Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0286, 1946-02-06.
Date6 February, 1946
translation numberpolitical-1163
call numberDS801 .S85
Persistent Identifier
POLITICAL SERIES: 286
IIEM 1 Democracy and monarchy by Prof. USHIODA, of KEIO University - Jiji Shimpo - 4 Feb 46. Translator: S. Ono.
Summary:
Before the sudden resurrection of democracy, the Japanese, who have been separated
so long from a democratic way of thinking,
are quite at a loss. First comes the question of whether or not democracy is compatible
with monarchy. Having been deceived by
the propaganda of the self-styled despotic militarists, the Japanese at present are
very suspicious. They are sick of
propaganda for home consumption. What they want to hear is news which will be acceptable
throughout the world. Now, political
theory common throughout the world classifies the forms of polity into monarchy, aristocracy,
and democracy. This
classification derived from ARYSTOTLE, still, in principle, holds good. To make an
etymological inquiry, monarchy means the
rule of a single person, while democracy signifies the rights of the people. The answer,
therefore, is that democracy and
monarchy are incompatible.
The fact is, however, that one quite often finds some country, the polity of which
does not fit into any one of the above
classifications. This is not unique in the modern age. Polybius, successor of the
Aristotelian theory, recognized the
existence of a mixed polity, He, who stayed in ROME as a hostage for sixteen years,
found a fine example of the mixed polity
in the Government of ROME. According to his opinion, the council, senate, and lower
house, represented monarchy, aristocracy
and democracy, respectively. Monarchy, aristocracy and democracy, when adopted separately,
exhibit weaknesses. The national
Polity of ROME, however, adopting these three kinds of polities together achieved
perfection.
What is discussed above is common knowledge in polities. In the present day world,
the polity of GREAT BRITAIN could not be
explained other than as a mixed polity of the three. Nowadays, no scholar of polities
will, in regard to the problem of
polity, find much interest in divorcing democracy strictly from monarchy. The difference
is that the sovereignty is delivered
by heredity in the case of monarchy. The compatibility of monarchy in a democratic
country cannot be doubted, Monarchy or
republicanism is not a matter of serious concern. You will find no book on polities,
in which the author insists on the
incompatibility of democracy with a sovereignty which is passed on by inheritances.
ITEM 2 The Communists' Statement on the JAPAN Farmers' Association - Asahi Shimbun
- 5 Feb 46.
Translator: R. Ochiai.
Full Translation:
In the hope that the JAPAN farmers' association, which is to be established on 9
February, will develop into a pan-Japanese
association, the Communist Party stated, yesterday that it should be formed in a democratic
way without distinction of
parties.
POLITICAL SERIES: 286 (Continued)
ITEM 2 (Continued)
"At this time of the organization of the JAPAN Farmers' Association, we desire that
democratic unions will be formed in all
the farmers' movements. In this way only, can they attain the basic conditions for
establishing democracy among them, prevent
the Government from forcing orders on their quotas, and acquire their own land. However,
in order to make a democratic
farmers' front, the following action must be taken, for which, accordingly, the Communist
Party is making every effort.
- 1.In order to unify all the autonomous farmers organizations of every description that exist at present, their free participation in one body is essential.
- 2.Every organization should allow freedom to support any political party and no one should be dogmatically shut out from the union because of a difference in a political party. Thorough democratic principles should be adopted in forming the union.
- 3.In spite of their differences in political stand point, we hope all the forces of farmers' activities will sincerely and effectually cooperate together in their earnest desire, to overcome the food, crisis and. to develop democracy.
ITEM 3 The 4th day of ISHIDA's trial - Asahi Shimbun - 5 Feb 46. Translator: S. Sano.
Extracts:
Mr. MATSUDA, Kanji, tile station master of HYOGO in KANSAI district, appeared in
the court of the 4th day of ISHIDA's trial as
a witness of the defense counsil and stated that the accused was a man of few words,
diligent and kind during his service
period in HYOGO, but he was placed in a false position because of his haughty attitude.
He presented a written petition from 97 comrades of the accused to the military tribunal.
As other witness of the defense
council, MR. FUKUDA and others, had not yet arrived, the trial was suspended until
noon.
Mr. MURAI, Ichiro, of the staff of the NIPPON IRON Company who was des-patched to
the HIROHATA Camp, was examined as a witness
for the defense council in the afternoon. Further, former Corporal FUJITA and MIYAZAKI
who are imprisoned at the SUGAMO Camp
and who were serving in the HIROHATA Camp, were sum[illegible]oned at the trial, because, their features
were so resembled ISHIDA's that there was a fear of the mistake between them.
