Press translations [Japan]. Social Series 0044, 1945-11-26.
Date26 November, 1945
translation numbersocial-0151
call numberDS801 .S84
Persistent Identifier
SOCIAL SERIES: 44
ITEM 1 Conditions in Central Japan under new rationing system - Chubu Nippon Shimbun - 25 Nov 1945. Translator: Y. Akabane.
Summary:
Since the abolition of official control on fish and vegetables, five days have elapsed
and on the street, fish dealers and
fruit shops are rapidly increasing. But have these perishable foodstuffs been appearing
in markets as the people expected? It
is certain that the abolition of control has stimulated the earnestness of producers,
and incoming goods have been increasing
daily, even if the increase is not so great, but consumers are suffering from an unexpected
rise in their living expenses due
to exorbitant prices. These abnormally high prices are, according to the opinions
of dealers, only temporary and will be
lowered naturally, with the slackening of consumer purchases, and they will become
normal in next spring. Let us look at the
prevailing conditions on the fifth day, from the standpoint of domestic kitchens,
markets, and places of production.
Homes: During the five days from 20 to 24 November, a distribution of fish and vegetables
was made to every house in NAGOYA.
Complaints were raised against the high prices of sardines and garden radishes, prices
being 70 sen for 20 momme of sardine
(TN. six or seven pieces) and 10 sen for 30 momme of radish—-a fish was divided into
four pieces and one radish into about 12
small pieces for distribution. Some of them were decayed, causing troubles among some
neighborhood associations. House wives
are unanimous in complaining that the removal of the official price system has raised
the level of popular prices in general.
Low salaried men and the unemployed cannot ray so much. Besides, fish end vegetables
are not arriving in such a large quantity
as expected, so buying out must be continued, as hither to until prices come down.
Distribution Depot: Dealers get ration allotments from markets according to the number
of registered individuals, and deliver
food to each neighborhood association as a bloc. In general, the old methods of distribution
is still pursued, so in some
instances, relations between dealers and consumers are not going smoothly. The quantity
of distribution is shown on a bulletin
board in front of the distribution depot, with the rations and their prices. The city
economic bureau is asking each
neighborhood association to send a representative to see the notice, and he will report
the day's ration volume and price of
fish or vegetables to houses of his association. The desired quantity can be obtained
en bloc for the association.
SOCIAL SMRIES: 44 (Continued)
ITEM 1 (Continued)
In spite of this, the representative gets the distribution without ascertaining the
demands of each house, causing complaints
of consumers regarding price and quantity to be delivered to each home. "In some quarters,
citizens think that if they refuse
one ration because of its high price, the succeeding rations cannot be obtained, but
this is not true", the city authorities
stated.
The Distribution depot states, "Citizens are not forced to buy ration food if it
is not desired. Unsold goods will be
distributed free, but it is a nuisance to have goods returned because of the high
prices after the representative bought them
without ascertaining the desire of each home. Most of the street vendors are obtaining
their goods direct from fishermen or
places of production and selling a sardine for 20 sen to 40 sen, and one orange for
about 50 sen.
On 24 November, the price of radish was raised to 4.05 YEN for one kan, about two
and a half times as high as the black market
price of preceding days, owing to the buying competition with buyers from outside
the prefecture."
Markets: Incoming perishable goods to NAGOYA are becoming normal and the three markets
of BIWAJIMA, CHUO and ATSUTA are fixing
their own prices. The price of radish at the BIWAIJIMA market was 3.31 yen. In addition
to this, a 30 per cent commission for
the distribution depot, and a certain amount of commission for wholesale dealers will
bring the retail price to about 4.50
yen, which is a cause of complaint on the part of retail-dealers. However, as citizens
have long been faced with a
vegetable-famine, they will buy in defiance of prices for the time being. The price
will come down when consumers refrain from
buying at random.
An official of the Economic Security Section of the Prefectural Office said: "At
present, high prices are unavoidable and it
would be better to let them take their own course, but before long they will come
down through the law of demand and supply.
