Press translations [Japan]. Social Series 0120, 1945-12-25.
Date25 December, 1945
translation numbersocial-0500
call numberDS801 .S84
Persistent Identifier
SOCIAL SERIES: 120
ITEM 1 Crime and Crime Control - Asahi Shimbun - 23 Dec 45. Translator: H. Nishihara.
Full translation:
In spite of the precantionary measures taken by the police, burglaries are committed
one after the other in TOKYO. Burglars,
organized into groups, have become very brutal.
- 1.At 6200, on 22 December, a group of four burglars broke into the house of FUKUSHIMA Hatsugero, aged 38, of 3-chome TOHNOYAMA, NAKANO-Ken. They threatened the family with pistols, sabers, and knives, calling themselves demobilized soldiers. They stole 1,300 yen and some clothes.
- 2.At [illegible], on the same day, a group of four men in aviators! uniforms stole two watches and some clothes from MOKUDAI, Yotaro, of 699 KAMIDATE, YOKOYAMA-Mura, HACHTOJI-Shi.
- 3.At 2010, en 21 December, NAKAGAWA, Taro, of ten, one-chome, SHIMBASHI SHIBA-Ku and TAKATA, Sanko, aged 26, were threatened with a dagger by two men, aged 22 or 23, who robbed then; of about 6,000 yen, a wrist watch and an overcoat.
- 4.At 2020, on the same day, KITAJIMA, Uichiro, aged 31, of five, one-chome, SHINTOMI-Cho, KYOB SHI-Ku, was robbed of 120 yen and an overcoat by three men, apparently demobilized soldiers.
- 5.It 2100, en the same day, YANAGIZAWA, Ukichi, aged 43, an engineer of 1963 FUJIMIDAI, MEGURO-Ku, was robbed of some money and a hand bag, by two men, on a road near 1094, eight-chome, KOYAMA.
To meet the increasing number of brutal crimes, the TOKYO Police Office decided to
arrest any suspects, after 22 December, who
carry pistols, daggers, or clubs. They will be arrested under suspicion, because those
weapons are generally used by burglars.
The measures are expected to be very strict. All 15,000 policemen, excepting those
on duty at police boxes, will be used. All
of them will wear civilian clothes while on duty.
ITEM 2 GHO takes serious view on high food prices - Asahi Shimbun - 23 Dec 45. Translator: T. Ogawa.
Summary:
Shipments of perishable feeds to markets have increased to some extent since the
lifting of price controls. Prices, however,
have soared to several times the authorized levels. Only the well-to-do classes are
eating to their heart's content.
SOCIAL SERIES 120 (Continued)
ITEM 2 (Continued)
This phenomenon must be attributed to the Government's irresponsibility in abolishing
price control without making any due
preparations for preventing such tendencies. In this connection, the Government later
decided upon a policy of permitting the
payment of a price allowance, not exceeding 100 yen per capita per month, to its officials
and employees to tide them over the
present crisis. No other fundamental measures, however, have been enforced as yet.
It is understood that Supreme Headquarters is seriously considering this situation
from the viewpoint of stabilization of the
peoples' living. It is expected that Supreme Headquarters will issue a directive to
the Government to control this condition,
in case the latter fails to take the necessary steps to improve the situation. Moreover,
it is also expected that a directive
will be issued demanding that the Japanese Government close public restaurants, which
are one of the chief consumers of black
market commodities.
The extraordinary high prices quoted by the venders, such as 1,000 yen for a pair
of shoes, 700 yen for a woolen sweater, and
soforth, have been shewing an upward tendency. In this connection, the Price Department
of the Finance Ministry will take
steps to lower the prices of daily sundries along with measures for controlling stallvendors.
It is reported that the Commerce and Industry Ministry has recently petitioned Supreme
Headquarters to approve a plan
submitted by the Ministry regarding the sales of various daily sundries, including
several thousand different items. It states
that a part of these goods on old be delivered en a fixed produce basis and the remainder
sold on the open market.
The plan, however, was not authorized. As a result of this the plan has been revised
on the following points:
- 1.The daily sundries will chiefly be sold at suitable prices in department stores, while the prices will be made public by advertisement or by radio broadcasts so that the public can obtain through knowledge of them.
- 2.As for the black market, prices, not exceeding, by 20 per cent of the selling prices at department stores, will be permitted as the profit of stall-vendors. It is expected that the new plan will be enforced as soon as it is approved by Supreme Headquarters.
ITEM 3 Occupation Force Pretest Against Continued Wearing of Military Insignia - Provincial Newspaper Nagasaki Shimbun (Nagasak) 23 Dec 45. Translator: C. Gilbert.
Summary:
Rear-admiral ROGERS of the 5th American Marine Corps has sent a protest to the SASEBO
Niaisen Office, saying that, although
the Headquarters of the American 6th Army had prohibited the wearing of Japanese military
insignia after 1 December,
demobilized Japanese soldiers in SASEBO continue to disobey this directive, especially
by wearing of military insignia on
their caps. He demands that this offense be immediately corrected and the directive
enforced. The police have, therefore,
taken measures to arrest such offenders whenever discovered.
- 2 -
SOCIAL SERIES 120 (Continued)
ITEM 4 Japanese Holidays Mainichi Shimbun 23 Dec 45. Translator: M. Ohno.
Full translation:
Many questions concerning the celebration of ceremonies or holidays during the New
Year season have been sent from the
provincial governments and schools to the proper departments for consideration. The
Japanese Government, having received no
directive regarding this from General MacARTHUR's Headquarters, has revealed its attitude
on these problems. Accordingly, 25
December will be a holiday in joint memory of both Christmas and the festival of Emperor
TAISHO.
Government business offices may be closed after 28 December. New Year's ceremonies,
such as SHIHOHAI and GANJISAI, will be
conducted as usual. But if General MacARTHUR's Headquarters issues a directive on
those matters, the Government will announce
it without delay through the Provincial Government Office.
ITEM 5 Public Poll on Continuation of Neighborhood Associations - Mainichi Shimbun - 23 Dee 45. Translator: C. Gilbert.
Summary:
MAINICHI SHIMBUN has conducted a public opinion follow the question of the continuation
of neighborhood association in all
Japanese provinces. As a result, the following figures were published and the conclusions
reached: An average of 57 per cent
of the population are for the continuation f the system, provided it is made independent
of the Government; 31 per cent are
for abolition; and 11 per cent are for creating a new system.
In the seven largest cities the number far abolition of the system is comparatively
high, but only TOKYO shows a majority
desiring abolition, with 67.7 per cent. Among the Japanese peasant population, those
demanding abolition are rather numerous.
The figures are analyzed as follows:
The main reason for supporting the neighborhood association is based on the function
of the system as an equitable rationing
organ. Strongest support is found in the middle and small cities. The large cities,
especially TOKYO, are for abolition
because rationing through the neighborhood association, has become rather unimportant
as a result of the establishment of a
free market in foodstuffs, combined with the rampant black market trade. Peasants
are mainly supporting abolition because the
agricultural association and the neighborhood association are doing duplicate week
and one is sufficient to handle all of the
farmers' business. However, all the people are opposed to Government use of the neighborhood
association as a subsidiary organ
of Government administration. Those in support of a new system are mainly men holding
top positions in the various professions
and industries. These elements would, like to reorganize the neighborhood association
on the basis of a compulsory organ for
the democratic political education and training of the, people.
DISTRIBUTION "X"
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