894.00/830: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
Tokyo, January 4, 1939—5
p.m.
[Received January 4—5:54 a.m.]
[Received January 4—5:54 a.m.]
6. Our 5, January 4, 3 p.m.3
- 1.
- The only authoritative indication thus far given out of the reason for the present political change may be found in an ambiguous announcement issued at noon today by Konoye,4 the more important portions of which have already been cabled by American correspondents. He referred to the fact that he had remained in office until the completion of major hostilities with China, and that, with the beginning of the second stage of the conflict—political reconstruction of Japan and of China—he felt that public confidence would be stimulated by a change in Government.
- 2.
- A considered assessment of the reasons for the [present political?] change will be telegraphed as soon as they have become clear. In the meantime, the practically certain appointment of Hiranuma as Prime Minister, when considered in the light of Konoye’s reference to a projected political reconstruction of Japan, strongly suggests that Konoye has been unable to stem the tide toward a more authoritarian form of government, one of the leading proponents of which is Hiranuma.
Grew