Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0033, 1945-11-27.

Author Supreme Commander for The Allied Powers. Allied Translator and Interpreter Section.

Date27 November, 1945

translation numberpolitical-0129

call numberDS801 .S85

Persistent Identifier
GENERAL HEADQUARTERS
SUPREME COMMANDER FOR THE ALLIED POWERS
ALLIED TRANSLATOR AND INTERPRETER SECTION
PRESS TRANSLATIONS
No. 129 Date: 27 Nov 45

POLITICAL SERIES: 33

ITEM 1 A Phase of the History of JAPAN's Collapse - Yomiuri-Hochi - 19 Nov. 45. Translator: WEILLER, T.

Extracts:
A Phase of the History of JAPAN's Collapse; Bureaucratic Fascism.
The Breakfast Party, which we have already dealt with in the preceding series, was first projected with KONOE as the central figure, but KIDO replaced him later. In the Array, OBATA, Binshiro, did not consent to join the Breakfast Party, and NAGATA finally took his place. This party was indeed a group which combined the essential power of the militarists and bureaucrats. The first occasion of the power they wielded was when the recommendation of General ABE for Premier was brought up before a council of Elder Statesmen by KIDO. The use of this method was repeated when IKEDA, Saihin, financial magnate was pushed into the YONAI Cabinet.
[illegible]roletarians Included.
What is noteworthy here is the reason why NAGATA joined this party. As the big heads of the bureaucrats had secret designs in making connections with the militarists, so the letters had their own motive in meeting the formers half-way. According to NAGATA's idea, it was essential that the Army, while politically allying itself with the bureaucrats and peers, also connect itself with IK[illegible]DA, Seihin, of the financial circle, KAMEI, Kanichiro; ASAU, Hisahi; ASAHARA, Kenzo, of the [illegible]roletariat Party; and OKANA, Shumei, and KITA, Ikki, of the reactionaries, and then attempt a chain of coupes d'etat.
This attempt; however, ended in failure and the so called March Incident. Taking a lesson from this failure, NAGATA turned his attention to picking up men of new types and added such names to the membership as TAKAHASHI, Kamekichi, and YAMAZAKI, Seijur, proteges of IKEDA: TSUSBIMA, Juichi; KAYA, Kosen; ISKIWATA, Sataro; AO[illegible]I, Kazuo, from the financial circles, KARASAWA, Tashiki, and GOTO, Fumio from the bureaucrats' camp, in addition to the previously named persons from the proletariat.
Why was this done? It was to strengthen the internal organization against the stress of a war which seemed inevitable. A high-handed control of the organization in every part of the country was the goal.
A national reconstruction plan based on the total mobilization of the nation and the army was intended, and Naguta was to be the guiding force thereof. This is why he contemplated a coalition with the bureaucrats and financial concerns, as well as the proletariats, who stood diametrically opposed to the others. And it explains why in spite of his allembracing policy, he kept the liberal politicians from his fold.
POLITICAL SERIES: 33 (Continued)
ITEM 1 (Continued)
The bureaucrats thought their only way of defending their power and extending it was by being in league with the militarists. In short, they resorted to compromise. In the meantime, the so-called New Bureaucrats who made their appearance throught string pulling by the Breakfast Party, were approaching the role they were to play as the militarists' tools in forming a total mobilization plan.
The Total Mobilization Law and Board of Planning
At about the time when the CHINA Incident broke out in 1937, the army had already completed a plan for guiding war-time politics. Among the most important institutions mobilized for this purpose were the Economics Bureau of Investigation of JAPAN-MANCHURIA in MANCHURIA, and the SHOWA Research Association, The Society of the Study of National Policy, and the Office for Study of EAST ASIA in JAPAN.
The National Total Mobilization Law passed the Diet, along with the State Control of Electric Power Law, in 1938, and in order to know the history of JAPAN's Bureaucratic Militarism it is important to study the circumstances under which these laws were passed.
For this purpose we must go back to the ordinary session of the Diet of the previous year. The TAKAHASHI, Korekiyo, financial policy was succeeded by FUJII's policy which, as it took into account the current opinion of the ZAIBATSU in general, especially of the Monetary capitalists, was an appeasement policy.
