Kato Dead

Admiral Baron Tomasaburo Kato, Premier of Japan, died from heart trouble at his residence in Tokyo.

Tomasaburo Kato was born at Hiroshima in 1861. He was not of noble birth, having been raised to a barony in 1920. In his extreme youth he lost his father and was brought up by an elder brother, who later became a soldier. Baron Kato's life was identified with the Navy from an early age; at the time of the Russo-Japanese War he was 43. He was known to be a competent officer in a wide sense of the term; his painstaking knowledge gave him an uncanny grasp of naval affairs and won him the position of Chief of Staff to Admiral Togo, famed idol. From then on his success was assured.

In 1908 he was made a Vice Admiral, later becoming Vice Minister of Marine, and in the Great War he was promoted to the command of the First Fleet with the rank of full Admiral. After the Armistice he became Minister of Marine and won his diplomatic spurs at the Washington Conference and his political spurs at home after he had become Prime Minister.

His interest in the cause of peace was foremost in his mind, but his brilliant successes in this cause were not enthusiastically received by influential quarters in Japan. This spirit was shown up in editorial comment in Tokyo newspapers:

Nichi Nichi: " It would have been better if Baron Kato had not accepted the Premiership, in which he was a disappointment."

The Kokumin: " Kato failed as Premier because he was unable to control the Seiyukai Party (Government Party)."

Prince Hirohito, Regent of Japan, appointed Foreign Minister Count Yasuya Uchida, Prime Minister ad interim.