are listed in order of who went the farthest first.

<!-- All air dates are of the original Japanese broadcast on TBS. -->

=== 1st Competition ===
Aired: [[December 22]], [[2001]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Competitor
!Stage
!Obstacle
|-
|No. 83 Miho Yamada
|Second
|Failed Super Jump
|-
|No. 100 Masami Yusa
|Second
|Failed Super Jump
|-
|}

'''NOTE''': Nobody cleared the second stage in this competition.

=== 2nd Competition ===
Aired: [[December 21]], [[2002]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Competitor
!Stage
!Obstacle
|-
|No. 81 Yuko Mizuno
|Final
|Failed Balance Walk
|-
|No. 89 Kazue Watanabe
|Final
|Failed Balance Walk
|-
|}

=== 3rd Competition ===
Aired: [[September 24]], [[2003]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Competitor
!Stage
!Obstacle
|-
|No. 100 Yuko Mizuno
|Final
|Failed Pole Climb
|-
|No. 95 Tomomi Hanzawa
|Final
|Failed Pole Climb
|-
|No. 92 Mika Izumi
|Final
|Failed Pole Climb
|-
|No. 97 Nao Watanabe
|Third
|Failed Domino Hill
|-
|No. 85 Kazue Watanabe
|Third
|Failed Domino Hill
|-
|No. 81 Yoko Mori
|Third
|Failed Domino Hill
|-
|No. 78 Sayaka Asami
|Third
|Failed Domino Hill
|-
|No. 70 Airi Yoshihama
|Third
|Failed Domino Hill
|-
|No. 10 Momoe Nakanishi
|Third
|Failed Domino Hill
|-
|No. 84 Ruo
|Third
|Failed Super Vault
|-
|No. 71 Chie Nishimura
|Third
|Failed Super Vault
|}

'''NOTE''': In Stage 1 Kazue Watanabe went after Nao Watanabe, indicating she was the 97th competetor to go.

=== 4th Competition ===
Aired: [[December 25]], [[2004]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Competitor
!Stage
!Obstacle
|-
|No. 58 Ayako Miyake
|Final
|Completed Final Stage (4.1 seconds to spare)
|-
|No. 50 Kazue Watanabe
|Third
|Failed Domino Hill
|-
|No. 70 Rie Komiya
|Third
|Failed Domino Hill
|-
|No. 81 Saori Yoshida
|Third
|Failed Domino Hill
|-
|No. 90 Miho Yamada
|Third
|Failed Domino Hill
|-
|No. 95 Sayaka Asami
|Third
|Failed Domino Hill
|}

=== 5th Competition ===
Aired: [[January 7]], [[2006]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Competitor
!Stage
!Obstacle
|-
|No. 100 Ayako Miyake
|Final
|Completed Final Stage (7.7 seconds to spare)
|-
|No. 72 Rie Komiya
|Final
|Failed Pole Climb
|-
|No. 91 Yuko Mizuno
|Third
|Failed Domino Hill
|-
|No. 95 Sayaka Asami
|Third
|Failed Domino Hill
|-
|No. 83 Yuriko Imamura
|Third
|Failed Domino Hill
|}

=== 6th Competition ===
Aired: [[September 20]], [[2006]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Competitor
!Stage
!Obstacle
|-
|Ayako Miyake
|Final
|Completed Final Stage (0.6 seconds to spare)
|-
|Maho Tanaka
|Final
|Failed Pole Climb
|-
|Mizuho Maeda
|Third
|Failed Pendulum Bridge
|-
|Tomoka Iwai
|Third
|Failed Domino Hill
|-
|Erin Jessica Dolty
|Third
|Failed Peg Jump
|-
|Rena Higashi
|Third
|Failed Peg Jump
|-Tanaka completed the wall climb but her time ran out as she began the skyway pole.
|}

=== 7th Competition ===
Aired: [[September 5]], [[2007]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Competitor
!Stage
!Obstacle
|-
|No. 91 Maho Tanaka
|Third
|Failed Domino Hill
|-
|}

== See also ==
* [[Sasuke (TV series)]]

== External links ==
* [http://www.tbs.co.jp/program/kunoichi_20070905.html TBS Kunoichi 2007 Page] {{jp icon}}
* [http://www.tbs.co.jp/program/kunoichi.html TBS Kunoichi Main Page] {{jp icon}}
* [http://www.tbs.co.jp/program/tokuban_kunoichi_060920.html TBS Kunoichi 2006 Page] {{jp icon}}
* [http://www.sasuke.keshiheads.co.uk/two.html]

[[Category:Japanese game shows]]
[[Category:G4 television series]]
[[Category:Sports entertainment]]

[[fi:Naisten ninjasoturi-kisa]]
[[ja:KUNOICHI]]
[[zh:極限體能王SASUKE]]

Revision as of 17:28, 10 October 2008

Operation Jaywick
Part of World War II, Japanese occupation of Singapore

The Krait used to infiltrate Singapore.
DateSeptember 26, 1943
Location
Singapore Harbour
Result Z Force Victory
Belligerents
Japan Empire of Japan United Kingdom British Z Force
New Zealand NZ Z Force
Australia Australian Z Force
Commanders and leaders
Various Ivan Lyon
Hubert Edward Carse
Strength
N/A 15 commandos
Casualties and losses
7 ships damaged/sunk None

Operation Jaywick was a special operation undertaken in World War II. In September 1943, 15 Allied commandos from Z Force raided Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour, sinking seven ships.