The army, however, was dissatisfied and planned to turn the policies toward militaristic purposes. The result was the entrance of BABA as Finance Minister, symbolizing the army's activities and its general financial policy.
These militaristic tones were formed in the reorganization, in May 1937, of the Office of Planning into the Board of Planning. The characteristic of this Board gave the impression that it had been set up in advance. Its antecedent, the Bureau of Investigation, was created by the OKADA Cabinet for the serious purpose of stemming the then prevailing panic, with YOSHIDA, Shigeru, a leader of the new bureaucrats, as its chief.
Originally this office was quite a fit place for the new bureaucrats, who liked assiduous routine work, but now as the Board of Planning, it suddenly showed its hand, demanding total mobilization, and, in order to enforce its policy it assembled the choicest bureaucrats from each government department. Almost all the investigators of the Board were military and naval officers, or those closely connected with them, and they occupied the key positions of the office. There were numbers of changes in the personnel but there were none who did not belong to this group.
The group was in league with ARIMA, Raine; SENGOKU, Kobaro, and others of the Industrial Associations, and was connected with the ZAIBATSU influence of IKEDA, Seihin, through GOKO, Kiyoshi, and FUJIYAMA, Aiichiro. There were also connections with YUKI, Toyotaro, who, as the Governor of the Bank of JAPAN, was a leader of the industrial capitalists.
There are many episodes telling how such connections had been achieved. As an example, NIPPON SODA was snatched from the hands of NAKANO, Tomomaro, and put in the hands of MITSUI. This was done by a conspiracy of the militarists-bureaucrats-financiers' combination. As MITSUI had no interests in the industry, they planned to utilize MITSUI's capital,
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POLITICAL SERIES: 33 (Continued)
ITEM 1 (Continued)
and at the same time, push up O[illegible]DA, an old bureaucrat of the Communication Department, the company's presidency throught the reccomendation of OKUMURA, Kiwas, backed by [illegible]UTO and others of the Army.
When the Technical Board was made under the pretence of the total mobilization of Science, it was planned by MIYAMOTO, the vice-chief, that while INOUYE, Kyoshiro, of the Upper House, would be nominated for the Presidency, OKOCHI, Seibin, of the Laboratory of Physics and Chemistry, together with experts from private sources, would, compromise the principle personnel. However, what the Fascist camp in the Board of Planning realy wanted was political power rather than scientific control, and in order to get the power they deemed it necesssry to humour KIDO who was influencial in the Imperial Palace, Therefore, they dismissed MIYA[illegible]OTO And put in his place ABE, Gonki, one of KIDO's henchmen. They also put INOUYE into the Board of Technics as a puppet president, and WADA, Koyuku, KIDO's brother, was given the post of Vice- President.
It's indeed unprecedented in the history of JAPAN's bureaucrats that the Pareaucratic-Militarist-Financier-Technician combination of this kind was acheived under the very eyes of the nation and was never questioned.
The Army Pushed Through the Total Kobilization Law
With the outbreak of the CHINA Incident, the Board of Planning commenced activities. In the meantime the incident was steadily growing more serious and soon the total mobilization plan was submitted to the Diet in the following year as the Total National Mobilization Law and was passed by the Diet.
With vast power behind it the Total Mobilization Law was a double-edged sword, a menace to both the "haves" and "have nots".
During the debate in the Diet fierce opposition was raised by a certain section and a compromise was finally reached which appeased the opposition at no cost to the power of the Mobilization Law. Passing of the bill by the Diet further strengthened the posttion of the bureaucratic militaristic fascists.

ITEM 2 Strife Between Nationalist Troops And Chinese Reds Enters Critical Stage-Mainichi Shinbun - 19 Nov 45. Translator: H. Takahashi.

