Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0100, 1945-12-21.
Date21 December, 1945
translation numberpolitical-0439
call numberDS801 .S85
Persistent Identifier
POLITICAL SERIES: 100
ITEM 1 Japanese Defeat in Singapore (Second part) - Tokyo Shimbun - 18 Dec 45 Translator: H. Nishihara.
Summary:
After the SOVIETS' participation in the war and the atomic bomb raids on HIRO[illegible]MA and NAGASAKI, the
Japanese in SINGAPORE were greatly a[illegible]realizing the strife and agonies of JAPAN. Preceding these
occurences in SINGAPORE, economic enterprises were liquidated except those necessary
for military purpose, and all Japanese
under the age of 45 were mobilized.
In this connection, many scandalous and unjust dealings were carried on under the
cover of the general confusion. The lack of
munitions by the troops was apparent, and the production of bayonets, trench mortars,
etc. was forced upon, "S" Company and
others, in SINGAPORE. However, production was not successful in spite of the arrogant
statement of the Army officers. Even the
astonishing fact that only three guns in perfect condition were guarding the coast
around SINGAPORE ISLAND was revealed by the
British Troops' investigation.
Prices had risen 100 of 700 times higher than the pre war prices, causing an ill
feeling of the natives against the Japanese
Army. Unscrupulous military officers made big profits by selling munitions to Chinese
merchants, while Japanese civilians sold
their goods in order to get money to meet living expenses. The civilian merchants
concerned themselves with making money by
co-operating with the Chinese merchants thus bringing confusions into the markets.
Under such circumstances, the Japanese were destined to face the coming of 15 August.
From about 12 August, the military
police in SINGAPORE began to confiscate the short wave redio receivers, but the real
reason for this was not revealed. The
military police could only say that mutiny was feared. Hence, the public began to
suspect something must have been kept
secret.
On 15 August, we reporters heard the Imperial Rescript in tears, and it seemed very
odd that we were ordered not to tell about
JAPAN'S defeat. Also, only a part of the officers and men of the Information Service
wer informed of the fact on 15 August.
Others learned of it on 18 August, and were overcome with astonishment, but the ordinary
civilians were quite doubtful because
they had been told that JAPAN could not be defeated.
After the end of the war, the deserters from military service increased A rumour
was spread that an anfantry company was
planning a battle against the Allied. Powers. Several young officers committed suicide,
feeling disappointed at the defeat.
After a week of despair and terror "B"-24's dropped pamphlets telling us of the end
of the war. The
POLITICAL SERIES 100 (Continued)
ITEM 1 (Continued)
Japanese thus come to believe the defeat. The Chinese scornfully laughed at their
former rulers, the Japanese Army.
At the end of August, the Japanese military men and civilians began to move to JURON*
on SINGAPORE ISLAND. Together with the
evacuation, many barracks were built. It was planned to complete the evacuation before
the landing of the Allied Forces, and
consequently, a plan to accommodate tens of thousands in barracks was worked on day
by day in the most unhealthy areas where
malaria was rampant and water was very difficult to obtain.
ITEM 2 A Gubernatorial Conference Shall Be Held Soon - Nippon Sangyo Keizai - 19 Dec 45. Translator: R. Ochiai.
Full Translation:
Wishing to explain thoroughly the new election law and to point out clearly its policy
on general elections, the Government
has decided to hold a gubernatorial conference in the near future. Two other conferences
will also be held, one of officals of
the Internal Affairs' Bureau on 20 December, and the other of police commissioners
on 21 December.
ITEM 3 Three Important Bills In The Diet - Mimpo - 19 Dec. 45 Translator: S. Kawasaki.
Full Translation:
The Diet Is Extremely Indifferent About The People.
The main, objectives of the 89th Extraordnary Session of the Diet were passage of
the Election Law Revision Bill, agrarian
reform legislation, and the Labor Union Law. The Election Law has been reformed to
the extent of prohibiting pre-election
compaigning and controlling public election campaigns. As a reasult, the bill is more
reactionary than the original Government
laws.
On the issue of land purchases, farm rent, and arces to be cultivated, the Agratian
Law has been revised with conditions
advantageous to the landowner.
Though the Labor Union Law has been approved without any amendments, the original
bill stipulating "promotion and advancement
of the workers' political, social, and economic status", has been changed to read
"the improvement of the workers' exonomic
status."
The three bills have been passed with reactionary amendments, and passage was carried
out by Allied Headquarter's directives
which ordered the emancipation of farmers, the granting of freedom to organize labor
unions, and unrestricted election
campaigns. Nevertheless, both the Government and the Diet have demonstrated a lack
of enthusiasm for progressive legislation.
Moreover, most of the session was wasted on discussions of war responsibility. After
half the session had been
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POLITICAL SERIES 100 (Continued)
ITEM 3 (Continued)
consumed in such a manner, the three bills were finally approved. The progressive
Party confined its efforts to selecting a
party president, from the begining of the session until now, fancying that it will
remain the most influential party after the
elections. Food, clothing and shelter problems were not examined earnestly. Discussions
on the constitution and democracy were
heated, but neither the Government nor the political parties publicized concrete opinions.
ITEM 4 General Election Campaign. Public Indifferent - Asahi Shimbun - 19 Dec 45. Translator: H. Kato.
