Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0121, 1945-12-20.
Date20 December, 1945
translation numbereditorial-0401
call numberDS801 .S82
Persistent Identifier
EDITORIAL SERIES: 121
ITEM 1 Toward a Clear Understanding of the Intentions of MacARTHUR'S Headquarters NIPPON SANGYO KEIZAI l6 Dec 45 Translator: NOBUNAGA K.
Full Translations:
Concerning the Supreme Commander's directive limiting disposal of assets issued to
the ZAIBATSU and 336 holding companies. The
Finance Ministry had the following to say.
The order was directed [illegible]preventing [illegible]egal disposal of the assets of the
336 holding companies, [illegible]not to [illegible]their normal activities. This
procedure is considered proper. These companies are in the most important positions
in every department of economics, so
checking their functions will have a profound influence on national reconstruction.
Unsupervised, they might have caused great
economic confusion in the future.
Since some of these holding companies are banks, insurance agencies, or trust companies,
there was insiduable uneasiness among
the people, but the Finance Minister's Explanation of the intent of the Allied Headquarters
directive cleared their
misapprehensions. These directives are always considered proper and consistent with
the POTSDAM Declaration and American
control policy in JAPAN. Yet occasionally the intent is rather difficult to ascertain
due to language difficulties and
inadequate translations. Sometimes they are far too important to put into effect merely
on a presumptive definition of the
meaning. In such instances, we expect a. frank and clear statement of intentions from
Allied Headquarters. Similarly, we
expect our Government to arrive at an understanding of the issue in order not to misguide
the people.
"Rapid conversion to the production of necessary consumer goods has frequently been
urged by MACARTHUR's Headquarters for
returning to stability. But entrepenears, especially those in small or medium businesses,
have not the means of raising
[illegible]sufficient to resume production. This is the one of the bottlenec [illegible]reconversion, since they can no longer get subsidies from the parent [illegible]empany.
"Due to current economic instability, barkers are relustant to issue loans. Some
suggest cancellation of war insurance and
special deposits, but this require the [illegible]of MACARTHUR'S Headquarters. Moreover, rapid and smooth
procedure cannot always be expected. Finance Minister SHIBUSAWA stated in the Diet
Session that the government is seeking some
indication from allied Headquarters. The government must establish a policy in all
haste".
"According to Ambassador PAULEY, Head of the UNITED STATES Reparations Commision,
all equipment in ball-bearing factories will
be confiscated toward reparations. What, then is to happen to the coach and ball-bearing
industries? There is considerable
uneasiness in industrial circles.
EDITORIAL SERIES: 121 (Continued)
ITEM 1 (Continued)
Full Translation:
Since this problem is related to the need for an increase in transportation the Government
as well as unofficial agencies
should take measures.
Since our nation is not perfectly independent, it can not proceed contrary to the
will of the Allied Powers, the condition
that makes it impossible to operate without a directive or [illegible]stion from Allied Headquarters is not
satisfactory. The fault lies in lack of understanding between MacARTHUR'S Headquarters
and our authorities, or that some of
the directives a re unexpected, or that the intent of some of the directives is not
immediatley apprehensible. The authorities
must always understand Allied Headquarters intentions in both specific instances and
in general policy, else the Government
will not be able to establish a policy to carry out the intent of the directive. This
would further enable Allied Headquarters
to understand conditions.
Fundamentally, the policy of Allied Headquarters is to make the nation bear its war
responsibility resolutely. Yet they expect
living conditons to becaome easy rapidly, and an economic reconstruction toward peace
and democracy to be established. Since
we make no explantions as requests Contrary to Allied Headquarter's aims, it can be
construed that our suggestions are
forbidden. The Government must serve as a positive bridge between MacARTHUR'S Headquarters
and the Japanese people.
ITEM 2 Social Policy and Financial Policy Must Be Joint Policies YOMIURI-HOCHI 16 Dec 45 Translator: OTA S.
Full Translation:
The feudalistic society of militaris[illegible]is characterised by poverty of social institutions and lack
of assistance for these on the part of the ruling classes. Positive social policies
to secure or stabilize the lives of the
masses on a rational social basis wore not established in this society because the
lacked respect for human rights and the
individual powers of the people. Some social institutions were established, but only
as relief or charity agencies for the
country.
