Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0040, 1945-12-01.

Full translation:

At the regular Vice-Minister meeting on 19 November, MATSUSHIMA Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, stated that local liaison offices are to be established at six places; namely, KAYA, FUKUOKA, TATEYAMA, WAKEYAMA, NAGOYA, and MATSUYAMA. Consequently, there will be fourteen local liaison offices in all, including the eight already established at SAPPORO, YOKOHAMA, YOKUSUKA, KYOTO, OSAKA, SENDAI, SASEBO, and KURE.

Full translation:

Requests from representatives of certain prefectures in Central JAPAN to the present Extraordinary Session of the Diet included the following:

FUJII, Iemon (KAGANO prefecture): 1. Prompt reconversion of military training grounds and maneuver areas into farmland; 2. Transfer of land to demobilized servicemen in order to accelerate their return to the farms, and prompt measures for allocating agricultural implements to them; 3. Concentration of manpower on soil cultivation and on engineering, public works, river improvement and flood control; 4. Provide measures for increasing cocoon production and, 5. Promote prompt revival of silk manufactures by restoring factories in this prefecture for increase in the production of silk.

KODAIRA, Sonichi (NAGANO prefecture): 1. Rather than have every class subject to the double rice price, only the salaried class should be under its regulations and, 2. Agricultural implements must be distributed through agricultural societies.

MURASAWA, Yoshijiro (ISHIKAWA prefecture): "AS soon as hostilities ceased, I forwarded my resignation because I felt my war responsibility keenly. However, the Chairman of the House of Representatives advised me to withdraw it. I refused, and my resignation should go through. I have many requests of the Government. Among these, two are of prime importance: One is the prompt abolition of rice and wheat control; the other, the defense of the Imperial System. If the controls over sales of rice and wheat are abolished and those commodities are sold on a free market, the price of these will be raised 1,500-1,600 yen per koku above present prices, but I hope that the retail price for the general public will be lowered to approxomately the official price of the present day. I have but one request of the

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POLITICAL SERIES: 40 (Continued)

ITEM 2 (Continued)

Diet session, and that is that members of parliament resign in a body before the session dissolves and amplify their responsibility for the war."

AOYAMA, Kenzo (ISHIKAWA prefecture): Chief subjects for discussion by the Cabinet in this Diet session are the reforms of the Constitution and the election law. Constitutional reform must be initiated not by the present members of parliament but by those who serve as representatives in the next Diet. Nevertheless, the Imperial System must remain in existence. Neither must reform of the election law be a mere imitation of Anglo-American procedure, but it is desirable that it be purely Japanese, based on the family system of JAPAN. We must avoid any other variety of election law.

NAKAWANA, Kanji (TOYAMA prefecture): 1. Remodel the Diet as soon as possible and give priority to rebuilding JAPAN; 2. A more virile government is necessary in order to realize thorough democracy and, 3. Bold action on such new policies as the abolition of the Peerage System and the forced sale of land must be effected.

ŌISHI, Seiji (TOKAMA prefecture): The revival of defeated JAPAN depends upon the activities of farmers, so that any policy directed toward the elevation of the farmer's standard of living must be resolute. The Diet most regain its courage and, for the defense of the peace and the people's rights, boldly state its opinion.

MIZUTAWI, Chōraburo (KYŌTO prefecture): "The JAPAN Social Party is the spokesman of the masses and advocates democracy, socialism and pacifism, respectively in the political, economic and international circles. Toward the realization of these principles, we must first acquire political freedom for the people and must establish the democratic system firmly. It is true that the JAPAN Liberal Party, led by HATOYAMA, and other political bodies are advocating democracy and pacifism, but they are opposed to a planned economy. Our political party is the only one that advocates such an economy."

KATO, Kozo (SHIZUOKA prefecture): "All farming areas except those whose owners are enforcedly absent must be opened to the public. I have already drawn up a plan for opening up all farm land. I think that five chōku of farming area is too much for one yeoman and three chōku is more suitable. With regard to the election law, we can expect no results until women and young men complete their study of it. Right now is the time when women must rise in a body as political reformers."

