Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0050, 1945-12-03.
Date3 December, 1945
translation numberpolitical-0204
call numberDS801 .S85
Persistent Identifier
POLITICAL SERIES: 50
ITEM 1 Insufficient Seriousness in the Diet - Tokyo Shimbun - 30 Nov 45. Translator: Paasche.
Full translation:
"Heckling isn't fair", says Mr. SASADA, third year student of HOSEI University's
Economic's Department. During the war he was
taught aviation in an air corps regiment at UTSUNOMIYA and was demobilized in September.
On the morning of the 29 November,
SASADA commenting on the Diet and anticipating a continuation of the noisy session
of the day before, said bluntly,
"Yesterday's Diet session lacked seriousness. Useless heckling, devoid of wit is not
my idea of activities in which Diet
members should indulge.
"I am disturbed by the thought that legislation of tremendous importance is handled
in this way. In connection with the war
guilt problem, old stuff such as anonymous balloting against Diet members with a view
to cause their retirement is brought up
over and over. This leads one to fear that the question of war guilt might become
a weapon in party politics. The abuse heaped
upon speakers leaving the platform is a shame. I cannot forget what the minister of
War said about the spirits of the war
dead, whose efforts must not be brought to fought, and I wept over my comrades out
of gratitude. When I came home I was struck
by the loneliness of the tear-soaked YASUKUNI Shrine and I thought grimly of TOJO
and the others who filled their own pockets,
pretending to fight a war. When I heard the Minister of War and saw what was going
on in the Diet I felt the same emotions.
What I, a demobilized soldier, felt when I saw the fighting over the war guilt in
the Diet, was that those responsible for the
lost war should be eliminated in the name of the people."
ITEM 2 The Plenary Session of the House of Representatives on 30 November - Nippon Sangyo Keizai - 1 Dec 45. Translator: N. Tachibana.
Summary:
The House of Representatives held its plenary session on 30 November. Questions and
answers are as follows:
Mr. KITA, Reikichi's ([illegible]) question (Liberal): What is Japanese democracy? Japan once regarded
democracy in England as a regular political way. Does the Government intend to adopt
such thought? It is important to reform
education in order to establish a new JAPAN. JAPAN has good and bad points in morality
and in education. The virtue is that
loyalty and filial duty are considered one and the same thing,
POLITICAL SERIES: 50 (Continued)
ITEM 2 (Continued)
and the fault is that JAPAN lacks social solidarity and respect for individual rights.
In order to prevent ruin, the
Government must take anticipatory measures. We have been freed of the military clique.
It is necessary to promote the study of
freedom. The Navy Minister opposed the Tripartite Pact, but was the navy not in sympathy
with the idea? Does the Premier go on
to establish a new Japan without pursuing the war-guilty?
Prime Minister SHIDEHARA's answer: I think it is not good to force the people to
give a determined definition to democracy,
and it may be said that JAPAN may endeavor to develop democracy in accordance with
Japanese history, circumstances, and
national character. The Japanese people must contribute to the culture of the world
under our Emperor. I am not ready to state
what measures the Government will take and what is to be sanctioned in regard to war
responsibility.
Navy Minister YONAI's answer: I had no power to oppose the Government as matters
stood then.
Education Minister MAEDA's answers: I have determined to print no more copies of
"Subjects' Duty" (SHIMON NO MICHI). It is a
fact that JAPAN has lacked freedom. I intend to promote the growth of freedom hereafter
in reforming education.
Mr. MATSUMOTO, Jiichiro's ([illegible]) question (Social): Democratic revolution began on 15 August, but
members of ETA, who have been oppressed as slaves for the past hundreds years since
the Tokugawa Era, are being treated with
discrimination now. Has the Government no intention of abolishing the ETA system?
Prime Minister SHIDEHARA's answer: Regarding the ETA problem, I think it is wrong
to treat them with discrimination. I will
make every effort to stop it.
ITEM 3 Careful Deliberation on Revising Constitution - Mainichi Shimbun - 30 Nov 45. Translator: A. Kido.
Full translation:
At the plenary session of the House of Peers held 29 November, the President of the
House of Peers, Prince TOKUGAWA, announced
that the critical prospectus introduced by Viscount OKOCHI and others relating to
the responsibilities of the ministers of
state as advisors to the Throne had been forwarded to the Government on 28 November.
