The Evening Star (September 3, 1945)
President promises to hasten discharge of men in service
V-J broadcast carries reassuring message to troops still overseas
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Roaring U.S. plane display climaxes surrender rites
By W. H. Shippen Jr., Star staff correspondent
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U.S. will urge Britain to relax trade control in return for loans
By John M. Hightower, Associated Press staff writer
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3 air generals find Honshu damage far above estimates
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Few mental patients found among 1,518 prisoners of war
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The Syonan Shimbun (September 4, 1945)
‘Fulfill obligations faithfully,’ Nippon Premier exhorts nation
TOKYO (Domei, Sept. 2) – Premier Prince Higashikuni in a statement to the nation urged the Japanese people to faithfully carry out all provisions of the instrument of surrender and orders issued by the government and Imperial Headquarters, in conformity with the Imperial Proclamation issued today.
“On the day of the signing of the formal surrender of the Japanese Empire, we look back on our past with varied emotions and our hearts are filled with profound grievance,” Prince Higashikuni said. Our sorrow knows no bounds especially when we come to think of the fact that our Imperial forces, with long and glorious traditions, are about to be disarmed and disbanded.
Now that an Imperial order has been issued to accept formal surrender, Prince Higashikuni said, we loyal subjects of His Imperial Majesty must squarely face the fact of our defeat and suffer even the insufferable in conformity with the Imperial Proclamation. Japanese people should maintain utmost equanimity and order and faithfully carry out orders issued by government and Imperial Headquarters.
Forbearance needed
Prince Higashikuni said this is the time when great courage, characteristic of the Japanese people, should be displayed in enduring what is very hard to endure. He then called upon the entire Japanese people to reflect upon the causes of their present defeat and silently repent of the past. At the same time, Prince Higashikuni urged them to fulfill “our obligation faithfully in order that our good faith will not be compromised before the eyes of the world.”
Prince Higashikuni then went on to call for renewed determination on the part of the Japanese people to overcome all hardships and difficulties which will be imposed upon Japan in the future, and to exert all-out efforts for building up a new Japan on the basis of peace and civilization. “Every Japanese should do his best to open a way for national prosperity and to contribute to world peace and civilization in conformity with the gracious wishes of His Imperial Majesty,” Prince Higashikuni concluded.
Imperial proclamation issued
TOKYO (Domei, Sept. 2) – Following the formal signing of the Japanese surrender terms by Allied and Japanese delegates at a ceremony held aboard the USS Missouri off Yokohama this morning, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor issued the following Imperial proclamation:
Accepting the terms set forth in the declaration issued by the heads of the government of the United States, Great Britain, and China on July 26, 1945, at Potsdam and subsequently adhered to by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, We have commanded the Japanese Imperial Government and the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters to sign, on Our behalf, the instrument of surrender presented by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, and to issue general orders to the military and naval forces in accordance with the direction of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers.
We command all Our people forthwith to cease hostilities, to lay down arms and to faithfully carry out all the provisions of the instrument of surrender and the general orders issued by the Japanese Imperial Government and the Japanese Imperial General headquarters hereunder.
This second day of the ninth month of the twentieth year of Showa.
Seal of the Emperor (signed): HIROHITO
(Countersigned): NARUHIKO-O (Prince Higashikuni)
Counter-signatures of other Cabinet Ministers
Lieut.-Gen. Ishihara bares reasons for defeat
TOKYO (Domei, Sept. 2) – “Japan’s defeat in war is God’s will,” Lieut.-General Kanji Ishihara (retired) declared in the course of a lengthy speech delivered before a large audience at Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture, last Friday, August 31.
Ishihara was one of the army leaders who was active at the time of the Manchurian Incident of 1931 but resigned from active service after his proposal for rapprochement with China had been rejected by the Army General Staff. He then retired from all public activities, leading a farmer’s life at his home village in Yamagata Prefecture ever since the outbreak of the War of Greater East Asia in 1941.
In the course of last Friday’s speech, Ishihara enumerated five basic causes for Japan’s defeat. They were, firstly, lack of good faith on the part of government officials who indulged in shameless activities including graft. Secondly, Army and Navy officers failing to live up to Imperial instructions given by the late Emperor Meiji laying down cardinal principles to be observed by the armed services and participated in political activities, thereby neglecting their own duties in the fighting services.
Thirdly, incompetence of statesmen who indulged in “useless talks” and failed in taking timely action. Fourthly, Japan lacked sufficient war strength, including productive power, and fifthly, serious deterioration of the sense of morality on the part of the people in general.
After enumerating these points, Ishihara declared: “In these circumstances Japan’s defeat in war was but a natural consequence which is ordained by God’s will.”
Discussing the problems confronting post-war Japan, he stressed the entire nation should become fully aware of the evils of militarism and should make all-out efforts in precisely the opposite direction in building the country anew. To endeavour to contribute to world peace and civilization must be the primary objective of post-war Japan’s national effort to atone for her past wrongs, he declared.
“Japan must be reconstructed so that social order and civilization, completely stripped of arms and militarism, may prevail throughout the country and that all the people in the country may enjoy an entirely free and peaceful life,” Ishihara stressed.
Whole-hearted cooperation among the Japanese, Chinese, Koreans and Manchurians, free from the evils of militarism and burdens of armaments, in contributing toward world peace, is bound to produce the highest standard of civilization ever realized in East Asia.
He further declared. “This is the only way all the peoples of East Asia will be able to enjoy freedom and live in peace,” General Ishihara concluded.
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Imperial worship to be held
TOKYO (Domei, Sept. 2) – Their Imperial Majesties the Emperor and Empress will personally worship at three sanctuaries in the Imperial Palace tomorrow to report to the souls of Imperial ancestors of the termination of the War of Greater East Asia, which was formally brought to an end with the signing today of surrender terms by representatives of Allied and Japanese governments, it was learned here today.
His Imperial Majesty the Emperor will personally worship at the three Imperial sanctuaries during a solemn ceremony to be held at 10 o’clock tomorrow morning, with Her Imperial Majesty the Empress worshipping five minutes later.
Surrender of Japanese in Southern Region
The surrender of the Japanese Armed Forces in the South was arranged at Rangoon on August 27 by Lieut.-General Numada, and accordingly, in order to negotiate further details of the surrender, Lt.-General Numada visited Rangoon again on September 4.
At the same time, to participate in the formal surrender, Lieut.-General Kimura, Commander of the Japanese Forces in Burma, Lieut.-General Nakamura, Commander of the 18th Region, General Sakagaki, Commander of the 7th Region, Lieut.-General Kinoshita, Commander of the 3rd Air Force, Vice-Admiral Fukutome and Vice-Admiral Shibata, Commanders of Japanese fleets in the Southern Seas, are expected in Syonan shortly.
However, Marshal Terauchi will not be able to attend the signing owing to the condition of his health although the Commander of the South-Eastern Allied Forces requests the Marshal’s attendance.
Report to throne
TOKYO (Domei, Sept. 2) – His Imperial Majesty the Emperor received in audience Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and Gen. Yoshijiro Umezu, Chief of the Army General Staff today. With Premier Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni in attendance, they reported the signing of surrender aboard the USS Missouri.
U.S. cavalry land
YOKOHAMA (Domei, Sept. 2) – Troops of the United States First Cavalry Division of Allied occupation forces started landing at Yokohama this morning and immediately proceeded to the Haramachida area, northwest of the port city. Three to four thousand men landed today. The rest of about 12,000 strong are expected to follow tomorrow.
Kärntner Nachrichten (September 4, 1945)
Japan Kapitulation unterzeichnet
General MacArthur in Tokio eingetroffen
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