Jap leader sends ‘sympathy’ to U.S.
‘Can understand great loss,’ premier says
Saturday, April 14, 1945
WASHINGTON (UP) – Japanese Premier Kantaro Suzuki expressed his “profound sympathy” today to the American people upon the death of President Roosevelt.
In a broadcast recorded by the FCC, a Domei representative said he was “almost taken aback by the unexpected reaction, but quickly realized that it was not strange coming from a man of large caliber as the new premier is.”
Leadership effective
The enemy broadcast quoted the new premier as saying:
I must admit that Roosevelt’s leadership has been very effective and has been responsible for America’s advantageous position today. For that reason, I can easily understand the great loss his passing means to the American people. My profound sympathy goes to them.
Suzuki added that he did not believe America’s war effort would change because of the President’s death.
The premier said:
On Japan’s part there will not be any letup in her determination to continue fighting for the coprosperity and coexistence of all nations as against Anglo-American power politics.
Truman ‘too good-natured’
The Tokyo radio told the Japanese people that President Harry S. Truman “especially exerted his efforts in bettering the conditions of the lower classes. but is a little too good-natured and not good in politics.”
The broadcast quoted a Miss Shio Sakanishi, who was called the former head of the American Library of Congress research department. Miss Sakanishi knew President Truman, the broadcast said.
Miss Sakanishi was quoted as saying:
Differing from Roosevelt, Truman does not know diplomacy and he is not good in politics. It must be the worry and concern of the American people who wonder how he will hurdle the many international problems he is bound to meet, but there is a group of people who will be able to give him guidance.
Adm. Kichisaburo Nomura, Japanese Ambassador to the United States when Pearl Harbor was bombed, said in a Tokyo broadcast that the late President should be given credit “with respect to his internal policy.”