Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0096, 1945-12-20.

Summary:

Mr. OZAKI, Yukio, ager 88, a fomous weteran statesman, who is better known by his pseudonym "GAKUDO," and whose term of service as a representative for 55 years is said to be the longest in the world, is reported to be leaving the House of Representatives at the end of the present session of the Diet. He is expected to take the rostrum in order to propose a bill of resolution for the construction of a federation of nations, and deliver his farewell speech. But he is afraid his health will not allow him to realize his intention. So I, a reporter of the ASAHI SHIMBUN, called on the Veteran Statesman at his villa, KAIRAKU-SO, at IZUYAMA, ATAMI, to listen to the story of his life in the Diet. I found Mr. OZAKI with Mr. IWANAMI, owner of the villa, who was visiting him. At his advanced age of 88, he is hard of hearing, though not deaf, and finds it awkward to converse with others. Yet his eloquence is renowned, and his countenance, while he talked, recalling his long experiences in the Diet, was as bright as the winter sun-rays on the IZU Peninsula.

OZAKI'S monologue follows:

My remaining years are few. I only wish I could live longer, so that I could sow the seeds of the rebirth of JAPAN. I will not stand as a candidate in the coning general election. Though I may be nominated and elected. I will decline the office as I shall be unable to work. Old JAPAN has disappeared. The miserable JAPAN that has undergone the greatest humility ever experinced since the founding of the country must vanish now. Enslavement has been the sole purpose of our education up to now. It is my desire to build up independent, self-reliant persons hereafter who will face the fact that we must live on a basis of reason.

"First of all, there are words in the Japanese language whose meanings are not clear. To cite an instance, there is SHINTSHU meaning a state of gods! What on earth does the word "gods" mean? There are many KAMI (meaning "gods") such as KAMI of KAMI-SHIMO, a term for the ancie[illegible]Japanese coat and trousers; KAMI of KAMON-NO-KAMI who was a statesman at the time of the TOKUGAWA Shogunate; and many more. We Japanese have been guided from primary school to university upon a basis of incomprehensible terms. Hence, the confused state of the Japanese mind.

"Again, there are the words 'to win' or 'to lose'. I am quite at a loss to Know what is 'to win' and what is 'to Lose'. In games of chess, for instance, the ultimate move is to drive the king to an inescapable situation. In waging war with AMERICA, JAPAN should have attacked eve NEW YORK and WASHINGTON. Those would have been real moves. A map in

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any primary school demonstrates that, but members of the military staff were not aware of this simple fact.

"In the days when I was a journalist, I used to take two or three hours to write an editorial. English and French writers took only a quarter of an hour or 20 minutes to do the same job. Nowadays they can do it in less time as they use machines. People say that I have lived a life, but I have not done half the work the western people do.

"My life as a representative lasted for more than half a century. Lleyd GEORGE of ENGLAND also served as a Member of Parliament for more than 50 years. Now that he is dead, I am the only record-holder in this connection.

"You ask what was the most impressive incident in my long life connecte[illegible]with the Diet. Well, let me see. I was once called a majician. I was the couse, unwittingly, of the death of two persons, KATSURA, Taro, and YUAN, Sei-gai. My speech, "Under the Cover of the Throne," likenin the Imperial House hold to a breastwork piece, and the Imperial Rescript to bullets, seemes to strike KATSURA a death blow politically. To prevent me from speaking, the Chief secretary hastened to take the rostrum with the Imperial Rescript to adjourn the Diet session. In his hurry he dropped the Rescript, which is construed to be an almost unpardonable mistake. Shortly after KATSURA fell ill and died. His doctor said that the cause of his death was uncertain, but my speech is understood to be the couse of it. After that, Premier TEPAUCHI called me a magician, and did not give me an opportunity to speak in the Diet. Military men are generally superstitious, you know.

"Now something about YUAN, Sei-gai. This person asked the Japanese Government to recognize his intention of ascending the Imperial Throne of CHINA. I was a cabinet member and opposed this move. ENGLAND, AMERICA, FRANCE, and even ITALY supported my opposition. YUAN seemed to be taken with so much surprise that this at last led to his death. However, I shall shortly be summoned to heaven, and then I think I must apologize to them. KATSURA was nicknamed 'the smiling fellow.' In this respect YUAN Sei-gai, was his counterpart. I in heaven, and they in hell; shall we be able to meet together?" Here the veteran stateman laughed loudly.

Upon taking leave of OZAKI, I happened to look at the paper screen in the hall. On it was written a Chinese poem by him in beautiful calligraphy, which vividly typified his energetic activity of 50 long years of service in the Diet.

Full Translation:

Mr. MIYOSHI, Hideyuki, charging the MINPO with deliberate slander, demanded a cancellation of the 15 December article denouncing him as a war criminal. Following is an account of the 15 December interview

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at the MINPO head office. The questions were asked by newspapermen:

Question: How did you feel about the appointment-election of the TOJO Cabinet?

