Evening star., 1944-07-18
Last German Driven From St. Lo:
British Break Through Caen Line;
Toto Relieved Of | Of ; Posts
Radio Gives No
Hint Of Change
In Premiership
BY the Associated Press.

NEW YORK, July lS.-Gen
Hideki TOTO, top Japanese wal
leader, has been relieved of at
least one of his posts, that OF
chief of the Army general staff
in the second drastic change in
the Japanese high command in
two days.
Without giving any indication OF
a change in Tojo's status as Premier
and War Minister. the Japanese
radio told its already
shocked by the loss of Saipan Island
and by a navy shakeup announced
yesterday-that Gen. Yoshijiro
Umezu, former commander in chief
OF Japans Kwantung army and Am
baSsador to Manchuria. had been
named chief of the army staff.
Domei, japanese news agency, an
nouncing the shift. linked the ap-
pointment with that OF the relatively
obscure Admiral Naokuni Nomura
as Navy Minister yesterday. stating
that both appointments were made
lin order to firmly establish the
structure for the guidance of the
war and in view of the unprece-
dentedly grave war situation"
Prince Kaya Appointed.
At the same time Domei an
nounced that 1t. Gen. Prince Tsun-
enori Kaya. member of one of the
branches of the imperial japanese
family, was named to be attached
to the army aviation general head
quarters, concurrently member of
the Supreme War Council and vice
chief of the military general staff =
Prince Kaya last April had been
transferred from his post as COM
mander of the Nagoya Division tC
that of commander of the Tokyo
Division.
Field Marshal Gen. Sugiyama, for.
mer chief of the army general staff
was appointed inspector general oi
military education. replacing Gen
OtoEo Yamada. who took over
Umezu's former posts, Demei said
and 1t. Gen. Micho Sugawara wa.
named chief Of the army aviation
general headquarters and concur.
rently inspector general of army
education, replacing 1t. Gen. Jur
Ushirogu, who farmerly held those
posts.
These upheavals came as Tojc
himself made a statement read tc
home and empire listeners, report.
ing on the loss of Saipan. He tole
them eloomily that Japan ha.
come to an unprecedentiy grea
national crisis"
Took Over Post in February.
TOTO, already premier and wal
minister, took over the post of CHIEF
OF the army general staff last Feb
ruary when the first of a series ol
upheavals in the high commano
dropped Marshal Sugiyama from
that assignment.
There was no immediate indica
ton that assignment of the staff jot
to Umezu, long one of the mos,
powerful of the japanese militar.
lists, meant any real diminution Of
Tojo's power.
In his broadcast recounting the
loss OF Saipan. TOTO asserted "tht
real war is yet to be fought He
appealed to the japanese to set the
mind Of his imperial majesty al
rest
Yesterdays shake-up in the Nav,
saw Admiral Nomura replacing Ad.
miral Shigetaro Shimada as navy
minister. The naval changes wer,
widely interpreted as a sequel to tn,
disastrous defeats of the Japanes,
forces in last months sea-air battl.
east Of the Philippines and the los.
OF Saipan.
Shimada Replaced Negano.
Shimada, then and still chief OF
naval staff. obtained the staff posi-
ton February 81, replacing Fleet
Admiral Osamu Nagano at the
same time that TOTO added the army
staff to his posts.
The first broadcast announce
ment, by the Domei news agency
and recorded by United States Gov
ernment monitors. made no specific
mention Of the fact that TOTO had
been relieved of one of his posts
merely stating that Umezu had be-
come chief of staff.
A later broadcast, however, said
Gen. Hideki Tojo' had been re
lieved' of the staff post.
Gen. Yamada. in taking over com.
mand of the Kwangtung Army. viii
head Japan's elite force which occu.
(See TOTO, Page A-2D