Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0450, 1946-02-17.
Date17 February, 1946
RepositoryRauner Special Collections Library, Dartmouth College.
Call Numbereditorial-1391
Call NumberDS801 .S82
Persistent Identifier
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EDITORIAL SERIES: 450
ITEM 1 "Exposure of Hoarded Rice is Most Necessary" - Provincial Newspaper "Godo Shimbun"
(Okayama) - 6
Feb 46. Translator: H. Furukawa.
The progress of rice delivery under the Government's compulsory measure which was
opposed by all parties, shows little
improvement, consequently the food situation urban districts is approaching a dangerous
point. Under such circumstances, it is
amazing that the problem of hoarded rice remains unnoticed by the public.
The enormous amount of hoarded rice, which the Communist Party estimated at 19 million
is sufficient to feed vest numbers of
city dwellers for a long time. The present Government has been and is still reluctant
to tackle this problem under the pretext
of considerable difficulty in solvering it.
In view of the present food situation the problem can no longer be neglected. It
is most urgent for the people to establish a
certain type of organization to expose and manage the hoarded rice. The food crisis
can be easily averted by measures and
organization initiated by the people themselves, if they grasp the seriousness of
the situation and act in a legal
manner.
ITEM 2 "The Resignation of our Mayor Must be Justified" Provincial Newspaper "Yamanashi
Hinichi
Shimbun"(Kofu) - 7 Feb 46. Translator: H. Furukawa.
Summary:
Mr. NOGUCKI, mayor of the city of KOFU, resigned a few days ago because of his belief
that the now state of the country
requires a new mayor.
Some of the city councillers insisted that now mayor be elected by the newly elected,
members of the council. However, it was
agreed in the end that the mayor should be elected by the present members, because
the future prospects of the new municipal
system are still not laid down.
Whether he is elected by the present or now members of the council, it is necessary
for the new mayor to be a man of will,
trust and power. Every citizen must be deeply concerned with the choice of the now
mayor, and their will should be reflected
by it. For the above purpose, the choice of the new mayor is not necessarily limited
to one of the citizens.
ITEM 3 "Independence of each Sect of Buddhism" - Provincial Newspaper "Ehime Shimbun"
(Matsuyama) - 9 Feb
46. Translator: H. Furukawa.
Summary:
There has been a movement in religious circles aiming at the independence of each
Buddhist sect ever since Government control
of religion was abolished and freedom of religion restored.
EDITORIAL SERIES: 450 (Continued)
ITEM 3 (Continued)
This movement, however, cannot ho considered as a mere result of defeat in the war.
The various sects of Buddhism, with all the differences in their doctrines, were
combined in a coercive manner by the
Education Ministry during the war. So conflict and antagonism has continued to exist
up to the present, in suite of the
nominal cooperation between each sect. However, it is useless for these sects, to
return to their pre-war condition. Since the
doctrine of Buddhism preaches "harmony" which means in practice "peace'', they should
aim at constructing a peaceful JAPAN,
without assuming an exclusive manner towards other sects because of a difference in
doctrine.
Lastly, it is necessary that the now religious movements arise along a peaceful and
democratic line in accordance with the
independence of the existing sects.
ITEM 4 Innovation in the Reclamation of waste Land - Provincial Newspaper - Fukui
Shimbun (Fukui) - Feb
46. Translator: K. Nagatani.
Full Translation:
In order to foster a large population within narrow confines JAPAN mast increase
its food production. For this aim the
reclamation of waste land is essential. In response to the Government's decision to
launch a nation wide movement for
reclamation, our prefectural authorities have worked out a plan to create new farm
land amounting to 10,000 chobu. The plan is
scheduled to be put into effect this spring.
It is self-evident that lands which are left untilled at present demand extraordinary
reclamation efforts and will produce
very little. Accordingly, the management of these lands is a difficult undertaking.
The establishment of a new life in farming is none too easy. The aspirant mast possess
firmness and strong physical power.
Nevertheless, aspirants in farming will increase because most ex-servicemen, war-sufferers
and unemployed cannot support
themselves except by becoming farmers. However, it is very questionable whether or
not all of the aspirants will settle down,
oven if they are provided with cultivated lands and comfortable houses. It is very
difficult for those living in cities to
become good farmers. They have enjoyed, urban facilities. They have gained undue profit
by black marketeering. Therefore, the
determination of the people in cities to become farmers must be firm and unshakable.
