Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0080, 1945-12-15.

Summary:

Following is the gist of a interview with SUGIMOTO, a demobilyed soldier, at the visitors' gallery of the Diet. He formerly served as councillor to the National Industrial Service.

Mr. SUGIMOTO said, "I have been getting angry at everything I see and hear since I came back from KOREA early in November. This may be because I am not yet accustomed to the actual situation in homeland. When I landed at SASEBO, I was received with the cold and unsympathetic gaze of my fellow countrymen. The rice crop of my native place is only one-third of that of an average year, due to untimely rains. In TOKYO, I found the prices of things so high, that I wonder who can afford to pay, outside of the war-profiters.

"Then came the current Diet session. Seeing its complete inability to handle the matters, I can not help feeling an impulse to plunge myself headlong into a political movement to speed the reconstruction of JAPAN. We must all be aware that this is no time to argue. The best step to meet the dearth of coal output is to make all the members of Parliament go to coal fields to help dig, instead of idly sitting in the Diet wasting time in useless discussions. The nation doubts that the present Diet has an earnest intention and a burning design to help the country out of its present plight. They tried to shelve the Agrarian Reform Bill, one of the most significant bills to be introduced to the present session, when a directive from General MacARTHUR ordered the government to submit a concrete plan to realize the fair division of agrarian lands by 15 March of next year. This has thrown the Diet into utter confusion. Are they blind, that they do not see the actual situation prevailing at present? To be sure, the Agrarian Reform and Labour Union Bills are painful to the landowners and capitalists. But they must realize this is the only way to save the country from eventual catastrophe. Think of hundreds of thousands of war victims and demobilyed soldiers still overseas. They have sacrificed everything for the sake of the country. It is only natural to request the capitalists, landowners and members of Parliament to do their utmost, regardless of their personal interests, to reconstruct JAPAN for the common happiness of the whole nation. Since the Diet is the only legislative organ available at present, however poor it may be, we have to rely upon it. I therefore earnestly wish that the members of Parliament will strive for the cause of the nation with renewed energy.

POLITICAL SERIES 80 (Continued)

Summary:

The president of the Privy Cornell, Baron HIRANUMA, Diichiro, who had been listed as a war criminal suspect, is to be delivered to the Allied authorities on 12 December. He will tender his resignation before he goes to the camp. Premier SHIDEHARA is deliberating on the selection of a successor to Baron HIRANIAMA. The successor will be decided upon very soon because of the urgency of the situation. The number of possible candidates is, however, very limited because the successor must not be among the possible war criminals suspects and must be acceptable to the people. Thus, Baron WAKATSUKI, Reijiro, and Mr. MATSUDAIRA, Tsuneo, however, be ready to accept the office, as he is in poor health at present. Then, only Mr. MATSUDAIRA is left as the most lively successor for the position.

Full Translation:

The Progressive Party Is Expected To Run into Trouble.

The problem concerning the presidency of the Progressive Party has been brought to a herd. The party is no longer able to postpone decision on a new president. Therefore, the leaders of the party made arrangements on 9 and 10 December. As a result, the party has decided to hear the opinions of the leaders first, and on the lithe Messrs. MACHIDA, OKADA, KATSU, OMA, MAEDA, YAMAHAKI and KANAMITSU met at the official residence of the President of the Diet Mr. SHIMADA, where they deliverated and agreed upon the necessary steps.

There was one group which recommended, General UGAKI, Kajushige, for president, but there was considerable opposition to this proposal. Mr. MACHIDA was also recommended, and present circumstance indicate that he is libely choice. As a compromise, it was suggested that General UGAKI be made an adviser and Mr. MACHIDA chief of general affairs, with some person from NAKAJIMA's group to be chairman of the election committee. It seems likely that, the senior group will recommend Mr. MACHIDA for president, or chief of general affairs; and after the election, the president will definitely be chosen.

Members other than leaders, held a conference at TOKIWA in the MARUNOUCHI Building on the evening of 10 December. The problem of choosing a president was thoroughly discussed there also.

Full Translation:

At the Budget Committee meeting of the House of Representatives on 11 December, Mr. MIZUTANI, Shozabure, Social Democrat, interpellated as to how the Emperor's sovereignty is to be restricted. Mr. MATSUMOTO, Minister without Portfolio, hinted in his reply that the power to declare war and other power rovided for in the present Constitution would be restricted. The reply was as follows;

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POLITICAL SERIES 80 (Continued)

ITEM 4 (Continued)

"As it was before the war, a war could break out without approval of the people or the Diet in accordance with Article 11 and 12 of the Constitution, but such a situation must he remedied. Though concrete plans are not yet worked out, I am arranging to revise the Constitution on this point. How to do it is a very difficult problem, but I intend to revise it so that it hear out the idea of strengthening democratic tendencies."

Summary:

The ASAHI representative opens the round table talk of leaders from the various political parties by declaring that the political parties have published their programs, but, that these programs are abstract and unclear. He, therefore, asks the representatives of the different political parties to give a clear-cut statement as to what they are going to fight for in the coming elections.

TSURUMI (Progressive): The Progressives are fighting for two aims; to maintain the Japanese form of state and to stabilize the national livelihood.

MIZUTANI (Socialist): The question is whether JAPAN will remain capitalistic or become socialistic! The Socialists are of the opinion that the Japanese national livelihood can be stabilized only under a socialistic system. The Progressives may emphasize their intention for social reforms, yet they are out to maintain capitalism, maybe in a modified form.

ANDO (Liberal): The result of the general elections will most probably be a multitude of small parties without any large majority party. This condition will continue until the Japanese people know what they want. The Liberal Party agrees with the Progressives in their political aims, which are, in other words, the solution of the food problem and maintenance of the Emperor system.

SHIGA (Communist): MIZUTANI's statement that the socialists are going to fight for the enforcement of socialism is not keeping in pace with the time. The fulfillment of the HOTSOLAM Declaration demands a democratic revolution. The question is, who is fighting for whom and for what? The Emperor system and its government are affiliated with the ZAIBATSU and the land owners, they have destroyed the stability and high plane of the livelihood of the sucesses during the war and are impeding their stabilization and elevation atere the war. The Communist Party and their leaders who have just come out of prison, however, are fighting for one class only, the sucesses.

KUROZAWA (Independent): The Independents are at present not a polical party, but, a great part of them will form in the near future a National Co-operative Party. The National Co-operative Party is of the opinion that just the statement of the necessity of social reforms by any party does not solve any social problems, Practical measures are needed. The national Co-operative Party sees the solution of the Japanese social problem in the organization of a National Co-operative Association grouped in agricultural, industrial and consumers co-operative associations. It is opposed to artificial political stabilizations, because it believes that the stabilization of the national livelihood can be attained through co operative as associations of the nation.

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