Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0128, 1945-12-19.
Date19 December, 1945
translation numbereditorial-0419
call numberDS801 .S82
Persistent Identifier
EDITORIAL SERIES: 128
ITEM 1 A Chaotic Phase of Life - Tokushima Shimbun (Tokushima) - 14 Dec. 45. Translator: S. Inoue.
Summary:
How fast the poison of defeat takes effect! What comes into sight is a chaotic state
of life. All regulations have become
paralysed and controversy, conflict, egotism and exclusionism, all blended with one
another, have brought about a completely
chaotic state of affairs. The poison of defeat has stripped the Japanese of the ability
of speculation, paralyzed their
morality and decomposed their actions. An old proverb saying "Good news goes on crutches
and bad news goes apace" becomes true
of this state of life. Black markets in large cities are so rapidly developing that
even here, in TOKUSHIMA, they are very
prevalent. The Government is talking itself hoarse in appealing to the public to "Be
quick to deliver a bale of charcool to a
war victim". The bales remain untouched, their packings on verge of decay, waiting
for the time of delivery. A laborer engaged
in delivering charcool is said to eat up one sho a day, which would cost the equivalent
of 40 yen in a black market, while he
can get only 12 or 13 yen for his hard work. He is reasonable when he says that he
had better do nothing and sleep at home,
living on a 2.3 go ration, rather than go out to work only to lose 27 or 28 yen. We
feel and to see popular morality decaying
in the muddy stream of such evil.
Then, is there not any way at all of saveing us from such misery? Yes, surely there
are ways. First, we must liquidate the
black market dealers in the streets, correct the malpractices on the part of producers
and prevent the people from having in
hand so much money which is the essence of poison. This would purify the origin of
the muddy current.
Second, we ourselves must wake up. If we do not open our eyes now, there lies only
a way to ruin before us. The torture of
defeat is an overture of the greater ones. We must realize that here at the threshhold
of rehabilitation or ruin the
sign-board for the Japanese people does show a way to the restration of morality.
ITEM 2 New Candidates and Old Ones - Kobe Shimbun (Kobe) - 15 Dec 45. Translator: K. Gunji.
Full Translation:
The preliminary campaign for the coming election has already begun in our prefecture.
It is reported that about 40 candidates
stood for
EDITORIAL SERIES: 128 (Continued)
ITEM 2 (Continued)
the first district which has 11 representatives, and 13 for the second which has
seven. Among these candidates, 15 belong to
the Progressive Party, eight to the Liberal, (TN: Illegible) the communist, one to
the Agrarian Party (NOHON), four to the
Reformist Party (KAKUSHINTO), one to the Constitutional Reformist association (KOSEIKAI)
and over ten to other parties. We
find it refreshing to see that such newly-born parties as the Reformist Party and
the Greater JAPAN Party (DAINIPPONTO) are
prepared with a comparatively large number of candidates. However, should we support
the new parties merely because they are
helpless at present and the times demand new things. If the new candidates possess
suitable qualities for the times, we should
of course back them up. However, are they really worth our support? We are rather
inclined to answer in the negative.
At the same time, we must be stern in judging the old ones. The present Diet members
are delighted at the revival of
democracy, acting as if it means the regaining of their influence. It is true that
democracy in the sphere of politics means
parliamentarianism. In spite of that their expectation, are quite wide of the mark,
in view of their untrust worthy conduct in
the Diet during the past war years. Their silent obedience to the militarists must
be distinguished from the compulsory
subjugation of the press. The Diet was ignored by the whole nation because of its
inefficiency and conventionalism, while the
press was forced into silence by the authorities although the public never wanted
this.
We can remember how ardently the mission of the Diet, was asserted and how bitterly
they were accused for inactivity and
backwardness. Now they reveal their ambitions to take advantage of the flow of democracy.
Under such circumstance we can never
expect a bright future for JAPAN. Some one asserts that the present Diet members should
be disqualified as candidates in the
coming election. Although it may look like more flattery, we find it quite naturally
stands to reason. In this connection, we
suspect that it is highly probable that Supreme Allied Headquarters issue a directive
for such purpose. If they were to be
elected again, we fear that JAPAN would step towards parliamentary dictatorship.
The reported candidates are far from ideal. They include ones who are the favorite
followers of the present Diet members, and
ones who want to spend abundant profits obtained from war before it is confiscated
in the form of property tax levies, and
ones who are set up by the will of their followers. The first cannot, of course, got
rid of the conventionalism, and are
rather proud of it. The second merely convent reputation. There are many others who
are in disguise. We must discern gems from
bricks.
ITEM 3 The Finale of the Present it Session of the Diet is Near - Provincial Newspaper CHUGOKU SHIMBUN (HIROSHIMA) 15 Dec 45. Translator: M. Kate.
Summary:
The present session of the Diet which is the first one for the SHIDEHARA Cabinet
is drawing to a close now that the important
bills
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EDITORIAL SERIES: 128 (Continued)
ITEM 3 (Continued)
introduced by the Government are gaining Diet approval. The prolongation of the session
will be decided to meet the pending
business in the Upper House. The extension will be much shorter than had been expected.
