Word: toyama
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1940-1949
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...Marked for Thought Control, if it does not behave itself, is a certain Council For Launching National Policies, which is backed by that grey-bearded, ascetic fire-eater, Mitsuru Toyama, head of the Black Dragon Society. The Council For Launching National Policies has been holding public meetings, and lately it sent a spokesman to see Premier Prince Fumimaro Konoye. The Premier had one of his convenient colds, so the Council sent the Government a letter of advice, with a broad hint that the advice had better be followed...
...Japanese superstition holds that toads wield a dangerous hypnotic magnetism over humans, and Japanese say that like a toad Toyama pulls and pushes young men into these plots and assassinations. Born in a frenzy-inclined community on Kyushu Island, he was raised in the "school of heroes" of Miss Takaba, a unique female warrior who wore two swords and swung two hot little fists. In his youth Toyama evaded and broke successive apprentice ships, embarked on a self-righteous outlawry something like Robin Hood's, and about 1894 established the foundations of the Black Dragon Society...
...exploits are legendary. It is said that he once entered the headquarters of a robber chief, sat down and simply glared at the chief until he bowed, apologized and handed the loot to Toyama, who returned it to the owners. He made a fortune by borrowing huge sums and then paid his debts by selling coal mines he had acquired by political wangling-all to prove how easy it was to acquire riches. He then retired to poverty and his small wooden house...
Stalling of the war in China gave Toyama and his henchmen a chance for a comeback. They indirectly allied themselves with Premier Prince Fumimaro Konoye's drive to abolish political parties and set up a totalitarian State. By last week their operations had become considerably more open...
...event which must have given Mitsuru Toyama greatest satisfaction of all last week was the convocation of the Diet. Parliamentary forms have always been the cardinal anathema to the secret societies. Last week's convocation indicated that the forms were very nearly dead. In the pompous Diet building in Tokyo, Emperor Hirohito made a one-minute speech to the members, who were as stray and divided as sheep. They had dissolved their political parties and their lobbying machines. They had no aims, no organization, no hope. Their first and only act was to adjourn until January 20. Then...