Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0237, 1946-01-12.

Summary:

Notwithstanding the repeated proposals on the part of the Communist Party to collaborate in a united-front, the Social-Democratic Party obstinately refused the offer, and consequently, the unification of the Social-Democratic and Communist Parties proved to be virtually impossible in the present circumstances. Though the general masses are indifferent to this, there is no doubt that it will invite a grave political misfortune in the future. The greatest props and stay of Japanese feudalism - mystification of the Emperor, militarism plutocracy, and gendarmerie have all given way before the successive directives of SCAP. Thus, in outward appearances, feudalistic institutions were completely removed from the political organization. However, the feudalistic attitude of the people is deeply rooted in their minds as a natural consequence of having long been deprived of free thought.

Taking advantage of the people's lethargy, the cold political parties are going to plot again without resuming responsibility for their past. In the present state of affairs, the influence of the old parties is still firmly implanted. In order to campaign against them in the general election, the organization of a people's front, by unification of the left wing parties, is urgently required. This organization, admitting each parties' principles and policy, must be organized. The people in general have begun gradually to comorechend the Social-Democratic Party. Due to the oppressive measures in education and thought in the past the people are afraid of the Communist Party as "a scourge of humanity."

The social organization of humanity must alter according to special economic conditions prevailing in its period. In other words, human evolution is no more than a series of upheavals in the economic organization of society. So, we must, at all costs, root out the fear against change. That is why the Social Democratic Party ought to do its best to collaborate with the Communist Party with the purpose of forming a people's front. However, these who exercised influence in the decision of non-collaboration as the policy of the party were a minority of the leaders who should, infect, be called to account as war-criminals. Furthermore, the fact that the ordinary members of the party are in favor of a coalition with the Communists should not be overlooked.

As is generally known, in the last general election held by the government of President HINDENBURG under the WEIMAR Constitution, the GERMAN Social Democratic Party refused the eager invitation of the Communist Party to organize a united front. This led, in the end, to the opening of the portals to the Nazi Party and invited the letter to take the helm in state affairs. We should never follow this historical example. With this end in view, we must maintain our political awareness. The organization of a people's front is the most urgent problem in saving the Nation from the present social, economic, and political confusion.

EDITORIAL SERIES: 237 (Continued)

Summary:

Responding to the voices "only you young men can save the country", many youths of ability for their spades, left their machines suspended their studies, and rushed to the front with swords and guns, and fought valiantly. We harbor no doubt that all of you had nothing but burning patriotism with no feeling of individual benefit and egoism in your hearts. However, victory took the opposite side in the war and we now face miserable defeat. Some of you, we are sure, are very indignant at the misguidance by the high leaders; some lament the corruption of the people since the war, and some feeling angry at the indifference of the masses towards you. Thus, some of you have become either misanthiopic or rebellious.

However, young men, meditate for some moments the past and future of our country. You must realize that the future of the country will be good or bad in accordance with your efforts. Whether or not JAPAN's resurrection will be hastened, and our decendants prosperous, will be decided by your activities, Moreover, the way opened before you is boundless and the stage for your activities as broad as the sky.

With the realization of democracy, you will be, given complete freedom to study whatever subjects you prefer, to make public whatever opinions you harbor and the right to participate in political. You will become an independent social bring able t[illegible]judge be yourself and able to act freely. You will never be ordered to work arbitrarily. If young men like you study social affairs and go forward to improve conditions, and if you combine with several tons or hundreds and take up a positive campaign the realization of genuine democracy plus the political, economic, and moral rehabilitation of JAPAN will be brought about swiftly and easily.

An old proverb says "A loyalist comes from a disorganized country as a filial son from a poor family. Out of the present confusion, during which the rise or fall of our country will be fated, many a young man, we are sure, will spring up and endeavor to build up a new, peaceful JAPAN. We sincerely hope that this will be realized in the near future.

Full Translation:

A. My impression at the beginning of this year.

An epoch-making rescript was issued at the beginning of this year, and many persons were received in audience by His Majesty the Emperor, according to the news. Above all, I saw a photograph of him dressed in plain clothes. I felt a warm spring breeze in my heart. We, the people, still have, our Emperor even in defeat. The Emperor, too, still has his people in defeat. As we know, there are not a few who demand the abolition of the Emperor system. However, I believe that our country will not, with the Emperor, take so long a time to overcome the present difficulties and rise as one of the peace-loving and respectable nations in the world- with a democratic administration, to be established by mutual confidence and veneration between the Emperor and the people.

If the Emperor is divine and merely a figurehead to be placed on the shelf for the gods, we do not necessarily require his existence. In reality, however, he is on the same level as any human being. He is an affectionate father of the people, and he exists always in the

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EDITORIAL SERIES: 237 (Continued)

ITEM 3 (Continued)

people's hearts. Such an existence of the Emperor is absolutely inseparable from the people's life. It depends upon the mental attitude of both the Emperor and the people whether the Emperor system will become the motivating power or an obstacle for the democratization of JAPAN.

When he was the Crown Prince and went abroad. I recall how intimate and familiar feelings grow between the Prince and the people. It was not long before he succeeded to the throne. Those who were attending the throne separated him from the people in order to utilize his existence for their unlawful ambitions.

