Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0171, 1946-01-11.

Author Supreme Commander for The Allied Powers. Allied Translator and Interpreter Section.

Date11 January, 1946

translation numberpolitical-0720

call numberDS801 .S85

Persistent Identifier
GENERAL HEADQUARTERS
SUPREME COMMANDER FOR THE ALLIED POWERS
ALLIED TRANSLATOR AND INTERPRETER SECTION
PRESS TRANSLATIONS
No. 720 Date: 11 Jan 46

POLITICAL SERIES: 171

ITEM 1 Evasion of "Recommendation Responsibility" - Tokyo Shimbun - 10 Jan 46. Translator: T. Kitayama.

Summary:
The political instability resulting from the directive issued by General MacARTHUR's Headquarters for expelling the Militaristic elements, still continues because of the failure of the intended interview of Foreign Minister YOSHIDA with General MacARTHUR to take place and because of the uncertainty of the scope of the directive. Six days of confusion in the political, Government and financial circles have already passed, and during that period the Cabinet has decided to remain in office on the basis of reorganization. With this object in view, Transportation Minister TANAKA, Welfare Minister ASHIDA, Chief of the Legislation Bureau NARASAKI and other bureaucratic Government officials connected with political parties, are worrying, trying to find measures necessary for tiding over the situation, and are keeping in touch with various parties. On the afternoon of the 7th, the President of the Liberal Party, HATOYAMA, consulted Foreign Minister YOSHIDA at his official residence, and on the evening of the same day MAKING of the Liberal Party, and KAWASAKI and MIYOSHI, of the Progressive Party called on Vice-Chief Secretary MIYOSHI at the Premier's official residence. This indicated political changes.
The ground on which the Cabinet decided to remain in office is, as follows:
  • 1.Though the change of some of the cabinet members, which is expected by General MacARTHUR's Headquarters, may become unavoidable by a directive from the same Headquarters, there arises no need.
  • 2.Though we should resign in a body now, with the general election not here yet, a cabinet which meets the people's will cannot be expected. Accordingly the cabinet should remain in office as an entium measure until the general election is over.
This is the basis for Cabinet's self-complacent attitude, revealing its bureaucratic tendencies. The present Cabinet, has, in the past, always clinging to office on the ground that there was no satisfactory successor. But suddenly on the 7th, a foreign dispatch reported the view of the American State Department to the effect that the right of nominating JAPAN'S next Prime Minister and his cabinet members is in the hands of General MacARTHUR. The Government, however, has not yet brought this problem up for discussion for the reason that it has not received any official information. Actually, it is obvious that it is contradictory to the Emperor's right of appointing Government officials, and that the Premier's political faith in the maintenance of our national policy becomes fundamentally shaky. The Government's callousness to national politics will surely be censured, and reconsideration of their intention to remain in office will be requested by the nation at large. Thus the development of the political situation will show important changes about 10 January, when the Premier, recovering from his illness, will be present at his office.
POLITICAL SERIES: 171 (Continued)

ITEM 2 Cabinet Session Still Pending - Mainichi Shimbun - 10 Jan 46. Translator: R. Ochiai.

Summary:
In spite of the clamor from political parties for a wholesale resignation, the Cabinet has not yet given up the hope of carrying on. The Cabinet's final decission will be made known after Premier SHIDEHARA recovers from his illness, since the discussions with the Foreign Minister, the Cabinet Chief Secretary and the Councillor of the Legislation Bureau on the 9th at the Prime Minister's residence were not conclusive.
After making a call on the Premier Mr. TSUGITA, the Cabinet Chief Secretary and Mr. NARAHASHI, Director of the Legislation Bureau, had the following to say:
Mr. TSUGITA: "The Prime Minister will be well enough to attend his office in several days, and then the Cabinet will state its attitude. He, and not the Foreign Minister, should make a formal call at General MacARTHUR's Headquarters."
Mr. NARAHASHI: "With the general election now in sight, the Government's attitude remains obscure and undecided. I asked the Prime Minister to think the matter over carefully. In my opinion, no particular political party should take over the Cabinet before the election, I told him to consider his action carefully because of the gravity of the situation."

ITEM 3 Chaos Because of Cabinet Irrespossibility - Mainichi Shimbun - 10 Jan 46. Translator: R. Ochiai.

Summary:
The Cabinet's undecided attitude in this political crisis has been severely critisized by the people, for six days have already passed since the latest MacARTHUR directives were issued on 4 January. Such irresponsibility has cut all the bureaucratic and financial circles in a chaotic state of mind. Though faced with a crisis, they do not know what to do without any directives from the Government. Time is money; however, it has been wasted as urgent problems are still unsettled, while a sweeping change of prefectual governors, which will interrupt the system of KYOSHITSU (TN: Farmers' remitting their produce to the Government at a fixed price) must be undertaken. Because of the Governments' lack of responsibility, every political party is demanding the resignation of the entire Cabinet.

ITEM 4 Premier's illness and, the Cabinet Crisis - Asahi Shimbun - 10 Jan 46. Translator: S. Sano.

