Editing Mitsumasa Yonai (section)

==Assessment==
=== Minister of the Imperial Japanese Navy (1937–1939) ===
Because of Yonai’s work as a military attaché in Russia and Poland and his travels around European countries, he had a broader perspective of world affairs than many other senior Japanese military officials. In the late 1930s Yonai already analyzed the naval capabilities of the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied countries, versus those of Germany and Italy and he concluded that Japan should not ally itself with the [[Axis Powers]]. In addition to his experience as an attaché, he had participated in the Battle of the Japan Sea (known in the West as the Battle of Tsushima) during the Russo-Japanese War as a lieutenant, so he understood the realities of naval warfare. Hence, on August 8, 1939, at the five-ministry commission that was intended to make a plan for war, the Minister of Finance, Ishiwata, asked Yonai, "Is it possible for the Imperial Japanese Navy to triumph over America and Britain?" (Agawa, n.d.). Yonai answered, "No. The Imperial Japanese Navy is not designed to open fire against them. The Third Reich and the Italian Navy are out of question." (Agawa, n.d.).

After the historical triumph of the [[Battle of Tsushima|Battle of the Japan Sea]] in 1905 during the [[Russo-Japanese War]], the Imperial Japanese Navy was the world's third strongest. By the end of [[Japan during World War I|World War I, Japan]] had a powerful battle fleet. In the 1930s, following the [[Washington Naval Treaty]], Japan built a strong naval aviation arm with excellent aircraft and pilots. Even so, the Imperial Japanese Navy could not compete against the [[Royal Navy]] and the [[United States Navy]], the top two navies in the world. Consequently, the much smaller Kriegsmarine (German Navy) and the Regia Marina (Italian Navy) could not defeat these two dominants. Furthermore, the Imperial Japanese Navy had been made overconfident by its victory and was not willing to acknowledge a position of inferiority. However, his unique experiences made him convinced of his view. Therefore, Yonai clearly announced his opinion: the Imperial Japanese Navy would lose if it attacked the Royal Navy and the United States Navy.<ref name= "ReferenceA">Agawa, H. (n.d.), Yonai Mitsumasa, Koubunsha</ref><ref>{{cite web | publisher = MAKJ |url= http://www.mskj.or.jp/getsurei/tachibana0502.html |title= Tachibana |access-date= 2013-04-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121024230126/http://www.mskj.or.jp/getsurei/tachibana0502.html |archive-date=October 24, 2012 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

=== Pre-prime minister ===
Before he was chosen as the Prime Minister, Yonai showed strong leadership particularly in crisis. On February 26, 1936, there was an attempted coup d'état led by young officers of the Imperial Japanese Army. The generals of the Imperial Japanese Army struggled to decide the appellation of the rebel troops, whom the generals were hesitant to refer to as rebels because it was extremely shameful for them to admit internecine strife.  Hence, the generals were hesitant. On the other hand, Yonai, the commander-in-chief of the [[Sasebo Naval District]], instantaneously labeled them as "Insurrectional troops", (Agawa, n.d.) and let the chief of his staff, Admiral [[Inoue Shigeyoshi]], publish his position to all the Sasebo Naval District. Because of this immediate announcement, navy officers in the Sasebo Naval District were compelled to stop participating with the rebellion troops. Yonai's prompt action as the supreme commander tranquilized the Sasebo Naval District.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

=== Time as prime minister (January 16 to July 16, 1940) ===
Despite not being famous, Yonai made significant decisions that depict his strong moral character. At his appointment as Prime Minister, he retired from active service without being asked to do so. He intended not to control his cabinet ministers by naval influences. This verdict was momentous, as once a general or admiral retires, he loses influence, hence all the generals and admirals are reluctant to retire. Indeed, even Tojo Hideki, the 40th Prime Minister did not retire at his promotion to Prime Minister, but persisted in active service in the Imperial Japanese Army in order to uphold his control over it. Because of Yonai's retirement from the Imperial Japanese Navy, the Yonai Cabinet was cooperative. One prominent evidence of this was that: nevertheless his cabinet had continued just a half a year, his cabinet members and followers formed a friendly reunion right after his resignation in 1937, and it still lasting in the [[Heisei period]] (1989–2019). This reunion was named Ichi-Roku Kai, which means sixteenth gathering, because Yonai's appointment and resignation as a Prime Minister both happened on the 16th day of their months.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

=== Emperor's trust ===
Emperor Shōwa ([[Hirohito]]) trusted Yonai's strong moral character. By July 1944, the situation of [[World War II]] was apparently against Japan. As for this difficult circumstance, the Imperial Japanese Navy was in a confusion. Supreme commanders of the Imperial Japanese Navy decided to appoint Yonai as the Minister of Navy because he had popularity and charisma enough to unite the Imperial Japanese Navy, although Yonai had already retired.  To assign Yonai as the Minister of Navy, the Emperor's consent was necessary. Meanwhile, [[Nobumasa Suetsugu|Admiral Suetsugu]] was also a candidate. The Emperor selected Yonai because Suetsugu was famous for his ambition, and allowed Yonai to be the Minister of Navy even though he was no longer in active service. This appointment demonstrated Shōwa's trust in Yonai because he is the only one person in the Imperial Japanese Navy's history to return from retirement and be posted to the supreme position as the Minister of Navy. After the Imperial Japanese Navy was defeated, the Emperor called Yonai to the palace. The Emperor amiably invited Yonai to have lunch together. After that, the Emperor said, "I really appreciated your duty and effort not to begin the war. I think we are not going to meet often like before". He put a pen and inkstone into a case and said, "These are the things that I have used. I would like to present this as a gift to you."<ref>Agawa, n.d.</ref>  This action is extremely rare because having presented the belongings of the Emperor is the supreme honor and the utmost expression of amiability.<ref name= "ReferenceA" />