894.00/12–2245: Telegram
The Acting Political Adviser in Japan (Atcheson) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 24—12:47 p.m.]
220. According to press, Konoye’s plan for constitutional reform reported to Emperor some time before his death55 was as follows as regards Emperor institution:
“Article 1. The Emperor is able [a] person to preside over and simultaneously exercise sovereign power. But it shall be defined especially clearly that the exercise shall be made with the assistance by all imperial subjects. (New article.)
Article 2. It exclusively belongs to the Emperor authority to dissolve the House of Representatives and open the Imperial Diet. But the constitution shall be so reformed that the Imperial [Diet?] may be dissolved by itself and that it is possible to petition the throne to allow the Diet to be opened any time.
Article 3. It shall be provided that the Emperor is authorized to use his prerogative to dissolve the Diet twice or three times so as to avoid the abuse of this imperial authority.
Article 4. With regard to urgent imperial ordinances, able [a] standing council (to be so provisionally called) to act for the Imperial Diet shall be established and these ordinances shall be referred to it for deliberation.
Article 5. It shall be clearly provided that the Emperor’s order to the Government in the form of entrusting the government with it may be issued within fixed bounds and the legislative organ shall be respected.
[Page 889]Article 6. Heretofore, the Emperor’s prerogatives relating to the command and organization of the Army and Navy have been exercised with the assistance of the military organs and it has not belonged to the State Minister’s duties. But it shall be specified clearly that the command and organization of the Army and Navy form part of State affairs.
Article 7. Because the matter of war declaration and conclusion of peace treaties required haste, it belonged to the Emperor’s prerogatives, but as was clearly shown by the latest war, today’s misfortune as [was] brought about with the fighting services insisting on the independence of the supreme command and making a direct [appeal to?] the throne, thereby keeping His Majesty uninformed of the [truth?]”
- Prince Konoye committed suicide on December 15.↩