Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0106, 1945-12-22.
Date22 December, 1945
translation numberpolitical-0454
call numberDS801 .S85
Persistent Identifier
POLITICAL SERIES: 106
ITEM 1 Mr. MINOBE Speaks on the Coming; General Election. - Mainichi Shimbun - 20 Dec 45. Translator: K. Murakami.
Full Translation:
"The forthcoming general election is a turning point for us Japanese," says Mr. MINOBE,
Ryokichi, professor of HOSEI
University. "The next Diet, to composed of new members, has, needless to say, a political
significance in that it will be more
democratic. From the economic point of view, it is vital that we have a government
able to reconstruct Japanese economy.
"The most urgent economic problems obstructing the reconstruction of JAPAN are those
of food supply find inflation. As for
foodstuff, since the harvesting of rice has been finished for the year, the only remaini[illegible]problem
at present concerns the import of foodstuff and the rice quota.
"Measures may have been taken to combat the food problem. As for the other problem,
however, we can no longer rely upon the
present Government and its undecided policy. In order to solve the most urgent problem
of inflation, we need a free, fresh,
Government policy, forcefully care ried out.
"What should we do to establish a powerful and reliable government? The answer lies
in the coming general election. In a real
democratic institution a future cabinet leader is chosen as the result of a general
election; that is, a premier is elected by
the people. A voter must vote according to his own, independent, conscientious judgment.
"Though choosing candidates as individuals is important, we should attach more importance
to their selection on a party basis
because parliamentarism is really party politics, and a decision of the Diet depends
not so much on an individual's opinion as
it does upon the party's opinion, We can do this more easily under the system of proportional
representation, but to my
regret, it is too early for JAPAN to adopt this system. Also, in the coming election,
opened to women for the first time, we
should not support an individual just because he is agreeable.
"I should like to have a government with no reactionaries, composed of members of
one party with an absolute majority. There
are some suggesting about coalition cabinets, but I do not approve of this. There
might be room for discussion on this if a
strong united front were presented before a general election, like 'Le front populaire'
in FRANCE. In the case of JAPAN,
However, if a coalition cabinet were to stand this, we could anticipate nothing but
friction and compromise and certainly not
a strong policy".
POLITICAL SERIES: 106 (Continued)
ITEM 2 Survey on the Activities and Electoral Policies of the Political Parties - Yomiuri Hochi - 20 Dec 45. Translator: R. Ochiai.
Summary:
In order to make JAPAN democratic, we will have many struggles before us. Democracy
will not be built in a day. It is true,
however, that already some new powers or new activities, aiming at building the people's
liberty, have been observed, although
conservative powers still prevail. Let us see what each political party accomplished
in the last session of the Diet and also
what general attitude each has towards the coming election.
- 1.The Progressive Party: How strongly did its opportunism impress us in the Diet? Utilizing its majority power it consented only to the measures which were useful to it. For instance, when there was a demand to place war responsibility on every representative, the Progressives objected, and took an evasive attitude, saying that "everyone of the representatives must handle his own case", and ultimately they gave up the problem of their war responsibility. 400 Progressive candidates will run in the coming election with policies as follows: (a) ration for rice, wheat and such staples to be set at 3 GO; (b) collateral for importation of rice to be procured; (c) exchange rate to be fixed; and (d) engineering works to be established.
- 2.The Social Democratic Party: At this session of the Diet, they were said to be resolutely conscientious. Although they wanted some changes in the new revision bills, they earnestly tried to pass these bills. This party will put forward 200 men as candidates, backed by the wage-earning class.
- 3.The Liberal Party: The Liberals were very outspoken about war responsibility and, however strongly they demanded that the bills should not be discussed by representatives who are responsible for the war, they were overwhelmed because they were in the minority. However, aren't they also responsible for the war? Having a fair chance of getting 150 candidates elected, the party will run 250 men. Although their party name is "liberal", they are conservative, except on womens political rights.
- 4.The Communist Party: The Communists, for the first time, have been allowed to take part in politics. Though the party members are increasing day by day, only 103 candidates will run, since the party seeks quality, not quantity. Their policies are, first, severe prosecution of war criminals and, second, a practical decision on food problems. Although unemployed laborers and farmers are their desired constituents, we don't think they are closely connected with those groups.
ITEM 3 Leaders of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association may be forbidden to run as candidates - Yomiuri Hochi - 20 Dec 45. Translator: N. Tachibana.
Full Translation:
With the general election in sight in January, each party is already nominating and
announcing candidates. According to
reliable reports, General MacARTHUR is planning to forbid leaders of the Imperial
Rule. Assistance Association, organized by
the late Prince KONOE, to run as candidates in the forthcoming general election. Members
of that association are now drifting
into almost all the parties, and have powerful influence upon the Progressive Party,
which is most inclined to conservatism.
Allied Headquarters appears to be considering the above-mentioned directive in order
to protect the people from these leaders
who have had discreditable political careers.
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