Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0027, 1945-11-28.
Date28 November, 1945
RepositoryRauner Special Collections Library, Dartmouth College.
Call Numbereditorial-0127
Call NumberDS801 .S82
Persistent Identifier
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EDITORIAL SERIES: 27
ITEM 1 Women suffrage and Women's Bureau - Tckyo Shimbun - 19 Nov 45. Translator:
M. Kato.
Full Translation:
The participation of women in politics will be realized through suffrage. The political
system in JAPAN has heretofore
restricted political activities to men only. Women's position has been greatly ignored
which is not in unformity will the
democratic way of life. Therefore the government has undertaken to improve their positions.
The current situation, however, is not entirely satisfactory. There is no positive
attitude on the part of the government nor
of the women themselves. Women are still following their old ways of life through
force of habit. For example, new political
parties, either already inaugurated or about to be inaugurated, have very little in
their policies regarding steps to be taken
in elevating the stature of women.
Moreover, policies which do concern women are being ignored. On the other hand, women
themselves seem to be entirely
indifferent to this lack of consideration, and show no reaction against it, apparently
intending to let things run their
natural course.
Is this attitude justifiable? There is naturally a difference in attitude between
one who acquires some thing through conflict
and one who receives the same thing as a present. Women are being given the privilege
of voting, however, the lack of
earnestness they are showing in politics is difficult to account for. The reason for
this indifference can be explained,
however, by the absence of organizations in which women in general can express their
opinions.
Once this deficiency is remedied women's enthusiasm for politics will surely be greatly
stimulated.
We believe the government should be responsible for making good this defect by undertaking
the establishment of a woman's
bureau attached directly to the cabinet. By this means, women's interest in public
affairs and political activities could be
promoted.
Politics should not be limited merely to idealistic endeavor, but should also be
concerned with affairs of practical
importance. And women surely play a very important part in the activities of daily
life. As Mr. PAULEY declared, "Due to the
payment of reparations by JAPAN to the Allied lowers, our present system of food distribution
will continue for some time to
come. And this will have a marked effect on our daily living."
From this statement, the position of women in politics can neadily be seen. Our proposed
women's bureau will be closely
connected with the
EDITORIAL SERIES: 27 (Continued)
ITEM 1 (Continued)
neighborhood associations and will give women a chance to participate in affairs
such as the promotion of welfare and cultural
associations.
At present there is a tendency to replace women with men as a remedy for unemployment.
The economic position of the women
themselves seems to be entirely ignored. The illtreatment of women was strongly evident
during the war when they were
exploited as much as possible and then left to take care of themselves. The establishment
of a women's bureau would remedy
these evils. And the need for some sort of remedial action is seen from the fact that
many wives who have lost their husbands
during the war, are now compelled to support their families.
The development of a nation or a society depends entirely upon the qualities and
contributions of its members. Since
approximately half the population of a nation consists of women it follows that unless
their status is equal to that of men,
very little can be achieved. We must bear the fact in mind.
ITEM 2 The Government Should Anticipate the Allied Directive for Solving the Food
Problem.- Mainichi
Shimbun - 19 Nov Translator: H. Fuzukawa.
Full Translations:
The government issued a statement on 17 November that all markets will be strictly
supervised, and severe punishment meted
those engaged in black market transactions in rice, wheat, or other staples. Penalties
will be imposed upon those responsible
for corruption in the Foodstuffs Supply Corporation, and the agriculture associations.
This applies, further, to persons
caught stealing foodstuffs in the possession of the Foodstuffs Supply Corporation.
The government, we believe, has been inattentive in these matters, due, in all probability,
to the bewilderment caused by
prices of necessary commodities that have since the wars end risen as high as 2,000
per cent above the fixed price.
But the government, whose acts leg behind conditions, displays as much perplexity
and seems to fear pillaging and corruption
in agencies directly under its control, that the people have cause for alarm, believing
that the critical point has been
reached.
Staples at least must be equally distributed. The governments proposals which seem
to be dependent upon the importation of
3,000,000 tons of food, is reprehensible. According to anticipated figures of the
Ministry of Agriculture, solution for the
food problem has reached a stalemate. The nation, therefore, can expect inadequate
nourishment. Fortunately, rice and barley
are still being supplied from some mysterious source.
It is common practice in the villages for clever farmers to keep a supply of rice
called "BUTSKO YOMAI", or "rice for barter
purposes." This supply will, indeed, prove a godsend.
The supply and production of rice is dependent upon the attitude of the farmer, and
the amount of profit he can realize. For
this reason the Ministry of Agriculture has decided to raise the ceiling price on
rice produced in 1945 so that the producer
will net 150 yen. The net receipt for the landowner will remain at the 1944 level
of 55 yen per koku. With this in mind, it is
apparent that in order for the
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EDITORIAL SERIES: 27 (Continued)
ITEM 2 (Continued)
farmer to exact the full fruits of his labor, he should be permitted to pay his rent
in money and not in crop shares.
