Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0022, 1945-11-26.
Date26 November, 1945
RepositoryRauner Special Collections Library, Dartmouth College.
Call Numberpolitical-0094
Call NumberDS801 .S85
Persistent Identifier
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POLITICAL SERIES: 22
ITEM 1 Revision of Election Law the Focus of Deliberation; Indispensable Bills only
at Special Diet
Session - Mainichi Shimbun - 15 Nov 45. Translator: A. Kido.
Extract:
The first special session under the SHIDEHARA Cabinet will convene on the 26th for
18 days. The Government policy on the
reconstruction of JAPAN will be classified and important bills for revision of the
House of Representatives Election Law,
Labor Union Law, and others will be submitted. The newly organized JAPAN Progressive
Party, JAPAN Liberal Party, and JAPAN
Socialist Party will undoubtedly make known their position on these matters.
The outstanding feature is the bill for revising the election law, which, together
with the general election, will fix the
political trend of New JAPAN and decide the fate of he representatives. Therefore,
vigorous debates on the bills are expected
to take place. In drafting the bills, the Government had acted in close cooperation
with the parties, but in view of the
differing policies, feverish debate is inevitable. Heated controversies are also expected
on the problem of revising the
Constitution.
The Government has determined to ask the Throne, upon expiration of the session and
passage of the Election Law Revision Bill
and other proposed bills, to dissolve the Diet meeting, thus effecting a general election.
Bills for discussion will be
restricted to a bill for revising the Election Law for members of the House of Representatives,
a bill for abolishing those
laws included in the Imperial Ordinance in compliance with the directive issued by
the Supreme Command of the Allied Powers,
and an urgent bill concerning democratization in political, economic, and social fields.
New bills, such as bills concerning labor union and so forth, will be few. Bills
scheduled for submission to the Diet by each
Ministry are roughly, as follows:
- 1.Cabinet: 1. A bill asking for approval of orders issued in connection with the acceptance of the POTSDAM Declaration.
- 2.Bills related to the abolition of the General Mobilization Law.
Home Ministry: Bill for revising election law.
Finance Ministry: Bill for controlling assets.
Justice Ministry: Bill for abolishing war-time exceptions in the Court of Justice
statute.
- 1 -
POLITICAL SERIES: 22 (Continued)
ITEM 1 (Continued)
Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry: Farmland adjustment bill.
The platform of the JAPAN Progressive Party, holding a majority in the House of Representatives,
implies the following:
- 1.Protection of the national structure, construction of democracy, and establishment of a responsible policy centering around the Diet.
- 2.Respect for individual liberty and complete dignity of man, and contributions to establishing world peace and the welfare of mankind.
- 3.Ensuring the existence of the whole nation by setting up a new economic and industrial system aimed at industrial prosperity and equitable distribution of products.
ITEM 2 Implementing Imperial Rule - Mainichi Shimbun - 16 Nov 45. Translator: H. Naoji.
Extract:
Mr. HIRANUMA, chairman of the Privy Council, stated his opinions on the 15th concerning
the important problems of the Emperor
System, the abolition of the office of Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, the Reform of
the Privy Council, and others as follows:
- 1."1. We must let Japan return to its original form of rule in which the Emperor and the nation are directly united.
- 2.The office of Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal should be abolished in the future but the command of the Imperial Seal and the Seal of State, which are important trusts of the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, can be handled by the present institution.
- 3.The Privy Council must be reformed and its number reduced. It must also be able to perform its original functions."
The following is a summary of the rest of Mr. HIRANUMA'S talk:
The democratization of our country means that we must implement the Imperial Policy.
This is the true form of our
government—one Emperor over all the nation. It is necessary for us to do our utmost
to regain this form. At no tern in our
history can we find a despotic Emperor. Tin Emperor's policies have always been for
the benefit of the people. When this war
broke out, Imperial wisdom was overcome by a feudalistic system of militarism leading
to the downfall of our country.