Answer: I opposed it, but I felt it inevitable because of the over-whelming influence of the military at the time. However, I insisted on a fair selection if the method was to be adopted. I was a recommended Member of Partiament. I don't belive all recommended Members of Parliament are responsible for the war. Considering the national situation at the time, most of the recommend members seem to have been properly recommended.

Question: Son't you think the problem lies not in the propriety of the recommendation of the candidates, but in the forced recommendation by the Government and not election by the people?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Moreover, if it is admitted that they were recommended to carry on the war, are the recommended members of Parliament not to be held responsible for the war?

Answer: I admit my responsibility for the war on the basis.

Question: What do you think about the birth of the JAPAN Political Association?

Answer: The Imperial Rule Assistance Association was too bureaucratic at the time, so I asked SHIBAYAMA, Vice-Minister of War in the KOISO Cabinet, to establish the JAPAN political Association in place of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association, and its staff resigned to the same time as the inception of the JAPAN Political Association. Mr. KANEMITSU, Tsuneo, however, remained as director of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association since he had special connections with Mr. MINAMI, president of the same association. KANEMITSU urged me to become Chief Secretary of the JAPAN Political Association, but I refus[illegible]and have since been estranged from the Government.

Question: It is rumored that you had close ties with TOJO through HOSHINO, Chief Sectetary of the Cabinet, and had endeavored to keep the Cabinet in close touch with the Imperial Rule Assistance Assiciat[illegible]Is that true?

Answer: I have never been an agent of the military clique, nor have ever had any intimate connection with the militarist party. I saw TOJO just once, while he was Minister of War. I have never seen him as Premier except in the official assembly, nor have I any personal relations with Mr. OKUMURA, Kiwao. I was Vice-Chief of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association section of the House of Representatives at the time of the TOJO Cabinet, and, as a recommended Member of Parliament, director of the same association toward the end of that cabinet's service. I became Chief of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association section in the House of Representatives, under the

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the direction of KOBAYASHI, president of the Association. Based on this, I admit my war responsibility as a statesman. But I believe war responsibility must be classified by degree of importance, since there is a difference.

Question: But those charged with violating the Public Peace Law for lending books were imprisoned for many years. Are you aware of such fac[illegible]

Answer: That may very well be so, but it seems to me I am bearing more than my share of blame, both in a political and moral sense.

Summary:

Major Eliot stated in his weekly "Far East Comments' as follows: The current Diet session in Japan is pressed to solve a series of vital problems, such as that of food, education, labor, agrarian, finance, an financial difficulties fair and humane Government. Nevertheless, it continues to pass away hours in idle talk on abstract rather than realistic natters. It is regrettable that this is a typical response to the present crises in JAPAN.

"Though the Government has recently set up a committee for determining the war responsibility, it says nothing about how or why JAPAN opened hostilities and does not touch on the crimes of subversive elements who drove JAPAN toward war, or on the unpardonable false statements issued by militarists during the war. The Government limits its discussions solely to speculating on why JAPAN was defeated in the war. It is, I believe, deeply concerned with determining how the nation can be strengthened for the next war. At any rate the Japanese Government has expressed no repentance for the crimes which made JAPAN fall into discredit.

"The atrocities committed at NANKING eight years ago, are never mention now and JAPAN does not, even now, put to trial criminals who committed such unhuman acts. This is noteworthy.

"Many leaders in JAPAN have expounded democracy, but it is apatent fact that militarism and totalitarianism there have not yet ceased to exist. The military clique and the ZAIBATSU, who sponsored the war for avaricuous reasons, still swagger about at large. For instance, General MINAMI told a YOMIURI-HOCHI reporter that the real war criminal were neither the military clique nor the ZAIBATSU, but the masses of JAPAN, who collapsed. He also said that TOJO did his best, but the people did not meet his expectations. How often Japanese high ranking officials have uttered the same words about the people not meeting the expectations of the Emperor!

"Leaders of the Allied Forces are striving to sweep away elements subversive to peace and justice. Those who knew the Japanese people before the war would find then at first glance, undergoing, a surprising

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change However, these changes are all a result of pressure from outside sources and not of the making of Japanese individuals, who want merely to improve their living conditions. Now is the time to initiate constructive measures.

"A new constitution, which is really liberal with no mysticism and superstition must be adopted by the Japanese people. A thorough and final plans for rebuilding the state must be issued by the legislature and government officials. The Emperor himself must draw up a concrete plan, using no vague works. In this way JAPAN can progress and the word will believe the flowery phrases of Japanese self appointed reformers. The responsibility of permanent reforms cannot be expected of occupation forces. JAPAN, driven into the bottomless pit of despair by her villaineus leaders, can extricate herself only by paying heed to the true patriots."

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