JAPAN: New Road

One warm winter's day in Tokyo last week, self-effacing Tetsu Katayama herded his cabinet members to the back door of the Prime Minister's residence. To waiting photographers he explained with a shy, tired smile: "The back is better because we are going out, you know." The pictures over, Katayama solemnly wrapped his state papers in a purple scarf and bustled off to report the fall of his cabinet to the Emperor (he had already told General MacArthur).

The hodgepodge coalition cabinet headed by Katayama, a Christian whose favorite motto is "Do not overdo," had done a surprising amount in eight months....

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