ROOT OF REVOLT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18954, 3 March 1936, Page 5

ROOT OF REVOLT

CORRUPT POLITICS JAPANESE ARMY VIEW STRONG MAN WANTED NEW PRIME MINISTER PRINCE TO MAKE CHOICE (Flee. Tol. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. March 3, noon.) LONDON, March 2. A Tokio message says that, following the suppression of the army revolt, attention in Japan is now focussed on Ihe business of making a new Cabinet. Prince Saionji, according to precedent, nominates the new Prime Minister, who will bo consulted regarding the appointment of the Lord Privy Seal, who is the liaison Minister between the Emperor and the Government.

The army viewpoint is that the root causes of the recent incidents lie in political corruption of many years’ standing. For that reason the army wants a strong man as Prime Minister. The banks have reopened, and the rice exchange is busy at slightly higher prices. The stock exchanges reopen on Thursday.

It is announced from the Palace that Count Malcino, former Lord Privy Seal, who disappeared during the assassinations, will arrive at the palace at Tokio this afternoon. Count Makino and Prince Saionji will remain in the precincts of the palace until the new Government is formed. Mr. Fukai, president of the Bank of Japan, is considered the likeliest successor to Mr. K. Takahashi as Minister of Finance. Mr. Fukai favours a similar policy to that of Mr. Takuhashi, who once was president of the bank.

The Tokio correspondent of the Times says that the completeness of General Kashii’s preparations to subjugate the revolt included the evacuation of civilians from the danger zone and their accommodation in schools. Troops closed every exit from the disturbed area and the capital was silenced, immobilised, and isolated not only from the world but from the remainder of Japan. The last batch of rebels surrendered at 3 p.m..

The appointment of a strong Cabinet is essential, pending which martial law is being maintained.

The press praises General Kasha and favourably compares the demeanour of the citizens with that of the Romans when Signor Mussolini marched in. Other sources say that the Government forces entered the compound and drove out the last few mutineers.

The imprisoned officers include txLieuts. Koji and Muranaka, and exGaptains Asaito, Isobe and Zensuke Sbimukawu. The two first-named were dismissed from the army in November for issuing pamphlets against the Moderates. The pamphlets greatly influenced Lieut.-Colonel Saburo Aizawa, whose trial on the charge of murdering General Nagata, Director of Military Affairs, is still unfinished.

The Empress will not celebrate her thirty-third birthday on Friday because of martial law.

“EXAMPLE TO REBELS”

OFFICER AND WIFE HARA-KIRI IN HOME TOKIO, March 2. Furious at the way the rebel officers had outraged the army regulations, Kankichi Aoshima, a young lieutenant in tiie Imperial Guards, informed his wife that he intended to commit hara-kiri "as an example to tho rebels.” His wife replied that she would follow her husband to death.

They bathed, put on clean white clothes and seated themselves on beds. The husband disembowelled himself and his wife cut her throat, with a woman’s ceremonial dagger. Aoshima was found in a dying condition beside his wife’s body at their home in a Tokio suburb.

SOVIET FEARS OF WAR

HOSTILITY TO ARAKI

BITTER PRESS OPINIONS

LONDON, March 1

The Riga correspondent of the Times says that the Soviet press represents the events in Tokio as bound (o expedite a great, war in the Far East unless the .Japanese masses thwart I lie militarists’ plans.

The newspapers describe General Araki as a bitter enemy of the Soviet, and the real leader of the junior officers’ activities, and declare that a coming war is an essential part of tile Government’s programme, though Admiral Okada and Mr. K. Takahashi strove to postpone its beginning.

BRITON IN CUSTODY

RELEASE EXPECTED LONDON, March 2. It is learned from the Japanese Embassy that Mr, Gerald Sampson, the British journalist, who was arrested at the Imperial .Hotel, Tokio, for allegedly criticising the proclamation of martial law, lias been charged with "propagating an ill-founded rumour.”

The Tokio police authorities, it is stated, have now informed the British Consul that Mr. Sampson will be sent back to his hotel as soon ns conditions are normal.