Press translations [Japan]. Economic Series 0174, 1946-01-17.

Author Supreme Commander for The Allied Powers. Allied Translator and Interpreter Section.

Date17 January, 1946

translation numbereconomic-0806

call numberDS801 .S81

Persistent Identifier
GENERAL HEADQUARTERS
SUPREME COMMANDER FOR THE ALLIED POWERS
ALLIED TRANSLATOR AND INTERPRETER SECTION
PRESS TRANSLATIONS
No. 806 Date: 17 Jan 46

ECONOMIC SERIES: 174

ITEM 1 Dispute of the Metropolitan Traffic Labor Union Settled; Other Disputes in Government Railways and Hitachi Precision Machines Factory - Asahi Shimbun - l6 Jan 46. Translator: J. Okamura.

Summary:
All demands for salary adjustment of employees engaged in traffic enterprises in TOKYO, which were proposed by the Metropolitan Traffic Employees' Salary Adjustments Committee (TOKYO TAIGU KATZEN KYOGIKAI) have been approved by executive high officials of the Metropolitan Traffic Bureau. The committee, which negotiated with traffic Bureau authorities several times since 9 January, came to an amicable settlement late in the afternoon of l4 January.
The demands approved included the payment of two months' extra wages to the 7,000 employees. Among other demands which have also been approved are:
  • (1).Ten per cent and 15 per cent of daily wages will be added to the basic wages as war time service allowances and special allowances, respectively. The basic wages will be multiplied by three. The lowest basic wages will be fixed at five yen a day for male, and four yen a day for female, employees, respectively. Other allowances will be doubled.
  • (2).Family and residence allowance will be increased by four, while the present allowance paid for evacuated families will be abolished. As a provisional measure, the allowances, amounting from 50 to 100 yen per capita per month, will also be abolished. Other allowances, however, will be raised so that the total will amount to three times the present rate.
  • (3).The working hours have been set at eight hours a day. Rest intervals set for employees during their working hours will not be calculated in the working time.
  • 4.
  • (4).Special measures will be taken to conduct as fair distribution of daily necessities among the employees.
By the enactment of these provisions the average monthly income of an individual employee will be three times the present monthly income. An employee who receives a basic daily ware of 2.5 yen will be paid over 600 yen a month, instead of 200 yen as at present. It has also been decided that payment of other employees, such as officials, will also be bettered in the near future.
Having reached an amicable settlement, the committee was dissolved the same night. The recent settlement of disputes was made possible by the participation of the arbitrators, represented by members of the TOKTO Prefectural Assembly. The settlement of the disputes by the participation of such arbitrators is much appreciated both by the committee members and the authorities of the traffic bureau.
ECONOMIC SERIES: 174 (Continued)
ITEM 1 (Continued
By the enforcement of the newly agreed allowance measures, labor expenses of the bureau, which used to account for 60 per cent of the tota1, will increase from 17 million to 34 million yen a year. This figure does not include bonuses. In order to meet this situation, it has become almost imperative for the bureau to raise the street car and bus fare from 20 to 30<em> </em>sen.
Other measures which are under consideration to increase revenue include the following:
  • (1).New bonds will be issued for the payment of bonds now in circulation. The bureau has issued bonds to the amount of 300<em> </em>million yen, and has been paying 11 million yen annually as interest on these tonds.
  • (2).The bureau plans to lower the present rate of interest of 4.1 per cent, in order to gain some 1,500,000 yen a year.
  • (3).A sum of seven million yen will be saved by enforcing business and personnel readjustment.
  • (4).The bureau will request the Government to grant subsidies to compensate for damage sustained by street cars and buses. War losses of the bureau are estimated at four million yen.
Even though these projects are put into effect, the bureau will still be 20 million yen short. Consequently, it will be compelled to resort to the raising of street car and bus fares by 50 per cent. The present revenue obtained from these traffic facilities is estimated as 36 million yen a year. The raise in fares will be enforced as of 1 April.
Dispute at Government Railways (SHOSEN)
The five point demands which the Labor Union of the Government Electric Railways (SHOSEN DENSHA) submitted to Director TAKI of the TOKYO Railway Bureau, on l4 January, are still pending, but it was formally decided that the union would select a committee to investigate the real financial situation of the state railways to meet the demands.
The demands of the union included the payment of 1,500 yen per capita and 500 yen each for every family member, to tide them over the impending food crisis. The increase of retirement allowances by ten times was another demand submitted by the railway employees.
It was mutually agreed that the union will select reliable committee members to ascertain whether statements make by Director TAKI are correct or not. Mr. TAKI explained to the executives of the union that because of the present railway revenue and financial situation he could not accept the proposals made by the labor union. The selection of the committee will be made shortly.
Labor Dispute at HITACHI Precision chine Company
The three point demands, which the ADACHI Factory Employees' Union of the famed HITACHI Precision Machine Manufacturing Company (HITACHI-SEIKI), proposed on 20 December 1945, having been rejected, the union entered the status of a strike on 15 January. The demands which the employees requested are the right to collective bargaining, participation by employees in the management and the increase of wages by three times.
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ECONOMIC SERIES: 174 (Continued)
ITEM 1 (Continued)
The laborers who went on strike are engaged in their usual jobs, but they are conducting the usual transactions of the workshop through the labor union.
Responding to this movement, six similar factories of the HITACHI concern unanimously submitted demands the same day. The situation is expected to spread over the remaining factories of the corporation.

