Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0219, 1946-01-09.

Summary:

A drastic internal reformation must, occur to release the Japanese people from mysticism, feudalism and all militaristic trends. From this point of view, we still see the effect of the present situation on internal political and economic conditions. One out standing problem is the way war-responsibility is dealt with. Definite war criminals have already been named by allied Headquarters. Militarism and plutocracy have been broken up. However, officials, who undertook leadership during the war, still stick tn their former positions, and former political party-bossers who were so-called Militarists are looking forward to the coming general election as candidates. Therefore, we cannot see any definite changes in the governing class.

Hence, on the 4th American Headquarters announced express orders for the dissolution of right-wing parties, and the dismissal of militarists and war-leaders from official positions. We believe there will be a great change in our political structure by means f this order, and we presume it will have influence on the authority of the government. Yet, the birth of a new JAPAN and democracy for the people can only be maintained by far-reaching measures, and it should really be done by JAPAN herself, rather than under the orders of the American Headquarters.

Naturally some sacrifice will be made, but it will have to be borne in order to fulfil our important intentions. We must co-operate to empower the government and the people to put the orders into practice immediately by themselves, with courage, intellegence and justice.

The Importance of the Farmer's Movement

Social movements had many chances to develop and expand nevertheless, every time attempts were made by small groups the Fasciats nipped them in the bud, not caring whether it was reasonable or not. However, they can not progress openly, but, the farmers' movement will have to continue on undemocratic lines as before, although it occupies the most important position. Even though a democratic revolution in agriculture is outwardly progressing smoothly, it will take many years before it has any effect. Before the upper-classes complete the revolution, the lower-classes must understand the aim of the struggle and so that it will be fully able to set up organization in agriculture villages. Even if the owners of small farms are being prevented from holding ground feudalistically we must be determined that small-holdings will always be secure. This ought to be combined with the co-operative association and pervade union work to show the importance of farm management. Although the capitalists have been weakened by the Allied Forces, farmers are still not able to extricate themselves completely from their controls.

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The opposition between cities and agricultural villages is becoming more serious, so that to solve this problem we need a strong leader for city laborers. The main thing is a just relationship between the owners and their employees.

Full Translation:

Together with the recent success at the MOSCOW Conference, the truce between the KUOMINTANG and the Chinese Communists is giving a bright hope to world peace. Since the MOSCOW Conference the danger of war loomed throughout CHINA. It may be said that the end of internal friction or civil war in CHINA does not only promise the Chinese, already tired of years of war, peace and order, but it will bring about stability in the world, Agreement on the prompt cessation of military action and on the restoration of transportation services are all that the KUOMINTANG and the Communist Party have thus far gained through the conference. Consequently, fairly considerable disturbances are generally expected to arise in the future until they reach concrete arrangements. We cannot go so far as to say that success in the present parley has cast away completely the hovering clouds over CHINA. Nevertheless there is every prospect for the return of peace. A brilliant future is bound to come to CHIPA. Here we hope to offer our heartiest congratulations to cur neighboring power.

We are especially pleased that the present conciliation between the KUOMINTANG and the Chinese Communists can be considered proof of the restoration of co-operative spirit between the two parties. The parley came to deadlock so often that we would hardly expect it to reach an amicable settlement. Great credit should go to MARSHALE special envoy of the UNITED STATES who served as an intermediary. Without his efforts, the present conciliation might not have been brought about. Nevertheless, we are convinced that co-operative spirit has been restored between the KUOMINTANG and the Communists. We are assume that in order to meet the earnest desire of the Chinese public f c r peace, both parties have some to the present conciliation after strenuous efforts to find the best way for the unity of CHINA.

In this respect, the parley between the KUOMINTANG and the Chinese Communists may well be likened to the MOSCOW Conference. The LONDON Conference failed, while a complete agreement was reached at the MOSCOW Conference. As a result, confidence and co-operation has been successfully restored among the world powers. In this case the strong desire for peace by all the nations of the world fundamentally accounts for the success of the MOSCOW Conference.

Since ten years before the outbreak of the CHINA Incident, which continued for eight years, CHINA has been the scene of bloody internecine strife between the KUOMINTANG and the Communists. The desire for peace was stronger among the Chinese people than any other nation. The Chinese so longed f or the return of peace and a stabilized livelihood that the reconciliation between the two parties was needed even in defiance of the different opinions on the unity of CHINA. We believe in the restoration of a co-operative spirit between the two parties and accordingly, we hope that, based upon the co-operative spirit, both parties will come to a closer amalgamation for the unity of CHINA.

At the end of last year, Generalissimo CHIANG, Kai-Shek expressed on the radio his consent to the establishment of a coalition cabinet. The coalition cabinet which the Communists have heretofore often demanded while the KUOMINTANG has refused is the central problem. Although much meandering is expected until perfect agreement is reached, in principle the way for compromise is already opened concerning the most difficult question. The union of the KUOMIKTANG and the Communist

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Party brought about success in the subjugation of NORTH CHINA in 1927, while its separation in 1928 frustrated the Chinese revolution. It can not be denied that the amalgamation of the two parties contributed a great deal to the victory in the eight years' CHINA Incident. The split between the parties hampers progress while their unity lays a basis for development. The resurrection of a co-operative spirit between the two parties does not only cast a bright light on the future of CHINA, but brings about considerable progress in the establishment of world peace. This is the reason why we heartily congratulate the present parley as a victory for peace by the Chinese nation.