Viocount KAWASE of the Society for the
Study of Social Science, then took the rostrum to discuss a revision of the method
of selecting Government officials. Count
NIKO spoke on the democracy of our Imperial Family.
Mr. MIYATA asked, "Why doesn't the Government get on with the plan for revising the
Constitution? Does it intend to do away
with the Upper House as well as with the Privy Council which continues to hold themselves
aloof from the nation? In order to
replace the Upper House, a House or Board must be set up of members elected from districts,
so as to secure a safety-valve for
operation of parliamentary politics."
Minister of State MATSUMOTO answered, "Do most people now feel that since the POTSDAM
Declaration has been accepted, it is
necessary to immediately alter the existing Constitutional Law? The acceptance of
- 2 -
POLITICAL SERIES: 50 (Continued)
ITEM 3 (Continued)
the Declaration does not necessiate immediate alteration of the Constitution article
by article. We are, however, carefully
studying, the problem, for we think it necessary to revise the Constitution, in order
to recover and augment the democratic
idea. We do not think that the revision of such a fundamental law as the Constitutional
Law could be completed in a week or
so. Keenly alive to the importance of the problem, I am, day and night, engrossed
in the matter and am consulting with many
people. The appeals for abolishing the Privy Council and studying the competence of
the Upper House have been carefully taken
into consideration."
ITEM 4 Notes on the Diet - Tokyo Shimbun - 30 Nov 45. Translator: Paasche.
Full translation:
At present there are various kinds of democracy in existence. JAPAN after losing
the war, is coming to life as a democracy.
Now the current question is, which type will it be? Can Japanese democracy be achieved
without infringing on Imperial
sovereignty, or is absolute popular sovereignty the only way? One would expect this
question to be more widely discussed among
the people than is the case. Even in Government circles there is little such discussion.
It is true, SAITO, Taka took up the
problem of constitutional reform in the Diet on 28 November, but he seemed to assume
that Japanese democracy must not invest
sovereignty in the people.
The Progressive and the Liberal parties are staunch upholders of the Emperor system
and have, therefore, needless to say,
aroused nose stir in the Socialist party, the only group which advocates popular sovereignty,
carried remain silent on these
issues. Since there are no Communists in the Diet, the Socialist Party alone must
discuss these matters. On the other hand,
the Progressive and the Liberal parties will have to explain why they are backing
the Emperor system. None of these parties
should forget their basic aim, namely the creation of Japanese democracy.
ITEM 5 Deliberative Right of the Diet and the Allied Forces - Asahi Shimbun - 1 Dec 45. Translator T. Okamura.
Full translation:
In connection with the rights of deliberation of the Diet and other problems, the
following questions came up at the special
meeting of the Bill Approval Committee held at the House of Peers 30 November. Viscount
MATSUDAIRA said, "The POTSDAM
Declaration provides that the administrative rights of the Emperor shall be placed
under the Supreme Commander of the Allied
forces. Does this clause mean that the legislative and the judicial rights are also
placed under the command of the Supreme
Commander?" Minister without portfolio MATSUMOTO answered, "So far as I know, the
Supreme Commander of the allied Forces
issues orders not only on administration, but also on legislation directly. There
are still doubts as to whether his
directives will refer to the judiciary, but we have to interpret the clause to read
that, for the enforcement of the
conditions provided in JAPAN's unconditional surrender, the allied forces may order
anything. But as a matter of fact, I think
the Supreme Commander will not issue directives on the judiciary."
- 3 -
POLITICAL SERIES: 50 (Continued)
ITEM 5 (Continued)
Viscount MATSUDAIRA, then asked, "I understand that the Women's Suffrage Law is ordered
by the Supreme Commander, and if so,
the Diet cannot disapprove of it on the ground it is premature. Therefore, I think
the right of diliberation of the Diet on
the Reform Bill of the law for the election of the members of the House of Representative,
is restricted, What do you think of
this?" Minister MATSUMOTO gave his opinion, by saying, "The Women's Suffrage Law is
not demanded formally by the Supreme
Commander, but is only a wish expressed by him. The Government, with the point of
view that it would be right for the
Government itself to bring about such a desired matter, has proposed the bill."
DISTRIBUTION "X"
- 4 -
Loading...