Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0035, 1945-11-30.

Summary:

Are farmers interested in the woman suffrage and if not what is the cause of their indifference?

All agrarian societies in about 1,200 towns and villages were polled. Only 1.6 per cent displayed any interest. The majority were quite indifferent to suffrage. The result is shown in the following table:

Some opinions were:

• 1.Women in agricultural districts are quite indifferent to politics. Few of them will demand the franchise, and those few are considered cranks and eccentrics.
• 2.Few of these women understand what woman suffrage is.
• 3.Women cannot spare the time for politics since they are busy with household matters and food production.

Only three progressive in 155 opinions urging woman suffrage were expressed. The cause of the indifference is explainable as follows:

• 1.They cannot be concerned about politics because they have no political education nor have they the opportunity for political training.
• 2.Politics in the past has been insincere and deceitful and unattractive to the women.
• 3.Their apathy is a product of the feudal family system.

Summary:

Towing the view that the question of the Privy Council reform should be studied along with the revision of the Constitution, the Government has

POLITICAL SERIES: 35 (Continued)

ITEM 2 (Continued)

begun to investigate the matter. In view of the similarity of the functions of the Privy Council and the Bureau of Legislation the former's original form appears to have become distorted. The Government believes that the Council, after the reform, should cast off its present characteristics of a legislative body and display its real nature as a consultative body. In view of the existing demand for total abolition rather than reform, however, the sailing will not be too smooth.

Mr. TSUGITA, the Chief Secretary, speaks on the question as follows:

"We admit the necessity of reform, and the Government will study the question. It is suggested that, in order to improve the Council, elder statesmen should be nominated as councillors, as in the instances of OYAMA, YAMAGATA, etc., at the time of the KATSURA Cabinet. I think it is a good idea, provided they are real elder statesmen. I believe Minister of State MATSUMOTO is considering this reform in conjunction with the Constitutional revision."

Full translation:

The Bureau of Legislation, according to Director NARAHASHI's prearranged plan, has enlarged its functions and conducts new work, such as investigating, discussing and drafting the government official system, administrative organization, and other government machinery, and examining conditions of laws and orders now in force.

For this reason the bill amending the organization of the Bureau of Legislation was decided upon at the Cabinet conference on 20 November and the personnel is increased in number in accordance with the work. The three directors of departments, one of whom was an official appointed with His Majesty's approval in the past, are all to be appointed directly by the Emperor. One secretary has been added.

Full translation:

The Justice Ministry determined to reform the judicial system on a large scale in view of various conditions arising from the war. It established an Investigation Committee for Judicial System Revision. Committeemen and extra committeemen were selected by Justice Minister IWATA, President, as follows:

Committeemen: MIYOSHI, Shigeo, vice-chief Secretary of the Cabinet; NARAHASHI, Wataru, Chief of the Bureau of Legislation; TESHIROGI, Ryukichi, parliamentary vice-Minister of the Justice Ministry; SAKANO, Chisato, vice-Minister of the Justice Ministry; Count WATANABE, Akira, parliamentary councillor of the Justice Ministry; SHIMOYAMA, Seiichi. judge; OMORI, Kota, judge; KUSANO, Hyoichiro, judge; INOUE, Noboru, judge; NAKANO, Heisuke, public prosecutor; KUROKAWA, Wataru, public prosecutor; IKEDA, Katsu, public prosecutor.

Members of the House of Peers (on the committee) are: Count TOKUGAWA Sokei; Baron WATANABE, Shuji; YALMAOKA Mannosuke; MATSUZA[illegible]A, Hiromasa; OBARA Naoshi.

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POLITICAL SERIES: 35 (Continued)

ITEM 4 (Continued)

Members of the House of Representatives (on the committee) are; KAWAKAMI, Jotaro; UEDA, Kokichi; KUYAMA, Tomoyuki; MAKINO, Ryozo; SAKUDA, Kotaro; KIYOSE, Ichiro; HITOMATSU, Teikichi.

