Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0289, 1946-02-06.

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Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0289, 1946-02-06.

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

Date6 February, 1946

translation numberpolitical-1170

call numberDS801 .S85

Persistent Identifier

https://n2t.net/ark:/83024/d4nz80w53

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GENERAL HEADQUARTERS

SUPREME COMMANDER FOR THE ALLIED POWERS

ALLIED TRASLATOR AND INTERPRETER SECTION

PRESS TRANSLATIONS

No. 1170 Date: 6 Feb 46

POLITICAL SERIES: 289

ITTEM 1 The Cabinet Council Decides the Extent of Application of the 'Purge' Directive - Asahi Shimbun - 5 Feb 46. Translator: S. Hirata.

Full Translation:

Since the 'purge' directive has been issued by SCAP with regard to the removal of militarist leaders from official posts, the Government has beer expediting the framing of the draft of the Imperial Ordinance on the 'purge' directive. Though the Home Office decree has been already promulgated with regard to the qualification of candidates in the forthcoming general election, the status or post which is liable to be affected by the purge directive is not as yet-made definite. Thus, on the part of the Government, the officials concerned the Home Office and the Cabinet Board of Legislation etc have been under deliberation, in this regard, with Cabinet Chief Secretary NARAHASHI as leader, and a definite plan has been formed: and on being submitted to the Cabinet Council, it has been formally decided upon. With the consent of various circles concerned, it is going to be published on Thursday. Arrangements also will be made to promulgate an Imperial Ordinance on the purge directive before or after the publication of the above plan.

ITEM 2 Reformation of Officials System - Mainichi Shimbun - 5 Feb 46. Translator: M. Kojima

Full Translation:

After discussing both the reformation of the government officials system and the revision of the salary-ordinance, a conference of representatives of every government office consisting of the officials' associations of every government office and their preparatory committees, all aiming at the democratization of government offices. came to a conclusion on 31 January, then the representatives presented the following demands writing to Prince Minister SHIDEHARA on 43 February.

I.The ordinance concerning the officials system is contrary to the terms of the POTSDAM Declaration. Therefore, the ordinance should be thoroughly reformed as quickly as possible, although at present, it does net permit the Diet's participation in its reformation because of its being a matter for Imperial authority.
II.In case of the accomplishment of the establishment of a completely democratic Diet, the officials' system should be established by law by the Diet.
III.In the present transition period, the following measures should be taken at once.
a.Existing ordinances such as the Officials' Service Regulations, the Civil Service Limitation Ordinance, the Civil Service Appointment Ordinance and the Officials' Rank Ordinance should be thoroughly improved so that the democratization of officials may be fulfilled.

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POLITICAL SERIES: 289 (Continued) ITEM 2 (Continued)
b.With regard to important personnel affairs and other necessary affairs, personnel affairs management committees should be formed in every government office. Thus, the aforementioned affairs should be dealt with through the committees. The personnel affairs management committees should consist of high officials representatives of the officials' associations of every government office and, if necessary, representatives of the people, in the same proportions.
III.The present salary-ordinance should be revised along following lines.
a.Salaries should be elastic and suited to the economic situation of society so as to provide security not only for officials themselves but for the lives of their families.
b.The reward and pension systems should be abolished and a, social insurance system should be established.
c.Salaries should be separated from functions and paid monthly according to a simple method.
d.Salaries should consist of basic salaries, functional salaries and salaries for long service.
e.A salary investigation committee should be permanently established within the Cabinet. Various matters concerning salaries should be dealt with through the committee.

ITEM 3 Common Struggle after Election Standpoint of Social Democrats - Mainichi Shimbun - 5 Feb 46. Translator: A. Kido

Extract:

Through the repeated opposition of the Social Democratic Party to the immediate formation of a united democratic front such a front cannot at present be expected. At least, to judge by the present situation of the Social Democratic Party, the question of the democratic front seems to have disappeared. It in not yet quite clear what course the formation of the democratic front proposed by Mr. YAMAKAWA and others would, take, although the proposals made by the Communists and Mr. YAMAKAWA would substantially be of the same character. However, it is quite unlikely that the Social Democratic party would comply with the proposal of Mr. YAMAKAWA only. When, then, would a democratic united front be set up?

The Social Democratic Party is not entirely against the formation of a (united) democratic from, As a rule, this party recognizes the fact that the present situation necessitates the formation of such a front and has revealed its intention to form a united front after the forthcoming general election by calling cut to the progressive factors of the left and right wings The reasons why the Social Democratic Party has proposed that the formation take place after the election may be as follows.

1.The Social Democratic Party's wish is to become the majority party through the forthcoming general election and come into power, so as so carry out its socialist policy. Even if the party fails to become the majority party in the Diet, it will not be very difficult for the party to form a powerful second party in the Diet by securing about 200 seats. The party does not wish to give up this expectation by participating how in the formation of a united front.
2.At the general election the Communist Party may get only a few seats; therefore, the formation at once of a united front on a half-and-half basis would give to the people an impression that the party's - 2 -

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POLITICAL SERIES: 289 (Continued) ITEM 3 (Continued) power has declined or it will result in attracting such equally ill-favoured criticism as the Communist Party.
3.The Constituency that is steadily being, nursed must riot be encroached on by co-operating with the Communists.
4.In case they do rise to power, seats for Cabinet ministers would have to be given to the Communist party even if its seats were few.

Supposing the Social Democratic party is defeated in the general election and remains to be a minor party, the formation of a united front with the Communist Party may become possible, but it must be recalled that the relations between the two parties always lacked harmony in the past. Since the leaders of the Communist Party were released last autumn from their long inprisonmant, they, first of all, called on the Social Democratic Party office several times, making application for forming a commonfront. On the failure of this object, the Communists denounced the Social Democrats as reactionary declaring to start a campaign to break up the Social Democratic Party. This declaration by the Communists at least cannot be denied to have given a good excuse to the Social Democrats for their refusal to form a democratic front with the former. Were there some statement who have great authority with the two parties and who offered their services as mediators, the plan might have succeeded. In case of Mr. YAMAKAWA's proposal, it is regrettable that he has no backing though he is a senior in social movements. If Mr. NOZAKA were not a member of the Communist Party and had had a reputation similar to that of Mr. OYAMA Ikuo, the Social Democrats might have co-operated with the party. The lack of such a. person was a misfortune for the formation of a, democratic front.

Such being the circumstances, for the time being, the question of a democratic front has entirely lost its increasing importance. In the future, a democratic front without the Social Democrats may be formed. But a democratic front without the participation of the Social Democrats may not be able to progress except locally. Thus, as long as the Social Democratic Party does not rouse itself t: action, the SHIDEHARA Cabinet may take a nap in peace.

ITEM 4 Revision of Constitution Progressing; Article by Article Examination Finished - Asahi Shimbun - 5 Feb 46. Translator: S. Hirata

Full Translation:

On the part of the Government, the special session of the Cabinet Council has been held from, day to day since 30 January, on the problem of revising the Constitution. MATSUMOTO, Minister of State Affairs and concurrently Chairman of the Constitution Investigation Committee, made a report on the progress of discussions at the committee meeting and the contents of the two kinds of draft as regards the revision of the Constitution to the Cabinet Council, and the members of the Cabinet compared notes with regard to this report. Article by article examination being over, future courses with regard to the revision of a Constitution will be decided at the Cabinet Council to be held on Tuesday.

DUSTRIBUTION "X"

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