Originally posted on May 6, 2019.
This chapter examines why Emperor Shōwa disliked Yōsuke Matsuoka, how the Asahi Shimbun agitated public opinion by turning him into a national hero, and the grave diplomatic errors that led from Japan’s withdrawal from the League of Nations to the Tripartite Pact and the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact.
It sharply contrasts Emperor Shōwa’s preference for international cooperation with the self-righteous conduct of Matsuoka and the Asahi Shimbun.

2019-05-06
In March 1941, Matsuoka went to Berlin and visited Hitler.
In April, he went to Moscow and committed the grave mistake of concluding the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact with Stalin, who was carrying out the “Great Purge” of tens of millions.

The emphasis in the text, except for the headings, is mine.
Emperor Shōwa disliked Yōsuke Matsuoka, but Asahi wrote and composed a “Song in Praise of Matsuoka.”
Judging from the Official Record and the Monologue Record, Emperor Shōwa seems to have felt a particular affinity for Britain, where he studied during his time as Crown Prince.
He felt affinity toward Britain and America, and in contrast held a strong sense of caution toward the totalitarian states of Germany and the Soviet Union.
Yōsuke Matsuoka, who had pushed Japanese diplomacy forward in a self-righteous manner, was the very person responsible for withdrawal from the League of Nations and for promoting the Tripartite Pact among Japan, Germany, and Italy.
He was the person Emperor Shōwa disliked most, and the Emperor strongly requested Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe to dismiss him.
Regarding the “Tomita Memo” reported by the Nikkei in 2006, the Official Record mentions the fact of the memo report and notes that “it speaks of the enshrinement of the so-called Class-A war criminals at Yasukuni Shrine and of imperial visits there” (entry dated April 28, 1988), but does not touch on its content.
The Official Record tries as much as possible not to enter into the Emperor’s innermost feelings.
Emperor Shōwa’s final “visit to Yasukuni Shrine” came in 1975.
As for the question of whether there was a connection between the “suspension of visits” and the “enshrinement of Class-A war criminals,” there are views that affirm it and views that deny it, but I will not probe that here.
However, the Official Record made clear that opposition movements by the Japan Socialist Party and other opposition parties had an influence.
In other words, it seems that what had an effect was that the tranquil environment indispensable for such visits could no longer be maintained.
And considering Emperor Shōwa’s sharp eye for observing people, it seems he coolly saw through individual personalities as well.
Matsuoka Yōsuke died of illness in prison in June 1946.
This cannot be a matter to be discussed in one lump under the phrase “Class-A war criminals.”
Matsuoka was greatly dissatisfied with the adoption of the Lytton Commission’s “report condemning Japan” after the Manchurian Incident of 1931.
In 1933, Matsuoka, who was Japan’s plenipotentiary ambassador, unilaterally withdrew from the League of Nations.
However, Emperor Shōwa, who wished for international cooperation, opposed withdrawal from the League of Nations.
The League of Nations was established in 1918, during the First World War.
It was established after U.S. President Wilson announced the “Fourteen Points for Peace” and called for the creation of an organization to preserve peace.
It had forty-two member states, and Britain, France, Japan, and Italy were permanent council members.
To “withdraw” was far too abrupt.
A path other than withdrawal should also have been explored.
Like the “expiration” of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, it was an event Japan had reason to regret.
This installment will continue.
The chapter posted on 2017-11-12 under the title “The actions of Emperor Shōwa and the Asahi Shimbun were far too contrasting, but under Asahi’s agitation the people…” is now in goo’s real-time top ten.
What follows is a continuation of the previous chapter.
When Chief Military Aide Naratake Takeshi said, “Withdrawal was regrettable, but it was the opinion of the people,” the Emperor replied, “Even if one calls it public opinion, if military men, as at present, oppress the opinions of individuals, how can one know the true public opinion?”
After reaching adulthood, Emperor Shōwa rarely expressed likes and dislikes, yet he unusually said that he disliked Yōsuke Matsuoka.
The Emperor seems to have constantly sensed in Matsuoka an opportunistic “double heart.”