Full Translation:
The coming general election is important as the first step toward the democratization
of the political structure. It is
epoch-making in scale and contents, comprising such advances as eligible for election,
the granting of suffrage to women, the
restricted plural ballot and the major electoral district system. Our newspaper office
has examine the campaigning in various
districts. It is clear that the greater p[illegible]of the people, does not attach much importance to the
coming general election because they are under the heavy pressure of each of the dail[illegible]necessities
of life. Women in particular have little or no interest in the election. As for political
parties, the Social Democratic Party
is starting early campaigning through the organization of farmer and fishermen in
various districts, and is staying way ahead
in the vigor of its election campaign. The Progressive Party is still in a state of
chaos over its internal affairs. The
Communist Party is making a peculiar campaign, working among the intellectual class
and war victims. Other political parties
which represent new figures are steadily encroaching upon the preserve of the old
political parties.
Outstanding new condidates are MUROFUKU, Takanobu (the Social Democrat Party, KANAGAWA-Ken)
ARITA, Hachiro (the Liberal Party,
in NINGATA-Ken) HAZA[illegible]A, Shigeru (in IBAPAGI-Ken) KAWAI, Yoshinari (in TOYAMA-Ken) SEKOMIZA,
Risatsune (in KANGOSHIMA-Ken) TAIRA, Teizo (the Social Democrat Party, in YAMAGATA-Ken).
TOKUDA, Tamaichi (the Communist
Party, in TOKYO) SHIGA, Yoshio (the Communist Party, in OSAKA), etc. The number of
candidates in each group has already
exceeded the number of vacancies to be filled.
In the TOKYO district trends are not yet predictable. Former TOKYO mayor, OKUBO,
Tomejiro will probably run for the Diet on
the Liberal Party ticket and in the Communist Party, TOKUDA, Kuichi will probably
stand as a candidate. The existing members
of the House of Representatives for TOKYO will, of course, run, without exception,
and three or four members of TOKYO
Municipal Assembly are expected to come forward as candidated.
The first Ku in TOKYO (under the new Election Law) leaves more room for the appearance
of new figures than the second Ku. No
concrete movements towards the participation in the government by women voters are
apparent for the present, but they may
unexpectedly become influential. From the first Ku, ten representatives are to be
elected
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POLITICAL SERIES 100 (Continued)
ITEM 4 (Continued)
and two names are to be written on each ballot, and from the second Ku 12 representatives
are to be elected and three names
are to be written in.
These are special difficulties facing supervision of the election in TOKYO. The residents
of TOKYO have little interest in the
coming. [illegible]election, being busy with the difficulties of food and housing. Those who have decided
to
run as candidates in the second Ku are HACHINAMI, Takeji, SAKMOTO, Ikkaku (a member
of House of Representative of the
Progressive Party) BUGUMO, Kunitoshi (an Independent member) NAKAMURA, Takaichi (a
former member of the House of
Representative the Social December Party) MIIAMI, Kiyoji (the JAPAN Wage Earner's
Party) KU[illegible]A,
Tyojiro (the Liberal Party) YAMAGUCHI, Shiro (the JAPAN Reform Party), etc, Those
urged to run are SATO, Yoshikuma, the
president of TACHIKAWA Municipal Assembly, (the Social Democratic Party) OGAWA, Koki
(the former mayor of TACHIKAWA,) NAMIKI,
Shunzo (head of NISHI-TAMA village in NISHI-TAMAMA-GU, a former member of a prefectural
assembly) NAMIKI, Yoshio, younger
brother of NAMIKI, Shunzo (former employee of OSAKA Navigation Company) MANABE, Tomeji
(chairman of the JAPAN Reform Party)
SAKATA, Kyojiro, alias MINANOGAWA, former champion wrestler (the JAPAN Wage earners
Party) INO, Yonejiro (head of MUSASHING
town, the Liberal Party). HANI, Setsuko, the founder of The Liberal Academy (JIYU-GAKUEN)
will be supported by some quarters.
In the present circumstances, the public at large is pressed by economic circumstances,
and is more busy in its personal
affairs than with politics.
In the KANAGAWA-Ken the Liberal and Social Democratic Parties will furnish the inauguration
of their branches by the end of
this month, and will hold rallies reporting on the work of the current Diet session.
In the Progressive Party district trends
cannot be detected because of the complicated problem of leadership in the party.
The number of candidates talked about up to now has reached 39, more than thrice
the number of vacanicies (12). Regarding the
present situation of this prefecture in the Progressive Party, KOIZUMI, Matajir[illegible]and TANABE,
Tokugoro, both senior members of the House of Representative are reported to be about
to retire from active politics. From
YOKOHAMA, SAKUMA, Michio, a member of the House of Representatives, and NISHIMURA.
Sadao, a lawyer, are looked as likely
candidates to succeed TANABE. As for the old third Ku, ANDO, Satoru, and YAMAGUCHI,
Sauhei, both members of the House of
Representatives have decided to run again, and KOBAYAS[illegible]Kenki will stand from ODAWARA. In the
Liberal Party, KAWANO, Ichiro, a member of the House of Representatives of the old
third Ku is a leading spirit in taking up
the constituency of the old SEIKU-KAI Party. From YOKOHAMA, NAKA, Aukematsu, a member
of the House of Representatives and
MIURS Toranosuke, a member of the prefectural assembly, are expected to stand with
KOIGUSHI, Seiichi. KATAYAMA, Tetsu, the
secretary-general of the headquarters of the Social Democratic party as the lead,
DOI, Naosaku from KAWASAKI and KANAI Yoshiji
from YOKOHAMA and MUROFUSHI, Takanobu are running. Besides these, among the Independents
and the unattached are NATSUO, Kaemon
from YOKOHAMA, KAMIMORI, Shitetsu from KAMAKURA, YAMAMOTO, Masaichi, ITO, Tyuji from
YOKOSUKA, and KAMEI, Kanichiro.
DISTRIBUTION "X"
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