Japan has lost a capable statesman in Mr. Hera, the
Premier, who was foully murdered at the Tokyo railway station on Friday, November 4th. He was about to enter a train when he was stabbed to the heart by a young signalman, who had been lurking on the platform. Mr. Ham fell to the ground and died within a few minutes. The assassin is reported to have said that he killed Mr. 'Ham because of the criticisms that he had read in the newspapers, presumably in reference to Mr. Hara's attitude towards the Washington Conference. A few hours before his death Mr. Ham had told an American journalist that he looked forward hopefully to the Conference, which would clear away misunderstandings between Japan and America. Mr. Hare, who was sixty-five, was the first Japanese Premier to form a party Cabinet and the first commoner to hold that high office. As leader of the Sei-yu-kai, the Moderate Conservative Party, Mr. Ham had helped to strengthen Japan's infant Parliamentary institutions, and his death at this critical moment is much to be regretted.
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