Summary:
Now that the common aim of co-operative resistance against Japanese agressions has reached an end, we can say that Chinese Nationalists and Communists seem destined to oppose each other. Scarcely had the tie unifiing the parties been cut down when both forces fell into violent combat, and the strife has spread all over CHINA.
In the taking of MANCHURIA, the situation has reached the worst possible stage. The CHUNGNING Government, concluding on 14 August 1945, the Friendly Alliance Treaty with the SOVIET UNION, sought to regain complete control of MANCHURIA. But, according to CHIANG's YENAN Government, has been working for the destruction of Communist CHINA, not the unification of CHINA. That is to say, if the nationalist army advances into NORTH CHINA, where YENAN's influence prevails, the YENAN government will be in a precarious position. If INNER MONGOLIA is brought under the control of GAINA's Central Government, the connection between YENAN and MANCNURIA or OUTER MONGOLIA will be cut off.
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POLITICAL SERIES: 33 (Continued)
ITEM 2 (Continued)
The industries of MANCHURIA will afford a great deal of superior equipment to the Nationalist troops, and the Reds will suffer from a severe shortage of arms. Also, complete nationalization of the SHINKYO District (WESTERN CHINA) will enable CHINA's Central Government to make the anticommunist blockade stronger and will impose a great threat on the Chinese Communists from their rear.
Against such possibilities, the Chinese Communists took immediate action. They occupied every important city and port throughout NORTH CHINA, and at the same time, advance a considerable distance into INNER MONGOLIA. By establishing the 16th Military French District, including a great many regions, they were prepared thoroughly for the Nationalist army's invasion of MANCHURIA, either by land or sea. No soldier of the Nationalists has yet been able to step into MANCHURIA.
According to a United Press report dispatched from CHUNGKING on 4 November, the Reds now possess a large part of 10 districts of NORTH CHINA, SOUTH MANCHURIA had INNER MONGOLIA, as well as one half of the whole coast line of CHINA, 4,000 miles, six important ports, seven mountain ranges, and over 19 airbases constructed by the Japanese Army. These wide areas are divided into 18 free districts and 16 military districts. Thus the administrative ability of the Chines Communists came to present the semblance of a great independent state.
The Soviet army will be gone from the whole of MANC[illegible]by 3 December and some troops have already left. Vacant regions from which the Soviet evacuated have been occupied one after another by the Reds. In consequence, since it is impossible to transport the Nationalist troops by air to CHOSUN till 20 November, when the Soviets end the evacuation from all districts in the south of C[illegible]O[illegible], every principle point throughout MANC URIA will come into possission of the Chinese Communists.
Formerly both the SOVIET UNION, and the UNITED STATES stated that they would not interfere with the C[illegible]S[illegible]civil war lest they should be involved. However, Y[illegible]NAN feels that the Arms Lending Agreement between AMERICA and CHUNKING means that the UNITED STATES intends to assist CHUNGKING. On the other hand the SOVIET UNION is regarded as assisting YENAN by CHUNGKING. So, for fear of causing dangerous situation, one of the public officials of AMERICA emphasized "It is not till the UNITED STATES, the SOVIET UNION and [illegible]TIAN intervene in co-operation, that the civil strife in CHINA can be settled." Also, a statement of the Soviet Embassy in CHINA resorted that Generalissimo STALIN sent a letter in relation to some important matter to Generalissimo CHIANG KIA-S[illegible]K.

ITEM 3 Japan's Code Telegram on the Pearl Harbor Attack - Asahi Shimbun - 19 Nov 45. Translator: J. Kitayama.

Extracts:
Rear-Admiral INGLIS, Chief of the U.S. Navy Department Information bureau made the following statement on 17 November before the Congressional Committee investigating the PEARL AR[illegible]attack.
"A code telegram "Climb Mt. NIITAKA" dispatched from TOKYO on 5 December 1941, ordering a Japanese task force to attack [illegible]EARL HAR[illegible]. News of the coded radio message reached me that night.
"The Japanese task force sailed from the Southern [illegible]ILE Islands on 25 November. When the task force received the command they were located more than 1,000 miles from the HANAIIAN Islands. On 7 December, while the Japanese naval squadron was still 200 miles from PE[illegible] [illegible], 361 planes took off for the attack.
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POLITICAL SERIES: 33 (Continued)
ITEM 3 (Continued)
The plan is credited to Admiral YAMAMOTO who worked on it between January and September of 1941. The objective was to deliver a death blow to the American fleet, and then, in case the attack failed, a decisive battle was to be fought by combined naval forces of JAPAN and the UNITEI STATES. The Japanese were under order to return if they were discovered."
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