Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0172, 1945-12-30.

Full Translation:

It goes without saying that the cause of the present social unrest may be chiefly attributed to the acute shortage of food. The Agriculture Ministry recently revealed the demand-and-supply plan in staple foods for the coming rice-crop year. According to this plan, there appears to be a chance of overcoming the food crisis, Nevertheless, examining the figures mentioned in this plan, we conclude that this is a careless or deceitful plan, which forces the Nation to become more doubtful as to the prospects of solving this problem.

The total amount of rice for this year, according to this plan, is estimated at 40,170,000 koku due to this year's poor harvest. It must be pointed out in the first place, that the plan is too optimistic over the delivery of the crops by the farmers. Will a delivery be made by the Government which can take no action except to appeal to the farmers? The Agricultural Associations are also very impotent in this problem. The most thriving season for rice deliveries has already come, and, yet, only 2,940,000 koku were delivered by 10 December, which is only 11 per cent of the allotted amount. The Government attributed the cause of this poor delivery to the delayed harvest caused by the adverse condition of the weather and the decreased desire of the farmers for the delivery of rice due to their black market dealings.

The Government ignores the following facts:

• 1.Small scale and limited methods of farming.
• 2.Unproductive farms duo to the shortage of fertilizer.
• 3.Discontent and lack of confidence of farmers in the reactionary Government and the ruling classes.
• 4.Inrational delivery system.

The Government attempts to take advantage of the ill feelings existing between Consumers and farmers in order to conceal its own inability and idleness. Its attitude must be, therefore, censured. In order to accomplish the official purchase of rice, it is imperative for the Government and the leaders to listen to the true voices of the farmers. It also must be pointed out that the 3,120,000 ton import of staple foods is taken for granted as a fixed figure. As the acute shortage of food is obvious, it is imperative that the import of staple food from abroad be permitted.

It is said that the Allied Powers approved the importation. However, how much will be bought from whom, and whet ships will be used to carry them to JAPAN? How will the two billion yen be raised for the fund? Is it possible to borrow money on credit from the Allied powers if there is no more collateral materials than those estimated at 500

EDITORIAL SERIES: 172 (Continued)

ITEM: 1 (Continued)

million yen? If this be impossible, what measures will the Government take? As for securing the ships necessary to import foreign rice and wheat, it is said that they are insufficient even if the transportation of repatriates is sacrificed. It is difficult to charter ships owned by the Allied Powers. Can the ships be supplied? If they are supplied, when will the importation he realized? Nothing has been concretely shown the Nation. What shall we do if the food cannot he imported?

Therefore, we must stress once more the establishment of a democratic Government as soon as possible. The Government must save credit with the Allied Powers in order to import food. It must he noticed that 7,500,000 koku of wheat, 1,650,000 koku of miscellaneous grains, and 1,000,000 koku of food hitherto not used as food are included in the government Plan. The plan for wheat is based upon the assumed favorable supply of fertilizers and favorable weather. Miscellaneous grains which have been consumed by farmers are, also, to be delivered to the Government. Concrete measures for the utilization of the 1,000,000 koku of food hitherto not used as foods have not yet been taken. In short, this plan for the use of rice substitutes is based upon wishful thinking, and its realization seems difficult.

It must be stated that the Agriculture Ministry has not provided any agricultural policies to support this demand-and-supply plan. In the enactment of the Farm land Reform Law, can the Agriculture Ministry take measures to free the farmer, really, and make this law useful in stimulating a desire for production and delivery? It must be stressed that most urgent, at present, are payment of farm rents in money; cheaper rents; development of agricultural and chemical techniques; supply of farm implements and fertilizer; daily necessities at low prices; supply of food for working farmers; dissolution of feudalistic and bureaucratic agricultural assiciations; reconstruction of autonomous co-operative organizations of the farmers; and drastic democratization of administration in farming villages.

Consumers must observe a strict distribution system of staple foods, reform and clarification of the bureaucratic Food Supply Co-operation, and the rapid establishment of an autonomous organization for supervising the food supply of consumers. The food problem is the key to the livelihood of the masses. The existence of JAPAN depends upon the solution of this problem. The Government must be sincere and responsible in establishing a plan which will be exact and extensive.

