Saturday, 19 July

Last night Konoe Fumimaro formed a Cabinet under the order of the Japanese Emperor. His Cabinet members are as follows: 1) Prime Minister and concurrently Minister of Justice, Konoe Fumimaro, Foreign Minister and concurrently Minister of Colonial Affairs Vice-Admiral Toyoda Teijirō (豐田貞次郎)[1], Home Minister Tanabe Harumichi (田邊治通)[2], Minister of Finance Ogura Masatsune(小倉正恆)[3], Minister of Army Tōjō Hideki(東條英機), Minister of Navy Admiral Oikawa Koshirō(及川古志郎)[4],Minister of Education Hashida Kunihiko(橋田邦彥)[5], Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Ino Hiroya(井野碩哉)[6],Minister of Commerce and Industry Seizō Sakonji(左近司政三)[7], Minister of Communications and Minister of Railways Murata Shōzō(村田省藏)[8], Minister of Health and Welfare Koizumi Chikahiko(小泉親彦)[9], Ministers without Portfolio Suzuki Teiichi(鈴木貞一)[10], Yanagawa Heisuke (柳川平助)[11], Hiranuma Kiichirō (平沼騏一郎)[12]. It was totally expected that Toyoda Teijirō would be appointed as Foreign Minister. Probably Japan wanted to manipulate the fact that no one knows his policy so its Cabinet can procrastinate until the results of the war between the Soviet Union and Germany become clear and then proceed. At the same time among the Cabinet members those from the navy and army occupy seven places, while all the Cabinet members from parties were discharged. The Cabinet is doubtless one for preparing for war.

[1] Toyoda Teijirō(1885-1961) was a Japanese navy leader.

[2] Tanabe Harumichi (1878-1950) was a civilian official in Japan.

[3] Ogura Masatsune(1875-1961) was a Japanese politician.

[4] Oikawa Koshirō(1883-1958) was a Japanese navy leader.

[5] Hashida Kunihiko(1882-1945) was a professor of medicine.

[6] Ino Hiroya(1891-1980) was a Japanese politician.

[7] Seizō Sakonji(1879-1969) was a Japanese navy leader.

[8] Murata Shōzō(1878-1957) was a Japanese businessman and politician.

[9] Koizumi Chikahiko (1884-1945) was a Japanese doctor in the army.

[10] Suzuki Teiichi (1888-1989) was a Japanese general.

[11] Yanagawa Heisuke (1879-1945) was a Japanese general.

[12] Hiranuma Kiichirō (1867-1952) was a senior legal official.