Press translations [Japan]. Social Series 0183, 1946-01-20.

Full Translation:

The American Commission for Japanese Education (TAINICHI KYOIKU SHISETSU DAN) which has been endowed with the great mission of enabling JAPAN to establish a system for a true democratic education is now preparing for its trip to JAPAN. It is expected to arrive here in February. This commission consists of 37 members, divided into four sections, with Dr. John Ward STUDEBAKER, who belongs to the Education Board of the UNITED STATES State Department, as its Chief. They are all world-famous educators, and their mission is to co-operate with JAPAN in her educational reconstruction.

In conformity with this, it has been decided that the Japanese Educators' Committee (temporary name) be organized within the Education Ministry to facilitate smoother negotiations with the visitors. As for the organization of a committee for this purpose, a SCAP directive, dated 9 January, was issued. The Education Ministry will organize a committee consisting of 18 to 25 members, some of when will be selected from among education administration circles. The rest will represent pure educators. The details will be reported to SCAP by 20 January. Furthermore, the Ministry of Education plans to organize an Educational System Reform Committee It was discussed in the last Diet session, along with the formation of the Japanese Educator's Committee, and was put there on a permanent basis, under the administration for democratic education. The selection of the members is almost completed.

Mr. KAWAHARA, Shunsaku, councilor of the Privy Council, Mr. YAMAZAKI, Vice-Minister of Education, Dr. TANAKA, Director of the School Education Department, and Mr. SEKIGUCHI, Director of the Social Education Department, shall be appointed members representing the administrative circles, Dr. NANBARA, President of TOKYO Imperial University, and representatives of various other schools shall become members as pure educators. The American envoys of education are scheduled to stay in JAPAN for a month. The committee shall be enlarged so as to enable it to perform the task of educational rehabilitation, as a consultative organ of the Education Ministry, after the envoys have left our country.

Summary:

The era of the North and South Imperial Sovereigns (NANBOKUCHO) has been considered as the dark age of Japanese history. The authorities did not allow research about the era from a historical point of view, and many people were imprisoned and murdered as a result of the controversy. KUMAZAWA, Hiromichi, age 56, has sent a petition to the effect that he is a descendent of the South Imperial line which was regarded as the true Imperial line, and that the new JAPAN can be built only after the true Imperial line has regained its sovereignty, according to a "Stars and Stripes" report on 18 January.

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ITEM 2 (Continued)

It further reports the statement of KUMAZAWA, Hiromichi, in an interview with the press as follows: "In the reign of the Emperor GODAIGO, ASHIKAG Jakauji, the leader of a rebel army against the throne, succeeded in finding a member of the Imperial Household, and in setting him on the throne. Thus, two Imperial lines existed for 60 years. The South Imperial line was carried on by the Emperors GOMURAKAMI, CHOKEI and GOKAMEYAMA, and I am a descendant of this line. In 1392, Emperor GOKAMETAMA was forced to give Emperor GOKAMEYAMA of the North Imperial line the "Three Sacred Treasures" which were handed down to every Emperor as a tradition. The enthronement of Emperor GOKOMATSU was not lawful. Several written manuscripts, which prove the facts, are kept by the KONOE family. The members of our family have claimed our rightful position as Imperial members, but as a result, many of our family have been murdered or assassinated. My father and I have petitioned the Imperial Household Ministry seven times, but in vain. As a result we had to suffer more persecution. Then my father died, and I had to disguise myself as a priest, a farmer or a merchant to escape arrest by the Secret Police."

The petition addressed to General Headquarters includes the written manuscripts and a complete list of treasures from shrines and mausoleums which will help to prove these statements. At the interview with the press, KUMAZAWA were a kimono ornamented with the chrysanthemum crests, and his behavior was very gentle.

Full Translation:

A faculty meeting was held at 1300 on Thursday at the KYOTO Prefectural Medical University in order to recommend a successor to the post of president, due to the resignation of President OCHI. At the meeting Dr. KATSU, Yoshitaka, chief professor of the Department of Anatomy was recommended as new president by unanimous approval. It is expected that the professor will accept the position. He is the first president who has been appointed by public poll among the universities throughout the country.

Summary:

A plan to reorganize 100,000 stall-vendors throughout the country, so as to let them lead JAPAN'S commerce, has been launched recently by Mr. MATSUMOTO, Manabu, a member of the House of Peers. Mr. MATSUMOTO has had a close affliation with the bosses of stall-vendors since he was the Director of the Police Bureau in the Home Ministry. His aim is to establish a new union of stall-vendors upon the mutual agreement of the eight bosses of the busy quarters of the capital.

The projected organization will be called by the name of the "JAPAN Voluntary Chain Market," after the example of similar ones formed by retail dealers in the UNITED STATES. When this plan is realized, a smart market tent stalls will make its debut in the metropolis. Such business as the joint purchase of goods, the assessment of reasonable prices, the reform of dishonest dealings, the relief of fellow traders, etc, will be performed by the members of the chain, who will wear the badge of the JAPAN Voluntar Chain Market.

In this connection Mr. MATSUMOTO's explanation is as follows; "In America the retail dealers, who were threatened by the rise of department stores and the organization of chain stores, had to establish a voluntary chain by forming a united front to cope with this crisis. By tying up with

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ITEM 4 (Continued)

producers, they will have a joint purchase system, as well as combined publicity and selling. They can purchase excellent goods at cheap prices and sell these goods at the chain stores. Their shops will be all in the same style and color, and the trademark of the goods will also be the same. These shops will have a serial number and if they sell you any fraudulent goods, you can inform the main office of the stores to that effect. Then you will get an adjustment. I wanted to adopt this system in JAPAN, and when I expressed my idea to the stall-vendors the other day my proposal was unanimously approved.

"The organization will have a headquarters under which branch offices will be established in such major cities as TOKYO, OSAKA and KYOTO, (The existing Stall-Vendors Union will be appropriated for that purpose). Under the branch office a group will be established. The post of the group head will be occupied by the existing bosses. The group will be called by a number instead of by the name of the group head, such as OZU GUMI or SHIBAYAMA GUMI.

"The goods will be purchased in bulk by the Headquarters and be sold at the stores through the branch offices. The finance of the Headquarters will be maintained by the rent of movable tent stalls. A part of the rent goes to the Headquarters to cover the business expenses. The group heads will get a fixed commission from the Headquarters. They will receive a membership fee from all the members, who will pay it in advance. All this money will be used for business expenses, the whole sum of which will be spent for the welfare of the members. The mark of the union, and the design of movable tent stalls will be decided upon at the meeting of the promoters to be held on 19 January at the MATSUDA Construction office (at UCHISATWAI-Cho, KOJI-MACHI-Ku).

"Upon getting permission from the Commerce and Industry Ministry; I am planning to make about 10,000 tent stalls for present use. The day will come soon when the stigma of "black market" will be wiped out by the new name of "JAPAN Voluntary Chain." If this project makes favorable progress, the new system will spontaneously stimulate the producers as well as the wholesale merchants. As a result, they will deliver goods to the good retail stores. Therefore, we can surely expect the smooth inflow of merchandise into our market. Agreed prices will be decided by the Price Assessment Committee, consisting of officials concerned and the Union executives. I hope to carry on business in the future by the single method of joint purchase."

DISTRIBUTION "X"

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