Single Party Movement Leader Accepts Imperial Order; New Cabinet Formation Begun Tokyo, July 17.
RINCE Fumimaro Konoye tonight accepted the Imperial order appointing him Premier and charging him with the task of forming a new Government. He immediately started selecting his ministers.
The former Premier and leader of the one-party movement was summoned to the Imperial Palace at 7.20 p.m., shortly after the return here of Emperor Hirohito from Hayama, Emperor Hirohito personally ordered Prince Konoye to form a new Cabinet.
Prince Konoye formally accepted the order.
Immediately after leaving the Imperial Palace, he summoned his colleagues for the purpose of forming a new Cabinet which would adopt a strong foreign policy, strengthen the domestic system and accelerate the China campaign.
'The selection of Prince Konoye the new Premier presaged a Government which would closely. ce-operate with the Army and under a unified party system, political quarters. said, 'They saw' the possibility of a stronger foreign policy with an Axis tinge, but believed that the Government would restrain any excessive extremixms.
Aviation. will join the new Ministry Prince Ayamaro Konoye increased this afternoon when it was revealed that "he is hurriedly returning to Tokyo.
Li-Gen. Tejo, who left Mukden by plane at 4 o'clock this afternoon arrived here at 7 o'clock this evening, He is due to leave for Tokyo by plane tomorrow—Domel.
Marquis Koichi Kido, Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal," recommended to the Throne the appoint ment of Prince Konoye as the successor to Admiral" Mitsumasa Yonai. who resigned from the Premiership yesterday because of 'Army' pressure.
Marquis Kido, prior to recom. mending the appointment of Prince Konoye, conferred with former pre-miners and the elder statesmen.
The Japanese Army, which forced Admiral Yonat's cabinet to resign fen bloc yesterday when the War Minister, General Shunroku Hata, offered his resignation and refused to provide a successor. was under~ stood to be persistently demanding the appointment of Prince Konoye fas the only course to strengthen the domestic system and renovate Japanese diplomacy for the dis position of the China affair.
The Emperor will return from Hayama this afternoon to facilitate the formation of a new Cabinet Prince Konoye has already returned from his villa at Karuizawa—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.