JAPANESE CABINET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 January 1939, Page 5

JAPANESE CABINET

THE NEW PERSONNEL NOT AS FASCIST AS WAS EXPECTED. FULL AGREEMENT ON POLICY IN CHINA. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, January 5. The Tokio correspondent of the Australian Associated Press reports that the new Japanese Cabinet includes the following:— Premier, Baron Hiranuma. Minister with Portfolio, Prince Konoye.

Minister of Finance, Mr Ishiwatari. formerly Vice-Minister.

Minister of Home Affairs. Mr Kido. Minister of Justice and Communications, Mr Shioni. Minister of Welfare, Mr Hirose. Minister of Agriculture, Mr Sakurauchi.

Minister of Railways, Mr Yonezo Maeda.

Minister of' Overseas Affairs and Commerce, Mr Hatta. The portfolios of Foreign Affairs, War, Marine, and Education are unchanged.

Observers point out that the Cabinet is superficially weaker, and that its Fascist character is not as great as was expected. Mr Sakuraucbi is President of the Minseito Party and Mr Maeda leader of the Seiyukai Party, which are the two most dominant parties, and it was thought that these would have been abolished to make way for the development of a single-party Fascist State. It is officially stated that the incoming and outgoing Ministers are completely in agreement concerning future policy in China.

FASCISM DISCLAIMED BARON HIRANUMA’S DECLARED AIMS. WILL RESPECT CONSTITUTION AND PARLIAMENT. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. TOKIO, January 6. “I do not intend to disregard political parties, organise a single totalitarian state and enforce national reorganisation.” declared the Premier, Baron Hiranuma, discounting the reported Fascist character of the new Cabinet. He added: "I will respect the constitution and Parliament.”