Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0241, 1946-01-28.

Summary:

At the National Grand Meeting to welcome Mr. NOZAKA, Mr. TOKUDA, Kyuichi, member of the JAPAN Communist Party, stood on the platform, and the masses cried out loudly, "Let us go to the official residence of the Prime Minister at once and urge the Government to resign en bloc." The Red song was sung at the meeting.

The cries of a "Establish government by the people," and "Tide over the food crisis," [illegible]rang up in HIBIYA Park like a storm. A trail of Red flags started from the Park, and there were cries of "Come, and demonstrate, and go to the official residence of the Prime Minister".

The members of the Social Democratic Party and the Communist Party, and the persons belonging to other democratic unions, unexpectedly gathered into one great wave, and proceeded to the HIBIYA crossroads. The atmosphere was very enthusiastic, with cameramen and the motor cars of Cine News and correspondents of various countries throughout the world. It was the first and greatest political demonstration that we have ever experienced since the dawn of JAPAN's history.

The people of ITABASHI-KU shouted loudly, "Let's have YOSHIDA end SATO". The great wave surrounded the residence of the Prime Minister. Shouts of "make the incompetent Government, which has accomplished nothing for the people since the end of the war, resign as soon as possible," or "Establish Government by the people," made the windows of the official residence cattle. The representatives went inside, demanding a resignation en masse.

The names of the representatives are as follows: Messrs. KUROKI, Shigenori (the JAPAN Communist Party) ; ITO, Kenichi, (JONAN Labor Union Council); NASHIGI, Sakujiro (The Liberal Legal Corps or JIYU HOSO-DAN) ; OKADA, Bunkichi (of the Communist Party Food Counter Measure Committee); SUTO, Suso (of The KANAGAWA Labor Union Council); BOKU, Ontetsu (The Korean Section of the JAPAN Communist Party); and SAITO (The TOKYO Communications Bureau).

The above seven persons entered into the official residence and interviewed the director of the Legislation Bureau ISHIGURO. They demanded "Details concerning the competency of the SHIDEHARA Cabinet at the present time to deal with the food crisis, and of the ITABASHI incident; the instant release of SATO and YOSHIDA; the instant resignation of Chief of the Metropolitan Police FUJINUMA as a war criminal; and the instant resignation in a body of the SHIDEHARA Cabinet."

Mr. KUROKI explained that "we wish an interview with the Prime Minister". The masses were shouting loudly "We shall not move from here unless we see the Prime Minister."

POLITICAL SERIES: 241 (Continued)

Summary:

OZAKI, Yukio, advocate of the protection of the Constitution, sent a message to a welcome rally for NOZAKA, Sanzo, recently returned from voluntary exile in YENAN. The message, read by OZAKI's secretary, was met with thunderous applause at the rally, held on 26 January in HIBIYA Park.

In his message, OZAKI stated, "The Japanese Nation must not descend to conservation or seek novelty. If the Nation makes headway along the road to democracy, there may be a very bright prospect for it. Our country was defeated in the war, but truth is inviobable and democracy embodies the principles of freedom. In order to save our Country from danger, we should form a democratic front, banding together under this principle."

The message, translated in substance, follows; "I welcome Mr. NOZAKA who has been fighting for communism abroad for a long time. Although I would like to see you personally on this platform, I am sorry for being unable to be here because of my old age. I am now eighty-nine years old and near to death. If I can be of any service to the State and world, I shall spare no pains in defiance of my advanced age. My good wishes for the Country will never cease, and my anxiety if revived when I see the Nation's plight before me. But a new age requires the energies of a new generation, and on the occasion of this mass rally a thousand emotions crowd on my mind. My political career covering about seventy years has been a combination of tragedy and fighting - my best friends died matyrs to truth. What a pity, that the Nation should have been dirven to such a wretched plight by defeat in war.

