How many Japanese survived Iwo Jima?

Question:

How many Japanese survived Iwo Jima?

I just watched Flags of Our Fathers and I was wondering, how many Japanese survived Iwo Jima? Weren't there a number of them holed up for a couple of years before they discovered the war ended?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: As stated by others - - - about a thousand and three were captured. As for soldiers bunkering down for years on an island - - - there were several Pacific Islands thick with jungle where various numbers of Japanese were 'safely' ignored until long after the official end of the war but not Iwo Jima. Iwo Jima is a barren rock hostile toward survival.
http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/ww2timel...
"""U.S. personnel 6,821 Killed 19,217 Wounded 2,648 Combat Fatigue Total 28,686
Marine Casualties 23,573
Japanese Troops 1,083 POW and 20,000 est. Killed""
http://www.wanpela.com/holdouts/profiles...
"""Corporal Shoichi Yokoi
Guam Island
Surrendered - January 1972

One of the most famous of holdouts, his story was widly reported in the world media, and he wrote a book translated to English about his wartime experiences and 28 years hiding on Guam as a Japanese holdout.

Background
In 1941, Shoichi Yokoi was drafted and assigned to the regiment in China. Next, he was assigned to Guam. After the American landings on Guam, the regiment Yokoi belonged to was almost annihilated, he flees into jungles. Yokoi was assumed to have been killed in the battle, Japanese government made announcement of his death.

Circumstances of His Surrender
Corporal Shoichi Yokoi, was found by two hunters while he was fishing along the Talofofo River and captured in January 1972. He brought back his army-issue rifle, which he said he wanted to return to "the Honorable Emperor," adding: "I am sorry I did not serve his majesty to my satisfaction."

"We Japanese soldiers were told to prefer death to the disgrace of getting captured alive,"
Yokoi, 1972

"The only thing that gave me the strength and will to survive was my faith in myself and that as a soldier of Japan, it was not a disgrace to continue on living"
Yokoi, 1986

Afterwards
In February 1972, Yokoi returns to Japan. He landed Tokyo first, and then came back to Nagoya, where he was born and raised. He marries Mihoko. He died on September 23, 1997""

http://www.wanpela.com/holdouts/profiles...
"""2nd Lt. Hiroo Onoda
Lubang Island, Philippines
Surrendered - March 5, 1974

The most famous of all Holdouts, his story was widly reported in the world media, and he wrote a book translated to English about his wartime experiences and 29 years as a Japanese holdout.

Background
Born in the town of Kainan, Japan in 1922 and when he turned seventeen, he went to work for a trading company in China. In May of 1942, Onoda was drafted into the Japanese Army. Unlike most soldiers, he attended a school that trained men for guerilla warfare.

Assignment to Lubang Island, Philippines
On December 26, 1944 (age 23), Hiroo Onoda was sent to the small island of Lubang Island, approximately seventy-five miles southwest of Manila in the Philippines. Shortly after Americans landed, all but four of the Japanese soldiers had either died or surrendered. Hiroo Onda was also with three other holdouts, who all died over the decades: Private Yuichi Akatsu, Corporal Shoichi Shimada (died 1954), Private Kinshichi Kozuka (died 1972).

Circumstances of His Surrender
Despite the efforts of the Philippine Army, letters and newspapers left for them, radio broadcasts, and even a plea from Onoda's brother, he did not belive the war was over. On February 20, 1974, Onoda encountered a young Japanese university dropout named Norio Suzuki who was traveling the wold and told his friends that he was ??going to look for Lieutenant Onoda, a panda, and the abominable snowman, in that order. The two became friends, but Onoda said that he was waiting for orders from one of his commanders. On March 9, 1974, Onoda went to an agreed upon place and found a note that had been left by Suzuki. Suzuki had brought along Onoda??s one-time superior commander, Major Taniguchi, who delivered the oral orders for Onoda to surrender. Intelligence Officer 2nd Lt. Hiroo Onada emerged from the jungle of Lubang Island with his .25 caliber rifle, 500 rounds of ammunition and several hand grenades. He sureendered 29 years after Japan's formal surrender, and 15 years after being declared legally dead in Japan. When he accepted that the war was over, he wept openly.

Afterwards
He returned to Japan to receive a hero??s welcome, and world media attention, and was hounded by the curious public everywhere he went. He was unable to adapt to modern life in Japan, but wrote his memories of survival in "No Surrender: My Thirty Year War" After publication, he moved to Brazil to raise cattle. He revisited Lubang island in 1996, and still alive today. He then married a Japanese woman and moved back to Japan to run a nature camp for kids. Anyone with contact information for Mr. Onoda, ""

Joy ------------------