Learned men of experience (on the committee): MINOBE, Tatsukichi; SUEHIRO, Gentaro; TAWAYANAGI, Kenzo; ONO, Seiichiro; TAKAHASHI, Yoshitsugu; TOYCHARA, Seisaku; HAYASHI, Itsuro.

Extra committeemen: SAKA, Chiaki, vice-Minister of the Home Ministry; KOIZUMI, Goro, Director of the Police Bureau of the Home Ministry; YOKOYAMA, Sukenari, member of the House of Peers; FUJINUMA, Shohei, member of the House of Peers.

Full Translation:

Mr. SANTO, Hisashi, Vice-Admiral was appointed Assistant Secretary Of The Navy as successor to Mr. TADA, Takeo. The change of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy was announced by the Cabinet on 20, November, as follows: Mr. SANTO, Hisashi, Vice-Admiral, was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Mr. TADA, Takeo, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and Mr. MATSUI, Kaichi, the local engineer, were relieved of their posts at their own requests.

Mr. SANTO, Hisashi, new Assistant Secretary of the Navy is to be appointed Vice-Minister of the Second department of Demobilization, after the abolishment of the Navy Department.

Extracts:

The Cabinet Investigation Bureau set up by former Prince HIGASHIKUNI's Cabinet will soon be supplanted by the Cabinet Deliberation Chamber. The Sub-chief Secretary of the Cabinet will preside over the Chamber, whose job will be to unify and arr[illegible]the assi[illegible]duties to each ministry of the government.

Summary:

Since it came to JAPAN The UNITED STATES Strategic Bomb Survey has been enquiring into every field of Japanese activity. Its investigation covers politics, economy, military affairs, culture, thought, and general affairs of the whole society. Studying these matters together will enable them to realize how Japanese affairs have been changing since the CHINA Incident.

To facilitate the work, the body invited many distinguished figures, such as HIROTA, Koki; Prince KONOE, Fumimaro; KIDO, Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal; Admiral NOMURA, Kiclisaburo; YAMAZAKI, former Home Minister; SHINOMURA, War Minister; UMEZU, Chief of the General Staff; YONAI, Naval Minister; and TOYODA, Chief of the Naval General Staff; and listened to their explanations.

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POLITICAL SERIES: 35 (Continued)

ITEM 7 (Continued)

Also, seven members of the UNITED STATES Strategic Bomb Survey under Doctor SPINK called on HIRANUMA, President of the Privy Council, for the same purpose. Also, FUJIWAR, Ginjiro; HOSHIMO, Naoki; and IKEDA, Seihin will be called to the headquarters of the same body.

Full Translation:

Will A Court Be Opened At TOKYO?

The Trial Of War-Criminals Expected Within Two Weeks.

According to the paper "Stars and Stripes" of the 20th, Colonel CLARK, the chief counsel of General YAMASLITA, who has been put on trial at MANILA, said that, as soon as the prosecution rested, General YAMASHITA personally would plead in court.

According to the declaration of the colonel, General YAMASHITA did not perceive the cruelty of the Japanese Army; the withdrawal of Japanese forces from MANILA was prevented by interception of their retreat route, and, concerning the management of the citizens, careful consideration was ordered given.

Laying emphasis on such facts as mentioned above, General YAMASEITA will testify. It is expected to take two weeks to the end of arguments. The American Headquarters at MANILA has stated that, concerning the trial of Mr. HONMA, Yoshiharu, Vice-general, Field-Marshal MacARTHUR did not decide whether to open the court at MANILA or at TOKYO. But Colonel CARPENTER, the director of the legal bureau, who has been investigating the war-criminals, is to return to TOKYO in the near future, to consult with Field-Marshal MacARTHUR.

After the return of the colonel, the trial of war-criminals may be opened at TOKYO within two weeks.

DISTRIBUTION "X"

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