Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0135, 1945-12-31.
Date31 December, 1945
translation numberpolitical-0584
call numberDS801 .S85
Persistent Identifier
POLITICAL SERIES: 135
ITEM 1 Constitutional Revision Ideas of Communists - Mainichi Shimbun - 30 Dec 45. Translator: S. Kawasaki.
Full Translation:
The draft of a new constitution which the Constitutional Research Society made, is
considered by the Communist Party as a
lukewarm draft. The Party is developing its own ideas on constitutional revision and
they may be summarized as:
1. Sovereignty lies completely with the people; 2. The Diet holds three main functions:
Custodian of sovereignty, custodian of
voting rights, and organizer of the Government; 3. The Government is responsible to
the Diet and if it does not carry out the
decisions of the Diet, or departs from the Diet's decisions, those members who do
so shall promptly be dismissed; 4. Members
of the Diet will be responsible to the people. When they do not represent the voters,
and are unfaithful to the people, they
will be promptly dismissed from office; 5. The people are free politically, economically,
socially, and are guaranteed freedom
to take, charge of the Diet and the Government; 6. The living rights of the people,
the rights of labor and the rights of
education are guranteed along with concrete equipment to put these rights into effect.
7. Abolition of class and racial
distinctions will be enacted under the new Constitution.
ITEM 2 The Japan Journalist League to Organize Against Reaction - Mim po - 30 Dec 45. Translator: H. Kato.
Summary:
Journalism in wartime, specifically newspapers or magazines, in this country, lost
its original freedom because of control by
despotic militarism. It was forced to compromise with fascist influences. There were
many progressive journalists barred from
writing and many who, because of their refusal to write disagreable things, were confined
in prison. However, real freedom of
the press was recovered with the overthrow of militarism and fascist influences by
the defeat. Thus, the way has been, paved
for a democratic revolution. The Japanese Journalist League has at last been organized
by some progressive elements from
various newspaper offices, magazine publishers and commentators. It held a preparatory
committee meeting at YOMIURI-HOCHI
Newspaper Office on 28 December.
The suggestions submitted by the Committee are as follows: 1. Establishment of democratic
journalism. 2. Fight against
reactionary journalism. 3. Furtherance of journalistic thought and culture. 4. Ensuring
progressive journalists free
activities; and 5. Co-operation with democratic journalists of various countries.
Progressive journalists throughout the country will be invited early next spring
to meet in TOKYO. The task of the League is
to foster and enlighten democratic influences and to struggle against the reactionary
journalism which has exerted a vaneful
influence on Japanese culture
POLITICAL SERIES: 135 (Continued)
ITEM 2 (Continued)
in collaboration with militarism and fascism.
ITEM 3 The Japanese Agricultural Foundation Party May Join the Japan Cooperative Party After The General Election - Asahi Shimbun - 30 Dec 45. Translator: H. Kato.
Summary:
The Japanese Agricultural Foundation Party (NIHON NO-HON TO) recently formed centers
around MIYATA, Mitsuo, member of the
House of Peers, with a platform calling for a. sound basis in agriculture. This Party
will run twelve candidates, including
MIKAMI, Hideo, HIROSHIMA Kan; SUZUKI, Shogo, AICHI Ken: and NAOKA. Jiro, MIE Ken.
The party is busy preparing for the coding campaign, and bears some to resemba[illegible]nce to that of the
Japanese Co-operative Party (NIHON KYO-DOTO) which has been formed by SENGOKU, Kotaro
and others. Both parties desire to reach
an accord with one other. If occassion demands they may be consolidated after the
general election.
ITEM 4 The Communication Bureau Hill be Revised to Ministry Status - Asahi Shimbun 30 Dec 45. Translator: R. Ochiai.
Full Translation:
As one of the adminstrative organization reforms, a cabinet conference co 21 December
decided to raise the Communication
Bureau to the status of a Ministry. All offices concerned are discussing details of
the reform. It is proposed to form a
ministry to assume the functions of the Cabinet Pension Office and the Central Meteorological
Observatory in addition to the
traditional businesses of correspondence and insurance Since the work in the Pension
Office is much reduced as a result of
SCAP's order to abolish the army pension system, it has already lost any excuse for
remaining one department under direct
control of the Cabinet. It is more advisable to place the business of investigation
and payment in the hands of one office. As
for the work in the Meteorological Observatory, observations have been made using
communication equipment so that they have
long hoped for the organization to be united into are body.
Some advocated the combining of affairs of shipping with the transportation office
and of electricity with the Department of
Commerce and Industry, but since it is very hard to transfer their control in view
of the present state of affairs, this
cannot be realized. The reformed Communication Ministry will devote itself to appreciate
administration only.
ITEM 5 Special Order on List of Voters - Asahi Shimbun - 30 Dec 45. Translator: S. Kawasaki.
Full Translation:
In accordance with SCAP's directive issued on 4 October concerning freedom of speech
and that issued on 19 December relating
to restoration of political rights for released political prisoners, the Government
has decided to eract an ordnance the
revision of voter's list. The ordinance was passed at meeting of the Privy Council
on 29 December and was proclaimed the same
day.
The majority of released political prisoners have had their rights restored by the
amnesty decree of 17 December. At the same
time of the restoration of their citizenship, they will have the right
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POLITICAL SERIES: 135 (Continued)
ITEM 5 (Continued)
of candidations restored. However, unless they are registered on the voter's list,
they will be denied the vote. Therefore,
the ordnance was especially desired.
According to the enactment, an applicant may personally demand he be placed on the
voter's list and the change must be made by
mayors, towns and village heads, and other persons responsible for voter's list changes
The procedure of application
therefore, involves obtaining a procurator's certificate from the appicant's permanent
domicile, present abode, or place in
which he was sentenced and it must be submitted to the responsible voting official
by 10 January. The persons responsible for
voter's lists must prepare those lists by 14 January. They will then be available
for public inspection for three days
beginning 15 January.
Suggestions for amendments will be made, and the lists will be put in final shape
on 20 January. At the time for application
for voter's lists, adjustment, only released political prisoners will be registered
on the lists. Those who have concurrent
penal offences, financial violations, etc., cannot regain their qualifications.
DISTRIBUTION "X"
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