"We must rely on education to nurture the peoples values, and we must devise a social policy that will assist their industry, provide them work, help the aged and infirm, and thereby prevent catastrophe."

"When I was foreign minister, I was very careful not to say that China is a threat although I repeatedly said ‘grave concern’ at news conferences. But as defense minister, I must say China has become a security threat to Japan."

"It's good to be back in Washington D.C. Last time I was here I was Foreign Minister. This time I came back as Defense Minister. Maybe next year as a Prime Minister."

"We must absolutely defend free and fair elections, which are the basis of democracy. We will proceed with our election campaign as planned with the firm conviction that we will never yield to violence (assassination of Shinzo Abe)."

"What is Prime Minister Kishida thinking when he decides to sever ties with those who have fought at the risk of their lives to prevent Japan from leaning left since before he entered university? Wasn’t there peace in society afterward thanks to them? Has Prime Minister Kishida ever fought for Japan with the same dedication as they have? It is unavoidable to conclude that Prime Minister Kishida’s actions go against the “essence of conservatism.” …How can the people trust a Prime Minister who violates freedom of religion for personal protection without adequately countering attacks from opposition parties and the media? For many conservative supporters of the LDP, Prime Minister Kishida’s actions showed his weakness and, despite religious persecution for the sake of popularity, did not stop his decline in approval ratings."

"Russia's actions (in attacking Ukraine) very clearly damage Ukraine's sovereignty and go against international law. We once again criticize these moves and strongly urge Russia to return to diplomatic discussions. Should the situation worsen, we'll move quickly to take further action."

"This attack (assassination of Shinzō Abe) is an act of brutality that happened during the elections - the very foundation of our democracy - and is absolutely unforgivable."

"Our defeat at Leyte was tantamount to the loss of the Philippines. When you [the Allies] took the Philippines, that was the end of our resources."

"History shows that whenever an emergency arises, our national spirit is most emphatically manifested to advance the prestige and fortune of the nation. It is incumbent upon us to leave no stone unturned in order to promote loyalty and bravery on the home front as well, and to replenish and demonstrate our nation's powers, for which are required the inculcation of the spirit of reverence for deities and respect for ancestors, the renovation of national education and the of the people's physical strength."

"There is no chance whatsoever of victory; therefore I agree with the foreign minister that the Potsdam declaration should be accepted at once, with only that one condition about retaining the Emperor."

"We might win the first battle for Japan, but we won't win the second. The war is lost to us. Therefore we must forget about 'face,' we must surrender as quickly as we can, and we must begin to consider at once how best to preserve our country."

"It may be inappropriate to put it in this way, but the atomic bombs and the Soviet entry into the war are, in a sense, God's gifts. Now we can end the war without making it clear that we have to end the war because of the domestic situation. I have long been advocating the conclusion [of the war], not because I am afraid of the enemy's attacks or because of the atomic bombs or the Soviet participation in the war; The most important reason is my concern over the domestic situation."

"Japan is fully prepared to take appropriate steps in event that the United States continues its oppression."

"The war will continue a long time. Chiang Kai-shek may attempt to continue hostilities throughout his ifetime and as long as Chiang continues, Japan must continue."

"I am convinced of the necessity to take an effective measure of self defense."

"The Chinese courts have tried many Japanese officers for their crimes against the Chinese. These men committed thousands of crimes against Koreans. They killed and persecuted thousands of our people for refusing to help the Japanese war effort. They forced Koreans into the coal mines as slave laborers and let them die of tuberculosis and neglect."

"We are against dependence on a change in the international situation for the solution of the China Incident."

"I retained no records and I am not a good writer anyhow. So the best approach is for historians like you to extract the facts directly from people like me."

"Asia, in cooperation with Europe, is about to take simultaneous action towards realization of a New World Order."

"The kind of slaughter and violence that we have seen in this war, was in my experience very rare during the Russo-Japanese war. In modern war, the whole people are mobilized. Hence the majority of the troops correspond to the people as a whole. An army in which scandals and atrocities occur in great numbers, must surely reflect a decline in public morality?"

"As the rising sun melts thinly frozen ice, so the Japanese Army is overcoming Chinese troops."

"I will take responsibility for all operations."

"We should not miss the present opportunity or we shall be blamed by posterity."

"Now that the Emperor has accepted the Potsdam Declaration, we must lay down our arms. Obeying the Emperor's order, we shall not fight. We must keep peace and order and we shall not make any trouble."

"I am convinced that in times such as these, every man must be a soldier, in substance as well as in name."

"The conflict between Japan and Chiang is little affected by the fall of the Wuhan cities and Sino-Japanese hostilities have just started."

"It is a place rich in natural resources, having everything we need for national defense, a crucial place for the empire's self-reliance. The place is crucial too for our wars with China, Russia, and the U.S."

"We hope the peace will last for twenty years. Then we will be here again."

"I understand that the bombing ended the war, and I think that it couldn't be helped."