Evening star., 1945-09-04
Hirohito Urges
JapanesetoWin
World 'sFaith
Need for Course of
National Rebuilding
Recognized by Peers
By the Associated Press.

NeCOSniZeQ Dy reerS
By the Associated Press.
TOKYO, Sept. 4.-Emperor
Hirohito urged the Japanese
people to win the confidence of
the world" and commanded
them to obey the nations COM
mitments in an imperial rescript
opening the 88th extraordinary
session of the Diet today.
The Emperor personally opened
the two-day parliamentary session
by reading the sober, comprehensive
rescript to plenary gathering in
the ornate House of Peers.
1t was the Emperor's first public
appearance since he startled the
nation with his surrender an
nouncement of August Is.
GA Domei news agency dis
patch, broadcast by Tokyo, re-
ported that the House of Peers
quickly acted to acknowledge the
reality of defeat and the need
to embark on new course of
national rebuilding" 1t adopted
resolution to this effect.)
Demands Reports Tomorrow.
The Emperor said he commanded
the reports to be made tomorrow by
state ministers on the causes of de-
feat. This direct command on what
are expected to be unusually frank
speeches implies that the ministers
are speaking for the throne on
touchy subject and therefore their
direct and perhaps shocking state
ments can not be questioned
Sharp criticism of the former Toto
government for deluding the people
into thinking they could win the war
was heard in the House of Peers
during half-hour afternoon ses-
sion.
Baron Reijiro Wakatsuki, a men,
Der of the peers and premier in the
mid-30s, said that at the outset of
the war 1.-The japanese government
cheated us because it told us we had
more strength than we actually
had"
Addressing over 300 peers attend
ing the brief session, Wakatsuh de-
clared at the outset of the war he
wanted to fight the United States" :"
Every one then believed in vic
tory" he continued. But now we
have no guns, no aircraft. no men,
so we must accept the Potsdam dec
laration'
TOTO Government Criticized.
Wakatsuki, who long has been a
target of certain fanatic elements,
spoke in low, calm voice as he
asserted: I'm the beginning the
people wert. all prepared to give and
did give money and food for the
war. AS year after year went by
we grew weaker. All we have to
show for these sacrifices Is the
shame OF our defeat"
Wakatsuki plainly was speaking
of the TOTO government which ac-
tually led the country into war, but
his criticism, by implication, applied
to two men who were among cabinet
members present. One of them was
Vice Premier Prince Fumimaro Ko-
noye, who twice was Premier-dur-
ing the momentous prewar regi-
mentation of the internal social
structure and at the outbreak of
war with China The other was
Navy Minister Mitsumasa Yonai. a
former Premier and Navy Minister
of the last few years, including 1941.
The press and the japanese
intelligensia expect tomorrow's S
speeches and interpretations to in
augurate a new note of frankness
in the Diet compared with the sup
preston of the last decade Wakat-
suki's sharpness underlined that
possibility.
Reads Rescript Rapidly.
Hirohito motored to the Diet
building In maroon-colored sedan
while, as customary, all upper story
windows along the route and in the
Diet were curtained to prevent his
subjects from looking down on their
ruler. The Emperor read the re-
script rapidly and then returned to
the palace, leaving both houses to
complete their organizations, prin-
cipally in committee, for tomor-
rows session.
1t was one of the wars ironies
that the Diet building was COM
pletely undamaged. 1t is Asia S most
comfortable and beautiful legisla-
tive building, BY contrast, the first
session of the Philippine Congress
was held in a. plain, former Japa-
nese schoolhouse because its own
newly completed legislative building
was destroyed in the bitter, last
ditch battle for Manila.
Only Japanese flags were flying in
Toxic. They hung over the en-
frances to the Parliament building
and tapped over the main section
of the Diet.