Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0007, 1945-11-14.

Full translation:

It is reported that during the recent two-day holiday sweet-potatoes buyers from the cities rushed into nearby villages, and the trains were filled with cries and screams, do report illustrates more clearly the impotence and absurdity of our policies; and this simply irritates the nation. Cries against foodstuffs shortages grow louder day by day, and are to be heard in every corner of the street. Those who attempted to live on the rationed food suffered from malnutrition, and some died of starvation. We can even see men lying dead of starvation on the streets. Yet the government stands idly by making no attempt to remedy the situation. They tell us the rice crop this year is the worst in thirty years and we have, moreover, lost our territories. How can we plan to secure foodstuffs? They take it for granted that the only solution lies in obtaining permission of the Allies to import rice from abroad.

The government has not yet taken efficient measures to obtain a larger portion of the present crop at the fixed price from the farmers. In order to win the war the farmers were willing to sell most of their crops to the government. Now since the war has been lost, and since the farmers were greatly disappointed by the clumsy dealing of officials during the war, they are unwilling to sell their crops to the government at the fixed price, Necessities of life such as clothes, farm-implements, must be bought at black market prices, and if their crops are sold only at the fixed price, they will not be able to live. It is now generally admitted that these who lost the most are those who were honest. Instead of compelling farmers to sell their crops at the official price, a control system for the price of products must be instituted to meet the high price level of general commodities. For example, working clothes or farm tools must be sold to the farmers at moderate prices. In short, it is absolutely necessary to establish agriculture in a just position in the national economy. Furthermore, the farmer must fully understand the importance of organic relations. If the farmers takes advantage of the wave of inflation and refuses to sell crops except at black market prices, the responsibility for the welfare of the people will be in their hands. The cities and villages will then be separated from one another, and national economy as a whole will collapse as a result of the starvation of the masses of people in the cities. If the government does not make every effort to control the farmers, grave consequences will inevitably result.

EDITORIAL SERIES: 7 (Continued)

ITEM 1 (Continued)

Since sweet-potatoes are one of the staple items used as rice substitutes, their distribution must be controlled centrally. How absurd it is that consumers must go to the villages by train at the risk of their lives merely to bring back a bagful of sweet-potatoes! If the government devises a workable plan for collection and distribution of sweet potatoes, or if the authorities of the city of TOKYO buy sweet-potatoes in large quantities from the neighbouring prefectures such as CHIBA and SAITAMA at a better price than that of the existing one, and assembles baggage cars and trucks to transport them into TOKYO and distribute them to the citizens, then there need no longer be a mad rush of consumers to the country.

If the TOKYO city government persist in their pheginatic attitude and leave the food problem to the individual, the problem will become increasingly serious. However, of greatest importance is, that the ration for rice, wheat and such staples be set at 3 GO (about .54 litre) per person per day, only in this way will we be able to live without the black market, and only in this way can destructive inflation be stemmed. The unemployed have begun using their leisure setting up black market brokerages. Inflation accelerates in direct proportion to the number of people who live by trading rather than producing. Those who earn fixed wages are shut out by inflation; and workers who have no time to go to distant farms to procure food, and have, moreover, no connection with farmers must face the possibility of starvation.

The situation is very grave. Greater effort should be made to import rice. In addition to this, the government of the cities or the Prefectures should earnestly take every effective measure at hand to relieve the situation. We warn that this must be accomplished as soon as possible.

Full translation:

It is reported that steps have been taken to dissolve or reform the JAPAN Society for Physical Culture and the Student Association for Physical Advancement. This is a result of the recent wave of liberalism throughout the country. Such controlling organizations should be dissolved at once so that sports can be returned to the supervision of the people. Since the Manchurian Incident there [illegible]been a tendency on the part of Japan [illegible]control after another one our [illegible]them from genuine sports into military.

The two main bodies of this controlling organization are the Education Ministry and the Welfare Promotion Ministry. The JAPAN Society for Physical Culture end the Student Association for Physical Advancement are branches of these bodies and exercise a strong influence over various sports of the country. It is only natural that the dissolution or reformation of such organizations be attempted, because of the liberal tendency of the new era. Later developments

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EDITORIAL SERIES: 7 (Continued)

ITEM 2 (Continued)

reveal, however, that this reformation will exist in name only and that government officials will still hove controlling power. That is not the way to promote sports in the true sense. They must be liberated now.

The Society for Physical Culture is generally known to be controlling sports circles under the direction of the Welfare Promotion Ministry which is under the direction of the War Authorities. The president is the Premier, Vice-Minister of Education, end Vice-Minister of Welfare Promotion. The permanent director is head of the Physical Culture Bureau of the Education Ministry, the director of People's Bureau of Welfare Promotion Ministry, the director of the Military Affairs Bureau of the War Ministry, and the director of Education of the Navy Ministry.

The Student Society for Physical Promotion is a body under the direction of the Physical Bureau of the Education Ministry whose president is the vice-minister of the same ministry. The director is Chief of the Physical Bureau of the office, assisted by a staff of civilians. Their function was to place all sports under the control of the government and under the direction of both Ministries. They converted sports into war contests and declared that all sports of either European or American derivation, which had enjoyed wide popularity before the war, were of a peaceful nature and therefore suppressed the martial spirit. Some were for that reason prohibited.

