Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0125, 1945-12-28.

Summary:

In TOKYO the participation of women in politics is the talk of the town. Women have given the following answers to questions put to them by a journalist:

QUESTION: What do you want the Government to do?

ANSWER: We want improved production and distribution of food and more education.

QUESTION: What kind of people do you want elected?

ANSWER: They must he honest, popular patriots who will know how to rebuild JAPAN and who will have enough energy for the task.

QUESTION: What happens if, your opinion differs from that of your family?

ANSWER: Very few of us will be weak enough to be led by our families.

It would see that the interest of TOKYO women in politics is a considerable one.

Summary:

Mr. OKADA, Rihei, who had been recommended as honorary mayor of ITAMI by the municipal assembly, took up his post on 7 December, being authorized to do so by the Home Office. Mr. OKADA is also a member of the municipal Assembly.

Summary:

Mr. HARA, Sobei, mayor of HIMEJI, who had steadfastly refused to remain in office, finally changed his mind. Members of the Municipal Assembly unanimously asked a lieutenant colonel of the UNITED STATES Occupation Forces in HIMEJI to persuade HARA to remain in office, resulting in HARA's acceptance.

POLITICAL SERIES: 125 (Continued)

Summary:

In order to prepare for the election, the Communists have set aside their fundamental tenet of revolution. They intend to nominate 100 candidates for the election. The following 47 names have been published: (This listis as of 19 December)

TOKYO: TOKUGAWA; KUROKI; ITO; (Two others are under discussion). KANAGAWA: UCHINO; NAKANISHI, Inosuke.

GUMMA: YAMADA, Katsujiro; TSUTSUMI; (one more under discussion)

TOCHIGI: EGUCHI

IBARAKI: OZAWA, Yujiro; YUGE; IKEDA.

CHIBA: HORIUCHI; KIYOMIYA.

HOKKAIDO: KURIBAYASHI; KITA

AOMORI: TSUGAWA, Take; TAMURA, Fumio.

IWATE: FUSEJI, Seiji.

YAMAGATA: KO[illegible]NO; WADA, Gohei.

MIYAGI: TSUKA

FUKUSHIMA: GOTO

SHIZUOKA: MIYAGI, Shigeo; OHASHI; MASUDA.

AICHI: ISHIKAWA, Tomocimon.

GIFU: KITAHARA, Taizo.

NAGANO: HAYASHI, Hyakuro; TAKAKURA

NIGATA: VEMURA, Shin.

ISHIKAWA: HASUNUMA, Tokio; WADA, Ichizo.

KYOTO: YASUDA, Tokutaro.

OSAKA: SHIGA, Yoshio; HAMADA

HYOGO: NAGAO, Yu; IGUCHI

MIE: NITTA; ISHIZUKA.

YAMAGUCHI: YAMAMOTO, Riheiei.

TOTTORI: KAWAKE; OHAMA, Shotaro.

KAGAWA: MIYAI, Shinichi.

FUKUOKA: GONNO, Itsuro.

Summary:

Since the House of Representatives was dissolved on 18 December, all parties have started plans for their campaigns in the coming election, which is now expected to take place on about 2h January. The forthcoming general election will decide whether the Japanese people can secure a form of Government established by their freely expressed will. Therefore, representatives of the people running in the general election should be new figures bringing home the spirit of real democracy and worthy of enjoying the confidences of the people. For this purpose those suspects who have political responsibility for having guided, shaped, and provided the leadership of the Government in the war should be excluded from politicals circles.

Pursuit of war responsibility is expected to spread to mainstays of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association, whose leaders have already been placed in custody. The public at large advocated the elimination of all those evil influences with the epoch-making election at hand. SCAP is scrutinizing the Election Law Revision Bill, which was passed by the recent extraordinary session of the Diet, in order to find out whether the new election system will really permit the Japanese people to freely express their will in the general election. Suspension of candidature for professional politicians and nameing of war crime suspects are reported to be the next [illegible]ve by Allied Headquarters.

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POLITICAL SERIES: 125 (Continued)

Summary:

One of the most important reform plans discussed at the 21 December Cabinet meeting, convened to discuss administrative readjustment of the Government, is the establishment of the Labor Ministry. This was eagerly desired the Consultative Committee of the Labor Law System. After that, the Social Democratic Party also emphasised the necessity of its establishment, and at the Diet Session, the problem of the Labor Ministry was often dealt with. Regardless of Government opposition in the Diet to the establishment of the Ministry, it is expected to be organized in the near future in order to enforce the Labor Union Law.

Summary:

What do the people demand of the Government? To secure an answer, the CHUBU-NIPPON SHIMBUN gathered various opinions in Central JAPAN. The question directly asked was: "What policy do you demand of the Government?" The results were as follows:

The most popular demand is for an increase in the nation of staple food. They say that policies and principles are of no value if they do not give the people food. It is not impossible to increase the food supply, because more than 10,000,000 kobu are concealed in the black market. Others state that though ration is 2.1 go, a number of people actually eat 3 go; therefore, if the Government took more efficient measures, more rice would be supplied.

The salaried class demands wage increases and improvement of working conditions. Having exhausted stocks of food and savings, they are now threatened with malnutrition. They want the authorities to prevent inflation, institute lower prices, and exterminate black market operators.

Most farmers want increased production and distribution of fertilizers. The Government had promised to increase the ration of fertilizers in proportion to their rice deliveries. Production, however, is making very little progress.

The table of public opinion drawn up by the press is as follows:

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POLITICAL SERIES: 125 (Continued)

ITEM 7 (Continued)

Summary:

The head of the Home administration Section of MIE - Ken, after returning from a meeting held in TOKYO, said the following:

"Main subjects of the meeting were the election policy, educational problems, readjustment of administration, and reform of the organization. We were directed to instruct people on the general election and advised to inquire into Shintoism from a provincial standpoint. Moreover, there was a directive to carry out a thorough readjustment of the administration by the end of next march. I intend to investigate the matter at the beginning of next year. Finally, it was decided that the Labor Management Department, Labor Department, and the National Health Insurance Department, which had belonged to the Police Section, would be transfered to the Home Administration Section."

Summary:

The War Sufferers Rehabilitation Committee of Mie-Ken has formed an inspection committee to examine belief measures for war victims, rehabilitation of sanitary and industrial institutions, and city planning. As its first action, the Committee will send its inspectors to YOKKAICHI on 26 December and UJIYAMADA on 27 December.

DISTRIBUTION "X"

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