Extracts:

Political circles were greatly disturbed by the "MacARTHUR cyclone." Now these who were more or less, related to the Imperial Rule Assistance Association must be resigned to fate; they must not behave unbecomingly. If there is any one who wants to throw a wet blanket over the others because he belongs to the groupin question, he exposes himself before the public as the enemy of the people.

Of those who are to be excluded, there are some who seem to be worth some sympathy, but their exclusion may also be justifiable from a higher historical point of view. If they are truly enthusiastic about democracy, they themselves may be satisfied to be the "hidden basis" for democracy.

It is expected that the next action will be directed toward the government officials, to which we do not refer in the present comment. What we want to mention here is the attitude of the stars of screen or stage. Of the famous actors or musicians of our country, hardly one was suppressed during the war. They imprudently advocated militarism, and reaped their reward. They became their dupes in order to deceive the masses. As peace has come and freedom of entertainment has been recovered, they are now attempting to flutter to the public with absurd farce, etc. We are disgusted by their attitude.

The KABUKI play still remains the highest form of entertainment. It werved as fertile soil for cherishing feudalistic morality, and this was one of the reasons why it was preserved by the leaders. They must reflect upon this, fact with humble mian. If the actors think that they are allowed to flutter to the militarists at one time and to pretend to be the friends of the people at another merely because they are actors, they are making light of the arts and should despise themselves. We consider that the stage has come when entertainment must also be regulated and new friends of the people be born.

Full Translation:

In this new year, 1946, the three issues concerning coal, rice, and inflation still continue to be most vital to our economy. The coal supply shows a marked decline, down to, almost ten per cent of the annual output. It cannot even supply the 600,000 tone per month necessary for the railway transport service.

According to the newspapers, the food situation will be most critical in the coming months of May or June. It is, however, feared that the real crisis will come as early as February. If the situation remaind uncorrected, 20 million persons it is feared will euccumb from starvation. The note issue from the Bank of JAPAN has reached above 50 billion. This figure indicates an increase 40 times more than in the year before the Manchurian Incident. Thus, the present situation is

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said to resemble the time when inflation began to be vitally critical in GERMANY, at about the begining of 1922. Nobody can deny that coal, rice, and inflation are the present most vital questions of JAPAN'S economy.

JAPAN'S economy would hardly escape collapse, unless she overcomes this crisis with success. Coal is the very life blood of modern industries. Stoppage of blood circulation would paralyze an entire human body, causing death as a result. An acute shortages of food will make impossible the reinlistment of labor, which is the most vital element of production. There could be no production without labor. No national economy can be maintained without production. Inflation will inevitably cause an unjust distribution of money. This is an axiom of community life. It is quite evident that our economy will collapse when an unjust distribution of money begins to prevail, together with the stoppage of production.

It is reported that the fundamental cause of the coal famine can be ascribed to the labor deficiency caused by Korean, and Chinese workers' evacuation to their respective mother countries. Also it is reported that the critical food situation is mainly due to the unprecedented small croc of rice in the 1945 rice year. If this is true, there is still a little room for wishful thinking, because the above cause was a pure accident but not lasting. However, in reality, the food and coal crisis cannot be attributed to a mere accidental cause. As to coal, it was produced recklessly during the war, owing to the huge demand made by war plants. The war materials thus produced, however, were entirely wasted on every war fronts. During the war, there were produced none of the raw materials absolutely necessary for securing future production. In short, it was nothing but useless production of coal. It is quite natural that coal production should tend to decline as long as reckless mining continued. In addition to the above there came a sudden decrease of working hands. This is the cause of the current coal famine.

The case is quite similar with the agricultural problem. The current food crisis is fundamentalily due to the lowered productivity of the land. During the war most production of social commodities necessary for reproduction was converted to war production, which was pure waste. Consequently, production of fertilizers and other things necessary for maintaining land productivity was brastically curtailed, thus land productivity was forced to gradually decline. The accidental occurance of last year's rice crop failure happened to help the situation to deteriorate, causing the present feed crisis.

The above applies to the other productive fields. Just as in the case of rice and coal, the other productive fields of oar economy were also sacrificed on the alter of abnormal war production. The outcome of this sacrifice has net yet appeared. This is due, however, to nothing but the delay of reactivation of the production concerned. Indeed, inflation is the monetary manifestation of the over all waste of production. Inflation is nothing but a lack of equilibrium between the increased volume of hank notes issued for payment of war materials and the decreased quantity of peaceful merchandise, thanks to emphasis of overall production.

As already mentioned above, the coal and food crisis should not be ascribed to any accidental causes. From the extreme waste of normal production, as the result if ver-encouraged war or duction, there originates the current crisis. At the time therein lies the fundamental cause of inflation. The authorities should take this cause into due consideration in mapping out any countermeasure. If they fail to do so, another crisis is sure to appear in other productive fields, even if the current crisis f coal and food could be tided over. On the other hand, without the overall solution of our economic problems, there could be no fundamental salving of the coal, rice, and inflation problems.

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