With this change of government, or within a short period thereafter, others of the accused accepted important government positions, the power, prestige and influence of which were necessary for the formulation and perfection of the common plan or conspiracy charged. DOHIHARA was appointed Supreme Y/ar Coun¬cillor on 28 September 1940. HATA was appointed Military Coun¬cillor on 22 July 1940. KIRANUMA was appointed Minister Without Portfolio on 6 December 1940, and Home Minister on 21 December 1940. H0SHIN0 was appointed President of the Planning Board and Minister of State Without Portfolio on 22 July 1940. KIDO conti¬nued to hold the key position of Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, to which he was appointed on 1 June 1940. MUT0 was appointed Councillor of the South Seas Bureau of the Overseas Affairs Ministry on 26 December 1940. OKA was appointed Chief of the Bureau of Naval Affairs, the Navy Ministry and also a member of the Board of Admirals on 15 October 1940; Councillor to the Bureau of General Affairs on 7 November 194C; Secretary of the National General Mobilization Council on 8 November 1940; Coun¬cillor to the Cabinet Planning Board on 21 November 1940; and Councillor of the Bureau of Southern Colonization, the Overseas Affairs Ministry on 26 December 1940. OSHIMA was reappointed Envoy Extraordinary and Ambassador Plenipotentiary to Germany on 20 December 1940. STRENGTHENING OF FOREIGN POLICY The change of government resulted in an immediate strengthening of. Japanese foreign policy in line with the aims and purposes of the accused. In the conference on 17 July 1940