EMPEROR MAY ABDICATE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23279, 15 August 1945, Page 5

EMPEROR MAY ABDICATE

Political Move in Japan Avoiding Indignities British Official Wireless (Rec. 7.30 p.m.) RUGBY, Aug. 14. The Washington correspondent of “The Times” says enemy broadcasts indicate that the Japanese people are being prepared for the possible abdication of the Emperor in favour of his son with the Emperor’s brother as Regent.

The “Yorkshire Post” says: “Hints have come from the Japanese military attache in Stockholm that the Emperor will probably abdicate in favour of the Crown Prince—a boy of 12—and colour is lent to this supposition by the attempts being made in the Japanese Press to build up devotion to the Crown Prince in this moment of national crisis. Such a plan would mean setting up a Council of Regency and so would avoid involving- the Emperor in the indignity of carrying out the dictates of the Allied Command.”

The writer says some sections of Allied opinion might approve a device which removed from the throne a man who has become identified with Japan’s long- career of international erime, but "it is to be hoped that before any such arrangement receives Allied sanction the Emperor will be compelled to sign the instrument of surrender.”

No Great Subtlety The "Daily Telegraph” feels that no great subtlety has been shown by the Japanese leaders in delaying the inevitable. The Tokio statement yesterday that the Allied reply to Japan’s offer of surrender had only just been received could not serve any useful purpose. Set against the announcement of another conference between the Emperor and Tojo, the fanatical militarist who is Foreign Minister, it proved that the situation had got out of control. There are evidently two, probably more than two, opinions among the Japanese chiefs about what