After Japan surrendered, American troops went to arrest Tojo and surrounded his house. He shot himself four times in the chest, but missed and the bullets hit his stomach. Disarmed and with blood gushing out of his chest, Tojo began to talk. He said, "I am very sorry it is taking me so long to die. The Greater East Asia War was justified and righteous. I am very sorry for the nation and all the races of the Greater Asiatic powers. I wait for the righteous judgment of history. I wished to commit suicide but sometimes that fails." 