Press translations [Japan]. Economic Series 0071, 1945-12-17.
Date17 December, 1945
translation numbereconomic-0355
call numberDS801 .S81
Persistent Identifier
ECONOMIC SERIES: 71
ITEM 1 Landowner Groups in HIROSHIMA Prefecture Oppose Land Reform Bill - Provincial Newspaper CHUGOKU SHIMBUN (HIROSHIMA) - 5 Dec 45. Translator: S. Kinoshita.
Summary:
Landowner Groups in HIROSHIMA Prefecture are opposing the farm land system revision
bill for the following three reasons:
- 1.They demand that the price of farm land sold to tenants by landowners he fixed by mutual agreement of tenants and landowners through mediation of the local farmland commissions. The prefectural authorities admit that the demand is appropriate in theory, but they insist that, from the practical point of view, a fair bargain cannot be Expected in that way, because the commissions are likely to be dominated by either landowners or tenants. Moreover, they are afraid that in case the members of the commissions disagree in the handling of the matter no unified result will be obtainable. The authorities hope to make it the usual practice to fix land prices in accordance with the Farm Land Price Control Ordinance; and add that the landowners' losses due to the difference between the Officially controlled price and the price based on the landowners' expected profit will be reimbursed by the Government. In case the difference is unusually great, a special price will be permitted by the local Government authorities.
- 2.The landowners demand that they should be permitted to collect farm rent in kind to the extent that it will enable then to stock rice for their own consumption. The prefectural authorities insist that the payment-in-currency system is reasonable because almost all the landowners are not operating farms, but are only landowning capitalists. But the authorities cannot tell whether or not the stock price for landowners' own consumption will be permitted. It depends upon whether absentee owners should be treated as common consumers or whether exceptional treatment should be given to them in consideration of the food situation.
- 3.The landowners propose a single price system instead of double price system for rice. The prefectural authorities agree with landowners on this point. The authorities add that bounties, and subsidies to the producers should be abolished.
ITEM 2 A change in the Shipyard's Program in YAMAGUCHI Prefecture - CHUGOKU SHIMBUN (Provincial Paper) - 5 Dec 45. Translator: T. Kitagawa.
Full Translation:
The thirty dockyards and one thousand workers in YAMAGUCHI Prefecture have
ECONOMIC SERIES: 71 (Continued)
ITEM 2 (Continued)
participated in the building of wooden ships under the 1945 program aimed at the
completion of 20 cargo ships, 12 oil tankers,
7 fishing boats, 20 lighters, 20 bafges, and 3 tug boats, totalling 82 and representing
15,725 tons.
By the end of the war, the program had been carried cut fairly well. Particular success
was achieved in ship repairing.
However, as soon as the war was over, shipbuilding dropped off heavily, because of
the lax attitude or workers as a result of
the food shortage or because of their desire for working at their own jobs and for
loading more independent lives. Some yards
actually have closed up, and others are having difficulty in carrying on business.
This places the wooden shipbuilding
industry of the prefecture in a critical status.
The prefectural authorities therefore, conferred on the problem and reached the following
conclusion which has been carried
out with great success. The shipyards are asked to continue and to finish the work
in hand, and hereafter all the shipyards in
the prefecture are requested to give first priority to the construction of small fishing
boats and repairs. The authorities
will consult with shipyard owners about procuring materials and labor for the industry
and will adopt a 24 hour working day
policy in accordance with the Allied Head Quarters' directive.
Moreover; the war ration of staple food has been recovered. By these stops, the industry
has recovered its old activity with
the result that 14 boats have been launched, 90 already delivered, 20 are under construction,
and another 37 are about to be
started. Coast transportation and the aquatic industry as well as land transportation
will be favorably affected by diligent
pursuance of the program.
ITEM 3 No Fears over shortage of Chemical Fertiizers in MIYAGIKEN - Provincial Newspaper Kahoku Shimbun - 8 Dec 45. Translator: S. Iwata.
Summary:
100,000 farmers in HIYAGI-KEN have been anxious about the destribution of fertilizer,
due to the serious shortage of that
commodity. A According to the report of the chief Engineer, SASAKI, on 7 December,
an undistributed quantity of l60 Metric
Tons of ammonium sulphate from TOYAMA KEN, and an undistributed quantity of 245 Metric
tons of Nitrogenous line from
NIIGATA-KEN are to arrive in MIYAGI-KEN in five or six days. In addition, 201 metric
tons of superphosphate of [illegible]lime are to be sent from sulphuric acid companies on HIIGATA-KEN. It is expected that
fertilizer from
other prefectures will be distributed to the farmers.
