JAPANESE STATESMEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21649, 20 May 1932, Page 7

JAPANESE STATESMEN

DEATH OF MR INUKAI \ t THE FUNERAL CEREMONY. TOKIO, May 19. (Received May 19, at 10.40 p.m.) Mr Inukai’s funeral ceremonial took place to-day in the presence of 10,000 people, ihcluding representatives of the Emperor and the Empress and notables. Political leaders of every party united in paying a tribute to the departed statesman. The national flags of the embassies and legations were flown at half mast. After the body has been cremated this evening the ashes will be deposited in ])lr Inukai’s native town. ' Ki Inukai, the Japanese statesman, was born' at Okayama in 1855. He entered politics at a nearly age, and was editor of the Hochi Shimbun ifntil the establishment of the Imperial Diet in 1890. He then held an influential position in the Second Chamber, thanks to his gifts as a speaker and his political ability. In the Okuma-Itagaki Cabinet in 1898 he was for a time Minister of Education. He became leader of the third party, which sprang from the old Progressive Party of Okuma, and which, after 1900, was called the Kokumin-to. In 1922 it was dissolved, and, with the accession of independent deputies, reorganised to form the Kakushin (Reform) Club. This group was not strong numerically, but was very influential, for it often held the balance between the two main parties. It - was merged in the Seiyukai (Conservative) Party in 1925. Mr Inukai became its president in 1929, as successor to the late G. Tanaka. In 1924 he had, as Minister of Communications, joined the Cabinet formed by Baron Kato, leader of the Kenseikai. In November, 1931, dissension arose in the Wakatsuki Cabinet. There was a conflict between the Foreign and War Offices over Manchuria and other causes of dissatisfaction were the practical cessation of trade with China and the Government’s failure to maintain its nonborrowing policy. In December the Cabinet resigned, and Mr Inukai formed a Government drawn entirely from his own party, in which his son-in-law, Mr Yoshizawa, ambassador in Paris, bccamq Foreign Minister. 'lts policy was to maintain full protection for Japan’s interests in Manchuria, where, it was declared, Japan had no territorial aims, and where she favoured an “ open door ” for all.

Mr Inukai was assassinated on Sunday last by a group of young military and naval officers.