Evening star., 1941-12-28
Toxic the Great
A Wartime CupitoI
By Frederic J. HdSkirl.

probably is mentioned by the people OF
the United States more often than any
other is Toxic, Japan. That city's popu-
lation, although not so large as Lon
don's, is larger than that of Berlin by
more than 100000 and 10 times larger
than Washingtons. Toxic must be reck-
oned with in the present conflict, for
even in the event of its bombing the
citys area of 100 squares miles would
be a target of considerable dimensions,
Like many other capitals of the world,
TOXIC is not the citys first name. For
several hundred years, especially when
| it was little more than vast plain, the
| locality was known as Edo. This short
name, sounding much like rural village
| in the United States, came from an old
| chieftain, Edo Tara Sigenaga, who was
responsible for the first written record Of
| the community.
That was prior TO 1857 when the pres
! ent site of Toxic was recognized by rulers
rs being of great importance politically
and strategically. In that year, too, the
first castle was built. From time to time
important additions were made, especial
I ly ullUSI lIlC OIU EoIlOSUILdLC 1t5AI4CB
which was defeated on April II, 1868, by
the present imperial government, and
which changed the citys name TO Toxic.
| The former capital of the imperial gov
ernment at Kyoto was then discontinued.
When Toxic became the new seat Of
| the imperial government it also became
| one of the fastest growing cities in the
world, and kept this pace until 1923,
when a disastrous earthquake killed
10000 persons and did property damage
to the extent of s500,OO0 900. The catss-
trophe destroyed so much Of the main
part of Toxic that it looked for time
as if the japanese capital would never
rise to its former prominence. But 1t
did, and from about 1927 to the present
the japanese have left nothing undone
to make their capital one Of the most
beautiful in the world.
To bring about this renaissance OF
Toxic, the western plan of Incorporating
all nearby suburbs as a part of the city
was adopted But the japanese went
some of the cities of the West one better
by adopting uniform rules, regulations
and even laws TO cover every nearby
place that had the remotest possibility
OF becoming g. part of the japanese capi-
tal Thus. there came into existence the
Greater Toxic. which includes 81 of the
towns and villages Of the five adjacent
counties. Even as late as 1885 the cities
of Titose and Kinuta, both some 20 miles
from the heart of Toxic, were brought
into Greater Toxic With this accom-
plished, the japanese nave since proudly
boasted that their capital is the second
largest city in the world in respect TO
population and eighth in area. The fact
should not be overlooked that while all
this expansion was going on the Japa-
nese Army was adding more and more
to its power of control over the Japanese
capital.
Local government in Toxic, strange as
it may seem, is almost perfect pattern
of the local government in Washington.
One difference is that in Toxic there is
a mayor for the city as a whole and a
| governor for each of the As political
areas. Each of these areas is supposed
to be sef-governing, but only to very
limited extent, for each governor is under
Jurisdiction of the home minister who
in turn is under the central government.
Final or absolute control is in the
hands of the central government. In
washington there is a Board Of Com
missioners composed of three members
: appointed by the President and con-
| flrmed by the Senate. Congress must
, appropriate all funds and otherwise holds
~, oil 1F I've
choosing. And seldom are there matters
A, in which it does not have a hand, easily
so because the residents Of Washington
have no vote.
e Toxic is rated as the greatest educa-
y tional city in the Orient. Among insti-
t tutions of this class the city has % uni
= versitieS, five high schools, 72 normal
!. schools, two higher normal schools, some
= 300 secondary schools, about 800 young
" mems schools and more than 900 pri-
# mary schools. The total number OF
e elementary and advanced students is
:. more than 100000, of which 100000 are
n primary school pupils, and 100000 stu
. dents attending secondary schools, col
: leges and universities.
to have many beautiful parks. In that
7 respect Toxic is not in the background.
for in all it has ITS spacious parks AL
most every park is laid out in either Eu-
" ropean or United States style, but always
with typical japanese setting, and each
radiating from the Imperial Palace.
But Toxic is not place where parks
are provided for people at leisure. Un-
b. like Washington and many other world
capitals, it is a great manufacturing
center. Industries, however for the most
part are small, except the textile enter
D prises, and the articles manufactured
are also small, but they have found their
way into every part of the world. Curl
ously enough, the livestock industry
y ranks second in commerce and fishing
| third
l Toxic, like other cities in the Western
World, has had its problem Of trans
portation. But with buses and streetcars
c purchased in other parts of the world,
c especially the United States, the Japa-
nese capital is filled with the latest
modes of transportation. In Washington
there are many nearby places from
i which more than half an hour Is re-
quired to reach downtown, but tn Toxic
30 minutes is the maximum time re-
. quired to reach any part of the city.
1 ofo y%