Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan (316 page)

64.
Ibid.

65.
K
ketsu,
Nihon kaigun no sh
sen k
saku
, pp. 74–75.

66.
Kido K
ichi nikki, ge
, p. 909. Writing in prison after Konoe's suicide, Kido gave this account of his Sept. 26, 1941, meeting with Konoe: “If the army insists on opening hostilities on October 15, then I have no confidence and must think about resigning.” I [Kido] told him, “Since you are the one who made the decision at the imperial conference of September 6, it is irresponsible for you to quit now leaving that decision as it stands.” Kido, “Sens
kaihi e no doryoku,” in
Kido K
ichi kankei bunsho
(Iwanami Shoten, 1966), p. 30.

67.
Kido K
ichi nikki, ge
, p. 914; also cited in Tanaka,
Dokyumento Sh
wa tenn
, dai ikkan
, pp. 141–42.

68.
Sugiyama memo, j
, pp. 348–349. The day before Konoe's last cabinet meeting, the emperor had told Kido: “There seems little hope in the present situation for the Japan–U.S. negotiations. This time if hostilities erupt, I might have to issue a declaration of war.” See
Kido K
ichi nikki, ge
, p. 914.

69.
Otabe Y
ji, “Han Ei-Bei datta Konoe Shus
, ‘dokudansha' Matsuoka z
no sh
sei mo” in
Shinano Mainichi
(June 5, 1995).