Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0148, 1946-01-06.

Summary:

The Communist Party, which claimed and continues to claim to be hunting down those responsible for the war, seconds all the war Allied orders as a matter of course. The Party held a Central Committee meeting on 4 January and decided that the principles of the new Allied directive should be applied to any official in the Home Ministry, the Ministry of Justice, the local government, teaching staffs, and any member of petty political parties which are reactionary bodies.

The Party has already selected its course war the general election, and a hundred or more persons have been recognized as candidates for seats in the House of Representatives. The Party is now making arrangements for taking a strong stand by increasing the number of candidates.

Summary:

In the JAPAN Social-Democratic Party the only ex-members of the House who are ineligible for candidacy by virtue of the new Allied purge are KAWAKANI, Jotaro, former manager of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association, and KONO, Mitsu, director of the Diet Examination Committee of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association.

This party was least affected. In view of the severe blow dealt the Progressives and the Liberals, the Party will secure advantages over the rest in the forthcoming general election. Anticipating the possibility of being the biggest party in the Diet through this election, the Party will call a standing Executive Committee meeting to take urgent measures on the Allied directive on 5 January at the Party headquarters. The party is expected to decide on a president. KATAYAMA, Tetsu, has been placed in position of highest ranking representative of the Party, with the title of chief secretary, on the ground that he plays an important role in internal party politics.

The party, giving up its measures for becoming the second largest party, is now shaping its course with a view toward becoming the largest. One hundred and ten recognized candidates are scheduled to be added to the present l68, and about thirty neutral members affiliated with the Social-Democratic party faction will be expected to run, making more than 300 recognized candidates from the party.

POLITICAL SERIES: 148 (Continued)

The present SCAP order concerning political bodies will have a far-reaching influence on all angles of Japanese political life and must be regarded as of truly revolutionary importance. This is because almost all of the big men who hitherto stood in the good graces of the public will probably be disqualified for public offices. Most of these men have been the leaders in or central figures in the great parties (SEIYUKAI, MINSEITO), which became the medium of political control by the militarists before and after the MANCHURI Incident. Later they acquiesed in the CHINA Incident and the world war and entrusted millitaristic dictators with supreme power. As soon as the war went wrong, they changed their attitude and waved an intimidating fist before the Government. They started organizing all kinds of political groups, in which they took over the controlling positions. Brazenly they began to agitate for Diet-centrolled democracy, planning to run in the elections. The idea was to grab the power in JAPAN once more. Now these people are buried in oblivion by the SCAP directives, which clearly spell doom for past political methods in this country, ushering in a "new deal" at the same time. For this reason the directives are nothing short of epoch-making.

As to the direct consequences on the existing parties, one may assume that the Progressive, Liberal, Co-operative, and Social-Democratic parties are chiefly affected, particularly the Progressives. The result is a devastating blow, since the majority of their leaders from the director downward probably fall under the new regulations. This means that each will forfeit its rank as the most important party and its leading position in the political world. The thrashing which the relatively small Liberal party has to expect is not so devastating, but some of its leaders are in for trouble. Furthermore, since it is evident that the Liberals are the successors of the aforesaid old parties, they are bound to feel the impact of the new directives to no small extent. On the other hand, the Social-Democratic and Co-operative parties, which not completely unaffected, will not suffer as far as their overall structures are concerned. Particularly the Social-Democrats will probably gain in inverse proportion to the losses incurred by the Progressives and the Liberals. In the coming general elections the Social-Democrats and the Communists will probably collect all the votes, giving a revolutionary tendency to future parliamentary politics. However, it is not entirely impossible that the voters, stampeding from the progressive party, will form their own independent platform.

Summary:

General MacARTHUR's recent directive has caused quite a sensation among the political parties. How they regard it and how they plan to meet the new situation is summed up as follows:

Progressive Party - TOGO, Minoru: As there are points still to be clarified in the directive, we are now studying them, but if it means "leaders" in a broad sense, the effect it will have on our party will be considerable. Our election measures will be greatly affected. At the moment we are unable to form any idea as to who will be dismissed from public positions. However, as the women's section is hardly affected, I expect that there will be more chance of activity for Mrs. YOSHIOKA, Yayoi, and others.

The Social-Democratic Party - KONDO, Mitsu. The nationalistic and fascist Organizations and their leaders who have brought about the present condition by their narrow-minded nationalism and fascism should be held responsible and without the Allied Headquarters' directive. We,

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POLITICAL SERIES: 148 (Continued)

ITEM 4 (Continued)

as, a notion, should call them to account for their Deeds. Such organizations as the Imperial Rule Assistance Association should be regarded as political controlling bodies, and a considerable number of the members were forced into such associations in disregard of their wishes. Consideration should be given to such persons.

The liberal Party - MAKINO, Ryozo (Manager): The directive is just, but is it not rational to let JAPAN independently carry out the election in accordance with international law in fulfilling the POTSDAM Declarations? Without awaiting the directive the Government ought to have taken the matter positively into consideration, and it should have stabilized the internal situation to face the new election after eliminating false democratic leaders. The effect the directive has on this Party is negligible, though ultimately this depends on its interpretation. We were all forced to join the Imperial Rule Assistance Association with the exception of Mr OZAKI, Yukio, so that some consideration, must be given in the Choice of Candidates, but no change in the fundamental principle of election measures is necessary.

The Communist Party - TOKUDA, Kyuichi: The present directive has our Wholehearted support in that it is a step forward from periodic war criminal nomination. The interpretation of the directive must be made broadly and carefully, and without limiting it to leaders alone it should extend to the lower organizations and should include the privy Councillors, members of both Houses, members of prefectural, municipal, and village assemblies, local plutocrats, landowners, usurers, bosses who were active behind the political scenes, and police officers who infringed upon people's rights, in short all those who co-operated in the execution of the war should be included in the interpretation. Another important point I would like to add is that some professional soldiers and teachers, who, in conspiracy with the police and capitalists in the country are interfering directly or indirectly with the formation of labor unions or farmers' organizations, should not be overlooked.

Regarding the teachers, though we hear of the establishment of an organ for inquiring into qualifications, as far no activity has begun. The Govenment's negligence is surprising. These teachers, not being shy of resorting even to violence, are actually repressing and impeding democratic influences. While censuring the Government's incapacity, we, the people, must co-operate and execute strictly and correctly the directive to annul their social activities and expel them from our political lives in order to accelerate a further development of democracy.

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