Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0227, 1946-01-10.

Summary:

Recently we have seen laborers cleaning and repairing roads in this prefecture. This testifies to the fact that the authorities have began to make efforts to clean and mend the roads. It is said proverbially that roars are the symbol of a notion's civilization. Considering that transportation is the kernel of economic life, and the present situation of economic life is confused because of difficulties, we must do our utmost to improve roads and to restore bridges. If the authorities leave the difficulties of transportation as they are it is a serious matter. The other day the prefectural meeting decided on a supplementary budget allotting about 20,000,000 yen for restoring roads, bridges etc. The establishment of a budgetis not all that is necessary. What we desire is to carry the plan into execution. If the authorities intend to carry out a speedy administration with ardor and sincerity, there is nothing impossible for them. All the nations in the world have been surprised that the Japanese Government lacks speed in business. That is nothing to be proud of. Needless to say, merely carrying out road construction cannot solve all the problems of economic life. However, we believe that the completion of such works would contribute much to the improvement of the present transportation condition. We advise that in this prefecture the repair of roads and the opening of industrial highways will play an important part toward a new turn in the current economic crisis.

Full Translation:

The political situation has been thrown into a chaotic state by the SCAP Directive ordering liquidation of all the ex-leaders of militarism. Evan the cabinet, the center of state administration, is at a loss as to what to do. It is reliably learned that Premier SHIDEHARA, with the determination of attaining the original mission bestowed upon him at the time of his cabinets formation, will try to maintain the present cabinet till the conclusion of the forth-coming general election by either making a plan for the temporary exemption of some present Cabinet Ministers who are affected by the directive, or effecting a partial reorganization of the, Cabinet, excluding these affected by the directive. This may be a natural thing to do, for we are also not pleased to see the frequent collapse of cabinets when we feel that the present situation demands a realization of democracy in the coming general election. What is more, any political instability will have a great influence upon food problems, fuel, transportation, and other social facilities.

However, would SGAP be generous enough to accept the Premier's plea and effect a temporary exemption of the ministers from the directive? We are afraid that such an exemption would make a precedent for similar cases in the future and therefore, SGAP would never grant such an exemption.

EDITORIAL SERIES: 227 (Continued)

ITEM 2 (Continued)

Then, is a cabinet reorganization possible by filling the vacancies with new ministers? Is the Premier assured where he can find such candidates? It is obvious that no party politician is willing to chare a gloomy fate with the present Cabinet. This feeling, pervades all political circles.

There is only one way left to cope with the situation, and that is the concurrent assumption of the duties of the seats made vacant, by the remaining ministers. However is it necessary that the present Cabinet carries on in its usual form? Can any serious problems such as that of food and other matters be solved by such a cabinet?

Ext[illegible]rsion of the cabinet to the conclusion of the general election will be supported by the people as long as it can be maintained without any difficulty. However, under these circumstances, public support cannot be expected and a cabinet change seems inevitable.

Then, who will organize the next Cabinet? The formation of an interim to cabinet to carry out a fair election is supported by some. However, the present state of things, seems to prefer a party-cabinet to an interim one. I, the writer, insist they a party-cabinet be organized at once. If any party is now powerful enough independently, a formation of a coalition cabinet is recommended. A new sphere of influence in the Diet by any party will not be decided until the election is over.

We are justified in saying that the nation's political intentions are clarified to some extent and it is not so difficult to predict to-day what direction political situation will follow before the elction has taken place. Therefore, any party adapted to this political direction can organize a cabinet and put the policies already deliberated on into practice. This must be sincerely recommended if we are to be assured that a good policy is carried out. Under these circumstances, any interim cabinet so po[illegible]rly qualified should make room for a party-cabinet which is full of new vigor. However, if a party-cabinet is organized, we are afraid that the party ministers may become so engaged in electionering that they may neglect their state business, especially the urgent problems to-day. We must keep a strict vigilance in this respect.

