Press translations [Japan]. Social Series 0050, 1945-12-02.

Full translation:

More than 80 patrolmen of the YAMANOTE Police-Station of YOKOHAMA went on strike, it was reported yesterday. Taking a serious view of the matter, NAGAOKA, the Chief of the Police Affairs Department of KANAGAWA Prefectural Police, and WATANABE, the Chief of the Information Department of the same police met with them and promised to make the best of the situation. After this the patrolmen attended to their duties at once.

Summary:

The discussion revolves around the problem of land reform. The proposed project is to buy up land from the landowners and make the present tenant farmers independant landed farmers. The question is how are the landowners to be paid. The Communists want the landowners expropriated without payment. A farmers representative suggests that the Government buy up the land and pay the landowners not in cash but in hypothetical bonds. The tenant farmer must pay for the privilege of becoming a landed farmer by paying a higher allotment to the Government for the first two years. In this connection, the difference in yield of various fields is pointed out. For example, rice production on dry ground and in paddy fields and the quite different conditions of farming in the vicinity of TOKYO and in HOKKAIDO. In the vicinity of TOKYO small scale landed farmers can still make a lucrative living, but, in HOKKAIDO farmers can work only on a larger scale using mechanized processes.

Mr. TAKATSU concludes the talk by pointing out in the existing food shortage the shortage is evident, but still the distribution is not equitable. In the cities some people still have a lot to eat, while others are suffering extreme want. TAKATSU believes that the whole problem partly revolves around the question of the trust of the Japanese people in their present Government. TAKATSU believes that if the Japanese farmers trusted the policy of the present Government they would deliver more. In other words, the present Cabinet is too undemocratic to make a truly democratic Government possible. TAKATSU believes that General Headquarters is reluctant to help the

SOCIAL SERIES: 50 (Continued)

ITEM 2 (Continued)

present Japanese Government on account of its undemocratic attitude. If the Government showed itself thoroughly democratic in its policy, TAKATSU is convinced that the General Headquarters would see to it that the Japanese people got the necessary rice imports.

Summary:

On 24 November General Headquarters announced that the importation of food will be permitted. Had the importation of food been denied, the majority of our nation would have starved to death. In answer to this, it is needless to say, that the Government should make more positive and concrete effort to obtain collateral and secure ships. The time has come for the producers as well as the consumers to bear the heavy burden. For this purpose, the producers must complete their delivery of alloted food supplies. Supposing the delivery of 30,000,000 koku of rice, the alloted quantity for this year, was completed, we could cover the demand only until April or May 1946 at the latest. The amount which will be consumed by those, aside from farmers, in JAPAN is estimated at 4,500,000 koku a month. If we can cover the demand until May, then we will have the crop of barley and potatoes in August. Despite the extremely bad crop of barley last year, the crop amounted to 7,000,000 koku. With this much we can cover the demand until the August-September period. The delivery of early rice can be expected in October. Consequently the problem depends on how well we can manage through the June-July crisis next year.

If import is permitted, this gap will naturally be filled. The demand to raise the current ration of 2.3 go to 3 go prevails throughout the country. Permitting a 3 go ration, will result in a 3,500,000 koku shortage, even if 3,000,000 koku of food were imported from abroad. It is quite impossible under the present circumstances. It will be possible, however, to restore the ration of 2.3 go, if only the import of 3,000,000 tons of food were permitted, since the figure 3,000,000 ton has been estimated on the 2.3 go basis.

Minister of Agriculture MATSUMURA stated that "As soon as the quantity to be imported is determined, we hope to increase the basic ration. This means that we are at the peak of the critical food situation at present. Apparently this situation will gradually be improved. Nevertheless, this will be impossible, if the domestic delivery of food to the Government does not run smoothly. With unequal distribution, the people will not be saved from starvation even if the import of 3,000,000 ton of food is permitted. Evan the Allied Powers, who were our enemies only 100 days ago, have announced the import of food as they can't bear the miserable situation. Can we Japanese, who are letting our compatriots starve to death, be considered as fulfilling our mission? The consumers also should behave conscientiously showing the willingness to starve with their fellow-countrymen, if such is their destiny."

It is a great scandal to see that some of the privileged classes have recently purchased large quantities of food in black markets. If one man eats to his satisfaction, another will starve. We must not allow the existence of such selfish people who think only of themselves at the time of a nation-wide food emergency.

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SOCIAL SERIES: 50 (Continued)

Summary:

I believe that none of the Japanese leaders expected that the war would end in an unconditional capitulation to AMERICA and ENGLAND. I personal entertained the opinion that if JAPAN could win over the Chinese people, the war would end in a draw, or at most in partial defeat. I have therefore exerted myself to win over the Chinese professors, but, on the whole, JAPAN's endeavors to win over the Chinese people have been a complete failure. There are several reasons why JAPAN failed in this attempt. But the one reason which the Japanese people should profit from for the sake of their future is that the Japanese war aims and principles, stated during the war, were often ambiguous. Indeed, it has often been pointed out abroad that JAPAN's war aims and principles did not have any relation to existing conditions. One of the reasons lay in JAPAN's frequent change of policy toward CHINA. Nobody knew what kind of a new order was to be established in East ASIA; the principles stated seemed like so many empty phrases that JAPAN was unable to effect a common uprising of the peoples of East ASIA.

Another mistaken principle was the one of harping on the oneness of East Asian ideals while actually many differences existed. JAPAN's third mistake was her emphasis on the historical mission of the Japanese people, causing others to think of JAPAN's ambition for world hegemony. (TN. FUJIMURA, Saku, is honorary professor of the TOKYO Imperial University and former honorary professor of the PEKING Teachers' College)

Full translation:

If you say "It is eatable, 'women suffrage'?", it will be a 'rakugo' (a comic story ending in a joke) or a 'manzai' (a comic dialogue), and it is a nonsense, but to say "a 'kamme' of sweet-potatoes is far more welcome than women suffrage" is realistic, and makes a tragic story.

Women, more than men have opposing views regarding women suffrage, and women who think, it a troublesome and annoying matter are more numerous than was expected. The words 'a kamme of sweet-potatoes are more welcome', prove this fact.

"They have hitherto lot us learn nothing about policy, and today suddenly gave us women suffrage. How can we manage it?" These words will come hone to the administrators who have, up to this day been negligent in educating women in political and social welfare. However, it is a great mistake on the part of women to say that they know nothing about politics, for politics should not only be problems which require advanced learning but also matters in our daily life.

That is to say, these affairs which women discuss with one another in queues in front of the distribution office or at the well-side; such as, "We cannot live on such a small ration", "We cannot afford to buy such a radish which costs fifteen yen a 'kamme' ", "Why does a pair of 'geta' (Japanese clogs) cost twenty-five yen?", and so forth. These matters are the foundations of far reaching state policy.

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SOCIAL SERIES: 50 (Continued)

ITEM 5 (Continued)

Women ought not, therefore, to say that they know nothing about politics. Women should, first of all, perceive this point, and at the same time politicians should clear away their old ideas regarding politics, politics is not abstract arguing about the Constitution.

If a candidate for a municipal assembly has a concrete plan and the power of execution, he will, without fail, be voted in. Elections, politics and the like should be carried out in such a manner.

Of late, corruption in the Diet has been criticized, but the voters who voted in such members should be held partly responsible. Then, women, from the standpoint of political responsibility, are completely virgin.

The idea that "one man revives the state", ended, at last, in failure; this time we must "revive the state", with a vote.

DISTRIBUTION "X"

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