Historical Dictionary of United States-Japan ... - Bakumatsu Films

CHRONOLOGY • xxv
broadcast of Emperor Hirohito’s acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration.
Kantaro Suzuki Cabinet resigns en masse. 17 August: Naruhiko Higashikuni
Cabinet established; it lasts until 9 October 1945. 20 August:
Japanese military forces in Manchuria surrender to the Soviet Union.
2 September: The official surrender ceremony is conducted aboard the
USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay with General MacArthur presiding. 6 September:
President Truman approves “United States Initial Post-Surrender
Policy” (directed to General MacArthur). 15 September: Allied Powers
GHQ establishes its headquarters in Hibiya, Tokyo, at the Dai Ichi Seimei
Sogo Building. 17 September: Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu resigns,
succeeded by Shigeru Yoshida. 28 September: First meeting between
General MacArthur and Emperor Hirohito takes place. 10 October:
About 500 political prisoners, including Kyuichi Tokuda, a
prominent member of the Japanese Communist Party, released from
prison. 11 October: General MacArthur demands that Prime Minister Kijuro
Shidehara amend the Constitution and implement the five major reforms.
25 October: Constitutional Problems Investigation Committee
established with Joji Matsumoto as chairman. 2 November: Japanese Socialist
Party established with Tetsu Katayama as secretary-general.
6 November: GHQ directs zaibatsu dissolution. 9 November: Japan Liberal
Party established with Ichiro Hatoyama as president. 16 November:
Japan Progressive Party established with Chuji Machida as president (he
becomes president on 18 November 1945). 9 December: GHQ directs
land reform. 16 December: Fumimaro Konoe commits suicide. 17 December:
Election-reform law enacted (including women’s suffrage).
1946 1 January: Emperor Hirohito makes “declaration of human being,”
rejecting his divinity. 4 January: GHQ directs purge of militarists.
29 January: GHQ directs the cessation of Japanese administration over
Ryukyu and Ogasawara Islands. 3 February: General MacArthur directs
GHQ’s Government Section to make a draft of Japanese constitution
(completed on 10 February). 8 February: Matsumoto trial draft of
revision of the Constitution submitted to GHQ. It is rejected soon thereafter.
19 February: Emperor Hirohito begins to travel around Japan.
22 February: After American demands, the Japanese government decides
to accept the GHQ draft of a Japanese constitution. 6 March:
Japanese government publicly announces the outline of revised draft of
a Japanese constitution. 10 April: First postwar general election for the