I am very happy to have this opportunity to express the views and convictions of the Government before the eighty-sixth session of the Imperial Diet.
At the opening ceremony the other day, His Imperial Majesty specially granted a gracious Rescript which has inspired us deeply. It is my desire together with you gentlemen, in humble response to the Imperial Will, to make every exertion, by concentrating the total strength of our one hundred million people, to expand and strengthen even more our fighting power and, by removing and conquering all difficulties, quickly secure our war aims, thereby setting at ease the August Mind of His Majesty.
Gentlemen, the war situation is developing with ever-increasing tempo. Today our country is faced with the gravest situation since the outbreak of the war of greater East Asia and has truly come to stand at the critical point of its rise or fall.
Last fall, our Imperial forces intercepted the offensive attempt of the enemy in waters off Taiwan and off the Philippines and achieved brilliant victories. Yet even while suffering great losses, the enemy, with the aid of abundant material resources, came to land on the island of Leyte, then the island of Mindoro and finally today on the island of Luzon where a serious situation has been created by the enemy's landing of several army corps.
Since the enemy's advance to the Philippines, our forces, rising to the full heights of their fighting spirit to protect the national polity, have all of them become a special attack force and are carrying out furious attacks which only the men of the Imperial forces are capable of making, subjecting enemy war vessels to deadly attacks at the cost of their lives, or breaking through into enemy airfields or making furious and unfailing raids into enemy positions. I cannot help but be deeply inspired by these brilliant deeds of the special attack corps and of our Imperial troops in general who, feeling deep in their hearts the true essence of the meaning of protecting the national polity, are manifesting the spirit of undying patriotism and loyalty with their very lives.
Taking this opportunity, it is my desire, together with you gentlemen, to pay my heartfelt respect and gratitude to the officers and men who are valiantly fighting in the various areas of greater East Asia, to offer in humble sincerity my respect to those many loyal heroes who have fallen in battle in the defence of our country and to express my sincere sympathy to our wounded and sick officers and men and to those
families who have lost their loved ones in the nation's cause. At the same time, I wish to say, in connection with the work of giving aid to our servicemen and their families, that it is our desire in the light of the present war situation, first of all to carry out various measures to reinforce these activities, to take the necessary steps to have the State bare the burden of caring for the children of our fallen heroes and to strengthen further the military relief work as well as other undertakings connected with aid to servicemen, so that our officers and men at the front may serve without any feeling of anxiety about home.
Reviewing the war situation at its present stage, the military developments in the Pacific theatre are in a state which does not necessarily permit of optimism. However, the greatly extended supply lines of the enemy on all fronts are exposed to our attacks and in this fact, I believe, is to be found our golden opportunity to grasp victory. Moreover, the operations carried out by our forces on the China continent since last summer have wiped out important enemy positions and bases in Central and South China, leaving the United States air force in China no room for any effective action, and, going even further, opened up a land route linking South China and French Indo-China. Furthermore, even in the northern Burma frontier area, our forces are continuing their gallant fight against the enemy attempts to recapture Burma. Our forces which are assigned to guard our northern ramparts are manifesting such strength as to offer our American and British enemies no opportunity for aggressive moves. All this goes to show that our strategical position for the defence of East Asia is exceedingly staunch.
Now indeed is the time for us, the one hundred million, to give vent anew to our flaming ardour and following in the footsteps of the valiant men of the special attack corps demonstrate even more our spirit of sure victory in the field of production. The Government on their part are determined to exert their utmost speedily to carry out the measures for victory and, with all the people as one and by overcoming all difficulties, devote ourselves to the expansion of our fighting power. Now is the time when the home front must fully carry out its duties and responsibilities and thus respond to the heroic fighting of our officers and men at the front. I believe that the result of our total unstinting efforts today at this juncture will eventually not only destroy the enemy in the Philippines area but together with our officers and men in Rabaul, Bougainville and other places become crystallized into decisive fighting power which would solidify the basis for turning the tide of the war.
The fundamental keynote of the victory measures which the Government are intending to take in order to overcome this serious war situation is directed toward the goal of increasing to an unparalleled extent our fighting strength through the speady expansion of the existing national power and threby [sic] establish a structure for the prosecution of the war to victory and also of executing forcefully and unremittingly the various measures for this purpose. However, the fundamental attitude of the Government in the administration of State affairs in the face of the present decisive war situation
does not lie in being concerned with the small ups and downs of the war situation, but in realizing the single aim of forcefully conducting political affairs in order to march forward at all times on the high road to victory.
To strengthen the administration of State affairs, the Government intend both through the central and local organs to effect a comprehensive and integrated management of administrative functions and take steps which are even more appropriate than any taken before and at the same time leave nothing undone to permit the unified prosecution of military and civil measures for purposes of defence and increase in fighting strength by rendering still closer the contact between the chairmen of the local Administrative Councils and the local Army and Navy authorities.