Democracy in JAPAN means a return to the original form of government in which the
Emperor was assisted by the people in
determining his policies. This form of government is not sufficiently comprehended
in AMERICA, but I think it is slowly coming
to be understood there that the only true foundation for democracy in JAPAN is through
Imperial rule, guided by the will of
the people.
"What shall be the disposition of the office of Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal? This
problem is very important. I think that
the office will, at some time in the near future, be abolished, but it is difficult
to say exactly when.
- 2 -
POLITICAL SERIES: 22 (Continued)
ITEM 2 (Continued)
"There are also other questions "What to do with the command of the Imperial Seal
and the Seal of State? These ore important
trusts of the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal. The counter signature of the Lord Keeper
of the Privy Seal is required in case of
the appointment or dismissal of a minister of the Imperial Household. I believe that
it will be better to depend on the
existing institution rather than to create a new government organization for the solution
of this problem.
At present, the Privy Council is not in its original form. We must, at any cost,
improve the Council and make it an
institution that is able to serve the Throne and answer the requests of His Majesty,
the Emperor. There is the question of
whether or not the number serving in the Privy Council should be changed. The late
Count ITO, Miyeji believed that in order to
consult public opinion properly the number must be increased. But when we consider
the present condition of our country, it
would seem that a reduction is in order in favor of fewer but more capable men."
ITEM 3 How to Report Misconduct of Occupying Forces - Asahi Shimbun - 16 Nov 45. Translator:
J
Weiller.
Extract:
Sergeant Carl EIBARD, of the UNITED STATES Army Military Police, delivered a lecture
on 14 November at the Metropolitan Police
Office. His talk was entitled, Police Procedure in America. In the discussion following,
he stated: "At present, behavior
around TOKYO is, generally speaking, not up to standard. If any of the Occupying Forces
misbehave, note well the color of the
piping on the cap and all markings on the sleeve, and report the damage. Motor car
accidents may increase in the future. In
such a case, if the vehicle involved is a jeep, report the number under the windshield
on the engine hood and on the side and
rear of the body."
ITEM 4 The Progressive Party of JAPAN to Hold Inauguration Meeting Today - Asahi Shimbun
- 16 Nov 45.
Translator: H. Kato.
Summary:
The JAPAN Progressive Party will hold its inauguration meeting in the MARUNOUCHI
building on 16 November. The proceedings of
the meeting were decided at the general committee meeting on 15 November.
Mr. SAITO, Takeo chairman, will introduce Mr. NAKAMURA, Umekichi, who will deliver
the opening address. Mr. Minoru TOGO will
then discuss party organizational matters. Following that, Mr. HANADA, Takeshiro will
formally announce the name of the party
and its principles, after which Mr. ITO, Gorowill read the declaration of principles
and Mr. TAKAHASHI. Shuhei will explain
its immediate policies.
The remainder of the program will consist of the election of chairman, a chief secretary,
a chairman of the committee for
Formulating Policy, directors of the party, and others.
The chair will be taken alternately by about 10 staff members of the committee for
the present. An additional 30 or 40
permanent members and 20 or 30 staff members will be elected.
- 3 -
POLITICAL SERIES: 22 (Continued)
ITEM 5 The last struggle of the Ultra Militarists - Tokyo Shimbun - 16 November 45.
Translator: J.
Weiller.
Full translation:
At 1045 at night on 14 August 1945, a historic council was opened in the presence
of the Emperor. The meeting was initiated by
His Majesty. All ministers of state, and military and naval chiefs were present.
YABE, The Chief of Business Affairs bureau of the JAPAN Broadcasting Society, was
informed by telephone that, as the Emperor's
voice would be recorded at once, he should proceed to the Palace with recording equipment.
YABE, accompanied by several other
officials and technicians, went to the Palace, At the same time, air raid sirens were
blasting all over TOKYO.
The Cabinet decided on a plan and adjourned at midnight.
His Majesty, accompanied by the Minister of the Imperial Household ISHIWATARI, and
Lord Chamberlain FUJITA, went into the
recording room, where the Emperor read the edict for the termination of the war. Two
records were cut.
