Hideki Tojo Presents Remains of Admiral Kanji Kato to His Family

Former Vice War Minister Hideki Tojo presents the family of Imperial Japanese Navy Admiral and Chief of Staff Kanji Kato (1873-1939) with part of the Admiral's remains. Kato had opposed the signing of the 1930 Treaty of London, which established limitations on arms between Japan, the United States and Great Britain. Widely seen by the militarists as a threat to the growing power of Japan, Kato was the leader of the anti-treaty faction. Treaty supporters, like Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto and Prime Minister Yuko Hamaguchi, were able to gather enough support for the treaty, despite limiting Japan to 70% of the size of either Great Britain or America. The treaty supporters believed that with territories in both the Atlantic and the Pacific, Japan's navy was superior to both countries in the Pacific at the time. Kato fought against the treaty limitations, and the treaty of 1936, finally dying after writing his memoirs, widely regarded as a treatise on why Japan was disadvantaged by the treaties. His actions prevented him from advancing in rank and probably cost him a seat in the government. He had an active antagonistic relationship with Yamamoto, who used his influence to prevent Kato from advancing. This photo is probably a public relations shot designed to associate Tojo with the anti-treaty faction.