Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0121, 1945-12-20.

Full Translations:

Concerning the Supreme Commander's directive limiting disposal of assets issued to the ZAIBATSU and 336 holding companies. The Finance Ministry had the following to say.

The order was directed [illegible]preventing [illegible]egal disposal of the assets of the 336 holding companies, [illegible]not to [illegible]their normal activities. This procedure is considered proper. These companies are in the most important positions in every department of economics, so checking their functions will have a profound influence on national reconstruction. Unsupervised, they might have caused great economic confusion in the future.

Since some of these holding companies are banks, insurance agencies, or trust companies, there was insiduable uneasiness among the people, but the Finance Minister's Explanation of the intent of the Allied Headquarters directive cleared their misapprehensions. These directives are always considered proper and consistent with the POTSDAM Declaration and American control policy in JAPAN. Yet occasionally the intent is rather difficult to ascertain due to language difficulties and inadequate translations. Sometimes they are far too important to put into effect merely on a presumptive definition of the meaning. In such instances, we expect a. frank and clear statement of intentions from Allied Headquarters. Similarly, we expect our Government to arrive at an understanding of the issue in order not to misguide the people.

"Rapid conversion to the production of necessary consumer goods has frequently been urged by MACARTHUR's Headquarters for returning to stability. But entrepenears, especially those in small or medium businesses, have not the means of raising [illegible]sufficient to resume production. This is the one of the bottlenec [illegible]reconversion, since they can no longer get subsidies from the parent [illegible]empany.

"Due to current economic instability, barkers are relustant to issue loans. Some suggest cancellation of war insurance and special deposits, but this require the [illegible]of MACARTHUR'S Headquarters. Moreover, rapid and smooth procedure cannot always be expected. Finance Minister SHIBUSAWA stated in the Diet Session that the government is seeking some indication from allied Headquarters. The government must establish a policy in all haste".

"According to Ambassador PAULEY, Head of the UNITED STATES Reparations Commision, all equipment in ball-bearing factories will be confiscated toward reparations. What, then is to happen to the coach and ball-bearing industries? There is considerable uneasiness in industrial circles.

EDITORIAL SERIES: 121 (Continued)

ITEM 1 (Continued)

Full Translation:

Since this problem is related to the need for an increase in transportation the Government as well as unofficial agencies should take measures.

Since our nation is not perfectly independent, it can not proceed contrary to the will of the Allied Powers, the condition that makes it impossible to operate without a directive or [illegible]stion from Allied Headquarters is not satisfactory. The fault lies in lack of understanding between MacARTHUR'S Headquarters and our authorities, or that some of the directives a re unexpected, or that the intent of some of the directives is not immediatley apprehensible. The authorities must always understand Allied Headquarters intentions in both specific instances and in general policy, else the Government will not be able to establish a policy to carry out the intent of the directive. This would further enable Allied Headquarters to understand conditions.

Fundamentally, the policy of Allied Headquarters is to make the nation bear its war responsibility resolutely. Yet they expect living conditons to becaome easy rapidly, and an economic reconstruction toward peace and democracy to be established. Since we make no explantions as requests Contrary to Allied Headquarter's aims, it can be construed that our suggestions are forbidden. The Government must serve as a positive bridge between MacARTHUR'S Headquarters and the Japanese people.

Full Translation:

The feudalistic society of militaris[illegible]is characterised by poverty of social institutions and lack of assistance for these on the part of the ruling classes. Positive social policies to secure or stabilize the lives of the masses on a rational social basis wore not established in this society because the lacked respect for human rights and the individual powers of the people. Some social institutions were established, but only as relief or charity agencies for the country.

It is said that the true character of social policy is to relax the rivalry between the classes and to decrease excess differences on wealth in order to maintain the system of a capitalistic society. However, we can easily see that the economic technique in social policies can also be utilized for the purpose of a democratic economic revolution. We must encourage and fully develop such social policies for the sake of realizing a country for the people, which is needed at present.