Finally, from the statement of YASHIKI, Nobuichi, former navy man who was serving
in the camp, it was ascertained that the
accused used a stick. This was named "the leading stick, or the sincerity stick" for
beating the prisoners. The[illegible]trial adjourned at 1600.
ITEM 4 The 6th day of FUKUHARA's trial - Asahi Shimbun - 5 Feb 46. Translator: S. Sano.
Extracts:
The court opened for the 6th day of FUKUHARA's trial on 4 February with the examination
of a witness, INARIDA, Inasuke, who
was the b ad of the MITSUIKE Mine of the MITSUI Mining Company. He made the following
testimony regarding the kindness and
sympathy of the accused:
"When the head of the war prisoner's information office, TAMURA made an inspection
of the mine, some of the foremen hit the
prisoners. Angered at the atrocity, FUKUHARA suspend the prisoners from working in
the mine till the company authorities
apologized for their action.
- 2 -
POLITICAL SERIES: 286 (Continued)
ITEM 4 (Continued)
Further, he always made great efforts to secure food for prisoners.
Mr. HAYASHI, Govo, the chief of MIKAWA mine road in the MITSUIKE mine, testifies
next that the accused had refused three times
to allow the prisoners to work in the mine.
After the noon recess, Mr. MURASHIMA, Tanehiko, a doctor of the MITSUIKE Mine, was
called by the defense council Major PHILIPS
and he testified that many of the prisoners were weak when they arrived at the camp
and it was because of the climate and food
conditions that their weights were generally reduced, He made statement regarding
the medical equipment, and treatments which
the prison doctor [illegible], and the physical conditions of prisoners in the mine, While Captain KAUFFMAN,
a prosecutor, testified that the doctor of the camp HURAO had some tendency toward
disc is nation distruction in his feelings
and explained the relation between the camp and the mine company. The trial adjourned
at 1600.
ITEM 5 English and Japanese will be used in the Trial of Major War Criminals - Asahi Shimbun - 5 Feb 46. Translator: S. Sano.
Extracts:
Regarding the international military trials of General TOJO and other Japanese major
war criminals, which will be carried out
in the near future, a spokesman of MacARTHUR's Headquarters made the following statement
on 4 February:
"It is not decided as yet when the international military tribunal of major Japanese
war criminals will open. However, as a
tentative plan of the chief prosecutor KEENAN, it is considered that the trials of
General TOJO and others are to be carried
out using two languages, English and Japanese, as is the case at the NUBEMBERG trial
in GERMANY.
Further. it is also expected that all the important documents in the trial will be
translated into Japanese and the principal
arguments of the prosecutors are to be interpreted in Japanese.
ITEM 6 Mass Meeting to Form JAPAN Farmers' Union Approaching - Yomiuri Hochi 5 Feb 46. Translator: K. Onishi.
Full Translation:
The organizing of a mass meeting of the JAPAN Farmers' Union which is to be held
on the 9th is expected to accelerate the
formation of a unified front of farmers' democratic movements throughout the country.
Availing themselves of this apportunity,
some of the rightist staffs of the JAPAN Agricultural Association harbor an intense
eagerness to turn the Association into the
"Farmers' Section" of the Social Democratic Party in substance, and in regard to the
qualification for representatives they
have stipulated: "The All—JAPAN mass meeting shall be composed of the representatives
of the local branches whose r[illegible]sters are registered with the main organizing office of the Union and whose dues are
paid."
By resorting to this provision they intend to limit tie attending representatives
to those of the local branches which are
registered with the main office on approval of the rightist staffs, and exclude all
non-registered and consequently
unqualified bodies. Their plan is to force out all who do not come within the scope
of their influence and lead the mass
meeting in a direction quite opposed to the unification of a farmers' front. In spite
of their plot, a trend supporting
KURODA's statement is so deep-rooted among the agrarian population throughout the
country that the local councils in KANTO,
Central JAPAN, and KINKI districts have already declared their support and the same
trend is also seen overwhelmingly in the
CHUGOKU SHIKOKU
- 3 -
POLITICAL SERIES: 286 (Continued)
ITEM 6 (Continued)
SAITAMA, and GIFU districts and also in a Part of the OSAKA Area. The general trend
towards the unification of a farmer's
front has already reached its zenith and recriminations are now being bandied about
against the rightist staffs [illegible]olot of forcing through the mass meeting in line with their own designs by the exclusion
of these who
are outside their influence.
DISTRIBUTION "X"
- 4 -
Loading...