Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0042, 1945-12-01.
Date1 December, 1945
translation numberpolitical-0166
call numberDS801 .S85
Persistent Identifier
POLITICAL SERIES: 42
ITEM 1 Miyamoto, Communist Leader's. Statement - Mainichi Shimbun - 27 Nov 45. Translator: H. Naoji.
Extracts:
"In the MEIJI Restoration, the Emperor System became real power for the first time
in the long history of JAPAN. It became the
origin of our capitalism, so we must knock out the capitalistic system with the Emperor
system and the war criminals," said
MIYAMOTO, Communist Party spokesmen. At the first lecture-meeting of political parties
in our country, which was opened for a
four day conference starting 26 November at the lecture hall of TOKYO Industry University.
MIYAMOTO stressed the following
points.
We intend to hold the fourth Communist general meeting in the middle part of December.
The idea of communism has been
thoroughly distorted in our country, so we intend to state our Communist Party platform.
Subsequently SUZUKI, Shigesaburo, Socialist Party member, stated his opinion as follows.
"The complete democratic revolution in JAPAN will be carried out only by the proletariat
end after a revoulution. Imperial
rights will be limited. In this case the British system can be referred to as an example.
ITEM 2 Notes on the Diet ([illegible]) - Tokyo Shimbun - 27 Nov 45. Translator: J. Weiller.
Extract:
Mentally and spiritually old, taking a new job which is beyond their comprehension,
and wondering how to go about it, the
members of the Diet and the Government are unable to take a definite stand towards
the various reform bills based on
democratic ideas. If we view the session with the idea that in order to build up a
democratic JAPAN we must follow the present
course, we may better be able to understand present events.
The Shidehara Cabinet, containing many conservative elements, expected to last only
until the general election. The majority
of the Diet members co-operated with the TOJO Cabinet, and it can be justly said that
the whole body should retire from the
scene so as to make it clean from war responsibility.
If we study the members psychology we may find that among those who applauded the
war reports there must be a considerable
number who, for the sake of self-preservation, followed TOJO against their conscience,
while on the other hand there must be
some who, having
POLITICAL SERIES: 42 (Continued)
ITEM 2 (Continued)
supported the TOJO Cabinet suddenly realized their mistake when the militarists'
crimes became apparent and are genuinely
decided to help build a peaceful JAPAN.
We cannot, of course, unconditionally pronounce "not guilty" on these men. "Do not
hesitate to correct yourself" said an
ancient sage. We prosecute the war-guilty but it is for no other purpose than to build
a new JAPAN. So what we have to ask
these gentlemen is that some of them should on this occasion frankly confess their
intentions before the nation, while the
others should plead guilty of cowardice and endeavor to construct a democratic JAPAN.
As to how the present session will develop, future events will tell, but should the
members forget that the construction of a
new JAPAN is the supreme problem, the consequence will be dire. The people will no
longer be deceived by a mere mask of
democracy, and every single action in the Diet will be closely watched by the now-awakening
nation.
ITEM 3 Supreme Power of Emperor Will Be Reduced - Mainichi Shimbun - 27 Nov 45. Translator: T. Hideo.
Summary:
A general conclusion concerning the revision of the constitution was reached by the
Constitution Revision Committee at its
general meeting Saturday, and Committee members will submit draft of the revision
to MATSUMOTO, State Minister Without
Portfolio by 17 December. Thus the Revision Bill, which is to be completed about the
middle of next January, will be presented
to the next Extraodinary Diet Session, composed of newly elected representatives.
The present constitution was drawn up in the Meiji Era. It consists of 6 chapters
mainly concerned with protecting and
strengthening the Supreme Power of the Emperor. Such an undemocratic constitution
is expected to be greatly improved by the
revision.
The purport of the revision may be summorized as follows: The Supreme Power of the
Emperor will be reduced to a considerable
extent in all phases. Articles 1 to 4 providing that our country should eternally
be under the sovereignty of the Emperors in
a line unbroken for ages, will be deleted. Article 9, giving the Emperor the power
to issue orders to maintain public peace
and order and to promote the welfare of the subjects without the approval of the Diet,
will be abolished. The Emperor's
supreme command and military powers are to be eliminated. War declarations and the
conclusion of the treaties of peace or any
other international treaty, will henceforth require the approval of the Diet. In particular,
the so-called Emergency Power,
which abrogates individual liberties, is to be abolished in order to protect the people's
freedom. Thus, the supreme power of
the Throne will be restricted in all phases, while on the other hand, the people's
various rights, regulated in Chapter 2, may
be guaranteed through an express provision in the revised constitution.
The organization of the House of Peers, which is composed of Imperial Princes, Peers,
and other members nominated by His
Majesty will be reformed so that the number of peer members may be diminished. The
Government intends to complete the bill
regarding this reform in next year's Diet session.