The Government price to which producers wanted rice raised, was about 300 yen. However,
the Agriculture Ministry explained
that since the price of rice is the index for the prices of all commodities, it could
not affix such a high price. We can
accept this as a reasonable explanation, but to compensate for the lower price, the
Agricultural Ministry is reported to be
prepering commodities for special distribution to the producer who fulfils his duty
in producing his quota. The commodities
which are to be specially distributed to them are chemical fertilizer amounting to
50 thousand tons of converted ammonium
sulphate; amounting to 100,000 koku; tabi for laberess; and farm implements. This
promise must be fulfilled without fail. The
reason for hoardin stocks of rice and withholding rice from the quota is that farmers
find it difficult to buy fertilizer,
farm implements, and other necessities without using rice for barter.
These actions are not being taken out of greed or for speculation reasons, but rather
for an earnest desire to maintain a high
rice and vegetable supply for the next year.
It is widely appreciated that only a policy that will stimulate the farmers incentive
can increase output, and therefore, the
quotas. Yet policies directed toward this end have been lacking.
The large majority of cur farmers are comprised of small tenant farmers therefore,
a policy which will improve and stabilize
conditions for the tenant farmers being closely related to a policy of strengthening
productive capacity in agriculture, will
lead to a solution of the food problem.
However, policies on this vital matter, were not out into force because of the prevailing
attitude which agriculturists and
farmers termed as temporizing. For instance, the Tenant Law proposed to the Diet in
1931, and the Fam Land Act of I937, were
both left unanswered by the Diet and remaind without solution untill the present.
The House of Peirs has always been more
obstructive to their passage than the Lower House.
Social conditions are changing rapidly. There is no time to spare for disscussions
on feudalism or liberalism. The Agriculture
Ministry entends to present a bill for farm land reform to the coming extraordinary
session of the Imperial Diet. By this bill
they plan to have the government purchase all land owned by landowners whose estates
exceed three cho. By reason of this
purchase, 2 million cho land will be turned over to tenant farmers who will then become
landed farmers. At present the
tenanted land of the country amounts to 27 million cho. This bill was submitted to
the l6 November cabinet meeting, but no
final decision was reached. It was then taken into deliberation again at the consultation
meeting of Ministers of Economics
and as yet remains unsettled.
As we see from the foregoing facts, our government is conservative and obstinate,
in so far as the land problem is concerned.
However, no one will object to the fundamental policy of giving the producer his own
land.
This problem has been discussed in the Diet and among the people since 1931, and
therefore it should be approved by the Diet
in the next session so that it can be finally realized.
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The present situation is so critical that 20 million people will face starvation
in the near future. We hope that the
Government will at least settle the food problem courageously with its own resources
and not by direction of Allied
Headquarters.
ITEM 3 Practicability of atomic energy - Mainichi Shimbun - 19 Nov 45. Translator:
I. Imai.
Extract:
That atomic energy was first demonstrated as a weapon of destruction is deplorable,
but considering its destructive capacity,
it is only natural it was used during war. Atomic research was greatly accelerated
during the war. The question now lies in
how best to utilize atomic energy toward peaceful ends.
The UNITFD STATES, ENGLAND, and CANADA have jointly announced that the secret of
atomic bomb production will not be released
to any other nation until such a time "when all nations of the world can agree on
safeguarding guarantees, and until
enforcement measures are effectively and reciprocally completed".
JAPAN was the first nation to experience the full effect of the atomic bomb. For
the sake of mankind, let us hope she is at
the same time, the last.
The atomic bomb is the subject of wide political discussion, and has assumed a major
role in shaping diplomatic policy. But in
the last analysis, the "only absolute protection for the civilized world from the
destructive use of scientific knowledges
lies in the prevention of war". This is a problem to test the wisdom and conscience
of all mankind.
Until now the atomic bomb represents the highest degree of scientific achievement
in destruction, but it augurs weapons of
incalculably greater destructive power for the future.
Since the maintenance of secrets is limited, atomic bomb production methods will
sooner or later be known to the world. Hence,
it behooves the UNITED STATES, ENGLAND, and CANADA to retain the secret as long as
possible, releasing it only when peace can
be safely assured. After that the benefits of atomic research should be made available
to mankind.
Perhaps the apprehension concerning atomic bombs will end when the UNITED STATES
devises a means to can atomic energy and
export it to all parts of the world in much the same manner as petroleum, medicines
and so forth.
ITEM 4 Two Problems Expected to Arise Following Abolition of Privy Seal Office - Tokyo
Shimbun - 19 Nov
45. Translator: K. Nagatani.
Summary:
The abolition of the Office of the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal is now definite.
The Office of the Lord Keeper of the Privy
Seal has been the subject of frequent discussion in higher political strata. The general
public has seemed outwardly detached
as far as
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EDITORIAL SERIES: 27 (Continued)
ITEM 4 (Continued)
this organization is concerned but actually through its activities in creating cabinets,
the Privy Seal office has most
directly affected national life. Accordingly, it is quite natural that the Privy Seal
Office should he abolished in a
democratic JAPAN.
With the discontinuance of the Privy Seal Office, two problems are expected to arise:
One concerns custody of the Imperial
Seal Office and the Great Seal; and the other is the recommendation to the Throne
of a Prime Minister for a succeeding
Cabinet. Under the responsible Cabinet system, the Imperial Seal and the Great Seal
should be retained by the Government. This
is favorable also from the standpoint of "assistance to the Throne."
Concerning the recomendation of a premier to His Majesty, such conversions as have
been observed up to present, should be
scrutinized from the purely democratic point of view. We should question on necessity
of such practices in a democracy.
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