Press translations [Japan]. Economic Series 0107, 1945-12-27.

Summary:

During the war the MITSUBISHI Shipyard workers offered their labor to the company "for victory." With the war over, however, they have never been rewarded by the Company. Far from reward, the Company has not shown one bit of sincerity to the laborers. The Company has never changed and remains as it was during War.

The laborers presented their resolution to the leaders of the Company on 5 December, demanding higher wages, abolition of discriminatory treatment between laborers and office workers, etc. The Company's answer on 15 December revealed that its attitude was far from meeting the demands made. The workers have, therefore, resolutely proclaimed that they will start a campaign insisting on their demands.

There was a talk between the laborers' representatives and Company representatives on 15 December. In the talk the Company showed no sincerity. The President was absent and Vice-president SHIMAMOTO was present on his behalf. He refused to recognize the representatives selected by the general will of the laborers and insisted that the committee representing the laborers be set up by the Company itself. When the talk was over the Vice-president left with the parting threat. "Those who do not obey the Company's will should look for another job."

All the laborers discussed the question again. They all understood that such a remark by the Vice-president is contrary to the present current and also is a menace to their livelihood. They decided unanimously to appeal to the public in their prefecture and to go on strike against the Company. They issued a resolute statement as follows:

"The leaders of the MITSUBISHI Shipyards are blind to what is going on in JAPAN and are adhering to the remnants of the past for the sake of profit. They have not even a bit of sympathy with our attempts to improve our livelihood. We have selected our 10 representatives from among our 4000 co-workers. The Company however, alleges that these representatives cannot stand for the laborers working in this shipyard.

"The Company executives avoided making a clear and immediate answer to our demands, and negotiation are now deadlocked. The Company leaders are a perfect picture of in ability, self-importance, and avarice. There will be no improvement in our living conditions as long as they exist. We have been enduring every difficulty in favor of our beloved MITSUBISHI Shipyard, but we must say farewell to our endurance.

ECONOMIC SERIES: 107 (Continued)

ITEM 1 (Continued)

"We insist upon the immediate retirement of the leaders of the Company and upon the establishment of representatives for and by ourselves. We will persist in having all of our demands accepted.

"We must realize our own duty as shipyard workers, wipe out the obdurate Company leaders, and improve our living conditions. We swear that we will do our best to establish a new JAPAN".

Summary:

The Government is planning to grant special allowances to Government officials, employees of companies, and laborers because of the present high living costs. The Government has already obtained permission from Allied Headquarters and approval of the Cabinet.

Allowances will be raised per cent as an interism measure and will go into effect starting with December. The Government is planning a complete revision of the former regulations on allowances to correspond with future price policies, ration system and social policy.

The operation of the Special Allowance for High Living Costs (RINJI BUKKA TEATE) is as follows: Special allowances of below 100 yen for high living costs will be made to Government officials and employes of companies. The rate of the allowance will be inversely proportional to ranks and salaries. With the enforcement of this allowance, the wartime social allowances, such as the wartime diligence allowance SENJI KINBEN TEATE) and Housing Allowance (JUTAKU TEATE) will be abolished. As for day laborers, the employers are free to raise the pay, either by raising wages or making special allowance, but the increased rate must be in reverse proportion to the original wages.

The allowance for the families of Government officials and employees of companies will be increased from the former five yen to 20 yen per capita for the dependent members of the family. With this enforcement, the former allowance for the families taking refuge in rural areas will be abolished. Furthermore, with the enforcement of these measures, the Government has announced the revision of the Company Accounts Control Law (KEIRI TOSEI REI). The new allowance is entirely different in nature from bonuses paid by companies and should, therefore be paid independently of such bonuses. Special permission is not necessary for payment of the revised allowance.

Those who are to receive the allowances are not limited to Government officials but also include all Government employees. Therefore, the number affected will amount to about two to three hundred thousand. To pay for the increase, the Government has decided to appropriate the surplus expenditures which will be saved by the administrative adjustment, scheduled to be carried out next March, and also the surplus amount of expenditures of the 1945 fiscal year.

The total amount of all these allowances has not yet been made clear, but in case the above-mentioned funds are still insufficient, a supplementary budget will be proposed to the special Diet session next year.

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ECONOMIC SERIES: 107 (Continued)

Full Translation:

The food situation now prevailing in various parts of the country is not very satisfactory. HOKKAIDO suffers most from small crop and slow rice deliveries. So far, it has attained only one per cent of its food program. Besides this, HOKKAIDO is supposed to meet the demand of another 10,000 koku, apart from the program, to cover the increase in rations to the mine workers. Transportation of 130,000 koku from TOHOKU is also delayed, being about half completed.

In SAPPORO, the distribution of the rice ration often comes about a week later than scheduled, and in other adjoining smaller cities, it may even be a month late. Consequently, inhabitants of these cities are compelled to consume potatoes set aside for rice in the next seeding period. This tendency is further encouraged by the slowness of deliveries by producers, direct purchase by the consumer in places of production, and delay in distribution by the authorities. The tendency could be checked, however, by completing the transportation program of 130,000 koku within 1945.

