Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0057, 1945-12-05.

Full translation:

The coal shortage is critical with a cold winter close at hand. The gas supply is next to nothing and steel factories are obliged to stop firing some of their furnaces. We can hardly spare those things but we can not keep silent when railway transportation upon which the solution of the food problem depends, is on the verge of paralysis because of lack of coal. The Government is said to have issued a compulsory employment order to secure necessary laborers for the mines and has informed each prefectural office of the quota it is to send. It also maintains constant contact with the employers.

Much is to be said concerning readoption of the labor requisition system which was a frequent target of popular criticism during the war. However, there is no alternative to that of readopting this drastic measure temporarily. Therefore, we approve of the present measures taken be the Government. We sincerely hope that those who are to be summoned by the employment order will go to the rescue of the country recognizing the importance of coal to all the industries in JAPAN, especially in the production of chemical fertilizer, a key industry for the solution of the food problem.

Our present suggestion is directed toward eliminating the suffering similar to that experienced in the coal shortage of the winter of 1939. Others say that the officials concerned with coal at that time all have left the Commerce and Industry Ministry or the Welfare Ministry having been promoted to higher ranking jobs or have become directors in civil companies and therefore cannot help us at this time. If they had really felt the hardships of the coal shortage six years ago, they might have studied means for alleviating it and made it possible to avoid the present crisis.

What is a fundamental counter-measure? The answer is fully mechanized mining. No one who can manage to live naturally wants to work under ground; it is recommended that we endeavor to mechanize mining operations rather than acquire more laborers. We should make it more efficient with fewer laborers. Others may say that mechanization is difficult in JAPAN because almost all mines have their layer of coal with steep slopes and with uneven lower layers. All this prevents extensive mechanizations Originality can overcome these obstacles. Specialists or engineers concerned have testified as to the possibility overcoming those obstacles. Should mechanization of the coal mines be realized, the labor shortage would be solved forever. The Government must do its best to solve it once and for all with the present emergency measures. The mining entrepreneurs must also push forward resolutely toward the realization of this goal.

EDITORIAL SERIES: 57 (Continued)

Full translation:

The Diet is still separated from the lives of the mass of the people, and the use of the word "democracy" is repeated. It is drizzling outside the Diet Building. In the House of Representatives, resolutions pertaining to investigating war responsibility were expected to be introduced as the order of the day by the Progressive Party and the Liberal Party, but they were not forthcoming. It is certain that investigation of war responsibility as far as possible is the first step toward the establishment of democracy, but it is still a question to us, whether the present members of the Diet who abandoned their deliberative functions and followed in the wake of the militarists and bureaucrats are responsible enough to carry out such investigations.

The folly of weighing six of one against half a dozen of the other is only interesting in the sense of discerning the degree of the pros and cons and self-consciousness of responsibility of every party. The actual circumstances of the Diet's abandoning its deliberative functions is the very problem which the mass of the people desires first of all to know. By solving this question, the relations between the military clique, the "ZAIBATSU" and the bureaucrats, and their trickery in deceiving the people can be ascertained. In the solution of this problem, lies the duty of the present members of the Diet who have personally experienced the real circumstances.

KITA, Reigo of the Liberal Party offered criticism on the problem of public thinking. It seems that he likes definitions, for in his speech he defined Japanese democracy, liberalism, the military clique, militarism, etc, thusly: The military clique is a group of military men who seized political power; and militarism is a doctrine of governing policy and finances for the purpose of aggression in which is involved as the purported aim, national defense. Therefore, the army conscripts belong in neither of those categories. Yes, he is right, but it can not be denied that those army and navy career officers have received a militaristic education in modern times. KITA will recognize the symptoms now apparent in the parties which have grown up.

Mr. MATSUMOTO of the Social Democrat Party pointed cut discriminatory treatment towards the SUIHEISHA (a society for depressed people) and shady acts committed by some service men after the war ended. Members of this party took up actual problems as NISHIO did on the previous day. The people want to hear assertions of each party about actual problems. But as yet no definite assertions of parties and no policies of the Government have thrown any light on the problems of coal mining and food which are most important at present. What is all this? If a political program were proposed, there would be no differences between parties. Such would result in discredit to the party system. The people fear flirting with militarism, while giving lip service to democracy.

Today, in the House of Peers, MIYATA of the KENKYUKAI (TN Political party in the House of Peers.) supported the state administration of land, and MATSUMURA, Agriculture and Forestry Minister, replied but it was not convincing. To deny the problems of state administration of land for the only reason of its unsuitability to JAPAN's nationality, is substantially the same as the militarists' old mode of thinking. For, the state administration to the farm lands or coal mines has an important relation to the livelihood of the people. A definite

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EDITORIAL SERIES: 57 (Continued)

ITEM 2 (Continued)

reply to deny the desirability of the state administration should be prepared. NAGAOKA of the KOYUKAI (TN A political party in the House of Peers.) deplored the fact that scholars who were courageous in wartime are now cowardly in peacetime. TAGUCHI of the KENKYUKAI insisted that meetings of committees should be opened to the public and conducted under parliamentary procedure. The ministerialists who have no real abilities should be ignored and privileged secrets should be brought to light. This is the only true course of democracy.

Full translation:

As a result of the freedom of speech guaranteed by General Headquarters' directives, the Communist policy of advocating the abolishing of the Imperial System has been giving considerable trouble to the conservative parties.

In the Lower House Messrs. SAITO, HATOYAMA and KITA assorted strongly their policy of retaining the Emperor System, though they did not go so far as to seek to stifle all arguments against it. However, in the plenary session of the House of Peers there were discussions between Mr. MATSUMURA, Justice Minister IWATA, Mr. TAKESHITA and Minister of State MATSUMOTO on 1 December which referred to plans for combatting the Communist proposals. It seems that things have come to a head. The Ministers' opinion disclosed in their reply was that whether the opposition against the Emperor System is legal or not depends upon the attitude with which the Communists discuss the problem. However, viewed from the political standpoint it would be difficult to define a case where the Criminal Law could be applied. There seems no other way for the conservatives than let public opinion squelch the existence and activities of the Communists. This would nullify the sympathy for the anti-Emperor Group instead of relying on the operation of the law.

In democratic ENGLAND where speech is free HYDE PARK in LONDON is a suitable discussion place for Londoners unlike parks in JAPAN where black markets prevail instead. Communists propagandize there and even patriots for the independence of INDIA speak fervently. But the common sense of the English neither rejects the King nor allows the Communists or independents to increase their seats in Parliament. In the UNITED STATES, also, we don't hear that freedom of speech has brought on the supremacy of the Communists over the Democrats or Republicans, nor that the "reds" have the leadership in labor disputes. Why? To speak frankly, it is because the livelihood of the people is higher; because their common sense and judgement is well developed; and because they are well trained for thinking internationally as well as on inter-racial relations.

In the Diet, the Government and both the Houses are making idle complaints or stating silly opinions day after day. There is no brave spirit to tide over this serious situation. Can these men relieve the people now menaced with starvation and havoc? Because of the lack of unity between factions Communists have been able to gain ever growing influence.

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EDITORIAL SERIES: 57 (Continued)

Extracts:

Coal shortages have already cut train travel by 50 per cent. The Transportation Ministry is making no effort of its own to secure miners. They merely asked the Welfare Ministry to force people into the mines. They have submitted the same request to the American forces.

Why can't they solve the problem themselves? Many discharged officials are seeking work at the present time. Do the lazy staff members of the Transportation Ministry intend to chat around warm blazing fires and let the people freeze this winter?

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