JAPANESE CABINET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 July 1941, Page 6

JAPANESE CABINET

PRINCE KONOYE’S CHANGED TEAM OPPORTUNIST POLICY LIKELY DEPARTURE OF MATSUOKA APPROVED. . HOME & FOREIGN COMMENTS. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.50 a.m.) LONDON, July 18. Prince Konoye has formed a new Cabinet. The most notable change is the omission of Mr Matsuoka and the appointment in his stead, as Foreign Minister, of Mr Toyoda. The Cabinet changes are interpreted to mean that Japan has repudiated the Axis direction of her policy, but that she is still pressing on with her own ambitious aims in East Asia. Portfolios are hold in the now Cabinet as follow: — Premier, Prince Konoye. Foreign Affairs, Mr Toyoda. War, Lieutenant-General Tojo. Navy, Admiral Oikawa. Justice, Prince Konoye and Lieuten-ant-General Koizumi concurrently. Overseas. Affairs, Mr Toyoda and Lieutenant-General Suzuki lyHome Affairs, Mr Tanabe. Finance, Mr Ogura. Railways and Communications, Mr Shozo Murata. Commerce and Industry, Vice-Ad-miral Sakonji. Education, Mr K. Hashida. Agriculture and Forestry. Mr H. Ino. Welfare, Lieutenant-General Koizumi. Minister without portfolio, Baron Hiranuma. President of the Cabinet Planning Board, Lieutenant-General Suzuki. The Tokio United Press correspondent says the Japanese Press views the dropping of Mr Matsuoka with satisfaction, attacking his recent policies, particularly the Russian pact. It claims that what Japan needs is a man able to see at least a year ahead. ’ The Domei News Agency said it would be the new Government’s, mission to guide Japan along the lines of a free foreign policy. Third Powers unfriendly towards Japan, it added, might exploit the Cabinet changes and broadcast false propaganda as though Japan’s foreign policy were to be altered, but this would be only wishful thinking. British and American circles generally welcome Mr Toyoda’s appointment, believing that it foreshadows a more conservative policy. They point out that the Cabinet is strongly nation-’ alistic, and suggest that it will be likeIv to follow an opportunist policy. They d’o not believe the Cabinet will commit itself to conflicting treaty obligations.

Chinese newspapers contend that the chief motive for the re-organisation of the Cabinet is to tear up the neutrality agreement with Russia. The Army and Navy, in a joint statement, called on the nation to unite in a rapid strengthening of Japan’s war time structure. The main lines of the national policy established at the Imperial conference on July 2, remain immutable and independent of Cabinet.