Full Translation:

The importing of staple food has already been permitted by the Allies. However, it is dangerous to hope that that alone will tide us over the current food situation, since we must arrange for collateral for imports. In addition, crops are reported to be below average throughout all Eastern ASIA. The farmers have not yet satisfactrily turned in their quotas to the Government. The urban pop[illegible]lace is now feeling uneasy about the coming crisis. The agriculture and Forestry Ministry authorities intend to act against the emergency by effecting the monopoly of staple food to by taking certain compulsory steps, to be introduced in the first session of the Diet after the forthcoming general election. However, it will be dangerous to expect too much from this measure, since presumably a considerable quantity of the crops has already been sold illegally and there is still an absolute shortage of products. Thus, the future outlook in staple foods is quite dark.

The cultivation of 1,500,000 chobu is a grand plan indeed, but it will take three or four years before it bears results, granted that it does succeed. Under the present circumstances, no one can be patient with such easy going plan. The authorities must be well aware of this, Yet they are as busy as ever with measures and propaganda which will

- 2 -

EDITORIAL SERIES: 227 (Continued)

ITEM 3 (Continued)

cause ill feelings between urban and agrarian interests.

It is indeed to be regretted that the authorities have no real policy. Are they not aware of the treasure within the vast sea which stretches before their very eyes? Why will they not think in earnest about catching fish and shells or gathering seaweed? These are so abundant in the sea.

Once JAPAN had better days as a country rich in various products. However, the war changed the situation. Before the war, JAPAN had 354,000 fishing boats available with a total tonnage of 1,087,000, while now she has only 318,000 boats, the tonnage being 790,000. One third of these of these craft require extensive repairs. There were no fishing supplies such as crude petroleum, fishing nets, ropes, or lead during the last year. Those principal items of equipment are all imports, which require Allied permission. The authorities concerned have not yet arranged any data necessary for obtaining permission.

Everyone is well aware of the necessity of protein foods for maintaining health. Aside from deep sea fishing, which has not yet been approved, we wish to produce by coastwise fishery at least 1,200,000,000 kan-me of marine products, equivalent to the 1939 output.

Since control regulations concerning fresh fish and shells were lifted the marine products once so familiar have come to appear again on the market. However, they are so dear that the general public cannot afford to buy them. Fortunately 6683 kiloliters of crude petroleum are to be offered for three months of fishing, from January till March, by the Allies. The authorities concerned are reported to be contemplating the distribution of oil to fishermen under a system linking oil and catches. They expect a volume of 14 million kan-me of marine products per month. If the plan succeeds, it will mean a rapid increase in production.

Thanks to the war, the sea has been safe from reckless catches for the past several years. Surely we can expect that there are rich products for our fishing. The Agriculture and Forestry ministry should take a more positive attitude toward the large scale exploitation of the sea. They should strive to increase marine products, particularly such popular fish as sardines or HATA HATA (TN. Type of fish.). They also should take steps for lowering the prices of fish. The people do not care for tuna, which costs as much as 8 yen per hundred momme.

Full Translation:

The political and official group of this country are being caught is the sudden cyclonic "housecleaning" directive issued by General MacARTHUR's Headquarters ordering a clean sweep of nationalists and those who led the aggessive war. We have nothing to say to those men who intend to construe the directive to suit themselves at this critical moment in order to uphold their influence as usual. This order is the opportunity to carry out a complete change in political and official circles. In order to achieve a bloodless revolution, the Japanese people should interpret this directive strictly and clear these base persons from the political world. We are not taking advantage of the opportunity unless we do so. It is said that in accordance with the reformed Election Law, affairs have taken a turn favorable to now figures in the coming general election. It is, undeniable, however, that judging from the actual conditions in an election contest, personal capital, influence and con-

- 3 -

EDITORIAL SERIES: 227 (Continued)

