Press translations [Japan]. Economic Series 0036, 1945-12-02.

Full translation:

It is understood that the Agriculture and Forestry Minister decided to abolish the Silk Yarn Industry Control Law (SANSHIGYO TOSEIHO) and to revise the Silk Yarn Industry Law (SANSHIGYO HO) by [illegible]dissolving the Silk Yarn Control Company (SANSHI TOSEIKAISHA) and the Silk Yarn Manufacturing Company (SANSHI SEIZOKAISHA) as a result of the Supreme Commander's directive. The Minister will submit a bill for the abolition of these laws to the present Diet session so as to get parliamentary approval for it.

The Bill for revision of Silk Yarn Industry Law contains the following items:

• 1.Reviving of the regulations in the Silk Yarn Industry Control Law concerning the examination of the raw silk and cacoons, as well as the control ordinance necessary to promote the export of silk yarn and to adjust demand and supply.
• 2.Drastic revision of the Silkworm Eggs Control System, abolition of the present system of manufacturing and distributing the silkworm egg card, and the throwing open of these activities to the public by substituting instead, a method by which those who manufacture and distribute these cards will be elected. This will aid in securing better silk worm eggs as well as spreading opportunities in this field over the country. (TN. This egg card is used in the industry for hatching eggs of silkworm).
• 3.Appointment of juridical persons (agencies) by the Minister concerned, for the improvement of the silk yarn industry and impounding of the funds owned by the Silk Yarn Control Company which had been used for stabilizing the silk yarn price.

With the Supreme Commander's directive resulting in the dissolution of the NIPPON Silk Yarn Control Company (NIPPON SANSHI TOSRI KAISHA) and the Central Silk Yarn Association (CHUO SANSHI KAI), the preparatory committee for establishing the NIPPON Silk Yarn Industry Association (NIPPON SANSHIGYO KAI) officially decided at the first inaugurating meeting held on 20 November, to establish the Silk Yarn Industry Deliberating Council (SANSHIGYO IINKAI) within the Government and at the same time to establish the NIPPON Silk Yarn Industry Association consisting of civilian entrepreneurs.

ECONOMIC SERIES: 36 (Continued)

ITEM 1 (Continued)

The outline of the Association being made, a second preparatory meeting was held in the Silk Yarn Hall (SANSHI KAIKAN) attended by members of the silk industry throughout the country. It was decided to submit the outline, articles, and inventory of the Association to General MacARTHUR's Headquarters so as to obtain its approval. The third meeting is to be held on 3 December.

ITEM 2 Economic Discussion At First Session of Diet - Nippon Sangyo Keizai - 29 Nov 45. Translator: R. Aoki.

Extract:

At the first session of the present Extraordinary Diet on 28 November, Mr. MATSUMURA of the Progressive Party introduced the questions in economic matters. The brief outlines of the question of Mr. MATSUMURA and answers of the State Ministers concerned are as follows:

Mr. MATSUMURA: "As we are a war-defeated nation, the Government's expenditures should be reduced to the utmost limit. But actually, money is still being spent just as before the end of the war. Especially the extraordinary war expenditures were spent lavishly at the postwar confusion. Even the victorious America not only reduced the war budget to one third as soon as the war ended, but is planning further curtailment. We, on the contrary, left the war budget as it was for continued spending, and as a result, of the 85,000,000,000 yen war budget now only 16,000,000,000 yen are left. The Government must check up carefully on the destination of this money, and must punish any misdemeanor.

"I understand that the government is preparing a budget for next year of 15,000,000,000 yen. Such a sum is permissible only as a temporary measure at this transitional stage, but it must be curtailed to 10,000,000,000 yen in the future.

"It is undeniable that the Government's lavish spending, together with the restlessness of the public, has accelerated the inflationary tendencies of the postwar period. This fact requires well planned remedies by the Government. Concerning war profits and property taxes, the matter of a basic standard of levy is of paramount importance.

