Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0024, 1945-11-24.

Full Translation:

A conference discussing measures for a [illegible]national movement to survive the present fond crisis was held, but we were quite disappointed in receiving the impression from the Premier's speech and the make-up of the conference, that this is a hopeless movement. The reason for this is that among members were included those responsible for the war and those responsible for cheating the farmers. These people without apologies for their past conduct, asked for co-operation in supplying rice to the country. This will be flatly refused by the farmers.

The Premier seemed to be ignorant of the insistence of the general public of the government's necessity for making amends to the farmers, which should be, as they declare, the basis of this national movement. It seems that national movements have hitherto been started as last resorts on occasions when the government has been confronted with insurmountable difficulties which it bad to overcome. This is evidently a misconception.

It is true that national movements aiming only, at propaganda or enlightenment of the people may be effective to some degree by virtue of the government's power, but, when the movement is for some practical purpose, such as supplying rice to the country by the farmers, the government will display but little ag[illegible]resiveness. If there is no concrete plan by the government, nothing will result from such efforts.

The government's power in a national movement is limited to the extent that it can only make known the movement to the people.

Full Translation:

A price section is to be established in the Finance Ministry. In production, as well as in consumption, the price problem has never been more important then today. Occordingly, it is important that the price section be set up as an organization to specialize in the current price question.

In this connection, however, scrupulous attention must be paid to the following two points: one is, that the government intends to put government officials in charge of the price problem, and another is, that the price section is to belong to the Finance Ministry. The price problem is very important, and difficult even to the most skillful and shrewd merchants. As government officials have proved incapable of handling the price question, it is absurd to leave it to the officials.

EDITORIAL SERIES: 24 (Continued)

ITEM 2 (Continued)

The Finance Ministry should have control over currency and finance. The present price problem is in substance nothing but a production problem. Therefore, this problem should not be handled by the Finance Ministry. Even[illegible]in the field of finance and currency the function of the present Finance Ministry has been so weakened as to be almost nonexistent. If the Finance Ministry has charge of this matter, it will repeat unwise policies such as, pressing the people to buy national bonds and. compulsory savings. The subsequent result will be: paralysis of the productive operations, the stagnation of currency and the over-issuance of bank notes.

The price problem, therefore, should, be handled by an organization composed of producers, for example, the Agricultural Associations. That is the most effective way to increase production, to stamp out inflation and to restore the national strength.

The Finance Ministry is expected to take charge of the inevitable wage increase problem under the new price system in order to insure the consumers' livelihood. The authorities concerned are contemplating traditional tricks of the trade such as plotting to seat a non-official person in as chief of the section. However, if authorities were to expect high efficiency by introducing private citizens into the organization, then all the seats of the coming price section should be occupied by capable private citizens with the exception of the chief of the price section who should be a government official.

Full Translation:

The food problem is the main problem in the reconstruction of the new JAPAN. We cannot even discuss to-morrow's JAPAN unless the food, problem is settled. The food problem has now developed into both an economic and political problem.

The problem of food importation as a means of solving the food crisis for the present is a problem of ships. Consequently it has a close relationship with the conversion of industry within the nation.

The system of compulsory sale of rice to the government surprisingly received strong public pressure during the war. This problem should be resurveyed. Wheat sales in the near future include the problem of fertilizer.

The food problem must be settled rapidly. Food, importation will be a problem every year until the nation becomes self-supporting and self-sufficient. Therefore a reclamation plan is now being established.

This reclamation plan is an agricultural problem, and also a problem of unemployment relief. Behind the reclamation plan lies the fundamental problem of the agricultural land system which agricultural people are now facing.

Judging from the various kinds of plans and materials on food which General MacARTHUR's Headquarters demanded from the government, it is evident that the demand is to democratize rural communities that still have traces of the feudal system. We repeat that the importance of the food problem is not alone a problem of breaking the coming food crisis, for we cannot expect a settlement of the food problem from such a short-sighted policy.

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EDITORIAL SERIES: 24 (Continued)

ITEM 3 (Continued)

We will take the reelamation plan as an example. If we were to use hoes end spades we would find it impossible to reclaim 1,500,000 chobu in less than five years. We must not overlook American science which converted jungle regions, where human feet had never trod, into great airfields in a few weeks. We concluded, that traffic in large-type airplanes was impossible but AMERICA was able to do it. Moreover, we must not overlook the fact that they are cultivating vegetables by using various kinds of chemicals on coral-reefs where there is no soil.

It is necessary for us to make a thorough study of the reclamation plan, depending upon our agricultural science and chemistry. We are apt to be short-sighted as to our problems. With such an attitude, can fundamental settlement of food problems be expected? Never.

We must remember that the food problem of our country is very important both economically and politically, yet it is a problem which must be settled completely.

Full Translation:

The following letter was received by the Tokyo Shimbun:

With the termination of the war, my two brothers and I were thrown out of work. In March of this year, cur house was burned down and our parents were killed, in air-raids. During the war, we were hailed, as "Industrial warriors" or "h[illegible]m[illegible]r-heroes", names designed to make us work day and night. But what became of us when the war ended? We were given a bonus of only 200 yen end fired. We have looked for work but can find none. Has our fate been sealed?

We care nothing for the new political parties. All we ask is work. In the [illegible]I district we see throws of v[illegible]nts and profiteers. Is that the new JAPAN? Are these men the "industrial warriors" of the past?

High ranking bureaucrats are laying great, long-range plans, but we doubt that we shall live long enough to see them realized.

We must become black market operators or starve. Don't the authorities see what is going on?

DISTRIBUTION "X"

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