In the days of his regency, after he returned home from abroad, I saw him in an automobile, taking off his straw hat in a condescending greeting to the people. In contrast to this, I could not but feel a sense of the ridiculous upon looking at the guard which was maintained so strictly whenever he went out of doors after his accession to the throne. Then the people, who were anxious to see him, were driven away far behind the road, on which his automobile passed. They were not allowed even to see him. Since that time, it may be said that he was no more our Emperor. He was set in a position far from the people's hearts.

I believe that he does not want, to wield such great authority as was possessed by the rulers of the feudal ages. Nevertheless, even now there is a certain circle of people who are acting on behalf of the old forces. They are absorbed in protecting their own privileges by imposing an enormous authority upon the Emperor. The true villains of the Emperor system are those of the old school, rather than the Communists, who are crying for the abolition of the Emperor system. To set both the Emperor and the people at liberty, in the true sense of the word, should be the first step to be taken to maintain our national polity, which rust be complete.

It is a welcome when [illegible]non for the establishment of democracy in JAPAN that the Emperor system has come to be discussed actively. The existing Emperor system is much too feudalistic. Excluding a certain group of superstitious men who believe in the mission of JAPAN, no one can stand for it. Even these who wish the Emperor system to be continued are bound to come out against its divinity and its unlimited privileges.

How should JAPAN react under the present circumstances? I think that not only should feudalistic elements, but also all the remnants of the feudal ages, be shaken off in order to lay the foundations for our reconstruction upon intelligence and rationalism without hindrances.

The Emperor system, if it is to be continued, should be radically amended and restricted, because it is an existence representative of the feudalistic, reactionary elements still remaining in JAPAN. In this connection, I hope the authorities promptly take some measures in the wording which is used concerning the Emperor and his family. Not only is it feudalistic, but it is fit to be called a relic of prehistoric times. The word "graciously" is used from the beginning, and the succeeding sentences are full of "ON". (an honorific word in the Japanese language). This can be considered a characteristic instance of the feudalism which still remains in JAPAN. Such wording should be abolished immediately.

Some of those who support the Emperor System say that as the obstacles between the Emperor and the people have been removed since the end of the war, they have come to entertain more familiar feelings towards the Emperor. However, I think, the greater part of them feel inwardly irritated at the considerably wide gap which, still exists between the Emperor and the people.

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EDITORIAL SERIES: 237 (Continued)

Full Translation:

Since the abolition of control on perishable provisions and daily necessities, the supply of these commodities has been increased, but the price of these goods has risen immensely, and the consumers are forced to face the difficulty of living caused by this sudden rise in price. "There are plenty of goods, but prices are too dear", is the true voice of the consumers recently. An ample supply encourages the consumers' desire to purchase. Thus, a price which is already too dear is raised again and again, until most buyers have to recall with longing past days of economic controls when they could got goods cheaply at the authorized price under a distribution system.

Indeed it is natural that prices of commodities should have risen suddenly much higher than the former authorized prices, and the prides of some kinds of goods should go down below the former black market prices. On the other hand, however, it is also true that the prices of some perishable foods have jumped higher than the black market prices in the days of price control. Consequently some people wish for the revival of economic control, attributing, this sudden rise in prices to the abolition of controls, but it is a view fundamentally unsound to regard the sudden rise in price as the result of the abolition of price control.

Of course the abolition of control on commodities aims at increasing production and at promoting supply. Generally speaking, this aim can be called a successful one because it is proved by the fact that aside from some special kinds of provisions, a great deal of products manufactured a long time ago and hidden during the war have appeared on the market. Therefore the issue remains in view of the fact that the price has risen suddenly in comparison with the former authorized price.

Nevertheless, the inadequacy of attributing, this sudden rise in price merely to the abolition of control is easily comprehended, if we compare the present situation with the ease of wartime control. In both cases the supply of goods might decrease and a nominal quantity, not enough to fill our needs would be distributed to us at comparatively low price.

The black market price would rise several times as high as that, at present, and the consumers would nay more than they do today to get what they need. Indeed the most fundamental point in reducing prices is the increase of supply, which can be attained only by the abolition of control except in the case of some special goods. It is also true that since abolition of control the supply of many kinds of commodities has increased.

Hence, this simple reason may not be sufficient to explain why prices do not fall in spite of an increased supply. This phenomenon, however, may be caused by such factors as inadequate transportation facilities, the recent peculiar trend of changing money into goods, and careless or too early abolition of controls. One of the most essential causes is not in this lack of planning but in the fact that notwithstanding the abolition of price control, there remains production, collection, and distribution still semi-controlled. Moreover, the commercial organization, at present, has not yet emerged from its dependent status, and under such a paralyzed commercial condition, we cannot expect stabilization of commodity prices.

We have already mentioned the difficulty of avoiding a temporal economic confusion after the abolition of control. We must now seek the real cause which hinders the reduction in prices to another source, since the goods supply, the fundamental element in price reduction, has increased. Accordingly, those daily necessities whose production can-

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not be expected to increase after the abolition of control, should be kept controlled as in the past, but if we restore control on all goods indiscriminately, taking only a superficial condition into consideration, the situation will be reversed.

MacARTHUR's directive, retaining controls on daily necessities, does not always mean to revive such control as in the past. We must bear in mind that MacARTHUR's Headquarters once clearly stated that control is a final measure to meet an emergency.

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