Chihaya bought a radio at Nagasaki on the day, The price was 30 yen which costed half of a college graduate wage per month. In the evening the price was high twice. The next day people could not get any more.
Chihaya p.50
Poors and farmers felt intimacy for armies than greedy ruling class. To be selected a soldier was a honor of lower class people among huge enlisted men. While young Japanese elite class did not want to volunteer for military service. Imperial General Headquarters pressed people directly by radio, but it had covered up war situation in belief of rulers' dignity. So executives of military companies did not want to invest military aircraft factories listening to a war situation of the Midway battle ironically. They thought the Pacific War would end in near future.
Isolated island battle
People heared by radio that IJA troops in Attu Island died all on evening 30th May 1943 in the north of the Pacific. The enlisted soldiers of the troops were 7th division from Asahikawa, Sapporo and Morioka.
9 of 10 soldiers of another 10th division from Korea died in the south of the Pacific. IJA had dispatched local divisions in the expected war fronts. The Attu Battle was a first step to the Okinawa Battle.
The Attu Battle(11May1943-30May1943)
5gatu30 Yugata
Asahikawa
Morioka
Propaganda broadcast
Ruling class people listened to short wave broadcasting of US secret. US began to broadcast middle wave from Saipan. It was very effective for US becasue Japanese government prohibited to have short wave radios. Asahi Newspaper wrote, 'Iron ears protect from bombs of broadcasting' on 14th Aug 1945. The next day, Mikado said, 'Cease the Pacific War' on his voice. People listend to Mikado's voice then for the first time.
Jewel Voice Broadcast