Feb, 27.
A close censorship, accompanied by a declaration of martial law for! the whole of the country, masks! events now occurring in Japan. So far as can be ascertained a military coup d'état has been staged. The tragedies of 1932 are vividly recalled. It will be remembered that Mr, Inukai, a highly respected statesman, had succeeded Baron Wakatsuli as Prime Minister in the preceding December. In his Cabinet Mr, Takahashi was replaced by Mr. Junnosuke Inouye as Finance Min-{ster In February Mr. Inouye was assassinated and Mr. Takahashi resumed the finance portfolio, Three months later, Mr. Takahashi had to accept further responsibilities as the result of an assassin's fanaticism; Mr, Inukai was mortally wounded on May 15 by a man who had forced his way into the Prime Min-Ister's private apartments, Mr. Takahashi became acting Prime [Minister until eventually relieved by Viscount Saito, It Is now reported that Mr. Takahashi himself 1 a victim of attack now made by a certain military upjt on the offices of the Governmei™ other victims being, it is feared, Viscount Saito, Admiral Okada, the Prime Minister who are both reported deac and General Kawashima, the War Minister, wounded. Whereas in 1032, the assassinations were carried out with the accompaniment of bombing under the direction of terrorists alleged to be working for the "Naval and Military Young Officers' Association", the present outbreak seems to be actually in the guise of a military revolt staged by a regiment, under orders for Manchuria. Until some coherent account of the circumstances is available it is not possible to form final conclusions fas to the significance of the tra~ geely. Much sympathy will be felt for the people of Japan, to whom this ordeal must be highly distress ing. They will feel that assassination has again darkened their political outlook and seriously compromised their reputation.
Close observers of events will not be surprised. In the last few months, it has been evident that the differences of opinion between the Militarists and the Foreign Office were overshadowed by the recrudesof public opinion and theory. The crime was attributed to the "young officers' dissatisfaction with measures taken by the then War Minister, General Hayashi, to consolidate the discipline of the Army and eradicate undesirable political faction. General Nagato, as the Director of the 'Military' Affairs Bureau, was personally responsible for the disciplinary action thus taken, and so was the victim selected. The trial of the assailant has produced extraordinary evidence and it is understood that the decision to summon General Mazaki as a witness expecially roused the ire of the "young officer" party. The recent elections vealed unexpected support for "Liberal" or "radical" views. These considerations may have helped to precipitate a crisis which has long been apprehended. The "young officer" movement is believed to be: far stronger than was generally supposed last autumn when 1t was: comfortably stated that General. Hayashi had restored discipline.
These conjectures must inevitably be subject to revision in the light of more precise information. Yet it! is not unreasonable to gather from. the facts so far disclosed that the Army will not hesitate to take traditional measures for maintaining its solidarity. Whether the: restraining influence' of the "elder statesmen" will be sufficient to avert the assumption by the Army of complete responsibility for the nation's affairs remains to be sven.
On the face of it, it would seem. that, having taken so terrible a plunge, the leaders of the movement are not prepared to be baulked of their designs. The outlook sombre. Mr. Takahashi's sage financial experience was desperately needed by the country. His replacement must be difficult. The heavy weight of defence services on the finances can be gauged from the departmental estimates for 1938-37. 'They showed that of a total of Yen, 2,272 million, the War and Navy' Ministries absorbed between them Yen 1,059 million, leaving Yen 490 million for the Treasury, Yen 196 million for Communications, Yen 179 million for the Home Office, and. Yen 142 million for Education. The deficit-covering loans since 1932 amounted at the end of 1935 to the formidable total of Yen 3,745 million, It. is not surprising that) Mr. Takahashi bent all his energies toward reducing the military estimates. He was constrained, too, to oppose commitments which would be likely to throw heavier burdens fon that item of expenditure and it was known that he had incurred the hostility of the "young officer" movement on that account, He has. been eliminated. The financial and business interests in Japan will bitterly regret his death on national as well -as on personal grounds. Apart altogether from the a: oral tains accruing from this recurrence of political assassination, deep sympathy will be felt for the Japanese nation in the perplexities and intense anxiety which must naturally arise from what has all the apbearances of being a serious revolutionary upheaval.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.