"The fundamental economic ideal in peace time is the stabilization of the people's lives under the institution of freedom of business activities. But the increased discrepancy in wealth between classes must be rectified by some thorough social policies. The most important problems at present are those of livelihood, this is, of the food, shelter and clothing. I should like to ask about the Government policy on food supply. It seems that it is difficult to absorb the present five million surplus labor force on the farms. Such surplus labor can be absorbed by stimulating middle and small scale business and industries. The answer of the Government policy on this point is requested."

Finance Minister: "In drafting the budget for next year, the Government is trying its utmost to reduce it. In order to return to a healthy national financial system, a drastic levy on war profits and property is necessary. The resulting lightened burden of Government bonds will reflect on the national budget the next fiscal year. In view of this, tee financial authorities are at the moment planning to formulate an

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ECONOMIC SERIES: 36 (Continued)

outline budget for the coming five years, in which national policies on the production of foods, other living necessities, and export goods shall be reflected.

"In levying profit and property taxes, we must exercise utmost care to assure fairness. For that, we must consult the Allied authorities before determining the subject, the time and the method of the levy. The extraordinary war budget has not yet closed its accounts because of the gigantic extension of the military accounting system and inaccessibility of materials from many military outposts. We recognize that some misdemeanors in relation to it may have been committed, but we are sure that no great mistakes have occurred."

Commerce Minister: "We are determined to guide the postwar national economy along the line of economic democracy. In order to formulate such a fundamental ideal into legal terms, we are considering the enactment of a Basic Industrial Law. The draft will be presented to the next session of the Diet. We are not thinking of setting up courts to try economic offenses, about which Mr. MATSUMURA asked, but we do want reform of the control associations."

Agricultural Minister: "It is impossible to distribute 3 go of rice, but it is possible to do the same in terms of calories. Recently, the Allied authorities granted us in principle the right to import food, but details as to the quantity and time of importation are not fixed yet. As soon as importation becomes a definite matter, we will return to 2.3 go rationing. Adding fish and others to this basic ration, we may be able to pass through the food crisis of next year. The matter of the rice monopoly has not been deliberated yet.

Full translation:

Aiming at the solution of the ever increasing difficulty of the food problem and the improvement of the daily life of the people, consumption guilds large and small have been established in the cities and towns. But in view of the fact that the managers of these guilds are up against obstacles arising from the difficulty of buying foods and other necessary products, three associations, The League of United Japanese Associations, National Agricultural Association and the Central, Marine Products Association, (NIPPON KYODO KUMTAI RENMEI, ZEKOKU NOGYOKAI, CHUO SUISAN KYOKAI) held a conference to discuss the present critical food situation at the National Agricultural Headquarters (ZENNOKAI HONBU) in KOISHIKAYWA on 28 November.

After expressing their opinions as to the relation between the producers and consumers and various problems that may arise hereafter, they came to an agreement that every association should form a concrete plan within this month and present it for discussion at the second conference to be held on 1 December.

Full translation:

The Fisheries Section in CHIBA-Ken has deliberated upon the question of collecting fresh fish and the course to be taken by the Fishery Society.

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ECONOMIC SERIES: 36 (Continued)

ITEM 4 (Continued)

There were representatives from CHIOSHI, KATSUURA, CHIGURA, OHARA, UCHIUMI, KISARATSU, CHIBA, FUNABASHI and others who met to prevent disorder in distribution after the discontinuance of price controls on fresh fish as well as shellfish.

In the future, the authorities will control the price of fish and its distribution, holding sales periodically in certain towns. The points which were agreed on are, 1. the Aquatic Products Association will provide for competitive bidding at the market and the Fishery Societies will perform a similar action at the piers in order to keep a certain amount of fish and shellfish at a fixed price, and 2. under the price control regulations of the Market Law, no one will be permitted to do business except at prescribed places.

DISTRIBUTION "X"

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