If the middle man acts recklessly, we are ready to control them."
The effect of the abolition of control of official price was conspicuous in fish
markets. Incoming goods were plentiful. On
the first day, the 20th, 13,000 kan followed by about 10,000 kan of various fishes
arrived daily. The prices are about five to
ten times as high as the official fixed prices as for example: a big sardine costs
300 yen and a small one 250 yen, against
the official price of 36.20 yen for 10 kan. Bonito costs 1,000 yen; tunny, 1,200;
etc. All are really exorbitant prices.
Places of Origin: The farming districts around NAGOYA are famous for producing vegetables
abundantly and fields are still left
green with radish, carrots, burdocks, cabbage, etc., but farmers are now very busy
in harvesting rice, so they have no time to
take in these vegetables. They are hoping to take advantage of high prices now prevalent
in the city though. When the rice
harvest is over, a large consignment of vegetables will pour into the markets around
next spring. Want of fertilizer seems to
have hurt their harvest.
A farmer of NISHIHARU village said: "Middle men must be done away with. We are sending
our harvest, scanty as it is, for the
sake of the citizens, and we cannot bear to see the middlemen profit. Radish at 4.50
yen is too high, and we are satisfied at
2.20 yen."
- 2 -
SOCIAL SERIES: 44 (Continued)
ITEM 1 (Continued)
In the NISHI-BIWAJIMA market, which is famous for its system of direct connection
between producers and consumers, they do not
permit intervening dealers. The prices of vegetables for 24 November were very moderate.
Lotus was 5.00 yen; jiro, 7 yen;
carrot, 3 yen; radish, 2 yen; etc. These prices are reflecting the mood of farmers
feelings."
Mr. NISHIJUKA, Tokuju, veteran farmer and the chief of NISHIBIWAJIMA consignment
association, said in this connection:
"Vegetables will come out in large quantities when the harvesting is over. If the
machinations of the black market brokers,
who attempt to carry vegetables outside the prefecture, were thwarted, there would
be more than enough vegetables for the
citizens of NAGOYA. Although consumers seem to misunderstand farmers, the farmers
have a rich brotherly love and they are
ready to send out their goods at reasonable prices. The best way is to organize a
consignment association in every town or
village, where transactions will be made at the prices fixed daily by the producers,
consumers and government officials, and
no profit or commission of intermediaries is allowed."
In the fish market of MIKAWA SANYA, the prices were very high in defiance of the
buying power of the general public.
Lieutenant HIGHDOWL of the American Forces stationed in OKAZAKI, who happened to come
here to buy fish was astonished at the
high prices, saying: "Ten times as high by the official price, this is really horrible!
Is it not said that there are many
suffering from malnutrition due to the food-famine? What is this state of affairs?
At this time distribution of fresh fish,
rich in nutrition, is absolutely necessary to supplement the want of staple food.
I feel sorry for the general public, as all
fish will got to some of the rich people, if things are left as they are at present."
Along the coast of MITANI and GAMAGORI, vendors are active, and the competition in
speculative purchases aiming at citizens
and rich people is conspicuous. Fishermen are now glad to see this wave of high pries
which will continue at least until the
end of this year. However, prices are expected to settle down somewhere between official
and black market prices sooner or
later. (Picture shows a scene in active ATSUTA fish market.)
ITEM 2 Soldiers Relief Society Opens Village for War sufferers - Asahi Shimbun - 27 November. Translator: Y. AAkabane.
