“TRULY GRAVE”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 October 1943, Page 3

“TRULY GRAVE”

— JAPANESE WAR OUTLOOK WILD TALK BY MINISTERS ABSURD FIGURES OF RELATIVE LOSSES (By Telegraph—Press Association.) NEW YORK, October 26. “The present position is truly grave,” said the Emperor Hirohito in an imperial rescript read in the House of Peers during a special session of the Japanese Diet. The Tokio radio quoted the rescript in which Hirohito urged the people “fully to display their total strength and thereby destroy the evil ambition of enemy nationals.” The Navy Minister, Admiral Shimada, informed the Diet that the Japanese Navy in four months had sunk 17 Allied cruisers, If! destroyers, 22 submarines, 70 transports, and 70 other vessels, and also shot down 1613 aircraft. Japan's losses were six destroyers, 12 other ships, and 415 planes. The Prime Minister, General Tojo, told the Diet that Italy's withdrawal did not affect the eventual Axis victory. Japan was now dealing telling blows against Britain and America, which were blindly lashing out in a counteroffensive.

He added that the present war situation was very complicated. The enemy was overcoming many difficulties and dangers. Therefore the war was growing in intensity. The Government had adopted a new mobilisation programme to strengthen vVar production, specially that of aeroplanes. Tojo, expressing unqualified confidence in victory, declared that Germany would soon launch a new plan of military operations in all directions that would help to bring Britain and America to their knees.