YAMAGUOHI Chugoro (SHIZUOKA prefecture): "Enforcement of the yeomanry system, which was provided for in he Agricultural Bill, is of course proper. At present, however, while morale is bad, the root of the revival of new JAPAN seems to be in the reestablishment of farmers' morale. There are many problems for us, among them the appropriate allotment of the delivery of rice, wheat, etc, and impartial distribution of fertilizers.

NOBUMASA, Yoshio (SHIMA prefecture): "Government assertion that at present distribution of three go of rice per day is absolutely impossible and that food will be exhausted by May, was tempered by the contention that we will be able to import rice or flour from foreign countries. Present day politics must take a positive stand. The

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ITEM 2 (Continued)

increase in distribution of staple foods is desired by all. The farmer may be permitted to hold rice when he has less than other farmers. Otherwise it should he delivered to the markets.

HIRONO, Kikutaro (SHICA prefecture): 1. Prompt Government regulation of loans, debts and wartime subsidies. In this execution, people must cooperate with the Government in rebuilding the economic system; 2. Increase the distribution of staple foods and accelerate the import of foreign rice; 3. To speed up rice deliveries, the Government will have as its only weapon its appeal to the instinctive brotherly love on the part of the peasants. At present the latter are not patriotic. This is due to the inability of the bureaucracy to gain their confidence. By making use of men of ability and authority in their particular localities, the Government can guide the [illegible]anary and, 4. Present circulation of banknotes amounting to 4,300 million yen would result in a chaotic condition were an attempt made to change them into new yen. Therefore, it is more advisable that the Government stamp each note twice with a special stamp and impose a twenty to thirty per cent on any exchanges.

Extracts:

It has now become a public debate as to what Members of Parliament should be charged with war guilt. In view of this fact, it is a matter of keen interest to learn that the Socialist and Liberal Parties are going to introduce a joint proposal at the Diet session, requesting the dismissal of those Members who played leading roles in the Diet during the war and those responsible for running the last election, which took place under the auspices of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association.

The fact was that on 17 November, the Liberal Party held a committee meeting to formally [illegible]on the proposal, while at the same time the Socialist Party was also working out a proposal to the same effect. KONO, [illegible]sader of the Liberal Party, and NISHIO Suehiro, of the Socialist Party, both representing their respective parties, met on 25 November and made a final decision to draft the proposal through a committee representing both parties and submit it to the Speaker before 26 November. It is further expected that the representatives of the two parties will ask for the agreement of other parties at the meeting of the commissioners of various parties to be held on 26 November. In view of the present political situation, the result is of great interest. From the purely theoretical point of view, there is no doubt as to what attitude should be taken toward the proposal. But the Progressive party holding an absolute majority in the Diet with 250 out of a total of 466 seats, will face a critical moment in deciding whether or not to accept it, owing to the fact that the party consists of persons of conflicting interests. Furthermore, the attitude of the neutrals, who hold little more than a hundred seats, is to be watched.

At any rate, it is our conclusion that the situation in the House of Representatives at present will result in a serious clash between various [illegible]regarding the proposal and the spotlight is focusing on the attitude of the Progressive Party.

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POLITICAL SERIES: 40 (Continued)

At the public trial of General YAMASHITA on 24 November, the following testimonies concerning food problems were given by Captain ISHIWATARI, Kikuo, and Major General YOSHIRA, Koichi, who were chiefs of the Japanese transport corps at the time when MANILA was in the hands of Japanese forces.

The following is the testimony of Captain ISHIWATARI: "The American submarines which attacked and sank Japanese vessels transporting rice to the PHILIPPINES should bear the responsibility for the inadequate diets of American prisoners of war in the Philippines. This lack of food should not be attributed to the cruelty of the Japanese forces."

The following is the testimony of Major General YOSHIRA: "The food situation in the PHILIPPINES became so desperate because of the American naval blockades that the dally rations served to Japanese soldiers was reduced to 100 grams, and the quantity of food given the war prisoners, though mixed with grasses, was not really below the level of that of the soldiers.

The food supply for LUZON Island from December of last year to January of this year was actually stopped, despite an appeal to FRENCH INDO-CHINA for rice supplies. Importation was not possible because of air and sea blockade by the American Forces. Consequently, General YAMASHITA was much concerned with food problems. He once said that he hoped war prisoners were getting the full amount of their rations."

Distribution "X"

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