Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0014, 1945-11-20.
Date20 November, 1945
translation numberpolitical-0059
call numberDS801 .S85
Persistent Identifier
POLITICAL SERIES: 14
ITEM 1 The Japan Communist Party will hold a 4th meeting shortly - Asahi Shimbun - 11 Nov 45. Translator: H. Kato.
Full Translation:
Their leading members having been discharged from prison, the JAPAN Communist Party
is taking prompt action toward the
reconstruction and resuming of party activities. As preparations were shaping up,
the party decided to call 300
representatives from all parts of the country to hold a nation-wide conference at
the headquarters in YOYOGI at 10:00 а.m. on
8 November.
TOKUDA, Kyuichi; SHIGA, Yoshio; KAMIYAHA, Shigeo; KIN, Tenkai; MIYAMOTO, Kenji; HAKAMADA,
Satomi; KUROFI, Shigenori were made
members of the party's staff and preparations committee and decided to hold the fourth
nation-wide meeting, at the latest,
before 1 December, (the 1st meeting was in TOKYO in July 1935, the 2nd one in ICHIKAWA
in March 1937, the 3rd one in GOSHIKI
in December 1940 were all held illegally), The meeting will be held to state the party's
manifesto, platform and various
urgent policies.
At the sametime they agreed to fight stubbornly for their aims based on MARX and
LENIN's principles. The practical
considerations proposed for the platform and manifesto of the party are extensive,
covering 25 items.
The gist of these proposals is as follows:
- 1.Abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of a popular republican government.
- 2.Dissolution of all anti-democratic corporations and severe punishment for all war criminals end offenders who trampled upon people's rights.
- 3.Abrogation of the Constitution and establishment of a democratic constitution by the public; the abolition of the Privy Council, the House of Peers, the Houses of Representatives, and the abolition of all other systems of feudal privileged classes.
- 4.Formation of a popular front with all other democratic elements.
- 5.Abolition of the land tenure system and the redistribution of this land to the farmers at no cost to them.
- 6.Consolidation of all the banks into a single national bank to be under public control.
- 7.Control of food stuffs and all other necessities of life by the public.
POLITICAL SERIES: 14 (Continued)
ITEM 2 The Abolishment of The Office of The Keeper of The Privy Seal - Mainichi Shimbun - 11 Nov 45. Translator: S. Kawasaki.
Full Translation:
The Abolishment of the Office of The Keeper of The Privy Seal Being Studied. ([illegible]).
With the resignation of Minister of the Imperial Household. Mr. KIDO, the abolishment
of the Office of The Keeper of The Privy
Seal will become a question. The Minister of the Imperial Household is in an important
position of advising the Emperor, and
he usually recommends to the Emperor the head of the succeeding cabinet.
When democracy is established, this office will become non-essential, so public opinions
throughout JAPAN is favoring its
abolishment. The Minister of the Imperial Household and the government are giving
this much consideration, and furthermore,
the advisability of abolishment and the subsequent measures are being studied.
ITEM 3 The Minister of the Imperial Household Decides to resign - Mainich Shimbun - 11 Nov 45. Translator: S. Kawasaki.
Full Translation:
The Minister of The Imperial Household, Mr. KIDO ([illegible]) to Resign ([illegible]).
Responsibility of Supporting General TOJO ([illegible]).
With the end of the war there has been much reflection, concerning war responsibility
among the leaders who had assumed
leadership during the war. The public also has directed its attention to them and
demanded their resignation. Above all, the
attitude of the Minister of the Imperial Household, Mr. KIDO, has been watched with
great interest by the whole nation. He has
felt keenly the responsibility of recommending as a war-criminal General TOJO, who,
while Prime Minister began the Greater
East Asia War, and was responsible for leading the nation into defeat.
He has determined to resign his post, immediately after he secures permission from
the Emperor, and he will leave the Imperial
Court at the most appropriate time.
ITEM 4 Complaint on Voting Rights - Asahi Shimbun - 11 Nov 45. Translator: S. Kawasaki.
Full Translation:
Complaint on Voting Rights ([illegible]).
The Japanese Communists are opposing the practice of early mass elections under a
former political order. When the general
election takes place, candidates of the party will be set up in various sections of
the country. The party intends to campaign
vigorously in the election and in the Diet. Under the existing election law which
determines the qualifications of voters and
candidates, eligible persons must have resided at the definite place on 15 September
1945. Since most leaders of the party
will be unable to obtain these rights on the ground that
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POLITICAL SERIES: 14 (Continued)
ITEM 4 (Continued)
they were in prison, the party considers those jails as their place of residence
during imprisonment. The Communists are
determined to negotiate with the Department of Home Affairs, and the authorities to
maintain their suffrage rights.
