Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0379, 1946-02-07.

Full Translation:

Students and Reformers

I want to lay my opinion before Hr. KIJIMA, the writer of a letter "Idle Youth". It is not merely because of the one yen 90 sen cost for admission that less students are seen around movie houses these days. It is because we students have awakened to our duty. I know that numbers of students and youths, who eagerly desire a new birth of JAPAN and think of the world situation, have formed various kinds of groups and are watching for an opportunity to play an active part in the school and for the public.

We discuss social affairs and speak of the human race, but our discussions are different from former table-talks among noblemen. Our meetings have a practical atmosphere. Mr. KIJIMA wrote in his letter that the students do not know what to do. These words, however, are nothing but the nonsense of an old man, and are not those heard among the youth, especially among students. It was also written in Hr. KIJIMA's letter that we should choose a way of life that will give us a chance to serve the world as the new Japanese, and will render our existence beneficial for the world. Since he understands this fundamental spirit, he should put it into practice. I believe that the TOKYO Students' League (TOKYO GAKUSEI REMNEI) and the ALL-JAPAN Young People's Union (ZEMKOKU SEINEN DOMEI) will be organized in the near future and that a reformer of society will come out of these organizations.

(Letter from EUROKAMA, Akinobu, a student of the TOKYO Second Normal School)

Social Activity of Students

Having had a militaristic education, we lived and acted without criticizing ourselves. That might be commendable as a collective action. However, no patriot would have been able to maintain his judgment and ideals after the war had ended in such utter senselessness spirit-lessness.

People largely count upon students who were brought up in such days. On the other hand, students themselves have come to cry loudly, "It is indeed our duty to save JAPAN," and a movement is going to be started. However are they not merely acting under the influence of a passing emotion? Are they not blind?

It has been only five months or so since the defeat. We were taught to kill others under militanistic organization. Our lives were sacrificed to nationalism. Under such circumstances, we have given neither time to the study of democracy or socialism, nor to records which

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would teach us what they are. Can a man thus brought up change his mind within a period of five months or so? Is it enough time for a man to settle his thoughts and grasp social ethics?

There are many learned parsons who have skilfully recoated themselves taking advantage of the times and are behaving as if they were the new leaders. Is it right for students to behave like these unprincipled persons? We students should criticize, study, and love and develop our ideals, actively. We should try not to deceive our consciences.

(Letter from a student of the Literary Course of the First Higher School)

New Way for Youth

I felt an ache in my heart in reading letters entitled "the Idle Youth" and "Swimming against the Sordid Current of the Times" in this column. They criticized the youth of the present day with passionate words, which, however, did not blame the youth. Their words were sympathetic and betrayed their understanding to youth. Having read them, I took up my pen with an unbearable feeling.

I came back home from North CHINA over a month ago. I felt the same anxiety as that of the writers of these two letters, and thought that I had to share the anguish of the youth and students at any sacrifice. Young persons who have serious questions are gathering around me.

We cannot say that the youth are idle. It is a matter of course that we cannot say the existence of the youth is altogether a matter of indifference to people. The pure spirit of the youth that did not hesitate to sacrifice themselves for their country should never be lost among them. Pent-up passions, less of beliefs, indignation at having betrayed their pure hearts, surprise at learning the truth for the first time, and doubts about the truth. All these have led youth to their present conditions. How can we blame them? How can we give warning to them when we are responsible for the war? The youth will surely rise again by their own efforts. One who is awakened to the inevitability of history will rise up again to the world of light.

(Letter from HIRAYAKA, Teruji, the pastor of the REINANZAKA Christ Church, AKASAHA)

Full Translation:

With a loud noise, the transformer went haywire and everything was plunged into darkness. The 50 homes in the block depending on that damaged transformer had to replace lamps with candles when darkness came. The shortage of transformers has already been the theme of recent conservation. The 50 families had therefore resigned themselves to a long time of darkness and felt somewhat heavy hearted.

After a few days the lights began to gleam brightly again. The reason is that one family sent some money to the electrician. If this affair ended here we would say "everywhere in the world is darkness". However, there are some recollections referring to this matter.

The electrician who repaired the transformer refused to accept the money and declared he had no reason to receive the money. He explained the recent bad conditions and the difficulties involved in the replacement of old transformers by new ones. Referring to the use of

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electric heaters he begged for co-operation from the com on consumers. The 50 families were pleasantly surprised and became at once happy when the lights began to gleam again. We can fairly call this the result of efficient and splended service, the campaign plan in the KANTO Electric employees dispute. Good results usually are gained by appealing to the people's sense of propriety.

Full Translation:

Official associations of Ministries have demanded that Premier SHIDEHARA abolish the Government official system. The progress of the times is shown in that government officials have become the object of reformation.

The Civil Service Appointment Ordinance is the, origin of the officials' class system. Those who admire this system use the excuse that the examination system is the best way to select men of ability. This excuse is apparently reasonable, but as a matter of fact, is not. It is very strange that those who pass only one examination should receive incomparably great privileges and have their positions guaranteed. Under aggressive Shintoism they were not the servants of the people, but only officials of the living God. Granting that men of ability are selected through examination, the recent examinations have a great deal of feudalistic color and various kinds of cliques have been formed. This fact proves that feudalism exists in the system.

However, if democratic administration is gradually established, the greater part of the government priviledges will be abolished and a class system such as that of the army will also become unnecessary. Of course, the treatment should be democratized. The pension system naturally should be abolished. Anyhow, the present bureaucracy should be wholly abandoned. Otherwise, its democratization cannot be expected. We request you, government officials, to reflect more profoundly on this point.

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