On 1 August 1944 the anniversary of Burmese "independence" was celebrated at Jubilee Hall in Rangoon, attended by the most important Japanese and Burmese administrators in the city. Aung San gave a speech in Burmese criticizing the administration. He criticized the idea of Burmese "independence" as it existed by stating that the benefits of Burmese "independence" only extended as far as the ministers present, and could not be enjoyed by the Burmese population until the Japanese were gone. Before the speech the Japanese had requested a translation, but Aung San refused to give one. The Burmese officials present, including Ba Maw, were shocked by Aung San speaking so openly and refused to translate the speech for the Japanese, which angered them. Though the Japanese newspaper in Yangon only reported that a speech was given by Aung San without reporting what it was, the Japanese government in Tokyo was reportedly disturbed.