ITEM 5 A phase of the History of Japan's Collapse (cont'd) - Yomiuri Hoshi - 11 Nov 45. Translator: J. Weiller.
Full Translation:
A Phase of the History of Japan's Collapse Serial (2) Militarist Fascism.
On December 1931, soon after the collapse of WADATSUKI Cabinet, General (then Lieutenant
General) ARAKI entered the SEIYUKAI
Cabinet as War Minister, and in January 1932 General MASAKI was transferred from the
Commander-in-Chief of TAIWAN Army to the
Councillor of War and Vice-Chief of the General Staff under Prince KAN-IN. During
the following two years the army was
governed by these two generals. Then, why was General MASAKI driven from the post
of the Inspector General of Military
Education? In correspondence of Social Movements, (SHAKAI UNDO TSUSHIN), dated 24
July 1935, under the heading of "various
reasons for the transferring of General MASAKI" with a sub-leading "written by the
youths' League (RAKUHOKU, KYOTO), the
following matters are mentioned:
"On the 10th of July the War Minister HAYASHI quite contrary to the usage of preliminary
arrangement suddenly approached
General MASAKI with the request for his retirement on the ground 'General MASAKI being
the central figure of a certain clique
in the Army, and to maintain the Army's solidarity, it is unanimous opinion of the
officers that he and several other generals
should retire'. But when rebuked by General MASAKI, he confessed, 'This is the opinion
of General X and Chief of XX Bureau'.
At a meeting of Three Chiefs, General MASAKI made a stern comment saying 'There is
an outside interference regarding the
present change. If I give in to an intervention into matters of the supreme command
I should be bringing disgrace to the
position of the Inspector General of Military Education which is under the direct
command of the His Majesty and rot only that
it would leave a deplorable precedent for the future. Is there any proven fact that
I am doing harm to the Army's unity as
alleged by the so-called universal opinion?'. War Minister HAYASHI, however, kept
silent to this retort and the meeting broke
up.
"Being unable to confront General MASAKI's just argument, General HAYASHI tried to
carry his point in the name of Chief of
General Staff, Prince KA[illegible]IN, but finding it still unsuccessful, he at once repaired himself to the
Emperor and on the 16th he succeded in disposing his intimate friend under a false
charge that he was interfering with the
change of personnel by the War Minister. A certain general demanded General HAWASI
at a War Councillers' meeting held on the
17th to show him evidence of MASAXI's misconduct, but as the former could not give
an adequate answer, he was abused to his
face that he was unworthy as a soldier and that he was a personification of the "Emperor
is an organ" (Tenno KIKAW SeKu)
theory.
"Further, or the same spot that general made clear that a certain Chief of Bureau
of the War Department was the central figure
of the November incident, and he also produced a plan personally written by a certain
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POLITICAL SERIES: 14 (Continued)
ITEM 5 (Continued)
Major General regarding a certain incident projected by that Chief of Bureau; informed
the meeting that that official in
co-operation with new bureaucrats was making various political moves, and pointed
out that he was the very man who was
detrimental to the Army's solidarity.
"There occurred a certain incident the year before last when an attempt was made
to suppress the Army. This was planned by
Finance Minister TAKAHASHI at the head, Viscount MAKINO, influencial Imperial subjects
(JUSHIN), and heads of the political
and financial circles. The reasons were that the existence of influence of the Army
would accelerate the campaign for
renovation, that it would be a nuisance for carrying out the foreign policy by those
who were for status quo and that it would
increase the feeling of the internal insecurity. The SAITO Cabinet, which had this
object in view, fell without attaining its
mission and Admiral OKADO was chosen as a second puppet.
"Among the members of OKADA Cabinet who participated, in this conspiracy were General
X, Major General XX and Baron A. A
preparatory process to overthrow ARAKI, MASAKI and other first men of the Army was
plotted by JUSHIN, ZAIBATSU, etc., and it
had been progressing during the past year or so. Thus, the shake-up among the government
personnel was forcibly carried out by
MAXINO, TAKAHASHI, SAITO, OKADA, SUZUKI, UGAKI, MINAMI and NAGATA through War Minister
HAYASHI. Consequently the significance
of this problem goes far beyond the fact. Thus General MASAKI's retirement and the
defeat of the Army's moderate group
(SEIGIHA) by the retirement of the three generals, indicates that the Army's personnel,
which is a very important factor in
the Supreme Command, has been influenced by outsiders, such as JUSHIN and ZAIBATSU.
