Evening star., 1936-02-20
OKADA CABINETS
FATE IN BALANCE
I Japanese Opposition Party
In Vote Today Emphasizes
Local Issues.
BY the Associated Press.

! BY the Associated Press.
. TOXIC, February 20.-The Japanese
electorate voted today in Japan's first
. national election in exactly four years,
with the primary issue the support or
overthrow of the cabinet of Premier
! Admiral Keisuke Okada.
, The consensus of Tokio's pol tical
experts was that the chances Of Sthe
national government" and its pow
erful opposition were about even, after
spirited campaign.
! The polls opened at am, and be-
fore they close at 6 pm, between
100000 and 100000 voters will
have made their choices for 466 men,
bers of the House of Representatives.
the imperial governments only elective
unit.
The early voting, however, was light.
A total of 876 candidates sought
seats in the Lower Chamber Of the
Imperial Parliament-336 from the
6eiyukai party, comparatively con-
servative, opposed to the Okada gov
ernment, and, until this election, the
nations largest party; 295 from the
Minseito party, relatively more liberal
and supporting Premier Okada.
Results Expected Saturday.
The results probably will not be
known before late Saturday. Toxic
and other cities count their ballots to-
morrow, while the tabulation will be
made Saturday for rural districts.
With the army and navy holding
dominant position, over the compara-
tive weakness of the Parliament and
political parties, government experts
said the election probably would not
have any direct effect on formation OF
major imperial policies.
The campaign centered on whether
Premier Okada should have his man
date renewed, a domestic issue which
some political experts said might re-
suit in the downfall of the cabinet.
If the Seiyukai gained 234 or more
of the 466 seats at stake, most TOXIC
political writer's predicted. the Okada
ministry would resign, yielding govern
ment control either to Seiyukai gov
ernment or to another national gov
ernment," holding Seiyukai support.
The Seiyukai anticipated strong
rural vote in its favor, but the govern
nent-called national" because many
of its members belong to no party
counted on smaller groups, to swing
to its support with the Minseito, to
keep it in power.
Local Issues Emphasized.
The Seiyukai platform concentrated
on domestic affairs and referred to
foreign questions only with a demand
for a positive and self-sufhcient
diplomacy"
The Minseito platform, interpreted
as slightly more conciliatory in foreign
affairs, opposed any naval race with
the United States, limited at opposl-
ton to army and navy appropriations
increases and urged international "co-
existence and mutual prosperity"
The House of Representatives was
dissolved January 81, Premier Okada
deciding to go to the country in the
face of an increasingly hostile Seiyukai
majority. The last general election,
February 20, 1882. resulted in an over
whelming Seiyukai victory, that party
taking 304 seats to lat for the Minselto.
The other seats went to lesser parties
and independents.
The Minseito platform opposes a
naval race with the United States.
timidly hints at opposition to further
increases in army and navy appropria-
tions and urges "coexistence and
mutual prosperity" in international
affairs.
Today's election is held as the result
OF the dissolution of the House OF
Representatives January 81, when
Parliament reassembled after the New
Year holidays. Premier Okada, faced
with an increasingly hostile Seiyukai
majority, decided to go to the country
to seek a more amenab!e elective
chamber.