It is also difficult for most of the aspirants to maintain their livelihood until
the day their lands begin to produce.
Moreover, it is a matter of speculation whether or not they can support themselves
as farmers as long as the present
undeveloped agricultural techniques are used. It is quite possible that as soon as
commerce and industry in cities resume
normal activity, most of those new farmers will return to the cities.
These conditions should be taken into consideration before establishing definite
measures. As long as new farmers use the
present agricultural implements, they can hardly gain sufficient produce to support
themselves. Therefore, agriculture should
be highly mechanized, and the extensive farming system introduced.
As to the form of management, it may be possible to start anew by rationally combining
private enterprises with co-operative
one[illegible]
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EDITORIAL SERIES: 450 (Continued)
ITEM 4 (Continued)
In line with these measures, farm villages should he industrialized order to products
agricultural products and utilize
surplus labor.
ITEM 5 Letter to the Press and Responsibility of writers - Provincial Newspaper -
The Fukushime-Mimpo
(Fukushima) - [illegible]146. Translator: K. Gunjiur.
Full Translation:
The press, the police, and other organs in this country have received and welcomed
letters from people concerning concealed,
commodities, suspected, war criminals, etc.
It is also reported that hundreds of such letters are sent day after day to the Allied
Supreme Headquarters, where they are
received with open arms on the ground that they do much to help SCAP in their many
investigations.
It is said, however, that there is much false information among these letters which
is fabricated to trap others. In the
countries of democracy, no one is interfered with in the publication of what he believes
to be just, except when it is
considered to disturb public order. However, it is obvious that the writers must assume
full responsibility for them.
If those who receive these incredible letters act upon them, it necessarily arouses
social unrest. Such conditions mean not
liberty, but anarchy, and are an obstacle in the way of the construction of a new
JAPAN.
Therefore, it is required that the writers take full responsibility and receivers
give deliberate consideration to these
letters. Although SCAP receives many of them, they give them their due treatment after
thorough investigations.
It is futile, then, to send, false information to them. Of course SCAP does net intend
to parish such deeds but we must think
of the fact that it does much to spoil the dignity and credit of our people.
ITEM 6 Urgent Need to Establish Democratic Principles in Education - Provincial Newspaper-The
Fukushima-Mimpo (Fukushima) - 10 Feb 46. Translator: K. Gunji.
Full Translation:
Education will play a very important part in the construction of a Democratic JAPAN,
and this is especially true of elementary
education.
Several months have already elapsed since arguments over the new Education began.
However, is the democratization of our education meeting our expectations?
We cannot but say that it is due to the negligence of the authorities concerned that
they are content with such negative
measures as suspension of lessons in fencing, and some other subjects, or the censorship
of the contents of text-books. The
national schools and young men's schools, which exorcise a most powerful influence
upon the public mind, require prompt
installation of democratic principles in education.
A fundamental reform in the young men's schools, where military
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EDITORIAL SERIES: 450 (Continued)
ITEM 6 (Continued)
drilling occupied the greater part of the time, is demanded now from all quarters.
A fundamental reform in the educational system from national schools to unversities
is also one of the important tasks.
However, we must he careful in such matters, for there are near at hand many other
reforms which must he attained
immediately.
The fundamental aim of democratic education consists in giving the whole nation on
equal opportunity to receive a thorough
fundamental education. The object of equal opportunity lies in leading everybody to
fulfill his duty as a citizen by fully
educating him.
It is hopeless, to expect the people to have a democratic way of thinking in their
political and social life without making
efforts to lead them to understand their duty and responsibility as members of a nation.
In this country, heretofore, many excellent youths could not enjoy higher education
because of lack of moans.
Such obstacles must be removed with the help of the state.
We must not expect too much from a university education, and must stress vocational
education more and more. In primary and
middle school education, new subjects of politics and citizenship must be introduced
to awaken the keen interest of young
students in democracy. It is true that democratization in JAPAN may be completed as
a matter of form after 16 or 20 years, but
genuine democracy will not come into being no matter how many years pars, unless we
strive to make people understand the
spirit of it.
DISTRIBUTION "X"
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