Recently the enemy has begun to raid with frequency our capital and other important cities in our homeland. Especially the desecration of the sacred precincts at Isé the other day was truly an outrage which aroused the profound indignation of our people. However, the damage caused by the raid was light and it is rather a matter of great encouragement that as a result the people, their morale heightend and intensified, are manifesting a remarkable fighting spirit in air defence and production.
Against the enemy air raids which may be expected henceforth to be repeated stubbornly, the Government are taking various necessary steps to effect the speedy strengthening and completion of the protective facilities for factories and other establishments in order to ensure that nothing would obstruct the prosecution of production increase during air raids. At the same time, it is our intention to carry out even more forcefully the dispersion of people and buildings from the large cities and the completion of air defence and other protective facilities, so that no matter how intense the enemy raids should become henceforward there will be an air defence structure so complete and so strong that the military, the Government and the people--united as one--will never succumb to them. Today when our homeland has become a field of battle for the defence of our country, I strongly believe that we, the one hundred million, must together intensify our fighting spirit for the protection of our land and, no matter when or where the enemy may strike, be ever-determined to carry out our duty of defending our soil; that we are living our daily lives as befitting the battlefield demonstrates a cheerful fighting spirit in production and in defence against air raids.
Next, in considering the increase of munition production, the one thing which the officers and men fighting on the front lines so strongly ask of the home front is the great expansion in the production of superior aircraft. The deadly never-miss attacks of the special attack corps against enemy warships and transports and their destruction are possible only with the expanded production of aircraft. In addition to aircraft, the Government are determined to effect the increase in the production of steel, light metals and liquid fuel in order to establish the basis of our fighting power. At the same time, they are also determined to assist in further production on the continent and to devote every effort to mobilizing and strengthening all our scientific and techincal [sic] powers to create and improve the quality and effectiveness
of the various weapons for decisive warfare. Furthermore, to effect the unified strengthening of production and defence, the Government are considering at this time the speedy dispersion of munition factories and the removal of facilities to the underground under carefully conceived plans and also, in order to effect the complete conversion of labour and materials into fighting power, to the expediting of further readjustments of industrial enterprises. In executing these plans, it is the Government's intention to establish these industries as much as possible on a locally and collectively self-sustaining basis.
It is needless for me to state at this time that security in foodstuffs stabilizes the people's livelihood and constitutes the basis of effecting the increase of fighting power. In view of the increase in food requirements henceforward and in view of the transportation conditions, it is our intention to make every effort toward unparalleled increase in national self-sufficiency by carrying out emergency production increase of rice and wheat as a matter of course, as well as sweet potatoes and other products in accordance with the conditions obtainable in the various localities and by overcoming all difficulties.
The fundamental basis of securing and expanding the nation's fighting power which I have just taken up lies, in the last analysis, in the labour power of the people. By mobilizing the entire nation without exception and by demonstrating labour efficiency on the highest plane, then for the first time can this objective be attained. In other words, with respect to the mobilization and supervision of labour, the Government intend to reinforce their unification and co-ordination and effect their efficient reform and improvement. Above all, in the successful carrying out of production under the present situation, our students occupy a position of vital importance, and in view of the fact that they have, at the same time, the important task of shouldering the nation tomorrow, it is our desire to realize fundamentally and effectively the principle of the unity of action and learning and adopt such means as to permit them to serve the country without anxiety. Furthermore, in regard to the various necessary labour matters, we intend, in the case of today, to effect the replenishment of labour through total manpower mobilization in the localities concerned and especially to carry out actively the organic and flexible management of labour affairs, thereby providing strong guidance to allow of systematic means for voluntary labour service on the part of government officials and people in general and realize a condition in which the entire nation will universally be engaged at work.
With regard to the expansion of maritime transportation, the Government intend to make every effort to accelerate the construction of new ships by surmounting all difficulties and also to secure and operate efficiently at least the present existing shipping. Moreover, to the men of the merchant marine who are manning their jobs day and night with a self-sacrificing fighting spirit regardless of the many dangers of enemy attacks, I wish to express my sincere thanks, and in regard to their treatment it is our aim to make further appropriate improvements. Furthermore, to make more
effective the transfer of maritime cargo transport to land transport, the Government have decided to strengthen the facilities of the important trunk lines of the homeland and Chosen and thereby expand the land transportation capacity between Japan, Manchoukuo and China, and especially in readiness against emergencies to carry out speedily the steps to establish the management of land transportation on a footing corresponding to that appropriate in war zones.
Lastly, concerning the improvement of the treatment of our fellow people in Chosen and Taiwan which we promised to consider at the previous session of the Diet, the Government have already taken various appropriate measures concerning travel, transfer of register, school entrance, securing of occupation and the handing of labour to or in Japan proper and have taken several steps forward to abolish any barriers between our homeland and overseas territories. Furthermore, even in regard to improvement in political treatment which has long been the desire of our fellow people in both these territories, the Government, in recognition of the fact that it is a State demand under the present situation for the solidification of our one hundred million people to complete a structure of oneness between our homeland and overseas territories and to settle the matter speedily at this time, have set up an inquiry commission to give the matter careful study as to the method and the time and at the present moment concrete plans are being drawn up. Fortunately, we have your co-operation and we are desirous of seeing its early realization.