Much concern was centered on Diet proceedings because of the vital importance of
the three major bills closely connected with
the reconstruction of a new JAPAN. These three major bills are the bills for revision
of the Election Law, the Form Land
Reform Bill, and the [illegible]Bill. These are to be the basis of a peaceful JAPAN. C[illegible]to our expectation, the debates in the Diet on these bills were lacking in earnestness
and
positiveness while the response of the cabinet Ministers and the Premier's speeches
were very disappointing to us.
Both the Ministers and members of the Diet were conservative. The SHIDEHARA Cabinet
revealed the weakness inherent in
transitory cabinets, lacking statesmanship, in handling the state affairs. The members
of the Diet could be charged with
devoting themselves only to self-advertisement and self-protection. Their attitudes
were luke[illegible]and
face saving. However, an opportunity for self-reflection presented itself when the
Allied Supreme Commander issued a directive
for the arrest of suspected war criminals. This created a great sensation among the
members of the Diet since their leaders
wore included among the suspects.
Prior to this issuance of the directive a movement for clarification of the war responsibility
for the members of the Diet was
started in the Diet. The consequences were far from our expectations. Happily, however
the issuance of a directive for the
liberation of farmers by the Allied Headquarters spurred the Diet towards democratic
reform. The Diet, involuntarily, is
treading its way in the right direction. The expected passage of the major bills by
virtue of outside pressure will save it
from destruction.
The members of the Diet are to be blamed for their fidgety manners in debating. The
pretext for it may be the approach of the
general election. At any event, we are to be congratulated upon the outcome of the
present session of the Diet for the passage
of all the major bills vitally important to democratic reform. We must now bear in
mind that our present duty is the election
of trustworthy representatives who are competent to bear the burden in handling vitally
important affairs, such as liberating
enslaved peasants and affording the unemployed masses the pleasure of performing honest
labor at their own volition.
ITEM 4 Practical Use of Men of Ability - Provincial newspaper CHUBU-NIPPON SHIHBUN (NIGOYA) - 16 Dec 45. Translator: I. Kuniko.
Summary:
The problem of examining public opinion has been frequently discussed in every circle
since the end of the war, and many
institutions have been established for this purpose. It is a matter of course that
democratic policies in politics, economics,
and other affairs should be based on accurate public opinion, and the examination
of public opinion, now active, will
certainly be of great service in the construction of a new JAPAN. Public opinion,
however, must be an ex-
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EDITORIAL-SERIES: 128 (Continued)
ITEM 4 (Continued)
pression of the free mind of the general public, for which the public is required
to have its own opinion. It is indeed
regrettable that some of our people are still unable to understand the real meaning
of freedom of speech because of the lack
of culture and judgment.
People of NIIGATA-Ken have a habit of not expressing their own opinion freely, due
to the extreme control of speech by the
lord of the clan in the TOKUGAWA Era, such a habit should be dispelled so that the
people may freely express what they feel or
think, Here we find great need of a movement for enlightment in NIIGATA Ken. This
is a hard task, the object, of which,
however, must be attained. The best way to accomplish this object is to urge upon
the scholars, literary men or pioneers, in
NIIGATA Ken the establishment of the movement in the places in which they live. It
is a heavy lose for the country not to make
good use of those persons who have both knowledge and experience.
If the standard of culture in a district is low, the public opinion there will be
naturally vulgar. Accordingly, it will
surely be of a great service for the elevation of local culture to start a movement
for enlightment, suited to each district
by putting men of ability to practical use.
ITEM 5 Culture is Born Amidst Whirlwinds - Provincial Newspaper Niigata Nippo (NIIGATA) - 15 Dec 45. Translator: I. Hotta.
Summary:
The cultural movement is being animated and this is one reason for happiness. However,
it is more necessary for us to create
and develop a new culture than to resurrect the old. We should proceed to the future
in culture rather than look back upon the
past. In a word, Japanese culture was fostered in the darkness of feudalism. The scale
of its being was utterly
individualistic and seclusive and it was only a reflection of an egoistic life. Monochromes
born from the confused series of
struggles in the MUROMACHI Period tell only of negative and peaceful living. There
can be seen no gay or gorgeous colors for
it was only the negative culture of the dark ages. In the MOMOYAMA Period, there was
born a gorgeous culture, but it was
short-lived. In the beginning of the TOKUGAWA Period, there again appeared a negative
culture, and after the middle of the
period, a literature for the people became predominant, but literature was only a
product of an idle, quiet, and negative
life. After the MEIJI Period, the life of the people was enriched by the rise of capitalism,
and their thoughts became
splendid, but still there existed a continuation of feudal literature. A culture surpassing
the level of the world culture
appeared nowhere.
As a result of the defeat, we have suddenly been set free to breathe fresh air, but
have been thrown into the depths of great
distress in the creation of a new culture. To tell the truth, nothing positive has
been left to us except a defeated culture.
In this sense, there is something left to be desired among the present culturists
occupied in the cultural movement. Faced by
the fact of the collapse of Japanese history, it is a hard task for us to argue on
the creation of a new culture. We must be
courageous in discording all things of the past in order to cope with reality. Culture
is, in a word, the
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EDITORIAL SERIES: 128 (Continued)
ITEM 5 (Continued)
remnants or footprints of human conduct. We need scarcely say that the body odor
itself exhaled from our lives full of
distress will create a new culture. It will be born amidst the whirlwind of distress,
struggling grief, anger and joy. Culture
must go through the storm of agony.
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