It is said that the true character of social policy is to relax the rivalry between
the classes and to decrease excess
differences on wealth in order to maintain the system of a capitalistic society. However,
we can easily see that the economic
technique in social policies can also be utilized for the purpose of a democratic
economic revolution. We must encourage and
fully develop such social policies for the sake of realizing a country for the people,
which is needed at present.
The Diet is now discussing the establishment of a social insurance system, which
is expected to form the nucleus of our social
political institutions, and an investigating committee has been formed in the Welfare
ministry. The motive of this must be
attributed to the fact that, stimulated by the social unrest caused by the increase
of unemployed after the war, the necessity
for the establishment of compulsory unemployment insurance was felt to be urgent.
In the second place, the old age pension
system for salaried people has come to be re-investigated, in light of the abolition
of the pension system for civil officials
along with the suspension of military pensions, ordered by the Allied Powers.
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EDITORIAL SERIES: 121 (Continued)
ITEM 2 (Continued)
Full Translation:
It's hardly necessary to say that the perfection and the systematization a social
insurance system such as health insurance,
calamity insurance etc, is essential to protect the lives of the working classes and
to raize the level of their social and
economic situations.
The problems then is how to provide foods for strengthening our social and political
institutions as well as social insurance.
As we have already stressed, it is now necessary to combine the social, financial,
and tazation policies. A peoples country
cannot be established without this. The policy for the rational distribution of wealth
which underlies the financial and
taxation policies should be combined with the social policy, and the letter, at the
same time, should have its firm position
in the economic machinery connect with the finance of the country.
In view of the above-mentioned, we accuse SHIBUZAWA'S financial policies. He does
not cease to pay indemnities to munition
companies, though he advocates one reconstruction of the finance. He decided upon
the plans for a war profits tax, property
tax, and issuance of the new yen. These are surely epoch-making, but if he is to earmark
the collected tax for compensation
bor bonds, thus protecting the bond holders, expecially the bank capitalists, he merely
shifts the financial burden from one
group to another. This then could never be called a "financial revolution".
On the contrary, the democratization of the economy by a financial policy or the
impartial distribution of property will not
be realized if indemnities by the Government are not wholly suspended and the collected
war profits and property taxes are
earmarked as funds for social policies, especially for a permanent social insurance.
In the bond policy, the huge amounts in bonds must be boldly abandoned or frozen
as eternal bo[illegible]ds
without interest. To provide for this procedure, the banking organizations, especially
the banks, trust companies, and the
insurance companies, must be analganate under Government ownership, and after the
reserves in these banks or companies are
regulated and liquidated, the Government will indemnify these. On the other hand,
the Government ought to secure the payment
of deposits and take measures, as a whole, prevent the insecurity and disturb[illegible]s in circulation. In
other words, it is necessary for the Government to enforce the rationalization and
regulation of the total capital of society
as a whole. In short, the social policy must be at the center of all the natimal policies.
We believe that financial policy
will necessarily assume the character of social policy.
ITEM 3 We Ask the Metropoitan Police Board to Reflect. TOKYO SHIMBUN l6 Dec 45 Translator: SHINICHIRO F.
Extracts:
Now in the metropolis killings, burglaries and hold ups are frequently being perpetrated.
The situation is dangerous in
criminal affairs, and many criminals are active these nights. Every one well knows
the stories of montain robers but it is an
embarrassing problem that the above mentioned acts are often committed on the Ginza.
The present situation of in-activity in
arresting culprits appears as though robbers are given freedom.
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EDITORIAL SERIES: 121 (Continued)
ITEM 3 (Continued)
Extracts:
Far reaching and overall, government measures are greatly desired without a days
postponement. The authorities must not be
idle until fundamental steps are set up. If the entire police system had "been abolished
there conditions would be
justifiable. However, only secret police has been abolished. The removal of the police
from safeguarding the public peace has
not been widespread. However, Police boxes have decreased in number, and the abilities
and character of policemen have
degraded. The major cause is that policemen lost faith in their duties and responsibilities
and were led astray. Furthermore,
they have lost the firm spirit for hard work, life of the people in general. In spite
of idleness of the later, it is
difficult for only the police to maintain firm attitudes.
For what purpose are policemen necessary? They wear brassards on which some words
are written, but hey look like if guides for
the Allied forces. If they are guides and do not speak English well, they are of no
use. What does the Metropolitan Police
Boards think about this fact? In the name of our nation which had a world-famous police
force, we wish the authorities would
consider well this fact.
DISTRIBUTION "X"
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