Evening star., 1933-09-11
NAWPACT BLAMED
IN INUKA| KILLING
U. S. Aspirations in Pacific
Led to AssasSins Act, De-
fense Pleads at Trial.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
TOXIC, September 1.-THE state
demanded death sentences today for
three young naval lieutenants accused
of leading seven fellow officers in the
assassination of Premier Suyoshi Inukai
in May, 1892.
Life imprisonment was asked for
three others charged with active par
ticipation in outrages accompanying the
Staying, siX-year sentences for three
accused of being accomplices in the
conspiracy, and three years imprison-
ment for the tenth.
Penalties Plea Surprises.
Demands for the unexpectedly heavy
penalties brought one of the major
climaxes of the court-martial All
Japan wondered whether the govern
ment would dare ask the extreme SEN
tence. A powerful and ultra patriotic
movement seeking clemency has de-
veloped on the grounds that they acted
on pure and patriotic motives.
Premier Inukai was assassinated May
IS, 1882 The terrorists left handbills
signed the Young Army and Navy Of
6cers Association" which expressed dis
guest with the political parties and
the way they handled internal and for
eign affairs.
So great was the political uneasiness
that the major stock exchanges closed
and the cabinet resigned
$4,000 Demand Clemency.
The defense attorney was permitted
to present mound Of letters and petit
tioEs, totaling more than 10000, de-
manding clemency. Some signatures
were written in blood One group sent
their little fingers with a petition as
evidence of intense feeling.
During the trial defense testimony
was introduced to the effect that fear
of Americas ambition" was reason f0r
tiveS were neither FaScism nor radi-
Calism, but increased nationalism.
Those for whom death penalties were
asked are Seishi Koga alleged chief
organizer of the terroristic conspiracy;
Taku Mikami, commander of naval Off
GERS. who assertedly invaded the pre-
mier's home, and Isamu KuroiWa,
charged with having fired at Inukai.
Life terms were asked for Hiroshl
Yamagishi, Yoshio Nakamura and
Kakushi Murayama all of whom con-
fessed to being present at the assasSina-
tion. Imprisonment for six years was
Masayoshi Kayashi A three-year
term was demanded for Michio Tsu-
kano.
B!ames L. S. Influence.
Lieut.. Tetsuo Asamizu second de-
fense counsel and a classmate of De-
fendant Koga, told the court that
Americas ambition to dominate the
Far East justified the naval terrorists.
The lieutenant characterized the WASH
tngton and London naval treaties as
the "crystallization of American and
British hunger for power
America thereby obtained naval su-
premacy in the Pacific and now she
desires to dominate the Far East" he
continued. In text book used at tht
Naval Academy at Annapolis there ap-
pears a statement that the japanese
are a race yielding to show of force.
The London treaty was the appllca-
ton of this American text book prin-
ciple"
The London treaty came in for con-
siderable criticism by the defense.
Sees Pact Humiliating.
Thus Lieut. Shiroku Asada, Naval
Academy classmate of Mikami and
Kuroiwa, who acted as special coun-
sci, declared that this humiliating
treaty" was the fundamental cause of
the terroristS acts.
Lieut. Asada charged that by accept
ing the treaty Japan's leaders weak
ened national defense to the point of
betrayal of the empire, and said that
therefore the young naval officers lost
faith in their superiors and determined
to use direct action "for the safety
of the country
Their patience broke" he contin-
ued, and this explosion became in
evitable."