The Diet is now discussing the establishment of a social insurance system, which is expected to form the nucleus of our social political institutions, and an investigating committee has been formed in the Welfare ministry. The motive of this must be attributed to the fact that, stimulated by the social unrest caused by the increase of unemployed after the war, the necessity for the establishment of compulsory unemployment insurance was felt to be urgent. In the second place, the old age pension system for salaried people has come to be re-investigated, in light of the abolition of the pension system for civil officials along with the suspension of military pensions, ordered by the Allied Powers.

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EDITORIAL SERIES: 121 (Continued)

ITEM 2 (Continued)

Full Translation:

It's hardly necessary to say that the perfection and the systematization a social insurance system such as health insurance, calamity insurance etc, is essential to protect the lives of the working classes and to raize the level of their social and economic situations.

The problems then is how to provide foods for strengthening our social and political institutions as well as social insurance. As we have already stressed, it is now necessary to combine the social, financial, and tazation policies. A peoples country cannot be established without this. The policy for the rational distribution of wealth which underlies the financial and taxation policies should be combined with the social policy, and the letter, at the same time, should have its firm position in the economic machinery connect with the finance of the country.

In view of the above-mentioned, we accuse SHIBUZAWA'S financial policies. He does not cease to pay indemnities to munition companies, though he advocates one reconstruction of the finance. He decided upon the plans for a war profits tax, property tax, and issuance of the new yen. These are surely epoch-making, but if he is to earmark the collected tax for compensation bor bonds, thus protecting the bond holders, expecially the bank capitalists, he merely shifts the financial burden from one group to another. This then could never be called a "financial revolution".

On the contrary, the democratization of the economy by a financial policy or the impartial distribution of property will not be realized if indemnities by the Government are not wholly suspended and the collected war profits and property taxes are earmarked as funds for social policies, especially for a permanent social insurance.

In the bond policy, the huge amounts in bonds must be boldly abandoned or frozen as eternal bo[illegible]ds without interest. To provide for this procedure, the banking organizations, especially the banks, trust companies, and the insurance companies, must be analganate under Government ownership, and after the reserves in these banks or companies are regulated and liquidated, the Government will indemnify these. On the other hand, the Government ought to secure the payment of deposits and take measures, as a whole, prevent the insecurity and disturb[illegible]s in circulation. In other words, it is necessary for the Government to enforce the rationalization and regulation of the total capital of society as a whole. In short, the social policy must be at the center of all the natimal policies. We believe that financial policy will necessarily assume the character of social policy.

Extracts:

Now in the metropolis killings, burglaries and hold ups are frequently being perpetrated. The situation is dangerous in criminal affairs, and many criminals are active these nights. Every one well knows the stories of montain robers but it is an embarrassing problem that the above mentioned acts are often committed on the Ginza. The present situation of in-activity in arresting culprits appears as though robbers are given freedom.

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EDITORIAL SERIES: 121 (Continued)

ITEM 3 (Continued)

Extracts:

Far reaching and overall, government measures are greatly desired without a days postponement. The authorities must not be idle until fundamental steps are set up. If the entire police system had "been abolished there conditions would be justifiable. However, only secret police has been abolished. The removal of the police from safeguarding the public peace has not been widespread. However, Police boxes have decreased in number, and the abilities and character of policemen have degraded. The major cause is that policemen lost faith in their duties and responsibilities and were led astray. Furthermore, they have lost the firm spirit for hard work, life of the people in general. In spite of idleness of the later, it is difficult for only the police to maintain firm attitudes.

For what purpose are policemen necessary? They wear brassards on which some words are written, but hey look like if guides for the Allied forces. If they are guides and do not speak English well, they are of no use. What does the Metropolitan Police Boards think about this fact? In the name of our nation which had a world-famous police force, we wish the authorities would consider well this fact.

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