Background

Special Operations Australia (SOA), a joint Allied military intelligence organisation, was established in March 1942. SOA operated under the cover name Inter-Allied Services Department (or IASD). It contained several British SOE officers who had escaped from Japanese occupied Singapore, and they formed the nucleus of the IASD, which was based in Melbourne. In June 1942, a commando arm was organised as Z Special Unit (which was later commonly known as Z Force). It drew its personnel primarily from the Australian Army and Royal Australian Navy.

In 1943, a 28-year-old British officer, Captain Ivan Lyon (of the Allied Intelligence Bureau and Gordon Highlanders), and a 61-year-old Australian civilian, Bill Reynolds, devised a plan to attack Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour. Commandos would travel to the harbour in a vessel disguised as an Asian fishing boat. They would then use collapsible canoes to attach limpet mines to Japanese ships.

Bill Reynolds was in possession of a 21.3 metre Japanese coastal fishing boat, the Kofuku Maru, which he had used to evacuate refugees out of Singapore. Lyon ordered that the boat be shipped from India to Australia. Upon its arrival, he renamed the vessel MV Krait, after the small but deadly Asian snake.

The Attack

Japanese ship Nagano Maru. A ship of this class was damaged at Singapore Harbour.

In mid-1943, the Krait travelled from a training camp at Broken Bay, New South Wales to Thursday Island. Aboard was a complement from Z Special Unit of four British and eleven Australian personnel, comprising:

  • Major Ivan Lyon (Mission commander)
  • Lieutenant Hubert Edward Carse (Krait's captain)
  • Lieutenant D M N Davidson
  • Lieutenant R C Page
  • Corporal A A Crilly
  • Leading Seaman K P Cain
  • Leading Stoker J P McDowell
  • Leading Telegraphist H S Young
  • Able Seaman W G Falls
  • Corporal R G Morris
  • Able Seaman M Berryman
  • Able Seaman F W L Marsh
  • Able Seaman A W Jones
  • Able Seaman A W G Huston

On August 13 1943 the Krait left Thursday Island for the U.S. Naval Base at Exmouth Gulf in northern Western Australia where it was refuelled and repairs were undertaken.

On September 2 the Krait left Exmouth Gulf and departed for Singapore. The team's safety depended on maintaining the disguise of a local fishing boat. The men stained their skin brown with dye to appear more Asiatic and were meticulous in what sort of rubbish they threw overboard, lest a trail of European garbage lead arouse suspicion. After a relatively uneventful voyage the Krait arrived off Singapore on September 24. That night six men left the boat and paddled 50 kilometres to establish a forward base in a cave on a small island near the harbour. On the night of September 26 they paddled into the harbour and placed limpet mines on several Japanese ships before returning to their hiding spot.

The crew of the Krait during Operation Jaywick

In the resulting explosions, the limpet mines sank or seriously damaged seven Japanese ships, comprising over 39,000 tons between them [1]. The commandos waited until the commotion over the attack had subsided and then returned to the Krait, which they reached on October 2. The return to Australia was mostly uneventful, except for a tense incident in the Lombok Strait when the ship was closely approached by a Japanese patrol boat; however the Krait was not challenged. On October 19, the ship and crew arrived safely back at Exmouth Gulf.

The raid was later dramatised in an acclaimed Australian telemovie, The Heroes (1988).

Repercussions of the raid

File:Andrew Huston.jpg
Able Seaman Andrew Huston

The Japanese authorities in Singapore were completely surprised by the raid. Never suspecting such an attack could be mounted from Australia, they assumed it had been carried out by local saboteurs, most probably pro-Communist Chinese guerillas. In their efforts to uncover the perpetrators, a wave of arrests, torture and executions began. Local Chinese and Malays, as well as interned POWs and European civilians were targeted in this program. The incident became known as the Double Tenth, for 10th October, the day that Japanese secret police began the mass arrests.

Given the misery visited upon the local population by the Japanese, criticism has arisen as to whether Operation Jaywick was justified, especially with its relatively limited strategic results. In the aftermath of the raid, the Allies never claimed responsibility for the attack on shipping, most likely because they wanted to preserve the secret of the Krait for future similar missions. Therefore the Japanese did not divert significant military resources to defending against such attacks, instead just using their secret police to enact reprisals against civilians.

Operation Jaywick was followed by Operation Rimau. Three ships were sunk, but the participants including Lyon were killed or captured and executed.



References

  1. ^ Operation Jaywick - 60th Anniversary

External links

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