Press translations [Japan]. Economic Series 0209, 1946-01-26.

Summary:

The Government has been deliberating on concrete measures for the enactment of the Labor Union Law, and has recently drawn up the Bill of Imperial Ordinance for that law. It is asking the approval of SCAP. It will be put into effect on 10 February at the latest.

For the purpose of simplifying the operation of the law, the present ordinance will be enforced without laying down regulations relative to the application of the law. There are about 50 articles in the ordinance and its points will be outlined as follows:

• (a).Government officials or public officials, as prescribed by Article 4, Clause 2, cannot form or join any labor union other than that formed by Government officials or public officials. It is not against the law for the labor union in question to form a federation with other unions, or join a federation.
• (b).Those who are dissatisfied with the decision of the prefectural governor, as prescribed by Article 5, can notify the Welfare Minister to that effect within a period of two weeks through the prefectural governor who made the decision. In this case the decision of the prefectural governor loses its effect.
• (c).Prefectural governors shall issue, without delay, certifications of labor unions upon the request of said labor unions.
• (d).Statements based on the decision of Article 15, Clause 1, shall be made on the resolution of the competent local labor committee of the place where the main office of the labor union in question is located.
• (e).If a statement is made referring to order of dissolution, according to the provision of Article 15, a court of justice should notify the prosecuting attorney to that effect.
• (f).The court of justice shall fix the date of examination without delay and summon the representatives of the labor union. It shall make known the date of examination to the prosecuting attorney and the committee of the local labor union.
• (g).The prosecuting attorney and the committee of the local labor union may attend the examination and state their opinions.
• (h).Registrations, as prescribed by Article 16, Clause 1, should include the name, place where the main office is located, object and work,

•   ECONOMIC SERIES: 209 (Continued) ITEM 1 (Continued) name and address of the representatives, and the duration or time and reason, if statement is made as to dissolution.
• (i).A Central Labor Committee shall be set up in the Welfare Ministry and a Local Labor Committee in the prefectural offices.
• (j).The number of members of the Central Labor Committee shall be 21 or under, and it shall be responsible to the Welfare Minister. The Local Labor Committee shall have the name of the prefecture at the beginning of its name, and its members shall number 15 or under. It shall be responsible to the prefectural governor.
• (k).Those who were appointed members of the Labor Committee cannot resign without lawful reason.
• (l).The term of office of the member of the Labor Committee shall be one year.
• (m).There shall be a chief in the Labor Committee who shall be elected from among the third party members of the committee.
• (n).The Labor Committee cannot open its meeting unless some member of the Committee representing employers, laborers, and of the third party committee are present. The Labor Committee shall be convoked by the chief of the Labor Committee, and its decision will be made by majority vote, and in case of a tie, decisions will be made by the chief of the committee.

Summary:

For the solution of the pressing food crisis, the Social Democratic Party maintains that the delivery of the rice should be controlled with the co-operation of the Farmers' Union (NOMIN KUMIAI), the Communist Party, and the Democratic Association for Overcoming the Food Crisis (SHCKURYO KIKITOPPA MINSHU KYOGI KAI) and stresses people's management throughout the entire process from the production to the distribution.

Just at this juncture some hoarded goods at the former First Military Arsenal were discovered a few days ago. However, these goods were controlled by some citizens and distributed to the people autonomously. It is conjectured that there are many hoarded stocks elsewhere, at such places as warehouses of various firms, companies, and farm villages. Is it just and fair to make a free disposal of all these goods by the territorial inhabitants themselves? Is this what is called. "The people's control?” We want to hear opinions from the diverse quarters and use them, to guide us in the solution of the hoarded materials.

At the same time we would like to discuss the attitude of the Communist in this matter. In the above case of goods in the arsenal, if they belonged to the military their disposal must be determined by the directive of the Allied Headquarters. If they are illegally appropriated goods which formerly belonged to the army, they should be returned to the army. The free disposal by a few people is contrary to the ideology and method of the people's control.

The people's control is the best possible method if it is carried out in an ideal manner, but an ideal people's control at present is too difficult to realize. It is not only unable to tide over the present crisis, but merely ends in confusion.

