Press translations [Japan]. Economic Series 0018, 1945-11-26.
Date26 November, 1945
translation numbereconomic-0095
call numberDS801 .S81
Persistent Identifier
ECONOMIC SERIES: 18
ITEM 1 260,000 chobu of the former military land are to be reclaimed. More peasant proprietors are also to be created - Nippon Sangyo-Shimbun - 17 Nov 45. Translator: Y Kurata.
Full translation:
The Finance Ministry is now disposing of former military reservations, such as lands
used for horse, military, and air
training fields. It[illegible]is expected that 260,000 chobu of land will be reclaimed for farmers, thereby
relieving the food shortage. Demobilized service men and farmers living near these
areas have already been granted temporary
permission to farm them.
On l6 November the Ministry of Finance circulated the following declaration concerning
disposition of military reserves to
every prefectural governor and every chief of the prefectural financial affairs bureaus.
- 1.Lands to be reclaimed include former reserves for horse, military, and air training, and any other military reserves suitable for cultivation.
- 2.The land is to be surveyed to determine how much is arable, and how much was under cultivation before it was turned into a reserve. As far as possible the land should be returned to its former owners.
- 3.The land is to be returned to the people free from further control.
- 4.Lands are to be sold back to the people by the Finance Ministry as soon as possible. Lands which are not sold may be rented.
- 5.The price, at which the 1and can be sold, should be fixed at a rate relative to the value of similar property.
- 6.Any additional properties afixed to the land may be disposed of under the same conditions as the land. Air fields near the sea may be sold for salt farms.
ITEM 2 Utilization of Food Items in TOKUSHIMA-Prefecture - Tokushims Shimbun - 13 Nov 45. Translator: S. Kinoshita.
Summary:
In view of the importance of substitute food as a means of overcoming the present
food shortage the authorities of
TOKUSHIMA-Prefecture have worked out a plan for using food substitutes such as sweet
potato vines, mulberry leaves, and
acorns.
ECONOMIC SERIES: 18 (Continued)
ITEM 2 (Continued)
A conference on food distribution was held on the 10 November at the Prefectural
Agrarian Laboratory. It was attended by
prefectural officials and the heads of several commercial firms.
It was announced that the TOKUSHIMA Prefecture allotment of sweet potato vines, mulberry
leaves, acorns and other food
substitutes which had formerly been fixed at 11,500,000 kan was reduced to 8,000,000
kan through damage caused by typhoons and
heavy rains.
The prefectural authorities asked for co-operation from the people and stated that
they would make every possible effort to
aid production of substitute foods.
Mr. YAMAGUCHI principal of the KOMATSUSHIMA Primary School in a speech at the Substitute
Food Encouragement Meeting on 10
November emphatically urged that the people do their best to make the food substitutes
palatable.
ITEM 3 Rice Riots in HOKKAIDO - Asahi Shimbun - 17 Nov 45. Translator: R. AOKI.
Extracts:
HOKKAIDO, the grain center of JAPAN, was the scene of recent rice riots. On 13 and
14 November more than 1,000 people of the
ASHIBETSU, SHIGEJIRI, and AKAHIRA coal mine districts rushed into small towns and
villages in SORACHI-Gun and, through their
representatives, demanded that they be sold food from individual farms, agricultural
warehouses, or starch factories.
They took some starch loaded for shipment and left money about equal to the government
prices.
Rice production in HOKKAIDO this year is estimated at about one-third of the usual
amount. Every day from fifty to seventy
thousand people come to the farms searching for rice to buy. As a result, although
up to 17 November only 2,000 hyo were sold
to the Government, during the period of riot 20 to 30,000 koku of rice were sold to
the people.
An unconfirmed statement of the Governor of HOKKAIDO to the effect that after next
February the people would no longer be
assured Government distribution of rice is reported to have motivated the rice riots.
The police have started an investigation and two persons have been arrested.
In TOKYO, KAWAI of the Ministry of Agriculture announced that the Central Government
has assured distribution of rice up to
May next year.
ITEM 4 Output of artificial textile industries will be about 30% of the planned amount for this period - Nippon Sangyo-Keizai - l6 Nov 45. Translator: Y. Kurata.
Summary:
The artificial textile industries are highly important to JAPAN. They can be used
as payment for imports and are self
sufficient, requiring
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ECONOMIC SERIES: 18 (Continued)
ITEM 4 (Continued)
no importation of raw materials. Although previous estimates on rayon and staple-fibers
were 13,000,000 pounds for this year,
because of the shortages of coal and caustic soda only 30 per cent of the estimate
will actually be produced. The estimate of
13,000,000 pounds of textiles was projected by the Commerce and Industry Ministry
in order to meet the demand of clothing for
war victims.
According to a survey report dates 10 November on the state of artificial textile
factories, two out of six factories are now
closed in the rayon industry, while eight out of twelve factories are also closed
in the staple-fiber industry, all due coal
shortages.
Among the factories closed are the well-known Imperial Rayon Company, the Oriental
Rayon Company, and the Oriental Spinning
Company.
ITEM 5 Reform in the Functional Structure of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries - Nippon Sangyo Keizai Shimbun 17 Nov 45. Translator: S. Kinoshita.
Summary:
The Mitsubishi Heavy Industry Company, Ltd., has decided to close up a number of
its plants and shipyards in SINGAPORE and
SHANGHAI. Among these are 15 aircraft factories and two shipyards. The remaining 13
factories and shipyards abroad will
shortly start operation to manufacture ships, vehicles, and other civilian goods.