The Emperor's announcement was scheduled to be broadcast at noon on 15 August. The
discs were left in the Palace that night.
They were to be taken to the studio the next morning. At 1:30 in the morning YABE
and the others left the Palace and
approached SAKASHITA Gate. There they were stopped by a group of armed soldiers. The
young officer in charge ordered YABE and
the others to drive to NIJUBASHI, the front entrance of the palace.
In the guard room they found CHIMOMUHA, Chief of the Intelligence Bureau, and two
other officials, YABE knew for the first
time that the armed soldiers advocated "resistance to the last."
Then 350 B-29's flew over TOKYO and raided the TAKASAKI and KUMAGAYA districts.
The guardhouse was surrounded by soldiers with bayonets. Conversation in the room
was absolutely forbidden. After a while
several young officers of the Guard appeared and asked YABE the whereabouts of the
records. The latter quietly denied any
knowledge of them. On hearing the answer, an unnamed Major of the guard used the phone
to order a search for the records. He
then told YABE to accompany him to the recording room. YABE found the road to the
recording room lined by guards with rifles,
bayonets, and machine guns. However, the door to the recording room was locked.
The Major questioned YABE and the others about the location of the records. He demanded
that ARAKAWA, chief technician of the
broadcasting station, accompany him to the studio. It is believed that he intended
to stop the broadcast at the last
moment.
After further questioning, the officers in charge of the armed guard decided YABE
and the others did not have the records and
did not know where they were, so they released the men and allowed them to go home.
- 4 -
POLITICAL SERIES: 22 (Continued)
ITEM 6 Konoe announces Constitutional Revision - Asahi Shimbun - 16 Nov 45. Translator:
A. Kido.
Summary:
Abolition of the position of Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal will take place at the
end of the month. The following is a
description of the part played by Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal.
Prince KONOE, since his appointment as a court official to Lord Keeper of the Privy
Seal, has been occupied with a preparatory
investigation on Constitutional Revisions with the result that a definite plan has
now been completed. Prince KONOE,
therefore, is going to report to the Throne on about the 20th on revising the Constitution.
Only the outline of the revision
will be revealed, and subsequently Prince KONOE is expected to be relieved of his
post as a court official.
The abolition of the position of Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal will probable take
place in the last ten days of November. Then
the office, which has long acted as a liason organ between the Throne and the Diet,
and has had an outstanding role in forming
cabinets, declaring war, bringing peace, and so on, will come to an end.
ITEM 7 Creation of National Liberation Union by the Communist Party - Asahi Shimbun
- 16 Nov 45.
Translator: K. Murakami.
Summary:
The Nippon Communist Party, advocating the formation of a popular front, decided
to form the National Liberation Union in
various districts as a means of facilitating action. The Communist Party will, through
this union, call on the Socialist
Party, labor unions, farmer's unions, the Korean's League, the Cultural Federation
and other bodies and persons for a united
front. Some preparatory committees of the union have already been formed at TOKYO,
OSAKA, KOBE, KYOTO, TOTTORI, and
KOCHI.
At present, the Communist Party does not go beyond its two-point program, 1) Overthrow
of the. Emperor, 2) Establishment of a
Republican Government by the people, in order to encourage every body and party to
join the Union.
The party also points to the following goals: dissolution of antidemocratic bodies,
exact punishment of war criminals,
shortening of working hours, establishment of minimum wage system, raising of wages,
unconditional forfeiture of illegally
owned property and its free distribution to farmers, reduction or abolition of farm
rent, opposition to acquisition of large
tracts be landowners, public control of food and essential goods, guarantee of residence
rights, and opposition to
militaristic and imperialistic law and education system.
It is remarkable that the party has changed its former policy to a more practical
one. According to recent statements, its
fundamental tenets state: "We do not utterly refute capitalism; workers must increase
production rather than strike and will
definitely support a democratic cabinet under the Emperor."
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