Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0238, 1946-01-27.
Date27 January, 1946
translation numberpolitical-0983
call numberDS801 .S85
Persistent Identifier
POLITICAL SERIES: 238
ITEM 1 Activity of Communists - Provincial Newspaper Hyuga Nichi-Michi (Miyazaki) - 22 Jan 46. Translator: Paasche
Summary:
The Communist Party is arguing on the following point in MIYAZAKI-Ken: "The farmers'
committees will probably voice protests
against coercive measures. The policy of requisitioning rice is resented by the farmers
and has, therefore, reached an
impasse. We will try to bring about voluntary sales of rice by the farmers' committees;
we also hope to organize food
administration committees of workers and other consumers in the cities, which, along
with the farmers' associations, will form
the People's Council. The present enforcement of food administration by the Government
is running counter to what we and the
Social-Democrats are standing for and enhances our desire to form a common front."
ITEM 2 The Farmers Voices on the Compulsory Measures for the Supply of Rice - Provincial Newspaper Shina[illegible]o Mainichi Shimbun (Nagano) - 25 Jan 46. Translator: S. Sano
Summary:
Whet ideas have the farmers in NAGANO-Ken regarding the compulsory measure for the
supply of rice which the Government is
going to carry out in the near future? As the places where the investigations have
been made are the best producing and
supplying rice districts in the prefecture, their opinions are well worth noticing.
- 1.The opinions of the agricultural co-operative association and other organs concerned with the supply of rice: (A) Though the compulsory measure is exercised, it will be difficult to reach the quantities desired by the Government for the same reasons as the various fundamental causes of the defect, namely, the unfair allotments of production, the time for allotments not being ripe, etc; (B) It is an unjust policy at present when the necessities of the farmer's life are very dear compared with the price of rice; (C) It will provoke the antipathy of the farmer, and they may think it is only a new policy which is going to oppress the farmer.
- 2.The opinions of the farmers: (A) The efficient farmers welcome the policy; it will be the inefficient farmers who will be afraid of the compulsory measure. But, I think better measures should be taken for the supply of rice, as such compulsory measures will be against the principles of democracy, I fear; (B) Silent antagonism will be seen in every village against the execution of the stern measure; (C) When the efficient farmers, who expect to supply 80 per cent of their rice allotments, hear of the exercise of the compulsory measures, they will stop their supply for a while, until the inefficient farmers supply the rice in amounts equal to their quantities, because, they think it is foolish and unfair that they alone should supply rice; (D) It is an absurd policy to force the carrying out of the rice supply allotments which are made on an office desk before the real harvest. Whatever compulsory measure be put into force, we can not supply what we do not have so it will have no effect at all and may call forth antagonism.
POLITICAL SERIES: 238 (Continued)
ITEM 3 Dr. Takano's Proposal to Adopt Republican Government - Yomiuri Hochi - 26 Jan 46. Translator: Paasche
Full Translation:
For ushering in a democratic JAPAN, the creation of a new constitution is of primary
importance since it will determine
JAPAN's future form of Government. For this reason, the entire Notion has come to
he interested in the issues. During a
welcoming party for NOZAKA, Sanzo, on 25 January at II IDAMACHI, TOKYO, Dr. TAKANO,
Iwasaburc, authority on Japanese social
problems and adviser to the Social-Democratic Party, suggested the adoption of a republican
form of government. It was to
include a president, as Chief Executive, and a constituent assembly, determined by
the people at a convention. The speakers
demanded that this program be made one of the principles of the democratic front to
be established soon. Dr. TAKANO is a
member of the Investigation Committee for Constitutional Reform, which recently published
a draft constitution. The
Committee's majority group decided upon a solution which left the Emperor in charge
of functions of decorum, whereas Dr.
TAKANO, in line with the views of the minority, advocated a, republican form of government.
So far, he has refrained from
making his views public. During the aforementioned reception, Dr. TAKANO stated:
"The constitution must be the people's constitution, shaped according to the people's
wishes. It determines essentially the
people's political social, economic, and cultural way of life. The adoption of a republican
form of government, with a
president at the head, is needed for making the state basically democratic, and there
can be no true democracy without placing
sovereignty in the hands of the people. The president should be elected by universal
ballot for four years. Reelection is
permissible but a third term should be ruled out. For the organization of parliament,
the two house system should be adopted.
As far as the first house is concerned, I agree with the draft plan of the Investigation
Committee but the second house must
be made up of representatives of the professional groups, as well as of the various
social layers within these groups, this is
of the landed proprietors, small farmers, capitalists, workers, small farmers, capitalists,
workers, and employees. Obviously,
matters twice handled by the first house cannot be vetoed by the second assembly.
These are the chief outlines of the scheme,
but the details should be worked out by experts. I think the present Emperor cannot
be exempted from war responsibility. In
the light of recent directives excluding certain people from public office, one should
naturally expect the Emperor to be
responsible since he is the supreme commander and sovereign. I hope that around the
middle of May, the people will
spontaneously convene a democratic constituent assembly. For this purpose, representatives
of the Social-Democrat and
Communist Parties, of farmers and worker Unions, of cultural groups, and of publicity
organizations would have to gather at
TOKYO. This will be no meeting to vote petitions to the Government. It will be a full-fledged
constituent assembly for the
people and by the people destined to deal with our basic problems. The Social-Democrat
and Communist Parties must comprise its
nucleus. The demand to convene an assembly of this kind must by all means became part
and parcel of our united front
platform."
ITEM 4 Readjustment of Communication Board - Mainichi Shimbun - 27 Jan 46. Translator: T. Kitayama
Full Translation:
90 Officials of Higher Rank Removed
In accordance with revision of the organization of the Communication Board, the bureaus
and sections thereof are abolished or
annexed as follows:
- 1.The Electricity, Communication, and Reconstruction Bureaus are annexed to the Engineering Bureau. Affairs relative to materials and necessaries in the Engineering and general Affair Bureaus are simplified by being brought into one bureau. For this purpose a Materials Bureau has been established. - 2 -
- POLITICAL SERIES: 238 (Continued) ITEM 4 (Continued)
- 2.The Communication Bureau at TOYOHARA, SAGHAKIEN, is to be abolished.
As for lessening of the official personnel of the board, 40 per cent of the professors
and officials serving in the wireless
telegraphy institutes are to be dismissed. This is the highest rate. In the other
bureaus and sections of the board, eight or
ten per cent of the officials working elsewhere than in the main office, or its branch
offices, are to be removed. Those who
follow outdoor active work are to be decreased by six per cent. Officials of higher
rank or KOPOKAN who are to be dismissed
number 90 in all.
DISTRIBUTION "X"
- 3 -
Loading...