Press translations [Japan]. Economic Series 0061, 1945-12-13.

Full Translation:

According to a survey made by the Department of Commerce and Industry, 6o per cent of all modern printing presses, numbering about 150, have been destroyed by fire, along with 70 per cent of the 200 printing shops which existed before the war. During war time many of these shops were converted to the production of essential items. Those which remain number less than 60 and cannot meet present demands for printed material. Therefore the Department of Commerce and Industry has directed that presses destroyed by fire shall be repared and new presses be manufactured. At present, the IKEGAI, TOKYO, and HAMADA Printing Press Companies are most active, but other presses are expeted to resume production almost immediately.

The Department of Commerce and Industry estimates the value of printing presses to be produced next year at 20,000,000 yen. The required materials are copper (5,000 metric tons), pig-iron (14,000 metric tons), and coke (4,700 metric tons), The supply of these raw materials is assured.

Extracts:

The UNITED STATES' actual reparations policy for JAPAN was declared on 7 December by Ambassador Edwin W. PAULEY head of the U.S. Reparations Mission. Some industries were mentioned as being likely to be used in proceiding reparations to the Allied Forces. Industrial equipment and production capacities in recent years are as follows:

• 1.Iron and steel Industries: According to the PAULEY statement, all of JAPAN'S iron and steel industrial equipment over that which had a total capacity of 2,500,000 tons per year should be used as reparations. The output of steelblock production in 1930 was 2,280,000 tons; in 1937 5,800,000 tons; and in 1943, a record output of 8,100,000 tons was made. Production of steel materials has not been proportional to the production of steelblock. The yearly citilization of steel materials (for thousands of tons) is as follows:

  Scroll Table to show more columns

  	1930,	1937,	1938,
  Output	1,921	5,081	5,489
  Exported	2	92	125
  Imported	435	723	214
  Total quantity	2,358	5,896	5,828
  (Average amount used by individual consumers)	33	72	70

•   ECONOMIC SERIES 61 (Continued) ITEM 2 (Continued) The, 2,500,000 tons, declared by PAULEY as being the official figure, is roughly equal to JAPAN'S output of steel materials in 1930, as seen from the above tabulation. Therefore, if the increase in population is considered, the quantity of steel consuption per individual would be considerably less. On the other hand, the relation between the actual and the potential production of steel must be analyzed. In PAULEY'S statement, the present total steel manufacturing capacity in JAPAN is estimated at more than 11,000,000 tons. However, the actual output has been about 6,000,000 tons per year. The present actual manufacturing capacity is estimated by the Iron and Steel Control Association at 4,500,000 tons for blast furnaces and 1,900,000 tons for electric furnaces, making a total of 6,400,000 tons. The difference in the estimated calculations of manufacturing capacity and actual production is still unexplained.
• 2.Light Metal Industries: All manufacturing equipment used for production of aluminum ore aluminum, and magnesium should be removed, according to PAULEY'S recommendations. The approximate figures given by the Light Metal Control Association on manufacturing capacities and output in the industry since the start of production in 1931 are as follows:

JAPAN proper, actual output-100. The SHOWA Electric Industrial Company (SHOWA DENKO) started test production using alum stone.

(Alum-stone was used as raw material, but most factories had converted to bauxite are by 1940.)

The JAPAN Light Metal Company started production during this year, and the TAKAO Factory of the JAPAN Aluminum Company increased its production output to capacity.

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ECONOMIC SERIES 6l (Continued)

ITEM 2

During this year the output was the largest of any previous one.

1945, (January to June)

[illegible]SHOWA Electric Industrial Company started production in this year.

This year's output was close to capacity, and was the greatest in volume.

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ECONOMIC SERIES 61 (Continued)

ITEM 2 (Continued)

During this year, the Physical and Chemical Research Institute started production.

This year's output was the greatest.

Air raid damage to light metal industries was comparitively light.

Summary:

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ECONOMIC SERIES 61 (Continued)

ITEM 3 (Continued)

The production of machine tools has shown marked improvement. The increase is as follows:

Note- the figures for 1945 represent the first quarter only. The number of the machine tools used to produce the above tools was 35,183 in 1942, 40,330 in 1943, and 38,062 in 1944.

The conditions, of operation, the percentage of products distributed and the air-raid damages were as follows:

Operation:

Percentage of the products distributed. (The Aironautic Munition Board is marked 0; Army,. A; Navy; B; Civilian; C);

Bearings were produced at a value of 151,548,000 yen in 1942, 214,540,000 yen in 1943, and 3,05,000,000 yen in 1944. The companies participating in the production numbered 23, and the number of machine tools worked was 7,115 in 1942, 10,050 in 1943, and 12,006 in 1944. Operation figures are as follows:

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ECONOMIC SERIES 61 (Continued)

ITEM 3 (Continued)

Damages from Air Raids: Febuary 1944 - 15 August 1945

Full Translation:

Agriculture and Forestry Minister, MATSUMURA, Kenzo clarified the following points in connection with the policy for maintaining independent farming, the long-range perspective of demand and supply of foods, and the land distribution for landowners' families, in reply to the interpellation made by MORI Hajime Progressive, at the Farm Reform Bill Committee meeting held at the House of Representatives on 8 December;

There is a very fair possibility that independent farmers will revert to the status of tenont farmers in the future if there is a worldwide surplus of form products which would result in price fluctuation. However, to prevent this, the Government intends to control prices of the major foods so as to make it possible for the independent farmer to continue on his own farm.

Even if an additional 1,500,000 chobu of land are reclaimed, there will still be a shortage of about 2,000,000 to 5,000,000 kohn of rice, due to unfavorable crops, which means difficulty in food self-sufficiency.

Landowners will be allowed to become freeholders only on the following conditions:

• a.If such conversion is regarded as advantageous to the increased production of food.
• b.Even if there is reason for returning the land to the landowner on the part of the tenant farmer the original landowner will not be allowed to receive it without restriction.

Under these two conditions, the landowner will be able to distribute the land to his second and third children, but only if these members of his family are actually engaged in farming at that time. However, the landowner will not be prohibited from becoming freeholders by hiring, farm workers.

DISTRIBUTION "X"

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