In order to carry out forcefully the various measures which I have just stated, all of us, both of the Government and of the public at large, must squarely face the seriousness of the present situation. The Government on their part strongly desire to take all necessary steps, as is only natural, to realize such measures as would enable all our people to devote themselves to their occupations without any feeling of anxiety. The Government earnestly hope that the people too would manifest the spirit of protecting the national polity in their daily life and work, establish their sense of justice even more firmly in society, enhance their morale and by giving full vent to their fighting spirit march forward toward the complete consummation of their responsibilities.
The present war in its true nature is an intense struggle of life or death. Whether or not we could eternally safeguard and maintain the national polity of our country depends upon the single issue whether or not the results of the total strength of our people could win through this war. The enemy is discussing plans for a post-war international organization and regarding our country he is excluding any compromise and blatantly talking of unconditional surrender, planning on the extinction of Japan. Such daydreams are of course nothing more than a laughing matter. But the way to protect eternally the polity of our Empire lies only in the efforts of the entire nation to destroy all obstacles and to concentrate their all, material and spiritual, to the consummation of the aims of this our sacred war. The Government, therefore, on the basis of the aims which I have set forth, intend
forthrightly and forcefully to execute the various decisive war measures, while conforming to the military operations and thereby firmly establish a position which will enable us to grasp victory in arms and, by a forceful mobile management of administration as it functions centrally and locally, to effect their speedy realization. The greedy and sinister ambitions of the American and British peoples for world hegemony which they conceal under the cloak of peace are being revealed in the clear light of day with the development of the war. Already the areas which they have occupied they have exposed serious difference between them over the division of the spoils which is gradually being intensified. In contrast to this the various countries of East Asia, under their common ideal of East Asian renaissance, are cementing more and more their solidarity against the aggressive advance of the enemy and have risen resolutely to defend and preserve East Asia at all costs. The concept of justice--common prosperity and well being--which has been crystallized in the Joint Declaration of the Greater East Asiatic Nations is outside of the pale of comparison with the aggressive war aims of the United States and Britain which are, to say the least, delusive. To the nations and peoples of greater East Asia who are manifesting such a fighting spirit, the Japanese Government express their sincere respect. The Government also express their determination, in accordance with the common beliefs and resolve of the East Asiatic nations as clarified in the Joint Declaration, to consummate this common war for the liberation and renaissance of greater East Asia and to march forward toward the realization of the common concepts set forth in the five principles.
Our allies, Germany and Italy, meeting the enemy today in their home soil, are with intensified morale withstanding the desperate attacks of the enemy and inflicting severe losses. Especially the people of Germany, under daily air attacks and despite the great hardships in their daily life, are not submitting in the least but rather are strengthinenng [sic] their solidarity even more and exerting their highest efforts for the defence of their fatherland. Resolutely carrying out the complete mobilization of their national power and the recasting of their munition production they have since the middle of last December turned to a big offensive along a wide front on their western lines and are at present destroying an American army of much more than 100,000 men. With expectations that the day is not far off when the German people under their Fuehrer Hitler will further demonstrate their explosive power, inflict severe blows on the enemy and make it impossible for him to rise again, I pray for the brave and good fight of the German people in the battles ahead.
Thus in the face of the iron solidarity of the countries of East Asia which have risen to defend their homelands and the brilliant counter-offensive of our German ally the enemy has been compelled to split his strength to the fronts in the East and the West and has come to expose his supplies to serious dangers. Even enemy America which boasts of material abundance has reached an impasse in her established plans by reason of pressing shortages in her manpower resources and is experiencing deficiencies in her war production.
Now she is admitting to her people that the war situation does not necessarily permit of optimism and that unless an unparalleled production increase is realized it would be impossible to shorten the war. The situation in that country is such that it is now in the process of establishing the National Service Act.
The war has thus reached a decisive stage where it has become a test of endurance between the enemy and ourselves and will, henceforth, become even more aggravated. I believe that final victory will be won by those who, overcoming all hardships and difficulties whatever they may be and continuing to maintain a spirit of sure victory without faltering before any critical cituation [sic], will fight to the very last. In response to the hard and gallant fighting of our officers and men at the front, the one hundred million people must steadfastly uphold the spirit of safeguarding our Imperial polity and by overcoming any hardship or difficulty make their utmost exertions to increase fighting power and defend their soil, thus speedily attaining the aims of this sacred war and thereby setting at ease the August Mind of His Majesty.
In closing, I earnestly hope that you will, upon careful consideration, give your speedy approval to the various bills which the Government have presented to you.