Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0218, 1946-01-23.
Date23 January, 1946
translation numberpolitical-0898
call numberDS801 .S85
Persistent Identifier
POLITICAL SERIES: 218
ITEM 1 Students Free To Carry on Political Discussions - Yomiuri Hochi - 22 Jan 46. Translator: T. Kitayama.
Summary:
Students have been granted permission to discuss politics freely, and to participate
in political movements within their
universities or colleges, and, if elected, they may become student representatives
in the Lower House. In view of the fact
that, along with the abolition of the public peace police regulations, educators and
students can now freely join political
associations (nearly 150,000 students have been given the right of voting through
the revision of the Election Law), Education
Ministry authorities issued the following notification on the 21 January, concerning
political movements and election
campaigns, to provincial governors, the presidents and directors of all universities
and colleges, both government and
private, throughout the country.
- 1.Along with the abolition of the public peace police regulations, teachers and professors, as well as students, can now freely join political associations, but they should not go in for political movements at the expense of neglecting their duties. They must not forget to uphold a fair and clean attitude.
- 2.Speeches on politics, supporting or recommendatory actions (including those by documents) for the sake of specific parties or individuals, on the part of educators and students during school hours, are strictly forbidden. But this prohibition does not include free discussions on politics as it is shown in the memorandum issued by SCAP on 22 October of last year, titled "Supervision and Policy Concerning JAPAN's Educational System."
- 3.Educators and students may stand as candidates or participate in election campaigns, provided they are honest and keep their duties in consideration. Accordingly, there will be student representatives in the future, and professor of private universities and colleges may also be representatives. But educators in government and public colleges and schools who are government and public officials, must relinguesh their posts if they are elected representatives, in accordance with House of Representatives' Ordinance.
In all countries, throughout the ages, students have always been at the head of progressive
movements. In our country also, it
is still fresh in our minds how many a student took part in left-wing movements, and
some of them even led those movements.
That the Education Ministry has admitted students' political movements, will surely
stimulate them politically and enable them
to play a prominent role in the democratization of our country.
Mr. ROTH, an American reviewer, states in his book entitled "JAPAN's Dilemma": "The
Japanese students are the possessors of
democratic ideas, as may be seen through the MORITO affair, the TAKIKAWA affair, and
the KAWAI affair. During the war, they
were mobilized to work
POLITICAL SERIES: 218 (Continued)
ITEM 1 (Continued)
along with the laboring messes, and they will be the best co-operators with the latter
in the future." Let us now view the
present condition of the students' political movements.
Soon after the termination of the war, some politicians appealed to students in order
to take advantage of them politically.
But, at that time, political cognizance on the part of students at large was so low
that only six per cent of the students at
TOKYO University were know to be supporters of the abolition of the Emperor System.
Such a case is, however, a story of one or
two generations ago, a time-honor legend, if viewed from the present condition of
students' political movements. It is a
noteworthy fact that 50 KEIO students belonging to the Students Research Union, in
co-operation with the Labor Federation in
the southern part of TOKYO, have begun to make investigations on the working conditions
of laborers in those districts, as
well as their living conditions.
The TEIDAI Foundation has just been resuscitated in SAITAMA-Ken. Not only are the
students active in enlightening the peasant
classes there, and in improving living conditions and culture, but they are also taking
an active part in the formation of a
union, with the objective of gradually bringing it into contact with a labor union,
so that farming products may be easily
exchanged.
The Consumer's Union of the CHIBA Medical College, in co-operation with the Laborers'
Union of the KEISEI Electric Railway,
appealed to the labor unions, agricultural associations, and the cultural Organization,
leading them in the formation of a
CHIBA Popular Front Committee. They have already begun an extensive social and political
movement.
Apart from these movements, there is already a trend toward establishing new political
organizations. They contributed to the
purification movement of the NICHIDAI (TN NIPPON University.) last year.
The difference between the political movement of students today and that of by-gone
days is that the latter was too
ideological, while the former is realistic and practical. The reason is that students
of today are confronted with problems
concerning their own livelihood. They are of the unanimous opinion that social and
political movements by students will become
increasingly active after the winter vacation is over.
ITEM 2 Department of Home Affairs Appoints a Female Commissioner - Mainichi Shimbun - 22 Jan 46. Translator: A. Kido.
Full Translation:
With a view to opening the door of official circles to women, the Local Affairs Bureau
of the Home Ministry will appoint a
female official as a commissioner to its Bureau in order to acquaint her with election
affairs. At present the only female
higher official is TANINO, Setsuko, in the welfare Department. The new appointment
is especially noteworthy as bringing to
office the only female higher official in the Home Ministry, the headquarters of officialdom.