Summary:
On 1 December, 500 tenants will move into SHOWRA-KYO, a village for families of war
sufferers, sponsored by the TOKYO branch
of the Soldiers Relief Society. Covering an area of 97,944 tsubo in the town of SHOWA,
KITATAMA-gun, the SHOWA-KYO has an
employment office, work houses, nursery, a young men's continuation school, a clinic,
a market, a hotel, and dining hall
operated under the ration system. The buildings within site cover 11,672 tsudo and
are devided into the following five groups:
- 1.Dormitory area: Buildings in this area are to be opened from 1 December, including 13 blocks for families and 10 blocks for bachelors. Each block consists of 14 rooms of 20 mats each and two rooms of six mats each. Besides, each house will have a vegetable garden of 10 tsubo as well as a kitchen and storeroom. Applications are being taken at ward offices and those now living in "dugout" shacks, homeless persons and students are given preference. - 3 -
- SOCIAL SERIES: 44 (Continued) ITEM 2 (Continued)
- 2.Residential area: There are 100 houses each with two rooms of eight and six mats and 72 houses each with two rooms of six and four and one half mats, 18 of which are now vacant and will he rented next month after repairs have been completed. The rent will he two yen for each mat for both areas.
- 3.Employment office area: After repairing lecture halls and exercise rooms of the former workers training school, welfare arrangements for bereaved families will be made by establishing sections for wood working, embroidary, sewing and agriculture.
- 4.Headquarters area: One building including 59 rooms each with 30 mats will be used for lodgings of bereaved families and war sufferers coming to TOKYO. Two other buildings will be used as lodgings for students and for office space.
- 5.Special area: Here all welfare arrangements will be made, such as young men's school continuation, markets for daily necessities, distribution depot and a clinic. In addition, a work house and a nursery for the benefit of wives and a dining hall for bachelors will be included
Additional projects including an electric public bath, will be opened, and over 70,000
tsubo of cultivated land will be
utilized for farms and pastures. Milling, baking, coal mining, and lumbering are under
consideration as possible work for the
center. A budget of approximately 1,700,000 yen has been set up as the project for
this year.
ITEM 1 Vegetable and Fish Prices in TOKUSHIMA in Confusion. No Definite Policies decided on by Local Government - Asahi Shimbun - 28 November. Translator: K. MINAGI.
Summary:
A meeting for discussing the steps to be taken by the TOKUSHIMA Prefectural authorities
after the abolition of controls and
official prices of vegetable and fish, was held on the 19th at the Fish Distribution
Association in the Prefectural
Office.
There were official attendants from The Marine, Forestry, Economic, Social, Commercial
and Industrial Sections. It was decided
that, as there is not yet any detailed information from the government to the Prefecture,
definite measures will be taken
after such a dispatch arrives. It came out at the meeting that the method of shipment
and the prices of vegetables and fish
will not be clear for some time.
All TOKUSHIMA people are interested in the free prices and they invariably discuss
the new prices. Tandarines, for instance,
which used to cost one yen for two or three, are now cheap and four or five cost one
yen.
Fish shipment to TOKUSHIMA Fish Market on the 19th was: Lobster, 30 Shrimp, 110 kan;
Cuttle Fish, 7 kan; Shark, 2 kan; HAMO
(TN Sea-eel, conger-eel), 60 kan.
The prices quoted per kan were: HAMO, 40 yen; SHARK, 30 yen; Cuttle Fish, 20 yen;
Lobster, 90 yen, Shrimp, 22 yen 50 yen.
- 4 -
SOCIAL SERIES: 44 (Continued)
ITEM 3 (Continued)
The prices were too high for general consumption and consequently there was not much
distribution within TOKUSHIMA City. Even
Cuttle fish, the cheapest item, costs four times as much as the official price. Comparison
between association Prices and
market Quotations and Official Prices (TN. A.P. — association Prices. O.P. — Official
Price. M.P. — Market Prices.)
A.P | M.P. | O.P. | |
Lobser | 100 Yen | 90 Yen | 17 Yen 80 Sen |
Shark | 40 " | 40 " | 5 " 10 " |
Cuttle Fish | 20 " | 20 " | 5 " 45 " |
Shrimp | 35 " | 22 " 50 Sen | 8 " 79 " |
DISTRIBUTION "X"
- 5 -
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