"The above situation was complicated and mysterious. And a product of secret plans
under this was MASAKI's retirement. The
only over-sight these clever men made in this instance was, being too eager to overthrow
MASAKI they did not notice that this
extraordinary measure opened a way for the Military dictatorship."
Taking into consideration the various circumstances then prevailing in and outside
the Army, we can surmise the causes of
General MASAKI's being disliked are as follows:
- 1.Almost all those who were involved in the March and October incidents had been transferred into MANCHURIA and other outposts at the time of War Ministers: MINAMI and ARAKI. These were feverishly working on their friends in TOKYO for their return.
- 2.The policies taken up by MASAKI, when he was vice-chief of the General Staff in the Manchurian and the first SHANGHAI incidents, was a clever suppression and the plan to quit at the proper time. This gave dissatisfaction to the agressive Army men.
- 3.JUSHIN, the Political and financial circle misunderstood that, after the retirement of ARAKI, MASAKI was the leader of the young officers of an extreme inclination.
- 4.Ambitions persons in the Army thought that as long as MASAKI remained in the post, in view of his educational policy, they could never attain their ambition.
- 4 -
POLITICAL SERIES: 14 (Continued)
ITEM 5 (Continued)
Availing themselves of the above undercurrent, the plotters worked out a very clever
program, so cleverly composed that the
leading papers as well as JUSHIN, political and financial circles, unanimously applauded
and thanked General HAYASHI for his
ability in handling the matter.
According to a secret publication then issued under the name of CHUO SASSHIN DOMEI
(Central Renovation League). "In back of
General HAYASHI, there stand Lieutenant General INAGAKI, Saburo; Baron IZAWA, Takio;
General NAGATA, Chief of War
Administration Bureau; KARASAWA, Chief of Police Affairs Bureau; and Baron HARADA,
Kumao, who in conformity with the upper
circles of the Army acted liaison officers in the matter".
The NAIGAI JOHO, which was supposed to be Army's organ reported under date of 21
July 1935, under the heading of "War
Minister's prompt decision has thrown SEIGUN (clearing the Army) faction off guard",
reported the real phase of the
transfering of Inspector-General of Military Education as follows:
"The Army has up to now carried, out a shake-up of personnel four times but due to
the constant strong opposition from General
MASAKI at the Three Chief meetings, the attempt has always ended in lukwarm results.
As Lieutenant General MATSUURA, ex-chief
of the Bureau of Personnel, belongs to the MASAKI faction, and behind whom sat Lieutenant
General YANAGAWA as Vice-Minister,
the successive ministers, however, eager were they in the attempt, could not accomplish
a noteworthy result. Since the
appointment last March of Lieutenant General IMAI, who is reputed to be fair and fearless
as the Chief of Bureau of Personnel,
the War Minister has started the job in real earnest to accomplish the present result".
It goes on to say "The return of TATEKAWA and KOISO to the metropolis for the purposes
of appointing the former as Vice-Chief
of the General Staff and the latter as Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force, and also
Major General TOJO, Hidekara, as the
Chief of Maintenance Bureau".
The economic unrest then prevailing in the country affected some young officers to
the extent of attacking vulnerable points
of the JUSHIN and ZAIBATSU. Such trend was cleverly utilized by the Militarists for
the downfall of MASAKI and by slavishly
concurring with JUSHIN and ZAIBATSU they gradually stepped forward from the Military
dictatorship to the recent rash war. The
JUSHIN and ZAIBATSU manipulated the Militaristic Fascist leaders to remove the daggers
from inside the country aimed at their
throats to the outside and drove them to the foreign war which has resulted in JAPAN'S
ruin. Here is the most guilty party,
who tried to settle internal questions by a great external war. AT General MASAKI's
dismissal the leading papers are said to
have waited the event by printing extras before the announcement. The guilt of journalism
cannot he atoned by any means.
ITEM 6 Application of Personal Protection Law - Yomiuri Hochi. - 12 Nov 45. Translator: T. Kitayama.
Full Translation:
Application of Personal Protection Law for Trial of General Yamashita Discussed at
Defense Council's Meeting.
The Defense Council for the trial of General YAMASHITA, taking advantage of a recess
of the rial on the 10th, discussed the
application of the
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POLITICAL SERIES: 14 (Continued)
ITEM 6 (Continued)
personal protection law so that the General may escape maximum penalty, even in case
he is declared "guilty" as a war
criminal.
A warrant according to the personal protection law is to be issued early this morning
(11th). Under the American Constitution,
as is stated in the law, trials based on, evidence alone have no absolute authority.
