HIROHITO’S POSITION

Evening Star, Issue 25672, 21 December 1945, Page 5

HIROHITO’S POSITION

NOT NAMED AS WAR CRIMINAL USEFUL TO GENERAL MACARTHUR TOKIO, December 20. It is learned that General MacArthur will not name the Emperor as a war criminal or force his abdication unless evidence of Hirohito’s guilt develops or General MacArthur is compelled to act by directive from higher authority, says the New York ‘ HeraldTribune ’ correspondent. If the Emperor, however, wishes to abdicate—according to some reports he has been asking General (MacArthur’s sanction for such a move—that is something which the Government and people must work out for themselves. General MacArthur, who considers the first major phase of the occupation concluded with the directive abolishing State Shinto, redefined the occupation policy in instructions to his commands, which, according to a staff release, “ are set-forth with striking clarity, opportunity being afforded the completely vanquished enemy to correct the errors of its ways.” The instructions emphasised again' the determination to keep a firm hold of the Japanese people, but the Government and people must be given every opportunity to carry out the supreme commander’s orders without compulsion. The supreme commander will continue to control Japan through Hirchito and other suitable means, but the final form of Government must be one supported by the freely-expressed will of the people. General MacArthur cautioned his commanders that respect for, and confidence in. the United Nations and their representatives will be developed by example and demonstration and the safeguarding of individual rights. While Japanese officials continued to emphasise the growing gravity of the impending food crisis, the occupation authorities forbade American troops to eat Japanese food, and all eating places serving food from Japanese sources have been placed out of bounds. Chib messes have been ordered to obtain food only from Allied sources. The orders said the action was taken to prevent possible civil unrest and undue interference with the occupation mission. In the meantime, official Japanese figures showed that the rice collections were only 11 per cent, of- the total assessment. Although General MacArthur dissolved tlie Kempeitai in September, former members are trying to infiltrate the yanks of the civil police, whose officials are reported to be “ taking care of their old pals,” says the New York ‘ Herald-Tribune ’ correspondent. Brigadier-general Thorpe commented that eventually all former members of tlie Kempeitai must be removed from the police forces There was no use in just changing their hats.

In the meantime the finding of hidden arms is becoming more frequent. This may lead to drastic corrective action, even to compelling Hirohito to issue an Imperial rescript