The following percentages show the per cent of the quantity of fertilizer for distribution
in MIYAGI, YAMAGATA, AKITA, AOMORI,
FUKUSHIMA, IWATE-KEN, and HOKKAIDO. Above all, MIYAGI-KEN is conspicuous by the 100%
acquirement.
| NAME of KEN | Per cent |
| MIYAGI-KEN | 100 |
| YAMAGATA-KEN | 0 |
| AKITA-KEN | 14 |
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ECONOMIC SERIES: 71 (Continued)
ITEM 3 (Continued)
| AOMORI-KEN | 28 |
| FUKUSHIMA-KEN | 63 |
| IWATE-KEN | 49 |
| HOKKAIDO | 58 |
ITEM 4 Reminescences of the Labor Legislation Movement in Japan - Mainichi Shimbun - 11 Dec 45. Translator: R. Aoki.
Summary:
The Government draft of the Labor Union Bill has been introduced into the House of
Representatives. It is recalled that almost
every year, from 1920 to 1938, some type of labor union bill was presented to the
Diet, and all of them were either voted down
or tabled. At one time the bill was regarded as favoring labor and that as such it
might foster communism. At other times it
was considered as restricting labor. At last a model law has been introduced under
conditions which practically assure its
passage. This must cause deep emotion to those who have struggled so long for or against
labor legislation. Under these
circumstances the editor interviewed Mr. S. NISHIO, a Socialist member of Parliament
and a noted veteran in the fights for
labor bills. Excerpts from Mr. NISHIO's story follow:
"Government sponsored labor organization bills were presented to the Diet in 1926,
1927, 1931 and, finally, to this present
session. It was with the bill of 1931 that I had a special connection. That bill was
sponsored by the Government so naturally,
it appeared to be a union control law rather than one protecting the right of labor
to organize. Therefore, even prolatarian
members opposed it. Personally, I favored that bill because I believed it was better
than nothing; it would at least give a
legal basis for the existence of labor unions. Without some legal basis the general
public would regard unions as illegal and
might give opponents a pretext for oppression.
"At that time the number of proletarian members in the Diet was eight, and as their
representative I conferred with Mr. K.
ADACHI, then the Home Minister. Mr. ADACHI surprisingly enough, requested us to oppose
the bill if we desired its passage. His
plan proved effective and the bill passed the lower house, but unfortunately, it remained
tabled by the upper house.
"Since then, union bills were introduced to the Diet almost every year, but without
any effect. Later the pressure of the
Militarists increased, and finally even, the mention of the words "labor union" became
taboo. Naturally, many veteran
supporters of labor bills were arrested.
"In 1939 I tried to form a new labor party called the Workers' National Party (KINRO
KOKUMINTO). This effort proved abortive,
for Mr. YAMASAKI, then chief of the police Board, prohibited it on the grounds that
most members of the party had been
connected with the labor movement in past years and, therefore, the party, if permitted,
would
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ECONOMIC SERIES: 71 (Continued)
ITEM 4 (Continued)
become as nursery for communistic movements. He is the man who was recently forced
to resign from the office of Home Minister
by order of Allied Headquarters.
"In l938 the militarist sposored Patriotic Industry Association replaced all labor
organizations. This marked the beginning of
continued, reckless suppression of labor activities. Now, a labor bill of such completeness
as was never expected in this
country has been formulated. I am filled with deep emotion to think that this is due
to the nation's defeat in the war."
ITEM 5 Farm Land Reform Bill Clarified by the Government - Nihon-Sangyo-Keizai - 11 Dec 45. Translator: T. Mitsuhashi.
Full Translation:
At the 10 December Farm Land Reform Sill Committee meeting held in the House of Representatives,
in reply to the
interpellation made by both Mr. YOSHIDA, Kenichi, Independent, and Mr. IKEMOTO, Jinshiro,
Liberty Party member, the following
Clarification of Government policy was made.
- 1.The reason why the Agricultural Association is to act on the purchase of land and why the Government dares not purchase it is that the creation of the landowner-farming system will have a good effect over a period of years. It is a moderate and practical measure. If this plan is completely put into effect 65 per cent of all the tenantry will become landowner-farmers.
- 2.In creating this system, the readjustment of cultivated areas and [illegible]division of farm land will take place.
- 3.To prevent confusion in buying land, the billage and Town Farm Land Committees will decide on the purchase and sale of land, with due consideration, to various aspects peculiar to those villages.
- 4.The five year period for the transfer of land was fixed in consideration of the huge amount time required for registering the transfer of land at a registry office. Early completion of its registering is desirable.
- 5.In creating a rental system, the rent for second rotation will be abolished
The system of hereditary estates of farmers will be further studied.
DISTRIBUTION "X"
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