Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs 21. (1968)
MIYAKE, Masaki: Die Achse Berlin – Rom – Tokio im Spiegel der japanischen Quellen
438 Masaki Miyake the regulations of the Japanese Army pertaining to my profession. I had no participation in politics whatsoever until July 1940, when, upon the formation of the Second KONOYE Cabinet, on 22 July, 1940, I was appointed Minister of War, (my rank at that time being Lieutenant General) and I was again selected for that portfolio in the Third KONOYE Cabinet, dating from 18 July 1941. On 18 October 1941 I received the Imperial Mandate to form a Cabinet and accepted, as any loyal subject would have done, holding at the outset the portfolios of Prime Minister, War Minister and Home Minister concurrently. (I was promoted to the rank of Full General as of that date.) On 17 February 1942 I was relieved of the portfolio of Home Minister but subsequently held the portfolios of Foreign Minister, Minister of Education, Minister of Commerce and Industry, and Minister for Munitions. In February 1944, I was appointed Chief of the Army General Staff. With the resignation en bloc of my cabinet on 22 July 1944 I was relieved of all public office and placed on the reserve list. Since that date I have held no public position of any description. I was placed in a place of political responsibility on 22 July 1940 and, ironically, relieved by chance on the same date, 22 July, four years later. 2. I shall testify concerning those matters which took place during the period I held positions of political responsibility, and which I believe are pertinent to and of informative value to this Tribunal ... Page Union.........................................................................................................................................64 Negotiations Between the United States and Japan under the Third KONOYE Cabinet. (Part I, Negotiations prior to September 6th, 1941 . . 73 The Imperial Conference Held on September 6th, 1941 ....................................78 O perational Plan for Possible War......................................................................................87 The American-Japanese Negotiations Under the Third KONOYE Cabinet . 93 Downfall of the Third KONOYE Cabinet.................................................................96 Formation of the TO JO Cabinet...............................................................................108 Happenings Before and After the Imperial Conference of 5. November 1941..............................................................................................................................................115 Supreme War Council..........................................................................................................125 The Imperial Conference — 5. November 1941 .....................................................130 N egotiations With the United States Under the TOJO Cabinet .... 139 Senior Statesmen’s Meeting..................................................................................................150 The Imperial Conference of 1. December 1941.........................................................157 I mportant Matters During the Period From the End of the Imperial Conference of 1. December to the Outbreak of the War...........................................166 C arrying out the Pearl Harbor Attack.................................................................184 The President’s Message to the Emperor.........................................................187 R esponsibility for Control and Supervision of Administrative Business . 188 Disciplinary Law for Prisoners of War.....................................................................192 M ilitary Regulations for the Punishment of Enemy Flyers.................................194 C onstruction of the Thailand-Burma Railway.......................................................195 Summary of the Disposal of the Prisoners of War and the Instructions Given to the Commanders of Prisoners of War Camps ....................................197 C orrections to be Made in My Statements Concerning P. O. W.’s . . . 199 On the Greater East Asia Policy that Had Been Maintained by Japan. Above all, on the particular measures that were taken over and advanced by the TOJO Cabinet with the hope of realization...........................................200 A rmy and Politics................................................................................................................231 My Policy to Maintain Military Discipline..............................................................238
