Press translations [Japan]. Economic Series 0136, 1946-01-07.

Full Translation:

Largest Nutritive Value for Lowest Cost-Clothing, Food and Housing in our Now Life

Food (A)

In the present state of food rationing we are bound to become undernourished for want of albumen and vitamins. But if we were to buy expensive fish and vegetables our household budgets could not stand the strain.

In order to escape this hardship, we have only to seek the most nutritious foodstuffs in the black market and cook them in the most nutritious way, thus obtaining the greatest possible value at the lowest possible cost.

Sardines are now sold in the street stores, and a middle-sized sardine (50 grams) costs 50 sen. A cuttlefish of 150 grams is about six yen and 50 grams of it cost two yen. Thus the cuttlefish is four times as expensive as the sardine. Moreover, if we eat sardines, making them into balls and mashing them up with the heads, bones and entrails, we can obtain from them twice the amount of calories obtainable from cuttlefish. Sardines contain much less water than cuttlefish and they are also rich in fat and albumen. Moreover, since we get Vitamins A, D and B2 from the entrails of the sardines and a large amount of lime from its bones, we avoid undernourishement by eating them. Cuttlefish, on the other hand, contain a very small amount of fat and lime and hardly any vitamins.

Sardines are much better than rice in that they are more satisfying. That is to say, out of one sardine we can get 60 calories, which is ten calories more than can be obtained from one shaku of rice, costing 50 sen at black market prices. Also, sardines are richer than rice in albumen and fat, and they contain vitamins and lime which are backing in rice. It is foolish, then, to buy rice at a high black market price. It is much wiser to buy sardines in large quantities, have them dried, and save them for the coming food shortage.

(Dr. INQUE, Kaneo)

Full Translation:

The increase in the price of copper, iron, timber, and especially of coal, which has been caused by the rapid increase in the number of air-raid damage repair jobs, has forced the Commerce and Industry Ministry to decide on raising electric power charges commencing, January 1946. The new rates were revealed on the 4 January Ex-

ECONOMIC SERIES: 136 (Continued)

ITEM 2 (Continued)

cent for the partial raising of electricity charges on 1 July 1945, they had remained unchanged for more than 30 years . According to the revised rate, there is a 50 per cent increase in the specific electric light charge, a 100 per cent increase in the fixed electric light charge, and a 150 per cent increase in the electric power charge. Special users, who are supplied electricity for a limited period under special contract (plants which use more than 500 kilowatts), have to come under the new terms before April if their contract is due for revision before March of 1946, and after 1 April if their contract is due for revision after March at 1946. Increase charges are as follows:

Basic rates for specific electric light: 30 sen (hitherto 20 sen) per lamp per month, or 180 sen for one house with six lamps; electric power charge - 30 sen (hitherto 20 sen) per kilowatt.

Basic Charge for electric heating: 150 sen (hitherto 100 sen) per heater per month; electric power charge - 15 sen in winter, ten sen in summer, per kilowatt hour (hitherto ten sen in winter, five sen in summer).

Fixed electric light charger for 15 candle power - 200 sen (hitherto 100 sen) per lamp per month.

Basic charge for electric power use on a small scale: ten yen (hitherto three yen) per kilowatt per month; electric power charge: ten sen (hitherto four sen) per kilowatt hour.

Basic charge for special contractors (in KANTO and KANSAI districts, those who use 150,000 kilowatts): basic charge - 620 sen (hitherto 170 sen) per kilowatt per month; electric power charge - 4.8 sen (hitherto 2.6 sen) per kilowatt hour.

The cost for general home use of a 600 kilowatt heater, for an average of five hours a day, is 15 yen a month.

Full Translation:

In order to overcome the serious fuel situation, the Federated National Lignite Coal Mining Association (ZENKOKU, ATAN - KOGYO RENGO-KAI) and each of the prefectural lignite coal mining associations resolved to start a movement for increased production of lignite coal during the months of January through March. The output of lignite was 238,000 tons in l943. In 1944 it fell to 190,000 and was reduced to only 80,000 in 1945. During the three months in which increased production is planned, 150,000 tons in January, 200,000 tons in February and 250,000 tons in March are scheduled to be produced.

Full Translation:

Rice produced at AIZU in FUKUSHINA-Ken is now coming to the TOKYO Metropolis and SHIZUOKA-Ken by a special train. Up to 4 January, 7,534 bales (20,000 koku or 50,000 bales are expected in total) have been sent to TOKYO; and 19,406 bales (40,000 koku or 100,000 bales are expected in total), to SHIZUOK[illegible]-Ken from AIZU. The shipping of the expected amounts of rice is scheduled to be completed by the end of January 1946 by a special train of 15 cars every day.

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ECONOMIC SERIES: 136 (Continued)

Summary:

The shipbuilding industry, which had become active because of the MacARTHUR order for a 24 hour work program, has now slackened off as a result of the PAULEY report which referred to the coming confiscation of the facilities of 20 shipyards.

It has teen reported that on 5 November 1945 there were 325 ships of 100 tons or more, with a gross tonnage of 597,366, engaged in freight transportation. These figures remained almost unchanged by 25 December, when the detailed figures were 325 ships, a gross tonnage of 607,015. During this period, six ships were built and five ships were sunk by stray mines. Details of the ships built are as follows:

As has been noted before, the retarding influence in the shipbuilding industry is uncertainty regarding reparations. Nevertheless, the Reparations Commission has already specified that the shipyards involved will number 20, and they will be mostly ZAIBATSU shipyards. Another Allied authority guessed that the construction of ships of less than 5,000 tons will be permitted.

At present the economic World of JAPAN is at a standstill. But this will not last long. Moreover, it is expected that stray mines will have become harmless by the end of March of this year. Thus, there will be some stimulus for the revival of shipping and shipbuilding.

Shipbuilding statistics since 1935 are shown below. The figures cover periods from March of one year to April of the next. Figures of colonial territories have been excluded.

Note: Capacities for ships of 1,000 tons and over.

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ECONOMIC SERIES: 136 (Continued)

ITEM 5 (Continued)

DISTRIBUTION "X"

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