Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0170, 1945-12-27.
Date27 December, 1945
RepositoryRauner Special Collections Library, Dartmouth College.
Call Numbereditorial-0538
Call NumberDS801 .S82
Persistent Identifier
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EDITORIAL SERIES: 170
ITEM 1 The Tragedy of Prince Konoe - Provincial Newspaper Kahoku-Shimbun (Sendai)
- 21 Dec 45.
Translator:T. Unayama.
Full Translation:
Prince KONO[illegible]committed suicide by taking poison at dawn of 16 December, the very day appointed
for
him to be placed in detention as a war criminal suspect.
The motive for his suicide has been inferred to be in apology to the Emperor and
to the Nation for has political errors since
the CHINA Incident in 1937. The Prince believed that the only way to settle this affair
as in an understanding between JAPAN
and the UNITED STATES. To that end, he exerted all possible efforts in negotiations
with the UNITED STATES. In spite of all
this, he was, after the end of the war, listed among the war crime suspects.
It is believed that Prince KONO[illegible]had been suffering in silence because of this accusation. In a
note he left behind, he mentioned that some of the people may have been aware of his
true intention. Even in the UNITED
STATES, he believed, [illegible]had some appreciative friends.
Since the defeat, the history which had been shrouded in mystery is now being revealed,
but, we are not vet full informed of
the actual facts that caused the war. The truth about the negotiations between JAPAN
and the UNITED STATES to which the Prince
alluded may be investigated in the future.
However, even if the Prince wished wholeheartedly for success in the negotiations
the internal situation since the CHINA
Incident had doomed the negotiations to inevitable failure. When we look back at that
time, we recall the irresolute attitude
of the Prince, who could not check expansion of the CHINA Incident, but was dragged
on b[illegible]the
militarists. His responsibility lies unavo[illegible]dably in this point. We could perceive during those
days his suffering at being used as a tool by the military clique, but he could do
nothing about it.
His movement for the "New Organization of the Nation" has today been recognized as
a political plan created by the military
clique, but at that time it w[illegible]like an echo in the minds of the intelligentsia, heralding a
revolutionary movement. The Prince was still respected because of his intelligence
and conscience as the political hope of
JAPAN. He was, however, supported by the most wicked bureaucratic hangers-on, who
dragged him into a slough of compromise and
opportunism until he at last led JAPAN to the final catastrophe.
The Prince continued to be politically active, even after the war's end, in the revision
o[illegible]the
Constitution and other problems, and
EDITORIAL SERIES: 170 (Continued)
ITEM 1 (Continued)
gave the public the impression that he did not feel any responsibility. This but
him at a disadvantage, and all those who were
once favorably disposed towards him stood against him. Thus the Prince ended his days,
forsaken by everyone.
It is obvious that this tragic catastro he is the result of many causes which are
linked with the defects in his character.
The Prince was listed, among the same war criminal suspects as former Premier TOJO
and former Ambassador OSHI[illegible], but his standpoint differs from the others. TOJO and OSHI[illegible]were the chief
instigators of the war, but the Prince had doubts on the wisdom of war to some extent.
He was, however, not so firm in mind as
he right have been in counteracting the war trends by his own influence. His intelligence
was not profound and his conscience
was not strong. He can, therefore, conclude that his demise cane inevitably as a result
of his indecisiveness. It was a
tragedy of character.
We must, however, not pass over this as only the Prince's tragedy of character. The
indecisive character which revealed itself
in this case was also found in almost all the other politicians and intellectuals
during the war. The Prince was the
prototype. Taking advantage of this character, the militarists caused the war, and
led the people into today's misery.
Now the Prince's fatalistic character has come to an end, but the same character
may be latent in the people, and, if so, they
ought to review their past. If anyone locks impassively on the Prince's death as just
another event, he mast be a most
detestable man, lacking in self-respect.
For the reconstruction of JAPAN, complete intelligence and a strong conscience based
on a firm belief in democracy are needed.
The impotence of incomplete of intelligence and a weak conscience is brought into
bold relief by the tragedy of Princes
KONO[illegible].
ITEM 2 A Poster Encouraging Deposit of Money - Asahi Shimbun - 26 Dec 45. Translator:
[illegible]. Kawanabe.
Full Translation:
A poster at a post office in my neighborhood caught my eye. It contained the following
data:
Deposit your money in the post office or bank in order: (1) to construct a bright
JAPAN; (2) to prevent inflation; (3) to
prevent food hoarding; (4) to get a profit of 400 yen in interest for 1,000 yen in
10 years.
This was deposit encouragement week. [illegible]t queer. What foolish fellow could have designed that poster
[illegible]If we could keep on living with the present ration of food, who in the world go cut
buying
food for long distances and borrowing money from other. The deposit of money may help
the rehabilitation of financial
conditions, but it should be aimed at the rich capitalists and war profite[illegible]rs. Such a poster will
not appeal to any one in spite of its attractive colors and beautiful phrases.
ITEM 3 Be Active, Intellectual People - Tokyo Shimbun - 26 Dec 45. Translator: S.
Fukuda.
- 2 -
EDITORIAL SERIES: 170 (Continued)
ITEM 3 (Continued)
Full Translation:
Thanks to the freedom of speech, hundreds of mediocre magazines have published. Independent
volumes have appeared in small
numbers at bookshops. This is a welcome element to the culture of JAPAN. Readers,
who throng at bookstores, have increased in
number but are not so numerous as crowds at black market places.
