Sadao Araki - As Cabinet Minister

As Cabinet Minister

Under the cabinet of Prime Minister Tsuyoshi Inukai in December 1931, Araki was appointed to the post of Minister of War. As Army Minister, he however supported the instigators of the May 15 Incident, calling them "irrepressible patriots". He also supported General Shiro Ishii and his biological warfare research project Unit 731.

Prince Saionji, one of the Emperor's closest and strongest advisors, attempted to stop the military take-over of the government. In a compromise, a naval officer was chosen to become Prime Minister, Admiral Makoto Saitō. Araki remained as War Minister in 1932 and immediately began making demands on the new government. Later that month, the Japanese unveiled its new foreign policy, which was dubbed the Japanese Monroe Doctrine (Hakko Ichiu and Amau doctrines) that became a blueprint for Japanese expansionism in Asia.

From September 1932 onwards, Araki became more outspoken in promoting totalitarianism, militarism and expansionism. In a 23 September news conference Araki first mentioned the philosophy of Kodoha ("The Imperial Way"), which linked the Emperor, the people, land and morality as one indivisible entity, and which emphasized State Shintoism. Araki also strongly promoted the concept of the Seishin Kyoiku (spiritual training) for the army.

After serving as a member of the Supreme War Council in 1934, Araki was ennobled with the title of baron (danshaku) in 1935 under the kazoku peerage system. He retired from the military in March 1936, as part of the fallout from the February 26 Incident.

After retirement, Araki was appointed Education Minister, in the cabinet of Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe in 1937, which placed him in an ideal position to promote his militaristic ideals into the national education system and the general populace. Araki proposed the integration of the samurai code in the national education system, himself believing in militaristic education. He promoted the use of the official academic text Kokutai no Hongi (Japan's Fundamentals of National Policy) and the "moral national bible" "Shinmin no Michi" ("The Path of Subjects") an effective catechism on nation, religion, cultural, social and ideological topics. Araki continued to serve as Education Minister under Prime Minister Kiichiro Hiranuma. Afterwards, he continued to serve as an advisor to the government as a State Councillor.