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POLITICAL SERIES: 42 (Continued)
ITEM 3 (Continued)
In the phase of the finance anent the last chapter of the constitution, the reserve
fund, whose use was covered with secrecy
during war time faces abolition. Article 70 on the emergency control of finance, and
Article 8, on the Emergency Imperial
Ordinances, will be abolished, because these articles restrict the authority of the
Diet
ITEM 4 The Plans of Administration Readjustment - Tokyo Shimbun - 27 Nov 45. Translator: S. Sano.
Summary:
At the coning Administration Readjustment Committee meeting (GYO SEI SEIRI I IN[illegible]KAI) the following
will be discussed.
- 1.The new establishment of the Department of Water Administration (SUISEI SHO) (temporary name) - Anticipating the shortage of industrial materials because of the war and future reparations, the construction of 8000 more dams in various parts of the country must be promoted. The Public Works Bureau in the Home Ministry and the Electric Bureau in the Commerce and Industry Ministry are to be combined into a new department
- 2.The Welfare Ministry - Owing to the establishment of the War Rehabilitation Board (SENSAI FUKKO IN). There remains only the Labor and Sanitary section in this Ministry. Those will be transfered to the Home Ministry.
- 3.The reinvestigation of the Foreign Ministry - Owing to the directive on the suspension of deplomatic relations, the present Foreign Ministry is almost defunct. The ministry in the future may be placed under the Government like the State Department in America.
- 4.The Restoration of the Ministry of Communications the object here is to raise the status of the present Communication Bureau under the Government.
- 5.The War and Navy Ministries - These will be replaced by the First and Second Demobilization Ministries on 1 December.
ITEM 5 Formation of (NOHUNTO) Agrarian Party ([illegible]) - Tokyo Shimbun - 28 Nov 45. Translator: J. Weiller.
Extracts:
The preparations for forming an Agrarian Party have been going on for sometime, cantering
round MIYATA, Mitsuo ex-chief of the
Metropolitan Police Board, present chief of its General headquarters, and a member
of the House of Peers. Now that they have
decided on the platform they are shortly to hold an inauguration ceremony.
An independent political party will be formed in each prefecture whose combined and
central league will be called The Japanese
Agrarian League. The objective is to found the nation on an agricultural basis. In
its platform stress is placed on the
protection of private ownership of property establishment of peasant ownership by
a great change in the agricultural land
system, fundamental revision of the centralization systems, etc.
ITEM 6 Reform of Agrarian System Will Be The Focus Of Discussion In The Diet - Tokyo Shimbun - 28 Fov 45. Translator: N. Tachibana.
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POLITICAL SERIES: 42 (Continued)
ITEM 6 (Continued)
Full Translation:
The 89th Extraordinary Session of the Diet was organized on 26 November and its opening
ceremony was held on the 27th.
Preliminary sessions will open on 28 November in both House of Representatives and
the House of Peers. Following Premier
SHIDEHARA's address outlining his administrative policies, representatives of each
party will be permitted to question the
Premier's policies and the Election Law Revision Bill, latter is the most important
bill of the current session and will he
introduced in the House of Representatives on the same day. Deliberation of this bill
will be formally inaugerated on 29
November by the special committee.
In addition, two very important bills, the Labor Union Bill and Agrarian Reform Bill,
will be laid before the Diet. Heated
discussion is expected on these three important bills, which form the foundation stones
in the construction of a Democratic
Japan. They constitute important pieces of social legislation, which heralds a socio-economic
revolution in Japan.
The fundamental principles of the Election Revision Law and Labor Union Bills will
be retained and the bills will be passed as
drafted after a few minor revisions.
The Agrarian Reform Bill, however, will undoubtedly face much opposition due to the
severity of the blow its enactment would
deal the landed aristocracy found in districts still functioning under the semi-feudal
field system. Landowner mouthpieces
found in each of the parties will oppose the measure violently.
On the other hand, there seem to be objections against the bill due to ideological
considerations. Therefore, the focus of
discussion in the current session of the Diet will lie in the Agrarian Reform Bill.
If, by some chance, the Diet should dare
veto the Bill, the Government will dissolve the Diet and appeal to public opinion
for a decision. Should the Diet be dissolved
over the Bill heated discussion may be anticipated.
Under such circumstances the Socialists and Communist Parties will presummably gain
an advantage. On the other hand, the
Liberal and Progressive Parties, placed in a position of disadvantage, will, perhaps,
secure passage of the bill by revising
it to some extent. Inevitably, the Agrarian Reform Bill will raise much discussion
and controversy once the Election Law
Revision Bill has been passed.
It is presumed that the apparently, all 18 days of the present whole period of 18
days will be needed to debate these session
of the House of Representatives will be required to thrash out these important pieces
of legislation. It seems likely,
therefore, that a prolongation of the session will be required.
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