Word: mitsumasa
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...that he lacked self-confidence. Mitsumasa Yonai knew that he had in him the genes of command. Nearly six feet tall, weighing 188 pounds, with airplane shoulders and a tri-motor voice, big of hands and feet and manner, he had always dominated littler men. His nickname-The White Elephant-was one of awe, and had none of the Occidental connotations of that phrase. It referred to his size; his exceptionally fair and aristocratic complexion, accented in its whiteness by his hair, black and shiny as a phonograph record; and his appearance of strength and wisdom...
...first things knowing Japanese noticed was that Premier Yonai hailed from Iwate Province. Only two Iwate men before him rose to the Premiership. Both died at the hands of assassins. But neither public surprise nor superstition dampened Mitsumasa Yonai's confidence. He felt sure that by inventing a few metaphors neat as chopsticks, by continuing to mouth nebulous phrases about the New Order and completion of the China Incident (taking steps meanwhile to prolong it), by playing ball with the Army-in short, by emulating most of his recent predecessors-he would make as good a Premier...
...journalistic embarrassments did not discourage Mitsumasa Yonai. He waded out into the public ring slugging. His first speech before the Diet was a huge success. He said nothing, and said it briefly, elegantly, forcefully. He was not worried about financial matters because he had achieved the major political triumph of persuading former Finance Minister Sotaro Ishiwata to demean himself to be the Premier's own secretary; nor about military matters because the Emperor had taken the spectacular, unprecedented step of calling in General Hata to bid the Army obey the Cabinet...
...Mitsumasa Yonai, a confident man, smiled. He knew how to take criticism. He was born to debts, weaned on trouble, schooled in adversity...
...years before Mitsumasa was born Japan was suddenly turned from a feudal to a capitalistic state. The elder Yonai, given an inadequate political job, cracked up and deserted his family when Mitsumasa...