ITEM 3 Will Mr. ARAHATA Kanson, Be Expelled From The Social-Democrat Party? - Minpo - 22 Jan 46. Translator: H. Naoji.
Full Translation:
After the organization of the Mutual Interest Club (DOSHISHA) for the purpose of
the purification of the Party, Mr. ARAHATA
and his
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POLITICAL SERIES: 218 (Continued)
ITEM 3 (Continued)
supporters in TOKYO, clarified their attitude as the staff of the Party in their
statement made previously at the opening of
the Standing Executive Committee 16 January. They insisted on the complete investigation
of the war responsible persons in the
Party itself and impeached the staff of the Party for activities which seemed to exceed
their rights, especially in handling
the problem of the revision of the Constitution. However, the Party has decided to
check such a movement by Mr. ARAHATA and
the other persons and will advise then to suspend their movement in the name of Mr.
KATAYAMA, who is the Chief secretary of
the Party.
Should this advice not be followed by Mr. ARAHATA, it is natural that the Party will
resort to the measure of expelling him
from the Party.
ITEM 4 Trial of HIRATE and HONDA - Asahi Shimbun - 22 Jan 46. Translator: K. Murakami.
Full Translation:
The 7th session of the court martial for HIRATE was opened at 0900 on 21 January,
and the questioning of HIRATE was continued
by Attorney Second Lieutenant ROGOL; and Prosecutor First Lieutenant HUMPHREYS, who
cross-examined HIRATE on the conditions of
the prisoners at the War Camp when the camp was visited by Dr. BERNARD and Mr. PESTALOCCI,
delegates of the Red Cross, and the
party of Mr. ERICKSON, including Dutch and Swedish delegates. After these questionings
the court went into recess at
noon.
In the afternoon Mr. NAKAYE, Koji, appeared in court as a witness, and was questioned.
The court closed at 1600.
The end session of the court trial of HONDA was opened at 0900 21 January in the
second hall of the YOKOHAMA Local Court. A
decision was given by the Chief Judge that the memorandum in Dutch contained in No.
3 of the recorded evidences, which had
been carried over from Saturday, should be stricken from the documentary evidences.
The prosecution then submitted documentary evidence in the form of a note written
in the camp by Captain FRANKEN, Dutch
prisoner who made a complaint about the prisoners' living condition to Commandant
HONDA. The gathering of evidence continued
until noon, when the court went into recess.
It was reopened at 1300. The prosecutors throughout the afternoon questioned Interpreter
OKADA, witness, on some supplementary
matters and then read 12 affidavits. The court was then closed at 1540.
ITEM 5 The Preparatory Committee Meeting For The Welcome of Mr. NOZAKA was Held On 21 January - Mainichi Shimbun - 22 Jan 46. Translator: N. Tachibana.
Full Translation:
A National Welcome Meeting for Mr. NOZAKA, Sanzo, is to be held by the Communist
Party at HIBIYA Park on 26 January. Prior to
this about 30 representatives for parties and bodies gathered together at the office
of the preparatory committee at GINZA
NISHI 7-Chome, TOKYO, on 21 January and arranged detailed procedures of that meeting.
Representatives for the Social-Democrat and Communist Parties, the TOKYO Transport
Workers' Labor Union and other Unions the
Liberal Party Political Study Association, the Anarchists' League, the Democratic
Thought Study Association, the League of
Koreans In Japan, and
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POLITICAL SERIES: 218 (Continued)
ITEM 5 (Continued)
other democratic bodies took part in the preparatory meeting. Messrs. OZAKI, Yukio,
YAMAMOTO, Yuzo, and others are also to
deliver addresses of welcome at the meeting on 26 January.
That meeting has a great significance as a political ceremony for democratic revolution,
for it will offer an opportunity to
pave the way for the united front. The Communist Party chose "Song For Welcoming Our
Comrade NOZAKA" composed by Mr.
NISHIYAMA, Ryusuke, and it is to be made public by the SEIKYO Chorus at the meeting
on 26 January. The text consists of three
stanzas, the first stanza of which is as follows:
"In the sky above the ruins, where the evils of war have settled down, joyous song
is echoing with delight.
(Refrain)
A brave man has returned, NOZAKA has come back, amid hearty cheers. Democratic JAPAN:
Republic JAPAN: The day of liberation is
not far away.
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