And in the enemy's territories where
fighting is in progress the maximum penalty is regulated to be delivered by the regular
court-martial alone.
Colonel Harry CLARK, the defense attorney for General YAMASHITA, called Japanese
high ranking officials and officers as
witnesses and planning to make it clear that the General received orders from his
homeland concerning the protection,
facilities and food-supply of the PHILIPPIANS, it is reported. Against this fact,
the Trial Judge Advocate, Major Robert KERR
and other prosecutors are counter-charging that, though the General received such
orders, it is certain that he knew the
atrocities which had been committed in extensive regions, and that he took no measures
to prevent such atrocities.
On the other hand, other prosecutors are making a list of witnesses still alive who
actually saw the "death march" in Bataan,
in order to solidify evidences of the war crimes of General HOMMA, Masaharu, former
Commander of the Japanese Forces in the
PHILLIPPINES. According to an authentic report, General HOMMA will be transferred
to MANILA from TOKYO.
ITEM 7 Improvement of the Police will take a long time Japanese Liberalism - Asahi Simbun - 12 Nov 45. Translator: H. Kido.
Extracts:
General [illegible]. R. T[illegible]OR[illegible], Chief
Counter-intelligence Corps Officer, expressed his view of Japanese liberalism approximately
as fellows:
"Asiatic students staying in JAPAN sine the termination of the war are several hundreds
in number. They will be repatriated at
the earliest possible date for trial by their own government authorities.
"Liberalism in JAPAN is still very weak and unless we protect the liberals until
they have gained firm ground, they will be
crushed again upon the withdrawal of the Allied Forces.
"Improvement of the Japanese police system alone will probably require many years.
Of course, several thousand police officers
have already been removed but nevertheless, the deep-rooted fear complex in the minds
of the Japanese people toward the police
must be up-rooted.
ITEM 8 Food, Agriculture. Forestry and Fishing - Asahi Shimbun - 12 Nov 45. Translator: T. Kitayama.
Full Translation:
Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing.
- 1.National planning based on new scientific knowledge should be under-taken. Legislation for large scale reconstruction of war devastaded areas, roads, ports and harbors should be established. - 6 -
- POLITICAL SERIES: 14 (Continued) ITEM 8 (Continued)
- 2.The promotion of education and the bettering of living conditions in the agricultural villages and towns should he undertaken.
- 3.Plans for the development of agricultural areas, such as cultivation of waste land, opening up of rice paddy-fields, drying, out of marsh lands, readjustment of rice-fields, etc., should be done at government expense.
- 4.Improvements in the agricultural land system should be made immediately. Extension of small holding system and payment of reasonable farm-rent should be considered.
- 5.Farming with domestic animals must be more widely employed and measures for securing foodstuffs should be taken.
- 6.Production of fertilizers, agricultural implements and other materials necessary for agricultural produce should be carried out.
- 7.The compulsory suppling of rice, barley and wheat to the government by farmers should be relaxed. Allotments should be rationed, and prices of rice and barley supplied by farmers be raised as high as possible.
- 8.Measures for exploiting undeveloped resources should be taken.
- 9.Plans for importing foreign rice and cereals necessary for the people's existence should be taken.
- 10.Immediate abolition of government control of fruits, vegetables, fish and shells should be carried out.
- 11.Construction of fishing boats should be planned as well as the construction and repair of harbors and docks. Material necessary for fishing should be secured.
- 12.Reformation and reconstruction of agriculture, forestry and fishing organizations on a democratic basis should be carried out.
Labor and Society:
- 1.The legitimate position of labor should be confirmed and labor conditions bettered.
- 2.Social legislation for the security of the working man, and other necessary measures should be carried out rapidly.
Measures for Women:
Along with suffrage for women, the following measures concerning them should be adopted:
- 1.Equal opportunities should be given to both men and women for education.
- 2.Laws and regulations controlling women's activities as such should be revised, or abolished.
- 3.Measures for the political education of women should be taken. - 7 -
- POLITICAL SERIES: 14 (Continued) ITEM 8 (Continued)
- 4.Arrangements for home education for women should he made.
- 5.Home economy should be directly connected with politics.
War Responsibilities:
Those, who taking advantage of the war, amassed illegitimate profits in conspiracy
with the military or the bureaucracy,
should be denounced. Thus a political reformation and renovation of the national life
should be effected. With this object in
view, we should establish a post-war special court.
Women Also in the Party:
Moreover it has been decided that at this inauguration ceremony women may join the
Party.
DISTRIBUTION "X"
- 8 -
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