Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0103, 1945-12-21.

Full Translation:

The House of Representatives was dissolved on 18 December, the last day of a prolonged session. Under the new, revised Election Law, the general election to establish democratic Japanese politics, will at last, be carried out. Meanwhile, in order to promote the general election, first of all, the attitude of Supreme Headquarters of Allied Powers on the new, revised Election Law must be known. The original Election Law Bill of the Home Office had been approved, but the revised bill, reformed by the Lower House, has not yet been approved by Allied Headquarters. Therefore, the revision is now being investigated.

The original draft by the Government was planned to allow fairly free election campaigning. A free, active election was desired, but nevertheless, the House of Representatives restricted the method of campaigning. At the same time, noting methods were reformed, and new candidates who wish to run for the Diet have been enmeshed in red tape. Against such measures approved by the Lower House, the Nation has been voicing its dissatisfaction. Therefore, an investigation by Allied Headquarters of the new, revised Election Law, is being carefully conducted.

Full Translation:

The Liberal Party held a meeting of its Diet members at noon yesterday in its headquarters and discussed election measures. The Party had already drawn up a list of l80 authorized candidates and submitted it to Allied Headquarters, thus completing 90 per cent of its preparations for coming election.

President HATOYAMA is scheduled to voice the principles of the Liberal Party on 22 December in SENDAI, on the 23rd in HACHINOHE, and on the 24th in HIROSAKI.

At 1 p.m. on the 26th, at the KYOBASHI Public Hall, a rally and inaugural ceremony for setting up a branch office of the Party will be held, and President HATOYAMA Messrs. KUWAGI, Kenyoku, YASHIDA, Hitoshi, and others will speak.

POLITICAL SERIES: 103 (Continued)

Full Translation:

A really, at which the subject of "Dissolution and the Diet" was discussed by the representatives of the five political parties, Communist, Liberal Progressive, Co-operative, and Social Democratic, was held before the Yuraku-Cho station at noon on 19 December, following the dissolution of the Diet. Long before the fixed hour, the place was thronged, the audience numbering about 6,000.

Mr. KUROZAWA, of the Co-operative Party, Mr. NISHIO, Suehiro, of the Social Democratic Party, Mr. SHIGA, Yoshio, of the Communist Party, and Mr. USHIZUKA, Torataro, of the Liberal Party, made fervent speeches, lasting altogether about two hours delete. The ardor of the audience was demonstrated by hooting and encouragement and interruptions of the speeches. The voices of the audience emphasized the phrase "Let us have food". There was some vigorous hooting against the SHIGA's "Down with the Emperor system". All this reflects public opinion on the election.

Full Translation:

The Progressive Party held a general meeting yesterday at its headquarters to discuss election measures.

The leaders of the party tendered their resignations to the new president, who asked them to remain in their present posts. Furthermore, they decided to increase the number of party, leaders by four, so as to strengthen the party. No vice-president will be set up until the end of the election, because the party is too busy with the election at present. Today, together with the publication of the new candidates of the general committee, six election committeemen will be decided upon.

Summary:

Land reform is one of the measures most necessary to bring about democracy in JAPAN. Why is it, then, that there has been so much opposition to the Land Reform Bill in Government circles as well as in the Diet, leading to amendments which further weaken the original bill. The present Japanese land tenure system is still based on feudal principles, and serves the cuterest of the landowning class, especially the Imperial Family which has the largest landholdings in JAPAN.

The land tenure system is based on a high tax assessment in kind and its control is effected through the village police who are an instrument of the large landowners. The whole Japanese agrarian system is pyramidal, from the village unit and the individual provinces to the central administration.

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POLITICAL SERIES: 103 (Continued)

ITSM 5 (Continued)

At the end of the TOKUGAWA Period the Imperial Family owned only comparatively small land holdings yielding a total yearly rice crop of 140,00 koku. Fourteen years after the restoration of the power to the Imperial Family its land-holdings were still only 634 chobu, but today their landholdings are 1,350,000 chobu. The state holdings including the Imperial land holdings were 19 million chobu in 1939. In other words the state and the Imperial Family together owned more than half of all the arable land in JAPAN. The right to tell this land is, however, subject to conditions which virtually hold those working on Imperial or State-owned land in bondage.

This feudal land tenure served, moreover, as a basis for the Japanese industrial organization. The tenants exploited by the landowners and kept in poverty were compelled to send their sons and daughters to factories where they were exploited at starvation wages by the Zaibatsu. The picture was made complete by family relations in the Japanese social system which gave absolute right to the father of the family.

The large landowners and capitalists were, therefore, never opposed. On the contrary, the state itself is a major industrial enterprise and the Imperial Family owns share and bonds running into hundreds of millions of yen. It is a shereholder in 29 large companies including Zaibatsu concerns.

This monopolistic system led inevitably to a stagnation of the inner market, and under its pressure, ware of aggression were sought. The Japanese masses were systematically prepared for war, quite apart from, the alternating periods of peace and war. The Emperor System itself depends on this pyramidal construction, and is not to be regarded merely as an organ transcending this construction, for the whole system has been buttressed by the Imperial Army and the militaristic police system. This inner character of the Emperor System has become widely acknowledged with the defeat of JAPAN. Its further existence represents, therefore, only a threat to a people and a society wishing for peace without, the dangers of recurring monopoly and slavery, invasion, and war. Author: FUKAYA, Susumu of the Planning Section, JAPAN Agricultural Association (NIHON NOGYOKAI KIKAKUIN)

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