Closely following this, a drastic reform has been made in the functional structure
of the company. The new organization
consists of six departments and four chambers, which is a marked reduction from the
former 18 departments and one branch
office. The four chambers, consisting of a planning chamber, inspection chamber, provisional
adjustment chamber, and liaison
chamber, have been newly created as agencies for co-ordination of the company's business
as a whole.
ITEM 6 Restrictions on exchanges partially eased - Asahi Shimbun - 17 Nov 45. Translator: H. Shindo.
Full Translation:
On 15 October 1945 the Finance Ministry announced that by a directive of the Allied
Headquarters it is prohibited from
exporting and importing gold, silver, and platinum or securities; from disposing of
assets abroad; and from dealing in
exchange. However, according to the Japanese Official Gazette of 17 November 1945,
these restrictions will be partially waived
in the following case:
General firms may continue their operations, and pay allowances within restrictions
to families in JAPAN on behalf of persons
employed abroad.
Firms which have been closed by order of the government and which are owned or controlled
by nationals of Germany or of seven
other specified countries are excluded from this permission.
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ECONOMIC SERIES: 18 (Continued)
ITEM 7 Labor Union bill submitted - Nippon Songyo-Keizai - 17 Nov 45. Translator: H. Shindo.
Full Translation:
The Government has urged the Labor Legislation Committee to draft a labor union bill.
Each committee has made known its own
opinions and the answer will be given to the Government.
The Welfare Ministry authorities will submit the bill to the coming extraordinary
session of the Diet with the permission of
Allied Headquarters. Welfare Minister ASHIDA stated before leaving for the KANSAI
district.
ITEM 8 The Welfare Ministry asks the Co-operation of other Ministries for 100% Employment of Demobilized. Service Men - The Nippon Sangyo-Keizai - 17 Nov 45. Translator: T. Okamura.
Full Translation:
At a Cabinet meeting on l6 Nov it was formally decided that government ministries,
under the leadership of the Ministry of
Welfare take drastic measures to cope with the strained unemployment situation.
In order to attain its goal of giving jobs to every ex-serviceman and discharged
factory worker, the ministry has requested
the total co-operation of other government institutions.
An estimated 3,960,000 soldiers were demobilized in JAPAN proper by the beginning
of October, and 4,130,000 laborers were
discharged as a result of either a shutdown or suspension of work in their shops.
In another category, 3,650,000 Japanese servicemen have been demobilized in areas
outside of JAPAN, and 1,500,000 Japanese
civilians have returned from abroad. The total, then, of demobilized troops, unemployed
laborers, and repatriated civilians is
13,240,000.
Even if a majority of them resume their former work or take the place of women in
factories, an estimated 6,000,000 will still
have no employment. The problem can be solved only by taking adequate measures toward
projects such as reconstruction,
readjustment, and expanding industry.
It is noteworthy that strong demand for such measures were made at yesterday's cabinet
meeting. A gist of the directives which
the Ministry issued to other departments follows:
The Bureau of Information and Publicity was directed to encourage restoration of
normal national life by stimulating the work
spirit and emphasizing national morality. They were urged further to stress the development
of cultural and art projects,
especially in rural areas.
The Rehabilitation Board was ordered to begin at once the construction of houses,
and the initiation of civil engineering and
other such projects.
The Home Ministry was instructed to begin work on river improvement, sewage, and
water works projects; and was further
directed to reshuffle
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ECONOMIC SERIES: 18 (Continued)
ITEM 8 (Continued)
administrative personnel in municipalities, or in other such places in close contact
with the people.
Orders to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry urged revival of consumer goods industries,
construction of large scale
hydro-electric projects, increase coal production, stimulation of resumption of operations
in mines and factories, and
restoration of public utilities.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry was ordered the accelerate the development
of agricultural, forestry, and fishing
projects; development of related industries; improve fertilizers and farm implements,
and all other equipment neceassary for
expansion of the productive capacity of farms, forests, and fisheries; and facilitate
the growth of industries subsidary to
agriculture and forestry.
The Transportation Ministry was ordered to repair all transportation facilities;
improve, electrify and double track railways
and improve existing; restore and improve harbor facilities and other apparatus incidental
to transportation; and reorganize
personnel for greater efficiency.
The Board of Communications was was pressed to hasten recovery and repair of damaged
telephone and telegraph equipment.
The Ministry of Education was ordered to gather materials necessary for re-educating
demobilized servicemen; return schools to
pre-war curricula; and to extend compulsary education in primary schools.
The Finance Ministry was urged to resume management of war-stricken state owned enterprises;
and reshuffle personnel in the
interests of efficiency.
It was further decided at the Cabinet meeting to provide plans for the circulation
of money, floating loans, and granting of
subsidies essential to recovery.
In employing officials or workers for recovery or improvement of enterprises, the
following points should be considered:
- A.Young men should replace as far as possible women, minors, and the aged.
- B.Workers should be selected from district in which the place of employment is located.
- C.The employment of white collar workers will suffer an adverse trend with the impending large scale reorganization of personnel in government offices. However, measures to enlarge and reenforce civil research institutions will be taken. The ministries will also make an effort to hire specialists by a series of necessary readjustments.
DISTRIBUTION "X"
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ECONOMIC SERIES: 18 (Continued)
ERRATA:
SOCIAL SERIES: l6, 25 Nov 45 should read ECONOMIC SERIES: l6, 25 Nov 45.
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