The Inter-middle school Baseball Game, Intercollegiate Rugby Football matches, and many other games were only to be held under the direction of the government. The Minister, the president of this organization, dressed in his morning coat and with a flower in his lapel, delivered an address that displayed a lack of appreciation of sports. Youth was bound hand and foot to the government.

Baseball, tennis, football (including American football), and skating were all forcibly prohibited by government decree; and such training as fencing and shooting, which would enhance the fighting spirit, was exclusively adopted for the youth. Swimming, skiing were allowed only as war contests.

An event called the Martial Festival was held under the direction of the Student Society for Physical Promotion, This included exercises with bamboo spears and was carried to such extre[illegible]that even the military expressed astor [illegible].

Furthermore, each of the two bodies [illegible]strove to control sports, thus reflecting the two Ministries, and causing bewilderment at in sports circl[illegible]. This evil has recently been recognized by the government. Both ministers, Mr. MAEDA and Mr. ASHIDA discussed the matter and concluded that the physical program should hereafter be administered exclusively by the Education authorities. The government should take cognizance of the fact that if control is abolished, sports will once again attain its old stature.

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EDITORIAL SERIES: 7 (Continued)

ITEM 2 (Continued)

The Student Association for Physical Advancement and the Nippon Society for Physical Culture have been holding frequent meetings of managers and directors for the purpose of dissolving or reorganizing the bodies. However even if the government officials should be retired from the staff, they plan to revise the rules with the purpose of keeping the controlling power in their hands.

The appearance of the new Swimming Federation as a civil body, and large bodies such as tennis, baseball, and other organizations which are to be liberated from government control is an expression of the dissatisfaction of sports circles to nominal reorganization. It seems the government entertains the fear that the only way sports can progress is through government subsidy.

Such solicitude emanating as it were, from the parental affection of the government, should new be refused. We must consider the cost involved in retaining the headquarters staff.

The Japanese government, together with the governments of GERMANY and of ITALY, was accused of sending Olympic champions abroad with the object of using them as propaganda agents, dimming thereby the brilliant achievements of the champions who were regarded with scorn. The Government must accept the blame for distorting the sports ideal during war-time, and should make amends by dissolving the two bodies at once. It should withdraw from the controlling organization without hesitation and return sports to the people. We believe MacARTHUR'S Headquarter's intention corresponds to ours.

We also desire an end to the use of sports as propaganda exhibitions. Furthermore, the notion that by assuming a professional status amateur's lose Doth sp[illegible]and dignity is ridiculous.

The success of a new sports program can be achieved only by its separation from government cent control.

Full translation:

In view of demands from all qua[illegible]to explain details of extraordinary war expenditures, the Naval authorities made their accounts public following a similar step taken by the war Ministry. The budget of the navy war expenditures has been reduced in the same way as that of the general a amount and the audit is being made by the Board of Audit after a careful examination of the Naval Bureau of Accounts and Supplies.

The only difference between it and the General Account was that it was not announced to the public for military security.

The Finance Ministry will also try to make public particulars of the Extraordinary War Expenditures.

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EDITORIAL SERIES: 7 (Continued)

ITEM 3 (Continued)

The disclosure made by the Naval authorities follows:

Increase in Extraordinary War Expenditures was caused by an increase in activity in the war, and the improvement and creation of war vessels and weapons.

As the war continued, rising prices for commodities affected an increase of unit prices which were the basis for the budget. The Navy tried to check this by fixing contract unit prices lower than those of last year, at the beginning of the present fiscal year. The inspector was so strict in his calculation of cast prices that he was blamed for influencing production adversily, by both the Diet and the factories. The estimate of the total Extraordinary War Expenditures of the Navy which obtained an Imperial sanction amounts to 72,284,000,000 yen, while that which has not yet been sanctioned by the Emperor is 2,960,000,000 yen, accumulated since 1937. Of the former amount 65,709,000,000 yen was paid as of 25 October of this year and 8,600,000,000 yen was given to the Munitions Ministry. Accordingly, the balance is 9,535,000,000 yen. Considerable expenditures are anticipated fallowing the conclusion of pending business.

The Navy thinks it is better not to discontinue defrayment of the Extraordinary War Expenditures for the time being (at least during the present fiscal year). There is a demand for the Finance Ministry to control the expenditure and the Navy is ready to agree if the measure does not hinder the progress of postwar management.

The Navy recognizes that impropriety and illegality were committed in the suspension of contracts and disposal of war materials after the end of the war as a result of such factors as disturbances and the disruption of communications. These were, however, exceptional according to our investigations, and the Navy authorities are endeavouring to adjust improper measures in the following ways:

• 1.The Naval Bureau and Departments of accounts and Supplies are examining real conditions and enforcing a rapid audit. Vice-Admiral TAMEMOTO, H., is heading the Temporary Examination Squad of the Naval Bureau of Accounts and Supplies to confirm the adequacy of the examinations.
• 2.Increased judiciaries are carrying out investigations on the misappropriation and plunder of government money and materials. The number of suspected criminals amounts to more than 2,000 as has already been stated by the vice-chief of Naval Affairs Bureau.

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