Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0268, 1946-01-19.

Full Translation:

All hot spring inns in NAGANO-Ken, which were used during the war as sanitoria, dormitories, or evacuated school children's bearding houses, are now gradually reviving their former business, and the hot springs are open to the public. A conspicuous phenomenon which attracts everybody's attention is the fact that all hot spring inns are enjoying extraordinary prosperity, with large crowds of visitors, of which a greater part are agricultural villagers, who bring provisions with them. This illustrates one phase of the currant inflation as well as implying that hot springs, once snatched away by city dwellers, have been returned to villagers as places of recreation. City laborers are completely shut out from hot springs. They are not enjoying the benefits of inflation but are panting under its heavy burden. They are also shut out from town bath houses due to the congestion in baths caused by the fuel shortage—a situation too serious to overlook from the hygeinic view point. The current prevalent skin disease must have its orgin in such unhygienic conditions as well as in malnutrition.

On the other hand, the inn managers' attitude encourages and spurs this exclusive use of hot springs. For instance, they permit only lodgers to take common baths. Those inns which have hot spring baths on their premises agree to keep out these who come from outside to take baths. They might have reason enough to do so, and it tight be excusable that inn managers give priority for hot spring baths to their ledgers, or that they select ledgers. This may be part of the freedom of business, but they must bear in mind that this liberty will soon receive severe reflection and correction, judging from the present social situation.

Hot springs and land are the same in that both are heaven-sent gifts to humans. However, the liberty of landowners to sell or lend their land belongs to the past. In a like manner, the commercialism of hot spring inns will surely yield to the State and society. Some compulsory measures are expected to make hot springs popular and democratic. In this connection, the present commercialism shown in the making of undue profits can be said to be nothing but suicide.

Some innkeepers of discretion, however, realizing this trend, intend to reform their in[illegible]s and baths for the use of the masses. All innkeepers who rendered their services to the military clique or the ZAIBATSU during the war must now willingly offer them for the benefit of the public. They must carry out this reform of the hot springs by themselves. They must realize that this is the way for them to live.

EDITORIAL SERIES: 268 (Continued)

Summary:

It goes without saying that the chief mission of the present Cabinet is to hold the general election in a satisfactory manner. The recent reorganization was executed in line with this mission.

It cannot be denied that replacements in the Cabinet were made in an unsatisfactory manner. However, if we consider the surrounding circumstances and the situations which compelled the Government to take prompt action, we should abide by this result.

The date of the election was postponed until after the middle of March, as a result of the recent Allied directive. This interval of time before the election is an important period in which the Government should strive, with every effort, to stabilize the people's livelihood. There is an accumulation of important problems for the Government to solve, such as the delivery of rice to the Government, coal production, unemployment, and vicious inflation. If the Government should fail in the execution of proper measures for these problems, the results are bound to affect, seriously, the livelihood of all the people; and the possibility of social disorder cannot be denied. For this reason, we are doubtful whether the Government will successfully outride these unprecedented difficulties by merely reorganization.

However, the reorganization has taken place. Now that the Government resolutely remains in office it should be fully responsible for the solution of those problems. It seems that the Government doesnot neglect them. For example, the appointment of SOEJIMA as Agriculture Minister is said to be a result of the recommendation which the new Home Minister, MITSUCHI, mode to achieve co-operation.

Perhaps this can be believed. For, unless this were so, the Prime Minister, no matter how he had to hasten his Cabinet's reorganization, would not have chosen such a person as SOEJIMA.

At present the most important question of our national administration is how to secure the livelihood of the people. Of course, the solution of some problems, such as unemployment and inflation, will play an important part in this. All the people are watching to see what steps will be taken by the new Minister of Agriculture to relieve the food situation.

Of course, we, the people, should not leave this problem for the Government alone to solve. It is clear that even if the Government should exert all its efforts for a solution, the objective could not be achieved if it were not supported wholeheartedly by the people. This being the case, the Government should, first, take appropriate measures so as to obtain the people's support, and the people should encourage the Government to take appropriate steps. At any rate, we expect from the Minister of Agriculture a new policy and program. He stated, in his press interview, that "the measures to be taken should be such that all the people may be satisfied with food supply, even though small in quantity." We urge him to carry out his promise swiftly and without any change.

DISTRIBUTION "X"

- 2 -