FOREIGN OFFICE FILES FOR JAPAN AND THE FAR EAST
Series One: Embassy & Consular Archives - Japan (1905-1940)
(Public Record Office Class FO 262)

Parts 1 - 4: Detailed Correspondence for 1927-1940

BRIEF CHRONOLOGY 1927-1940

1926

December Emperor Yoshihito dies (end of the Taisho era), Hirohito becomes the new Emperor (start of the Showa era).

1927

January   Chiang Kai-shek’s nationalist Kuomintang forces take control of the Yangtze valley in China.

Banking crisis hits Japan resulting in much economic hardship - but the Zaibatsu groups benefit.

April The Wakatsuki cabinet, brought down by the banking crisis, is replaced by an administration headed by Tanaka Giichi.

A secret society of army officers is formed dedicated to bringing about a ‘Showa Restoration’.

1928

Tanaka’s Seiyukai Party wins the General Election of 1928, the first in Japan to be conducted under conditions of manhood suffrage.

March Mass arrests of members of the Japan Communist Party.

May Tanaka sends troops to halt nationalist advances in North China.

The Chinese war-lord of Manchuria, Chang Tso-lin, is assassinated; Japanese army officers are widely suspected of being responsible.

The Kellog-Briand Peace Pact is signed in Paris.

1929

Chiang Kai-shek’s regime in China is recognised by Japan.

April More members of the Japan Communist Party are arrested.

July Tanaka’s cabinet is forced to resign over the Tso-lin affair.

Hamaguchi Osachi, president of the Minseito Party, becomes Prime Minister.

US stock market crash precipitates world-wide economic depression.

1930

January   Japanese delegation at the London Naval Conference signs treaty limiting the number of vessels; Hamaguchi’s recommendation to the Emperor to ratify the agreement angers conservatives who oppose the treaty and argue that the Prime Minister’s involvement in military affairs is unconstitutional.

Minseito Party wins the General Election.

November Prime Minister Hamaguchi is shot and injured on Tokyo station by a right wing extremist; Shidehara Kijuró steps in as acting Prime Minister.

1931

March “March Incident” - A conspiracy amongst military officers to stage a coup d’etat and make General Ugaki Prime Minister fails when Ugaki makes plain his opposition to the plan.  None of the conspirators are disciplined and a dangerous precedent is set.

April Hamaguchi dies and Wakatsuki Reijiró becomes Prime Minister.

September The “Manchurian Incident” takes place.  Claiming that Chinese troops had attempted to sabotage the South Manchurian Railway, the Japanese Kwangtung Army storms Mukden and then proceeds to occupy all of Manchuria.

The League of Nations calls for Japan to withdraw its troops back to the South Manchurian Railway zone, but despite the government’s agreement, the military advance continues.

October   Another military plot to seize control of Japan is uncovered.

In response to Chinese complaints against Japan, the League of Nations establishes the Lytton Commission to investigate events in China.

December The Wakatsuki cabinet finally resigns over its inability to control the military, and is replaced by Inukai Tsuyoshi’s Seiyukai Party administration.

Inukai takes Japan off the gold standard.

1932

January   Fighting breaks out between Chinese and Japanese forces in Shanghai - repeated Japanese air attacks and large numbers of re-enforcements finally force the Chinese to retreat.

February The Japanese Army announces the creation of a new state of Manchukuo.

Inouye Junnosuke, former Minister of Finance, is assassinated by ultra-nationalist ‘League of Blood’.

March Pu Yi, last of the Chinese emperors, is installed as head of Manchukuo.

Baron Dan Takuma, chief director of the Mitsui holding company is assassinated by the ‘League of Blood’.

May Sir Miles Lampson, British Minister in Peking, concludes truce between belligerents in Shanghai.

“15 May Incident” - Premier Inukai assassinated by junior military officers whilst sabotage attempts made against Tokyo power stations.

Inukai succeeded by Admiral Saito.

Failure in rice crop leads to severe food shortages in Japan.

October   The Lytton Commission publishes its report.

1933

FebruaryJapan rejects the Lytton Commission proposals and leaves the League of Nations.

Tangku Truce - Continued Japanese military success forces the Nationalist Chinese to accept a cease-fire that leaves Japan in a strong position.

1934

July Admiral Saito’s cabinet resigns over bribery allegations, Okada Keisuke becomes Prime Minister.

The Soviet Union sells the Chinese Eastern Railway to Japan.

1935

January   General Election in Japan won by Okada.

August Major-General Nagata is murdered by an army officer angry at his attempts to purge the members of the Kodo-ha (Imperial Way) faction from the army.

The Japanese withdraw from the London Naval Conference.

1936

February Elements from the Japanese army attack members of the government and occupy public buildings in the centre of Tokyo.  The government declares martial law and brings loyal troops into the city - after four days the rebels surrender.

March New cabinet formed by Hirota Kóki.

Japan described by the Minister of Finance as having a “quasi-wartime economy”.

December Japan signs the Anti-Comintern Pact with Germany.

1937

January The Minister of War, Terauchi, resigns bringing down the Hirota cabinet.

February General Hayashi Senjúró becomes Prime Minister.

April A coalition of the Minseito and Seiyukai Parties wins the General Election - Prince Konoye succeeds as Prime Minister.

Agreement reached between Chinese nationalist and communist forces to form alliance against Japan.

July Fighting breaks out between Chinese and Japanese troops near Peking - the military pressures Konoye into sending reinforcements.

Chinese militia rebel against their Japanese officers and massacre Japanese and Korean civilians.

August The fighting spreads to Shanghai and then throughout China.

China appeals to the League of Nations who organise a conference in Brussels to discuss the situation - Japan refuses to attend.

The American ship USS Panay is bombed and sunk, whilst the British gunboat HMS Ladybird is also attacked by Japanese forces.

December The Japanese capture Nanking and many atrocities are committed by their troops.

1938

January Konoye announces that his administration is no longer prepared to deal with the nationalist Kuomintang government in China.

July Japanese and Soviet forces clash at Changkufeng on disputed Soviet-Manchukuo border.

September Japanese forces capture Hankow and Canton.

November Konoye declares Japan’s “immutable policy” of establishing a New Order in East Asia.

December Wang Ching-wei, Chiang Kai-shek’s deputy, defects to the Japanese.

1939

January Konoye resigns and is replaced by Baron Hiranuma.

August German-Soviet Non-Agression Pact is signed - it is regarded as a betrayal of the Anti-Comintern Pact by the Japanese.

Hiranuma resigns and is succeeded by General Abe Nobuyuki.

1940

January Abe resigns as Prime Minister and is succeeded by Admiral Yonai.

July Konoye replaces Yonai as Prime Minister

September Tripartite Axis Pact signed between Japan, Germany and Italy.

Japan continues to exert military might in China to isolate the country from external aid.  Britain and America intensify economic pressure compelling Japan to ‘conquer and hold’ her position in China.

From July 1941 Japanese military advances into Indo-China brings swift action from America, Britain and Holland who impose a total economic embargo on Japan.  In October 1941 Konoye resigns and is succeeded by Tojo Hideki as Prime Minister.

In December Japanese forces attack Pearl Harbour, Hong Kong, Malaya, Singapore and the Philippines. 

The Pacific War begins.

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