Full Translation:

It is well known, both by the Government and by the people, that the present SHIDEHARA cabinet is destined to attend to state affairs only temporarily. Although it is a most important task for the Cabinet to help form a new Government according to the will of people in the coming general election, its responsibility for state affairs is not necessarily limited to that. The general election should not be merely taken as a matter of course. The election law has already been promulgated and we can have confidence in the people's good sense, which is expected to attain some achievements in the election. Therefore, leaving this matter temporarily in the people's hands, the cabinet should work on other impending problems and so its best to solve them.

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EDITORIAL SERIES: 172 (Continued)

ITEM 2 (Continued)

Putting aside the matter by the general election, the very foundation in reviving JAPAN, we need not look far to find problems on which the Cabinet must concentrate its energies with more enthusiasm. Food, housing, coal, unemployment, reconversion of inflationary industries, etc are matters interwoven to make our country face an unprecedented crisis. Still further, the present unrest in the political world is going to spur economic restlessness so poignantly that the social order may approach the brink of confusion. The crisis threatens daily to assume more serious proportions.

What is the attitude of the present Cabinet toward this situation? There is no reason that the present Cabinet cannot be earnest in state affairs merely because it is an interim one, but in reality such an impression has been created. It is rather natural that the repeated Allied directives take the initiative, but, to our intense resentment, enforcing those directives, the Cabinet often fails to satisfy Supreme Headquarters.

The Cabinet, though it is not supported by the people, lacks the seriousness to meet the crisis. We never placed too much confidence in the S[illegible]ARA Cabinet's ability, but, if possible, we expect it to tide over present difficulties. We hope it will earnestly consider impending problems at least in time to pass on some solution to a new Cabinet. Then, the present Cabinet may be able to make some preparation to tide over the crisis until that time.

It is desirable for the Cabinet to solve the complicated problems over a period of time, but its present attitude, trying to settle every matter at once without confidence, may be blamed on leaving matters half done. It also arouses the suspicion of the people in regard to its sincerity. Under the present circumstances, the Cabinet should solve problems in order, as the occasion demands, with radical and thorough measures.

Thus, the structure of organic society will surely show the effort of readjustment which will amelicrate the crisis. We think that all the wheels in our country's political machinery are afraid of being stopped now, so half measures can do nothing. If only one wheel works perfectly, it is one step away from the ruin of our fatherland. It can readily be imagined what role this wheel will play. If the SHIDEHASA Cabinet is full of confidence, it should prove itself really capable of the full operation of all the wheels. If not, let it stop sitting on the fence and, instead, concentrate its energies on solving the food problem. Whatever the nature, of the Cabinet may be, in order to accomplish this aim, it must always keep in mind that the responsibility for attending the state affairs definitely transcends all external problems.

Full Translation:

We do not simply complain that the public have not functioned fully against the increase of crimes. The matter must not be left to take its own course in a mere affirmation by the police of the inevitability of crimes, so rife not only in TOKYO but all over the country, which they asse[illegible]t is due to the social instability brought about by the defeat. The masses, themselves, must hold this rampancy of crimes in check and co-operate with the police in its prevention.

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EDITORIAL SERIES: 172 (Continued)

ITEM 3 (Continued)

However, apart from the above, is it impossible to have a stronger police force? In the strengthening of the police they are always inclined to ask for a mere increase of police staff. However, since it is impossible for us under these circumstances to ask for it, we must try to strengthen the police function in other ways. Is it not possible to shift to the police some men from the fire department, which can do their work with a smaller staff than before? So long as staff shortage is the main reason for their poor record in arresting criminals, and the increase of staffs in number is impossible, we hope that such a measure as described above will be adopted.

If the police can neither prevent crimes nor arrest criminals in any other way than the old-style way expressed in the proverb "Don't be too ready to trust a stranger," the prestige of the police is hard hit. We can well imagine that the police, as members of social groups, have many troubles in their daily lives under the present social state of affairs. However, even if such is the case, they are not justified in being unrighteous and giving non service to the public. We are generous enough to admit many obstacles which prevent them from attaining satisfactory results in arresting criminals. The problem of the police in the crimes so rampart today may be solved by the establishment of a modern police system. Therefore, we hope that the leading groups concerned will give utmost consideration to this point.

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