Full Translation:
The political situation is expected to continue in a state of darkness for a few days more pending the Premier's full recovery from his illness. The surface developments were the individual visits of Foreign Minister YOSHIDA Justice Minister IWATA, the Cabinet Chief Secretary TSUGITA and Director NARAHASHI of the Board of Legislation to the home of Premier SHIDEHARA.
The Premier's condition is improving and his temperature has already become normal, but it is expected that four or five more days will be necessary before he can tend to his affairs. Irrespective of the Premier's condition. The Government is speeding up definite measures concerning the important directive from MacARTHUR’s Headquarters. The Imperial Ordinance regarding the expulsion from public offices of the militaristic leaders is expected to be decided on at the Cabinet meeting on the 11th, the political situation will make a rapid development upon its appearance which is expected early next week.
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POLITICAL SERIS: 171 (Continued)
ITEM 4 (Continued)
Premier SEIDEHARA is adhering to the policy of going through the present crisis by means of Cabinet reorganization, and after his appearance at his office he is expected to call at MacARTHUR's Headquarters. Since it is maintained that there is no reason for Foreign Minister YOSHIDA to visit MacARTHUR's Headquarters before the Premier's visit, it is considered that the Foreign Minister should refrain from visiting the Headquarters regarding such an important topic, as it might seriously influence the outcome of the political situation; therefore the visit by the Foreign Minister will not take place .
It is clear that Premier SHIDEHARA in view of the mission of the present Cabinet, intends to hold, on by means of the Cabinet's reorganization, carring out a free and fair general election and determine the outcome of the political situation on the basis of the election results. However, because he can not return to his office for more than four or five days, in spite of the gathering of food and many other important problems, the situation is becoming more disadvantagous to the Government.
Moreover, the criticism of the various political parties of the Government is growing, and every Government official is taking it easy, only watching the attitude of the Government closely. What effect will these situations have on the mind of the Premier? The development of the political situation will not be unknown before his full recovery; however the situation before and after his recovery will be worthy of the closest attention of the people.

ITEM 5 First Create Union Of Government Offices, Support The Social-Democratic and Communist Parties - Yomiuri Hochi - 10 Jan 46. Translator: H. Kato.

Summary:
The Supreme Allied purge order has dealt a severe blow to the SHIDEHARA Cabinet and the upper strata, of officialdom in the Ministries. The Home, Agriculture and Forestry, and Justice Ministries are now particularly threatened. The removal of governmental officials, the expulsion of militarists, and the overthrow of feudalistic machinery and secret personnel administration.
The Labor Unions in the Governmental offices and persons concerned with principal metropolitan unions are concerned with problems of the food crisis and the sabotage of Governmental officials, and are pursuing officials suspected of war responsibility. The Communist and Social-Democratic Parties conceive the democratization of Government offices to be as follows:
The Communist Party: According to the speech of Chief Clerk KUROKI, the party is shaping the course in this matter: 1. Removal from Government offices of war crime suspects, including those who infringed upon people's rights; 2. Abolishing the Imperial University cliques, which form the foundation of the official system; 3. Supporting the attempts of the lower strata of officialdom toward the democratization of Government offices; 4. A fight by Government officials alone cannot be expected, outside labor unions and press employee unions must join with them; 5. This strife has little significance insofar as it is under the TENNO system, but it will bear fruit under a people's Government.
The Social-Democrat Party: According to the speech of Chief Secretary KATAYAMA, the move by the lower section of officialdom to overthrow the upper section is of deep significance. Up to the present there prevailed the lamentable custom of making much of the Government and nothing of the people. Sweeping away such abuses of the official system is to be carried out by the power of the labor unions of Government offices. It is the aim of the Party that officials become members of a majority party in the future and receive socialistic education so as to create fully-democratized Government offices. It is not considered possible for this to be realized under the T[illegible]O system.
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POLITICAL SERIES: 171 (Continued)

ITEM 6 Resignation of Messrs. Toyama And Funada - Asahi Shimbun - 10 Jan 46. Translator: S. Kawasaki.

Full Translation:
In accordance with the issue of the SCAP directive concerning banishment of militaristic leaders, Mr. TOYAMA, Aiichiro, President of TOKYO Metropolis Commercial, Industrial and Economic Association, who is liable under the directive as being the Secretary-General of the Imperial Rule Assistances. Association, Manager of the Rule Assistance Political Association and Inspector of the Formosan Colonization Company, submitted his resignation to Mr. SHIMADA, Katsunosuke, Vice-President of the Association on 9 January .
At the same time, Mr. FUNADA, Naka, Chief Director of TOKYO Economic Association of Commerce and Industry, also submitted his resignation. The TOKYO Economic Association of Commerce and Industry is to bring up the resignations at the official meeting on 10 January, and will consider remedial measures.
Moreover, Mr. TOYAMA also has determined to resign his post as President of the A11-JAPAN Economic Association of Commerce and Industry. On the other hand, the resignation of Mr. GODO, Takuo, President of the Central Commission of the Commerical and Industrial Union, who has been listed by SCAP as a war criminal suspect, and who is liable under the present directive as being the Secretary-General of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association, manager of the Imperial Rule Assistance Political Association and Director of the South Manchurian Railway Company, has been decided.
It seems that Mr. MATSUMOTO, Kenjiro, President of the Economic Joint Association and President of the Heavy Manufacturing Industry League, who was once the Secretary-General of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association has also decided to resign his posts. The movement of the Upper classes of the financial world in the future will be watched with great interest.
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