Meanwhile Asahi highly praised Yōsuke Matsuoka’s decision and extolled in its pages the act of withdrawing from the League of Nations.
Not only that, in 1933 it wrote and composed the military song “Farewell to the League” praising Matsuoka.
It elevated Matsuoka, who insisted on the “legitimacy” of withdrawing from the League of Nations, into a “national hero.”
Asahi’s nature, which elevated people such as Maekawa into heroes, has not changed at all from the prewar Asahi.
The actions of Emperor Shōwa and the Asahi Shimbun were far too contrasting, but under Asahi’s agitation the people became enthusiastic about Matsuoka’s withdrawal from the League of Nations.
Together with Asahi, the people too were captivated by Yōsuke Matsuoka, who had spoken in defiance of forty-two countries at the League of Nations assembly hall in Geneva.
The military song created by Asahi is as follows.
The boldface is by the author.
This is the heart of the song.
Reference 4.
“Farewell to the League.”
Lyrics by Asahi Shimbun, Today’s Problem Child.
Music by Eguchi Yashi.
Verse 1.
At last reality has come.
Closing their eyes before justice,
when they cast those forty-two shameless and rude votes,
our representative kicks his seat away.
Verse 2.
Do you not see it.
Newly over Manchuria the five-colored national flag waves.
When the tears of many years under warlord oppression are wiped away, the blood boils, and thirty million are revived.
Verse 3.
Ah, high are the peaks of the Alps.
The waters of Lake Léman are pure, yet the shadow of ideals has fallen to the ground.
Deep understanding is hard to draw forth, and the sky over Geneva is dark in spring.
Verse 4.
Farewell then, O League.
On the day we meet again, will the light of peace in the Far East shine brightly,
and will you welcome with a smile the manliness of Japan, leader of the alliance.
This installment will continue.
Self-righteous and arrogant Matsuoka and Asahi were perfectly in step.
What follows is a continuation of the previous chapter.
In 1936, Japan and Germany, both isolated after withdrawing from the League of Nations, concluded the Anti-Comintern Pact, whose presumed enemy was the Soviet Union.
Then Italy also joined the pact, and in 1940 the Tripartite Pact between Japan, Germany, and Italy was concluded.
The moment Hitler hinted at recognizing Manchukuo, Asahi leaned toward supporting an alliance with Hitler.
Even when the Emperor expressed opposition, the Army General Staff and the Asahi Shimbun would not listen.
Self-righteous and arrogant Matsuoka and Asahi were perfectly in step.
The Army and Asahi said the countries casting the forty-two votes were in the wrong and that Japan was not.
This installment will continue.
Later Matsuoka regretted, saying, “Concluding the Tripartite Pact was the greatest blunder of my life,” but the ones who cannot regret it enough are the Japanese people.
What follows is a continuation of the previous chapter.
In July 1940, the Konoe Cabinet was formed.
Matsuoka obtained from Konoe the promise that “diplomacy would be left entirely to Matsuoka,” transferred large numbers of ambassadors and ministers, and “purged the pro-British and pro-American faction” from the Foreign Ministry.
Matsuoka’s “runaway course” began.
In March 1941, Matsuoka went to Berlin and visited Hitler.
In April, he went to Moscow and committed the grave mistake of concluding the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact with Stalin, who was carrying out the “Great Purge” of tens of millions.
The “Matsuoka plan,” which sought to oppose the United States with a bloc of four powers, “Japan, Germany, Italy, plus the Soviet Union,” collapsed miserably two months later.
In June of the same year, Germany suddenly invaded the Soviet Union.
Matsuoka moved energetically from Berlin to Moscow, but in the end he was simply manipulated by Hitler the entire time.
The reason Emperor Shōwa demanded the dismissal of Foreign Minister Matsuoka was that he sensed Matsuoka had made a misjudgment from which there could be “no turning back.”
In response to the Emperor’s demand for dismissal, the Konoe Cabinet could not dismiss Matsuoka alone, and in July of that year the Konoe Cabinet resigned en masse.
Later Matsuoka regretted, saying, “Concluding the Tripartite Pact was the greatest blunder of my life,” but the ones who cannot regret it enough are the Japanese people.
This installment will continue.