Among the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose files released on Tuesday is a speech delivered by Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo during World War II, saying Japan supported Indian independence and would hand over to the “Provisional Government of Free India”, headed by Bose, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, then under Japanese occupation, “soon”.
Speaking as an “Imperial Representative” at the Great East Asiatic Conference, Tojo said, “I have been greatly moved by the fact that the Indian people are all rising in order to obtain their freedom... It should be very obvious that Japan is ready to set India free from the bondage of America and England...”
“...The Indian fellow people have laid the foundation of the Provisional Government of Free India and under this government are rising for achieving their purposes with one consent, I would like to make it known the decision to return soon the Andaman and Nicobar Islands...,” he added.