What the Communists and others call the method of the direct connection

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ITEM 2 (Continued)

between the Farmers' Committees (NOMIN IINKAI) and the Consumers Unions of the cities, has the following difficulties: 1. Foodstuffs may easily flow into only such channels that can give farmers farm implements, fertilizers and fiber products in return but may not reach other quarters. 2. Communications affects the delivery of the food to a great extent. 3. It is difficult to regulate cereals and potatoes, or unused resources. 4. A nation-wide unified plan cannot be established by this system.

In view of these difficulties, the Communists method is impracticable. The unified control throughout the country must depend upon administrative organization. In such a case, it cannot be called "The people's control." The policy preferred by the authorities of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is a drastic control system in which people take some part. This project is strongly opposed by some people at present, but it is a project aiming at handling some of the worst cases. It is the intention of the authorities concerned to issue this law upon the basis of public opinion of the inhabitants throughout the cities and villages.

The hidden materials will be seized when discovered, and in order to find them out private information will be welcomed. There is some hoarded rice and barley produced in 1943 and 1944 in the warehouses of the local Agricultural Associations which seem to be preventing the delivery of the quotas of rice. But these are materials already sold to the manufacturers of bean paste or soy sauce. They are in stock due to the difficulty of communication. In the eyes of the authorities of the Home Ministry it constitutes a crime for some people to hide goods or hoard them.

As for the case of the Military Arsenal the steps taken by the headman of the ward is not appropriate. Moreover, it is a question whether the distribution was fair or not. At any rate in such a case it is necessary to report to the police authorities or to some other public organizations.

During the impending food crisis, the discussions are focussed upon the people's management of the food. In SAPPORO and MURORAN, HOKKAIDO, the citizens, the labor unions and the Farmer's Union are united together and are making the purchases and the distribution autonomously. In TOKYO also, the Association for Overcoming the Food Crisis, has been organized and is making positive efforts to solve the food problem.

We will introduce the Communists' view concerning this problem. It is as follows. The people's management of the food is an evidence of the lack of confidence on the part of the people in the Government. People are trying to solve the food problem by a democratic organization. But if this method is erroneously used, it may result in an outbreak of riots. The case at the former Military Arsenal came close to causing a riot. It is the timely intervention of the people that could stop this danger. Therefore, an ample recognition of this problem is necessary. What we call people's management is to take charge of the whole business of the production, the delivery of quotas, and the distribution of food, autonomous by the people.

It will be done by the joint efforts of the labor unions, the farmers' unions and the consumers' unions. The representatives elected from each town will manage the distribution of food in a democratic manner. The labor union will take charge of production, and the farmers' union will supervise the delivery of quotas. It is the ideal of the people's management that these three bodies shall be unified throughout the country and engage in the above-mentioned activities.

The most essential and fundamental item for its realization is a

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democratic government. At the present transitional period, when the administrative power is weakened, there might arise some movement that may appeal to force. Therefore, care must be taken by the leaders.

Further, when the hidden goods are found, it is necessary for the people to report to the authorities concerned and consult with them for the disposal of the goods found.

Full Translation:

The interest rate of national bonds will be lowered from 3.5 to two per cent, according to plans disclosed recently by the Ministry of Finance. The total of national bonds which JAPAN has issued so far amounts to 130,400,000,000 yen, and it is anticipated that this amount will exceed the 200 billion yen mark in the near future. Even though half of this figure is redeemed by the collection of the newly imposed taxes, the collection of the new taxes will not take place until next year.

In order to restrict the expenditures of national funds, a major part of which is to go for the payment of the great sums of interest upon national bonds now in circulation, and also in order to attain financial stability, the Ministry of Finance has been investigating concrete measures for lowering the rate of interest on national bonds. It is anticipated that the rate will be lowered to two per cent from the present 3.5 cent.

When the project has been enacted into law, the lowering of the rate of interest on specific deposits will probably follow. Since the rate of interest on the national bonds has been the basis of all interest rates, it is anticipated that the rate of interest upon other deposits will also be changed accordingly.

DISTRIBUTION: "X"

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