ITEM 2 Bad Weather and Shortages in Labor and Equipment Hamper Wheat Crops - Nippon Sangyo Keizai - l6 Jan- 46. Translator: Y. Kurata.

Extracts:
We cannot be optimistic about the present wheat crop situation. According to latest investigations, conducted by the National Agricultural Association on the present wheat crop situation, all farmers are suffering from an acute shortage of fertilizer and insecticides, as well as a shortage of farming tools, farm labor, unfavorable weather and deep snowfall.
The following list shows how, and from what causes, 1,153 investigated farmers are now suffering:

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Causes Number of Farmers Affected Percentage
Fertilizers and Insecticides; 483 41.9
Farming Tools 436 37.8
Shortage of Rubber-Soled Tabi, Working shirts. 29 2.5
Labor and Live Stock. 31 2.7
Bad weather; 64 5.6
Snowfall; 35 3.0
Unfavorable Circumstances. 34 2.9
Unwillingness of farmers; 17 1.5
Damage by insects and rats; 13 1.1
Other causes 11 1.0
Total 1,153 100.

ITEM. 3 Close Connection Between Producers and Consumers New Movement in NAGANO Prefecture - Mainichi Shimbun - l6 Jan 46. Translator: H. Sato.

Full Translation:
There is a new movement in NAGANO-Ken to unite labor unions and consumers co-operatives with farmers' unions in the producing districts in order to overcome the food crisis in the cities. Farmers numbering over 100 in YOSHIDA-Ku, NAGANO, forced a. farmers' union on 11 January as a result of the landowners' demand for the return of farmland by tenants.
Putting [illegible]rth the following program, the farmers have combined with the labor union of the 300 workers of MAEDA Works in the same district:
  • 1.Besides co-operating with the city-dwellers' consumers' co-operatives and factory workers' labor unions in solidifying their organizations, we are aiming at a direct connection between producers and consumers. - 3 -
  •   ECONOMIC SERIES: 174 (Continued) ITEM 3 (Continued)
  • 2.We aim to set up a control committee to handle distribution of essential materials ourselves.
In addition, 200 farmers in NANAKUBO Mura, KAMIINA-Gun, formed a farmers' union, and the movement for a direct connection between producers and consumers was started in combination with consumers' co-operatives composed of 200 members of the same village. The movement is now planning to renovate the village administration by replacing the old village council members by representatives of two organizations on the coming election, which will be held on or about 20 January.

ITEM 4 10,000 metric tons of Oil Required in March for Fishing - Normal Distribution of Fish will be made - Nippon Sangyo Keizai - l6 Jan 46. Translator: T. Mitsuhashi.

Extracts:
Fish to be supplied in exchange for oil has begun to arrive in the TOKYO area. The first shipment was from KANAGAWA, IWATE and AOMORI Prefectures, and another is expected from FUKUSHIMA-Ken and IBARAGI-Ken. If the delayed shipment from HOKKAIDO comes in the supply will amount to about 70 metric tons. In the event this amount to reaches half the total of the current supply, the price of fish will be lowered considerably. Fuel oils supplied in January amounted to 6,683 metric tons, and the same amount is expected in February, while as much as 10,000 metric tons are required in March. Among 10,000 metric tons there will be included 3,000 metric tons of light oil, which is sufficient to move all small fishing boats. The total amount of oil will move half of all the fishing boats which are capable of operating. It is expected that the amount of fish delivered will increase, since about 1,800 kan of fish are to be supplied in exchange for one metric ton of oil.
In order to prevent such fish from being diverted into wrong channels, or from being sold at higher prices than those stipulated, the following measure has been determined by all parties concerned: the retailers must distribute the fish just as specified by a detailed list prepared by the Fish Distribution Control Association (GYOKAI-HAIKYU-TOSEI-KUMIAI). The list must be returned to the Marine Product Control Company (SUISAN BUTSU-TOSEI-KAISHA) through the Association, after it is sealed by the head man of a town association. Then the list will be sent to the producers, accompanied by a letter of gratitude, by the Control Company.

ITEM 5. Rice Delivery as of 10 January About 7,450.000 Koku on 27 per cent of Allotment - Nippon Sangyo Keizai - 16 Jan 46. Translator: S. Kinoshita.