ITEM 4 (Continued)

stituency are as important as over. It is true that the directive has caused a great change in influence and constituency. If newly added voters are politically awakened, now is the time of all times for new figures to advance. However the eligibility of these new figures becomes an issue. They cannot be considered qualified merely because they have not held scats in the House. Only those who have not only desirable careers but also an ardent spirit for building up a new JAPAN are needed for the betterment of the present JAPAN. Accordingly we hope many women will enter as candidates. The coming general election will be a test for the establishment of a new JAPAN. If we give up this opportunity, our hardships will endure. On the contrary, if we can make the best of this opportunity for administrative reforms, our prospects will be bright. Therefore, we must do our utmost to encourage new figures to enter the political and offical groups.

Full Translation:

The outage directive issued on 4 January by the MacARTHUR Headquarters gave the finishing touch to the task of the democratization of JAPAN. The SHIDEHARA, Cabinet, which aims to hold to the Emperor system, is making frantic efforts to reorganize and to reserve its reactionary Power. Since JAPAN accepted the POTSDAM Declaration, it must democraticize itself as rapidly as possible. Notwithstanding this pledge to the whole human race, these reactionary leaders have done everything to retard the democratization of JAPAN and to bring the nation into such a disastrous situation as is seen now.

Under this critical situation, if we allow them to remain in power, we are deemed to be ruined. The whale nation should rise to the occasion to prevent national collapse, by defeating the reactionary activities of the Cabinet and by establishing a popular government. In the midst of this crisis, the officials of the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry have started a struggle for the democratization of government offices. This is very important from the social point of view.

The present Cabinet is not founded on the people. The only foothold on which the Cabinet rests is an official system bounded by convention and authority. Therefore, booking up this foothold menaces the existence of the Cabinet. Since last year, the Government has been trying to hold superannuated, high officials in office as supports of the reactionary bureaucratic system by crafty personnel administration, taking advantage of the reorganization of the administrative system and the resultant large scale shift in personnel. Moreover, it is at the sacrifice of lower officials that the Cabinet has planned to execute a reorganization of the administrative system. The new Allied directive once defeated this scheme on the part of the Government. However, we cannot expect the directive to complete the cleaning out of government offices. The Government will surely continue its efforts to hold reactionary elements in official positions.

In addition, it is the system [illegible]ore than the personnel that should be democraticized. The feudalistic and reactionary character of Japanese officialdom has been brought about by systems and institutions which were devised as the supporting power of the Emperor system. The feudalistic hierarchy of officials of the SHINNIN (Emperor's direct appointment) to the very lowest rank is quite the same as it was in the TOKUGAWA era. This gap between different ranks made more absolute the authority of the higher officials.

- 4 -

EDITORIAL SERIES: 227 (Continued)

ITEM 5 (Continued)

In this morning, it is quite right that the official members of the ministry of Agriculture and Forestry should demand the abolition of the hierarchy and the democratization of government offices, together with the removal of reactionary elements. However, these claims will never he attained without the cooperation and support of the people. The best way to obtain popular support is to take up problems which most effectively connect them with the people.

The officials should interest themselves in such vital problems as food and inflation, and should present their measures for solution to the public for their cooperation and support. They should expose all incompetent or corrupt practices carried on by government leaders in relation to food policy. They should take the initiative in organizing the masses, going so fair as to form a combined front with the progressive elements of various civil organizations such as agricultural associations and food corporations, and to mobilize all labor and farmers' unions for the purpose of exposing hidden food supplies. On the other hand, the autonomy of town and neighborhood associations should be promoted. Thus food control by the people could be realized. The popular control of food from production to consumption is the only solution for the current food crisis. The people's struggle should be enlarged to a nation wide movement, with the object of upsetting all old institutions. We believe all progressive laborers, farmers and other workers are willing to lend their co-operative efforts. It is only the truly democratic officials who will struggle for the happiness and welfare of the people.

DISTRIBUTION "X"

- 5 -