"Now, the Nation is attempting to reconstruct this country with the slogan of 'democracy', which has been my political aim in my life and a golden maxim immutable for all ages. If minor differences be submerged for great common interests in order to concentrate all the energies of the Nation on this golden principle, it does not necessarily follow that the reconstruction of this country shall be hopeless. If the Nation is forced to wake up to the sound development of democracy, it can be said that the Nation cannot fail to have a bright future. Our country has surrendered, while truth does not know the word surrender, For a state is finite, while truth is infinite. This finite state must be incorporated with infinite truth, our present duty end theme. Only those who can answer the theme are entitled to talk tomorrow. Truth lies at your very door; Democracy is within yourselves. Truth is in the hands of the people who fought for it, and it belongs only those who died matyrs to it. It is never the way to victory to quarrel over another's sphere of interests, to assume a frivolous and fickle attitude, and to follow another blindly. You will have to tread a thorny path, and you must not repeat our past mistakes there. Democracy is the principle of freedom and responsibility. Those who were emancipated from slavery can talk democracy, and those who act on their own responsibility can do so also. JAPAN was defeated. I feel as if I am treading on thin ice. However, opportunities offer themselves even in such a crisis. It depends upon the sound development of democracy as to whether or not this country can again rise. It is democracy to rely on each other and make mutual concessions. Let me say again that the nation should unite to overcome this national crisis.

Full Translation:

"I made a cutting criticism of the SHIDEHARA Cabinet, when it was

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POLITICAL SERIES: 241 (Continued)

ITEM 3 (Continued)

formed, to the effect that it turns its face towards General of the Army MacARTHUR while shoving its back to the very people of our Country. The public calls this Cabinet an interim one, intended to serve until the forthcoming election, and the Cabinet itself seems to think so. We cannot permit the existence of an interim Cabinet today when the people are suffering from vicious inflation, which has brought our whole economic system to the verge of collapse, and tens of millions of people are likely to starve. In the name of the people of our country, we demand the instant resignation of the present cabinet.

To our profound regret, mud-slinging has recently begun among the Communist, the Social-Democrats, and the Liberal Parties at a time when the present Cabinet being hit by the purge directive of SCAP, began to totter and was on the verge of resignation and reorganization. All of us must earnestly reflect among ourselves and apologize to the people of our country for having exposed our foolishness at a most important time, when the various democratic parties ought to have been united for a common cause, and we have thereby let the present Cabinet succeed in reorganizing.

Besides criticizing ourselves in this way, we should begin to campaign for the formation of a democratic front. It must be said that the return of Mr. NOZAKA, Sanzo, at this time has an important meaning. We must be prudent not to overestimate the ability of an individual person, but we must admit that we feel the necessity of making an exception in his case. But who is it that can solve the national crisis - the crisis of a whole race today There are only the people themselves who are the victims and the sufferers from the war.

It is the people themselves who can save their own lives. For that purpose, the people should control administration, economy, and society by establishing a comprehensive popular front or a democratic front. Apart from this, there is no other means for saving JAPAN. It is true that our Country was completely defeated, but defeat does not necessarily mean the death of a nation. Form at once the popular front! Down with the SHIDEHARA Cabinet! Establish at once the people's Government!"

Summary:

The problem of the control of production by employees has interested everyone in the industrial world. The commerce and Industry Ministry gave the following opinions regarding the recent trend of the labor dispute. They stated that the labor disputes in the public utilities, like the mining companies, should be avoided; that there should be some form of mediation between the capitalists and workers as far as possible. At the same time, if the dispute did take place, they should try to settle it at once by compulsory arbitration.

The control of production by labor, as a measure for settling a labor dispute, cannot be visualized in the Labor Union Law or other laws. We are deliberating carefully on the measures for dealing with the problem. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is sincerely hoping to tide over the present industrial emergency. It desires the earliest re-establishment of the various industries under the Joint co-operation of capital and labor. The control of production by labor must be prevented; but if it must happen there will have to be some form of mediation between the two parties.

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POLITICAL SERIES: 241 (Continued)

ITEM 4 (Continued)

It will be necessary to demand cumpulsory abitration at once, as fares the public utilities, like Mining companies or Transport Companies, are concerned. As regards coal mines, specialists are required on various technical points, and if labor were to control the coal mines, there would be the danger of explosion or other such emergencies. It is necessary to arbitrate at once if control of production is assumed by labor.

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