THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1936

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22355, 28 February 1936, Page 10

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1936

CRISIS IN JAPAN So often have sudden tumult and bloodshed distressed the path of Japanese politics that instinctively the news from Tokio is read in relation to much that has gone before. The facts of this latest attempt to wrest power from authority properly constituted are sufficiently clear to class it thus. Resort to assassination has been frequent in recent years. Prime have been the usual victims: Kato in 1924, Yamamoto in 1929, Yuko Hamaguchi in 1930, Inukai in 1932. Others prominent in political leadership have been similarly done to death. At any moment, it appears, the hands directing the governmental machine have been exposed to risk of assault. In part this is due to certain qualities of Japanese character, notably tending to swift temperamental excesses, indulged with reckless enthusiasm for any cause of the'hour. Suicide by harakiri is a custom typical of this disposition. Dashing achievements in war are equally so. No words are neseded to prove that such a quality, whatever its excellence in some respects, js not conducive to patient working of a parliamentary constitution. Events have demonstrated the weakness. It is in reference to patriotism that the slenderness of self-discipline has been most plainly revealed. Devotion to country is in Japan not a sentiment but a passion ; opposition to it, even hesitation in it. is traditiqnally regarded as impiety, and invites swift and relentless punishment at the nearest hands. In modern days' patriotism has become a Japanese cult, systematised with a remarkable thoroughness in many quarters, and in none as thoroughly as in the army and naivy, where secret societies for encouragement of its most rabid forms have been organised. When the features of the present outbreak are examined, the play of these influences can be clearly seen. The fabric of Japanese politics contributes to the risk. In the governmental machine itself, considered apart from the hands temporarily directing it, is opportunity for trouble. Partly old, partly new, this machine lacks needful co-ordin-ation. To Western minds, accustomed to the development of democracy, albeit the development is incomplete, the position in Japan presents peculiarities almost unbelievable. At the top is extreme autocracy, at least in theory, of the ancient feudal type. The Emperor, called by all his subjects the Son of Heaven, is to them supremely divine. By the law of the constitution he is thus venerated, his person being declared sacred and inviolable. From him emanates legislative power; he has the right to declare war, make peace and conclude treaties; ultimate command of the army and navy is declaredly his. Some Western peoples have preserved the titular force of such dignities: in Japan, despite the creation of the Imperial Diet and a ministerial system, the dignities are held to be more than titular; they actually reside in the Emperor. In time, following the lines of Western evolution, this unique supremacy will merge in the will of the popular legislative assembly—already there are of that progress —but for the time being the ancient order remains. (Consequently, since direct loyalty to the Emperor is deemed a primary and unequivocal duty, the parliamentary system is weakly based. Patriotism centres, on the Emperor and veneration of him is still the fundamental duty of all; therefore, those dissatisfied with any operation of the legislature or the high command of the forces find a ready selfjustification of their opposing purposes, and feel no compunction but rather a virtuous pride in pressing them to the point of insurrection against any lesser authority. In this spirit the secret societies, such as the Black Dragon, the Brotherhood of Blood and, the National Spirit Preservation Society, carry out their programmes of imperialism. Responsibility to the Emperor alone and the duty of serving the expansion of his divine rule obsess them. ' In this strangely compounded system, which still permits the Emperor to make some appointments of Ministers directly, without reference to the Diet, anomalies are ever present and the status of Ministers is only nominally secure. Should their policy tend in any way to weaken the imperialist cause, they are marked for the vengeful attention of the factions devoted to this cause, these factions beinginfiuentialin both the army and navy. The recent general elections produced a radical majority in the Diet and a composite, moderate Ministry prepared to foster peace abroad ; hence the reactionaries were moved to revolt, doubtless hoping to effect a coup d'etat that would banish parliamentary rule and restore old feudal privileges. They have thus precipitated a crisis. Their complete success would have initiated a reign of terror at home and a foreign policy fraught with bitter trouble for the world. Fortunately, their failure may bring a strengthening of the institutions of order and peace. Time .will tell.