TOJO SHOOTS HIMSELF

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 September 1945, Page 5

TOJO SHOOTS HIMSELF

SEQUEL TO ARREST ORDER

RECOVERY PROSPECTS LONDON, September 11. General Tojo, the notorious Japanese war lord, who was Prime Minister at the time of the Pearl Harbour attack, shot himself at his home near Tokio as United States intelligence officers closed in to arrest him. An American broadcaster in Tokio reported that Tojo died 20 minutes later. There is no official confirmation of Tojo’s death, but a Japanese News Agency report said that he was not expected to live. It was earlier reported that General MacArthur had ordered the arrest of Tojo in a round-up of war criminal suspects. Tojo was at one stage of the war virtual dictator of Japan, and more than any other politician he represented the spirit of Japanese aggression. “I WANT~TO DIE" (Rec. 9.15 a.m.) TOKIO, Sept. 11. Soon after he had reported that Tojo had died 20 minutes after shooting himself, the C.B.S. correspondent here said: Tojo is still alive, but is believed to be dying. Japanese sources, however, report that Tojo has a fair chance of recovery. Before he shot himself, Tojo twice opened one of the big sliding windows, smiled.hard and steelily at the officers, then slammed down the window so hard, he nearly broke it. Thereupon, one of the officers tried to display his credentials through a window. Tojo ignored this, except to exclaim, I am Tojo!”

As Tojo stood, glowering through the window, a Press photographer snapped him, then the officers and the correspondents moved towards the front door, intending to go in. Suddenly a shot was fired. lhe officers kicked in the door, which had a flimsy lock. Entering the hall, they broke down a second locked door, and found Tojo sprawled in a deep chair with a bullet wound just under the heart. . , When a doctor and nurse arrived. 55 minutes after the shooting. Tojo is reported to have said: “I want to die. The doctor said he did not have his instruments. He did not know why he was called in. At first he refused to attend to Tojo.

HARAKIRI PREPARATIONS

(Rec. 11.35 a.m.)- ■ TOKIO, September 11. Six hours after the shooting Tojo was still alive. A .32' calibre bullet passed entirely through his body. , An American Army doctor, Captain Johnson, who gave Tojo a blood transfusion, said he had a 50-50 chance of survival. A high percentage, of men with wounds similar to Tojo’s recovered during the war. Tojo was removed to an American field hospital a few miles from his home. A correspondent says apparently Tojo was caught by surprise when the intelligence officers arrived to arrest him. On the table near where he shot himself lay two sharp knives wrapped in a snow white harakiri cloth. Obviously he had not had time to use the traditional Japanese form of suicide, which takes a considerable time. Also on the table near Tojo was a .holder in which a cigarette was still smouldering. Tojo lay in a chair ■groaning. His eyes were half-closed and his slight figure shook as he mut.tered in Japanese, apparently attempting to say he had written out a statement. However, a search failed to disclose it. Captain Johnson gave him a blood transfusion after he refused to be treated by a Japanese doctor. The Domei News Agency reported Tojo as saying: “I am sorry for peoples of Greater East Asia. I shoulder the whole responsibility. I hope they (will not go amiss in dealing with the situation. The Greater East Asia war was a just war. With all our strength gone we finally fell. I didn't want to ,stand before the victors to be tried as the vanquished. This is my own case. I wanted to kill myself at one strike. J first thought of using my sword to kill myself, but instead I used a revolver for fear I might fail and revive.” When he finished speaking Tojo asked for water and with the glass at his lips murmured: “I feel fine.” Tojo told newspapermen that he didn’t care what treatment his body received. According to one source Tojo .in the morning paid his last calls on his friends in accordance with Japanese custom.