In TOKYO stocks of rice held by the Government and the food administration corporation (SHOKURYO EIDAN) late in November diminished greatly, leaving only five or six days' stock on hand. The situation improved somewhat by the middle of this month with some 10 days' stock on hand. Later, however, there was less than 10 days' stock for general use. The main cause of the shortage is the slowness in farmers' deliveries in the KANTO Area.

In KANAGAWA conditions are similar to those in TOKYO. However, it could get along better than TOKYO with its own crops if they are assured.

The situation in SHIZUOKA resembles that of KANAGAWA. Its supply of staple food is rather scanty.

In NAGOYA the supply of rice comes mainly from NIIGATA, ISHIKAWA and TOYAMA. It is in a critical condition at present because the proper allotment to this city is being turned ever to TOKYO and KYOTO. However, it could contrive to get rid of the crisis, as long its own wheat and potatoes are available, if it later comes into possession of its own rice crops.

KYOTO is in worse condition than TOKYO. Its stock on hand can meet only four and one-fifth days' need. Its sources of supply are SHIGA, ISHIKAWA, FUKUI and TOYAMA. There sources of supply, especially FUKUI and TOYAMA, are able to exert influence upon all food situations in the KINKI Region. The delivery of rice in these two Prefectures is not going on very well, however.

In OSAKA the situation is not good and causes grave concern. The transportation from HOKURIKU does not go on as well as had been designed in the program which would overcome the crisis partially with wheat from SHIKOKU and cereals of its own production.

HYOGO which had suffered most from typhoons, is uneasy about the food situation. There may, however, be possibilities of better conditions than OSAKA if it is furnished with some crops of rice of its own production.

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ECONOMIC SERIES: 107 (Continued)

ITEM 3 (Continued)

In SHIKOKU, KOCHI is in the worst condition. It could contrive, however, to overcome the crisis, because KAGAWA and EHIME are situated in the neighborhood.

KYUSHU is, generally speaking, in the most favorable condition, although conditions in NAGASAKI are rather poor. However, difficulties could be removed with the solution of the transportation problem between SAGA and KUMAMOTO and if, at the same time, the delivery of cereals in these Prefectures were assured.

Full Translation:

The Labor Association (ROMU KYOKAI) was dissolved on 22 December, as announced by the Welfare Minister, ASHIDA at the session of the Diet. It had started as an association to supply day laborers, replacing the Labor Patriotic Association (ROMU TOKOKU KAI), which was dissolved after the termination of the war.

However, there were some doubtful points in the manner by which the Association managed its business. For example, some labor suppliers pocketed a percentage of wages, and the Association did not remove itself from the shell of the old Labor Patriotic Association (ROMU HOKOKU KAI) despite its changed name. Supreme Headquarters aroused the attention of the Welfare Department regarding these matters. It was decided at the Vice-minister's conference held on 24 December to establish a new organization for the supplying of day laborers. The new organization will deal with day laborers directly under the unified management of the welfare Department and the existing Labor offices (KIN[illegible]RO SHO).

The management of day labor has, therefore, come under the direct jurisdiction of the Government. There are difficult problems as to how bureaucrats will obtain the day laborers, who had been managed under the system of "boss and men", and as to the appointment of the labor contractors, who are inseparable from day laborers. That steps the Government will take regarding these problems deserves our close attention, as, it is related to the question of unemployment insurance, now in progress, and the problem of the complete supply of day labor.

Summary:

The people in cities should be able to buy fish and shellfish cheaply enough to support themselves, considering that the Fresh Fish and Shellfish Control Law has been abolished, but they haven't enough money to pay the high prices. In order to increase supply and lower the price, The Agriculture and Forestry Ministry authorities have ordered prefectural governors to stop auction sales of fish and lower the profits of retailers by 20 to 30 per cent and have also decided to distribute the Government's stock of 30,000 koku of rice and 6,683 Kiloliters of fuel oil from Supreme Headquarters to fisherman in proportion to the amount of fresh fish and shell fish supplied. The fuel oil will be limited to the sphere of the tow-net fishing by motor sailboats, sardine-net fishing tunny fishing, large fixed-net fishing, western sea tow-net fishing, whaling, troll fishing, and shipping. The oil for shipping and oil

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ECONOMIC SERIES: 107 (Continued)

ITEM 5 (Continued)

reserves are in the custody of THE Central Aquatic Products Industry Association (CHUOSUISAN GYOKAI). The oil for every prefecture is in the custody of THE Prefectural Aquatic Products Industry Association. The oil for tow net fishing in the western sea is in the custody of West JAPAN Tow net Aquatic Products Guild (NISRI NIPPON KISEN SOKOEIKI SUISAN KUMIAI). The oil for deep sea fishing is in the custody of this industry's distribution company.

The authorities will select about 100 landing places and distribute the oil to the fishermen there. The rice is to be distributed at the rate of 5 go per man. The authorities contemplate distributing fish and shellfish cheaply to the people in cities at the rate of 15 momme per capita a day.

DISTRIBUTION "X"

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