Full Translation:
In view of the ineffectiveness of the national compaign for overcoming the food crisis, as proposed by the Government, directives were cabled, at the beginning of January, by the Premier and the Agriculture Minister to prefectural governors and presidents of central and local agricultural Associations, urging co-operation in speeding up rice delivery.
According to a survey of 10 January, only an aggregate of 7,458,006. 1 koku of rice, or 28 per cent of the entire allotment, has been delivered. This shows that all measures taken by the Government were not as effective as expected. It is fared that a complete delivery of the allotment might be impossible without the aid of influential organizations other than the prefectural governments and their subsidiary organizations.
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ECONOMIC SERIES: 174 (Continued)
ITEM 5 (Continued)
The amount of rice delivered every ten days since last November is as follows:

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November, 1945:
First 10 days 93,942.9 koku
Second 10 days 763,335.2 "
Third 10 days 396,296.5 "
December, 1945:
First 10 days 562,932.1 koku
Second 10 days 1,210,732.4 "
Third 10 days 1,971,762.3 "
January, 1946:
First 10 days 2,458,984.0 koku
Total 7,458,006.1 koku
Assuming that the monthly consumption is about 4,000,000 koku, the above supply would be hardly enough to spare a reserve of 1,000,000 koku at the end of this month, even though about 2,500,000 koku in stock at the end of October 1945 is taken into account.
By way of comparison, delivery of rice as of 10 January 1945 was 19,525,245.8 koku, or 52.4 per cent of the entire allotment. The following table shows rice delivery classified by prefecture.

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Prefecture Allotment(in koku) Amount Delivered (in koku) Percentage of Allotment Delivered
KOKKAIDO 1,000,000 80,761.9 8.0
AOMORI 400,000 87,708.9 21.9
IWATE 491,000 197,387.4 40.2
MIYAGI 1,000,000 280,219.6 28.0
AKITA 1,026,000 397,470.2 38.7
YAMAGATA 1,230,000 532,149.5 47.0
FUKUSHIMA 920,000 323,885.3 35.2
*IBARAGI 780,000 30,229.3 3.8
TOCHIGI 785,000 262,602.5 32.4
GUMMA 350,000 24l,l48.l 68.8
SAITAMA 727,000 308,080.4 42.3
CHIBA 792,000 196,838.8 24.9
TOKYO 25,000 12,325.6 49.3
KANAGAWA 182,000 28,959.8 15.9
NIIGATA 1,850,000 1,041,811.6 51.3
TOYAMA 870,000 397,754.0 45.7
ISHIKAWA 550,000 317,730.7 57.7
*FUKUI 46l,000 233,766.0 50.8
YAMANASHI 200,000 31,598.2 15.6
MAGANO 645,000 243.013.1 37.6
SHIZUOKA 606,000 159;299.6 26.2
AICHI 829,000 119,266.4 14.3
MIYE 578,000 131,329.6 22.7
SHIGA 860,000 311,942.4 36,6
KYOTO 396,000 90,760.8 22.9
OSAKA 303,000 121,963.9 40.2
*HYOGO 520,000 246,000.0 47.3
NARA 301,000 67,239.0 22.3
WAKAYAMA 208,000 84,059.5 40.4
TOTTORI 277,000 59,355.7 21.4
SHIMANE 269,000 71,175.7 26.4
GIFU 517,000 113,484.8 21.9
*OKAYAMA 643,000 62,865.6 9.7
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ECONOMIC SERIES: 174 (Continued)
ITEM 5 (Continued)

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Prefecture Allotment (in koku) Amount Delivered (in koku) Percentage of Allotment Delivered
HIROSHIMA 580,000 70,192.0 12.1
YAMAGUCHI 456,000 92,472.0 20.2
TOKUSHIMA 100,000 14,820.0 14.8
KAGAWA 286,000 109,975.4 38.4
EHIME 380,000 82,473.5 21.7
KOCHI 130,000 8,338.8 6.4
FUKUOKA 1,081,000 106,714.5 9.8
SAGA 650,000 49,680.0 7.6
NAGASAKI 173,000 23,528.1 14.2
*KUMAMOTO 976,000 1,894.0 0.2
*OITA 516,000 3,854.4 0.7
*MIYAZAKI 212,000 3,173.6 1.4
*KAGOSHIMA 451,000 8,045.3 1.7
Total 26,561,000 7,458,006.1 28.6
*Note: - Figures of IBAPAGI, HYOGO, OKAYAMA, KUMAMOTO, OITA, MIYAZAKI, and KAGOSHILA show deliveries as of 31 December. Figures for these prefectures, as of 10 January, have not yet been reported. Figures for FUKUI show delivery as of 9 January.
DISTRIBUTION "X"
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