It is good to see scenes in which old friends meet and greet each other after a long
time. It sounds good to us to hear a
bookshop keeper say with a little resentment that he had not nearly as many customers
during the war. We must reflect on the
character and attitude of cultured [illegible]en and the intellectual class, who were deprived of
intellectual activities by horrible military and secret service police during the
war. When we think back that they mere
forced and told what to do, it is hard to believe. For example, if all the newspapers
of JAPAN had taken measures to publish
for a week the same editorial not allowing the existence, of the TOJO Cabinet, even
the TOJO Cabinet could not have suspended
the publishing of all Japanese newspapers, and it would have been forced to resign
en bloc. We point out that all the people
were too spiritless and silent. This enabled the military clique to hold despotic
power. Cultured men also were responsible
for that. In spite of our many intellectual men in the homeland, the fact that they
led the situation to that point was due to
political inactivity, lack of political unity, weak practices, and weakness of character
peculiar to the intelligentsia. It is
true that hundreds of them became victims of cruel suppression due to their ideas
and practices. Only very few victims held to
their beliefs, even in courts and prisons, while the majority of them kept silent
and became spectators. KONO[illegible]and [illegible]were both intellectual men of fair and splendid spirit. They could
not keep having to face nomination as war criminals. It is surely too much to say
that the fate of Prince KONOE and acquis
KIDO represents the fate of intellectual men in general, but when we act predict the
future of cultural JAPAN, we should
reflect upon: their behavior.
ITEM 4 Price Quoto is Now a Political Problem - Mainichi Shimbun - 26 Dec 45. Translator:
I. Kuniko.
Full Translation:
A number of reason have been listed for the insufficient rice quota delivery, but
protests seem to have aggravated situation.
That the Government has exhibited anxiety is only [illegible]tting. But merely to try to convince the
formers that a large portion of the urban population nay die of hunger does net increase
the supply of rice in the least. It
lends, on the contrary, to reduce the Nation's reliance on the Government.
True, the Government should notify th[illegible]farmers that the cities are facing a food crisis, but merely
appealing to concepts of brotherly love and sense of social responsibility will not
be effective.
Our Nation is still feudalistic. Feudalism means that obedience to authority is the
basis of social order. Self-government
concepts checked by oppression, even when oppression is lifted, will not be instantly
resurrected. [illegible]n orderly spirit will not op[illegible]ose an old authority, and in is difficult to establish
consciousness of one's
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EDITORIAL SERIES: 170 (Continued)
ITEM 4 (Continued)
own responsibility in setting up a new authority. This is the national psychology
of the defeated. Because of this, the Nation
has a tendency to be irresponsible.
If the farmers' disregard for politics caused the shortage in rice delivery, an appeal
to them will only invite their
contempt. Politics, however, is an authority. Military and anti-democratic authority
has been broken down, but a new authority
should replace it. Those who do not believe this should be forced to do so. That is,
a country's authority to foster or to
support democracy is not reactionary. Such an authority should be supported by the
general will of the Nation. Disorder should
not be suppressed, but should be regarded as a step toward a self-governing state.
There must be the authority of
politics.
The problem of rice delivery has already reached such a political degreed. JAPAN
has hith[illegible]rto been
a bureaucratic country where the people were afraid of policemen. In democratic JAPAN,
politics should not be something held
ridicule by the people.
ITEM 5 The War Criminals are Our Real Enemies - Yomiuri-Hochi Shimbun - 26 Dec 4[illegible]Translator: I. Kuniko.
Full Translation:
A Government supply and demand estimate on staple foods indicates that by next [illegible]ay the food crisis
will reach its zenith, and that we can only rely upon Allied Powers sympathetic support
to tide over the crisis. The sin of
the war criminals who have driven the Nation to the brink of hunger is really unpardonable.
Up to now, only responsibility for the outbreak of the war and violations of international
law during it have been examined.
But, from the [illegible]of the Nation, we should thoroughly seek out the persons [illegible]kept us fighting in spite of the aggravation of the war [illegible]and decline of
our national fighting power. Mr.KE[illegible], the [illegible], has affirmed that the real
[illegible]who judges [illegible]civilization. We are all of the sate opinion. We
[illegible], moreover, "existence" will also qualify as a ore prosecutor.
The NAZI war criminals who have been tried at [illegible]are described as a gang of [illegible]murderers and pill[illegible]gers. It is proper that the description be likewise
applied to the Japanese war criminals. At the same time, we should comprehend that
they we[illegible]re an
enemy not only to the invaded countries but also hostile to the welfare of our Nation.
Our distress is not due to defeat, but
to their plunder. There is, in a portion of our society, the conviction that [illegible]for the defeat
should be sought. But such a belief does not [illegible]will. Because it is clear that, even if JAPAN had
won, our life [illegible]have been as wretched as it is in defeat.
When he was told, immediately before his suicide, that GORING and HI[illegible]would take his place,
HITL[illegible]is said to have cried, Damn! Everyone deserts me!" Even if such an oppressor had won
a
war, he would have been seemed to be deserted by his nation. As the judgement of JAPAN's
war criminals progresses, we deal re
that they are essentially enemies of the Nation either in victory or in defeat.
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