Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0126, 1945-12-08.

Full Translation:

At the meeting on 24 December, the Social Democratic Party decided on the following members as a second list of official candiates. KANAGAWA: DOI, Naosaku, HAWAI, Yashiji; ITOGAWA, Niichiro; MOJI, Ryo: The first district, OSAKA: MATSUDA, Chozaemon; MAEDA, Taneo. The Second district, OSAKA: KUBOTA, Tsuruji; NANAHASHI, Kiichiro; KOSHI, Yasuichiro: MIYAGI: SASAKI, Kazo: YAMAGATA: [illegible]Sadakichi; TAKANASHI, Yashio. SAITAMA: BABA; Hideo; MOROOKA, Eiichi.

Full Translation:

All the governors of JAPAN will hold a conference at the residence of the Prime Minister at 0900 on 27 December. The conference will be held with the prosecution of the forthcoming general election as its main subject. To begin with, Baron SHIDEHARA, Prime Minister is expected to make an address. The following urgent problems will be explained in detail, and the wishes of the Government will be expressed.

The problems: 1. Adequacy of the Revised Election Law and the attitude of the Government in conducting the forth coming general election. 2. Adequacy of the Labor Union Low which has been passed by the Diet. 3 Governmental intention concerning the application of the Agrarian Re-djustment Law.

Then, statements by each minister are expected at 0930. First, Home Minister HOEIKIRI will explain the concrete policy concerning the application of the Revised Election Law and the situation of the Home Office. Moreover, as the present condition of the food supply is very bad, Agricultural Minister MATSUMUBA will state the actual circumstances regarding the rice supply. In addition, he will emphasize that the solution of urgent problems of food depends only upon positive, voluntary distribution by agricultural villages, and he will demand the cooperation of those Governors of JAPAN prudent at the conference.

At the present time because the coal situation is pressing the Minister of Commerce and Industry. OGSAWARA, will explain this situation, and ask for co-operation. Also, the Ministers of Education and Welfare will explain problems which fall under their jurisdiction. There will be a noon recess. At 1300 all the ministers and the President of the Information Bureau will be present and will have talk on present problems, concerntrating on the new legislation. The conference will close at 1600.

POLITICAL SERIES: 126 (Continued)

Full Translation:

In order to co-operate in overcoming the food shortage by uniting democratic forces, the Communist party has determined first to propose to the Social-Democratic Party that an united front be farmed. On the afternoon of 26 December SHIGA, Yoshio and KUROKI, Shigenori visited the headquarters of the Social-Democratic Party on behalf of the Communists, and proposed to MIZUTAMI, Chosaburo and HIMANO, Rikizo of the Social-Democratic Party that the parties help each other. Mr, SHIGA, made several concessions when stalemate were encountered in the debate, eagerly desiring unified effort in order to solve the urgent food problem. Mr. HIRANO seemed to oppose his request on the grounds that if everything is done through farmer's co-operation, it will not be so difficult to overcome this critical situation. Mr. MIZUTANI agreed that it was necessary to do everything to develop national movements. They closed the two hour interview with the Social Democrats promising to reply formally upon approval of the Central Executive Committee on 27 December.

Full Translation:

In compliance with the SCAP directive of 19 December, reinstated political prisoners are now allowed to vote for representatives of the Lower House. Because of the necessity of taking special action on the list of new voters, the Cabinet, on 26 December, decided to enact an Imperial Ordinance. This is most important in regard to the Election Law, and after being referred to the Privy Council for deliberation it will be promulgated on about 29 December.

The main object of this new law is to take measures both judicially and administratively to return to the following the franchise and the right to hold office: These who were freed from detention, imprisonment and from protective custody in accordance with the 4 October directive removing controls on political, civil, and religious liberties; and those who had been under detention or imprisonment or protective custody for violating a law or an order or a rule mentioned in the above directive who were already released before 4 October.

To register these released prisoners may go to a courthouse near their residence or to the place where he was ordered arrested, and ask for a prosecutor's certificate. He may show this to a mayor or a village leader or anyone else who attends to voters registration.

Full Translation:

The sixth plenary session of the Constiution Investigating Council who held at 10:30 hours on 26 December at the Premier's official residence. It was attended by chairman MATSUMOTO; SHIMIZU, MI[illegible]OBE, NOMURA, all councilors; and MIYAZAWA, KAWAMURA ISHIGURO, OIKE, IKIE, SATO, NAKANO and OKUNO, committeemen. They discussed problems which had been left over from the last session, and finished all the proceedings, drawing up a hill on the revised text.

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POLITICAL SERIES: 126 (Continued)

ITEM 5 (Continued)

It was also decided that the council would examine the bill on the revised text using a snail number of its committeemen sometime around the end of December, The meeting was closed at 1600 hours. The next session is scheduled to open in January.

Full Translation:

A general meeting for the organization of the TOKYO Branch of the Liberal Party was held at 1300 hours on 26 December the KYOBASKI Public Hall. Mr. ANDO, Masazumi was recommended for the post of chairman, and rules of the Branch were set up. After election of committeemen, President of the Branch OKUBO, Tomejiro and President of the Liberal Party HATOYAMA, Ichiro gave formal addresses and Dr. KUWAKI, Genyoku and others made speeches.

Summary:

(TN: Second in a series.) To our immense relief SCAP has helped us to commence the rebuilding of JAPAN along democratic lines. We, ourselves had not been able to see these measures, through inspite of many efforts and much suffering. But the SHIDEHABA Cabinet, which we might have expected to work immediately on the practical executions of the new measure, sat back with negligence and lassitude. SHIDEHA[illegible]A occupies himself with a new constiutional and judicial setup, but in the realm of practical actions, we see him constantly trampling these laws under-foot and there is little difference between the present state of affairs and the past highhandedness of formerrregimes.

Compare this slackness with SCAP'S quick disposal of the Zaibatsu and the war criminals! The social unrest among the workers and peasants is growing. People think that an "explosion" is due by spring or early summer (February to May) owing to rising prices, unemployment, etc. But such a contingency is, by no means, unavoidable, since, after all, there is enough food and our productive capacity can be expanded.

At the outset we can put no hope in the Diet, knowing they are a bunch of war criminals. But one would have expected them to at least, make some part of a democratic gesture in view of the coming elections; however the opposite was the case. In the face of famine the Diet does not touch the burning problems of daily livelihood. All they do is bandy about war guilt accusations or emasculate SCAP'S democratization orders.

All the reactionary parties ore denying popular sovereignty by promulgating the slogan, "Protect The State", meaning the monarchy. They intend to disregard all immediate needs of the people, drawning popular revolution in a bag of parliamentary compromise. The idea is to pave the way for the victory of fascist reaction by taking advantage of the still existing slave-psychology of the people as well as of the sentiments of "brotherly love." They try to convert these feelings into nationalist hatred in order to use them against the tide of democracy.

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POLITICAL SERIES: 126 (Continued)

ITEM 7 (Continued)

The most outstanding features of the present situation are the reactionary qualities of JAPAN'S bourgeoisie and the back wordness of her workers. Under the circumstances, the revolutionary task of the working masses is promoted by a foreign power (the UNITED STATES), while the task of carrying it out in land and the shoulders of a conservative, bureaucratic government. This must inevitably lead to failure. A revolutionary impulse motivated from without and not immediately utilize [illegible]revolutionary forces withing the country must end in a miserable failure.

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