Press translations [Japan]. Social Series 0156, 1946-01-10.

Summary:

Recently several cases have occurred of criminals being put on trial by a court, confessing to a crime as the result of investigations by the prosecutor, and then denying all confessions and pleading not guilty. The accused, in more than 20 cases of burglary, black marketeering, and assalt, denied their confessions in the Provincial Court and the District Court in NAVGANO. They said that they were forced to make confessions by police beating and torturing them, thus claiming an infringement of their personal rights. In court this gives the accused an advantage. West of them have their punishment reduced or are given a stay of execution. On the other hand, many accused lie in court and judges admit their statements. As a result the juridicial authorities may be disgraced, and many of them are apprehensive on this point.

SHIMOJAWA, Denji, age 34 a demobilized soldier of IIYAMA-Cho, SHIMO-MIZU, was accused of selling stolen goods at blackmarket prices. He stated, however, that the goods were given to him as an allocation from the army, and that he was forced to make a confession to the effect that he had stolen them. The commanding officer of his division was called as a witness and it was discovered that the statements of the accused were true. The accused was freed.

KITAYAMA, Harukichi, age, 43 of MAMITAKATOSUMI - Mura was arrested in the act of stealing 25 kan of apples. He was accused of stealing 15 times, but actually stole only twice or three times. However, in a police office, a policeman before beating him, said that he should make it 15 times and his situation would not be worse. When the prosecutor demanded five years imprisonment, the accused revealed the facts, which surprised both the prosecutor and judge. A stay of sent nee was granted. In this connection, the public prosecutor's office stated its opinions as follows:

"Those who are accused for the first time deny[illegible]any confession they make, but the habitual criminals do not, because they know it will not be to their advantage to do so. In general the police have been inactive of late due to lack of self-confidence. If this tendency continues, the law may become despised, with the police loosing their power and crime arising to terrible heights. Personal rights must be highly considered, but police officers must be determined to fight evilness. They must not misuse their power or crimes will increase, and the police will lose their ability to keen peace. The latest tendency is for the accused to try for reduction of their sentences by saying they were forced to take confessions under torture. Judges must not take the easier way of admitting all the statements by the accused. If such practices continue, we shall have to take strong measures to stop them

SOCIAL SERIES: 156 (Continued)

Summary:

"When the country is defeated, what good are mountains and rivers" says an old song, Mistakes of the past may be cited, GUMBATSU and KANRYO eliminated, the inefficiency of Japanese policies felt, and the re-establishment' of culture enjoined; still the unalterable facts of the Japanese defeat and the resulting pitiable conditions remain. The Japanese people must, however, get over this tragic historical fact and start life anew. After the defeat, the Japanese people received freedom of thought and a cultural reform from the outside, but unless the Japanese are reborn from their own power, it will all be for no purpose. The essential factor for this rebirth of the Japanese people is, however, the attainment of the modern spirit. This modern spirit is contained in the culture of the reasoning power of the individual. This culture was sqashed by Japanese militarism in with its feudalistic composition before it had taken root in the Japanese masses, after the MEIJI Restoration.

The new order which the people are to attain in their rebirth, is liberalism and democracy, but the emphasis must be placid on order. The modern world has illustrated the danger that misinterpreted individual liberty can lead to libertine, and mistaken democracy to anarchy. Democracy and liberty must be based on the orderliness of a reasoning people. The totalitarian order distorted this reasoning power of the people. This reasoning power is developed by healthy opposition. The questions of liberty and democracy, politics and economics of the Japanese people cannot be solved adhering to a mere semblance of form but only through practical application.

Summary:

In keeping with the Government ordered investigation of paupers, which was in compliance with the SCAP directive, the prefectural authorities of NAGANC-ken Will take in hand the detailed survey of paupers in order to promote their relief. Persons who will come under the survey are destitute war victims, repatriates, families of people still overseas, demobilized soldiers, families of soldiers killed in the war, wounded soldiers, unemployed persons, and then paupers in general.

The relief methods are considered sufficient to meet the requirements of all those in need, such as food for the hungry, shelter for homeless, and jobs for the unemployed. The survey will be completed by 15 January by 1,250 social welfare commissioners (HOMEWIIN), and the actual relief work is expected to begin in early February.

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SOCIAL SERIES: 156 (Continued)

Summary:

At KAWASAKI, laborers in four factories and two research institutes of the TOKYO SHIBAURA Electric Company Limited, formed their own labor unions and demanded better treatment; however, the management rejected the demands. Consequently, the representatives of the Unions gathered at the HORIAKAWA Factory on 27 December last year to form a united committee.

The resolution of the committee was presented to the management. It was flatly rejected again on 5 January; therefore, the employees of the various factories at YAMAGIMACRI, HORIKAWA, KOGA and TSURUMI, the electron laboratory, and the general laboratory formed a negotiation committee to realize their demands. On the other hand, about 1,000 employees of the Company visited the head Office and had an interview with the President, TSUMORI, Toyoji, and insisted on their demands being realized.

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