The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-11-25
New Ruler Has Visited
United States and Is
Declared To Have a
Liberal Foreign Policy
All Ready To Put Into
Operation

Toxic. Nov 25.--(By the Associat-
ed Press. Grown Prince Hirohito
has been designated regent of Japan.
Designation of Crown Prince Hiro-
hito as regent of Japan follows re-
ports which have been in circulation
for about year that Emperor Yoshi-
hito was in bad physical condition A
dispatch to Il Honolulu newspaper in
May last year reported that he had
suffered n mental and physical break
down
Early last month a rumor that he
was dead circulated in Toxic and the
imperial household, in denying it at
that time, said he was so i'll it was
feared he could not recover.
The emperor's physical and mental
condition had become aggravated, it
was said and the difficulty he had ex-
perienced in walking and holding con-
versation had been augmented, while
his memory and capacity for atten-
tion had declined.
There were signs that he had been
suffering from a severe disease of the
brain, the imperial household stated,
and it was recalled that he was Sc
his malady had re-occurred after he
had attained his majority. Since his
coronation in 1915 a gradual weaken
ing in mind and body had been noted,
said the official statement, which con-
cluded by saying that the growing
volume of domestic and International
business was placing an increased de-
slnand npuD his time. ---.
Yoshihito became emperor upon the
death of his father, the Emperor Nut
suhito on July 80, 1912. He was
born in Kioto August 81, 1879, and
was married in 1900 to Princess Sa-
dako, daughter of Prince Kujo There
are three other children in the family
OF the imperial pair besides Prince
Hirohito-Prince Yasuhito, born in
1902; Prince Nobuhito, born in 1905,
and Prince Takahito, born in Deem
der, 1915
Visited United States
Washington, Nov. 25.-(By the AS
sociated Press. )-The announcement
from Toxic of the regency of Hiro-
hito was expected in Japanese circles
here as the recent tour of the crown
prince to Europe generally was un-
Sl0D
in the court arrangement to give
Hirohito the conduct of the empire
because of the continued illness of
the emperor. This tour, which was
quite extensive. was arranged in or
der that before taking up the duties
of regency, the young crown prince
would have an opportunity to study
foreign lands and foreign customs.
Representative Japanese today EN-
phasized how much this visit to west
ern countries had meant for Japan.
1t was recalled that when the Crown
Prince returned to Toxic he made a
memorable speech to the people in
which he frankly admitted that ia
pan had much to learn from western
countries ana that all the subjects of
the empire must strive their utmost
to bring Japan the high development
necessary for her national progress.
The regent, who is only 20 years
old, has already accomplished a great
deal in establishing more liberal
understanding between the imperial
court and the people of the empire
He has already abandoned the ancient
idea of imperial aloofness and in
otlihIHS tOHITdSl 10 Tie earlier QdyS
when Japanese were not supposed to
gaze upon their emperor, Hirohito
has recently appeared at various pub
lie meetings in quite an informal man.
ner and has made a number of
speeches.
The Japanese here assert that the
responsibility of having Japan emerge
from the olden days to the present
liberal movement as regards the
court is, however, in the hands OF
Viscount Maxine, minister of the I'm.
perial Household, who was one OF
Japan's delegates at the Versailles
conference, and Viscount Maxine has
before him the task of meeting the
wishes of modern Japan with it's dem
ocratic tendencies without offending
the old court mobiles who are inclined
to resist too many innovations.
1t is the understanding here among
Japanese that the immediate reason
for the regency is the conviction that
the emperor is incurably i'll and is
quite unable to carry on the duties ol
the throne.