Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0200, 1946-01-19.

Full Translations:

Names of Imperial Princes, who are affected by the Allied directive on the dismissal of militaristic leaders, are as follows: Prince CHICHIBU, Yorihito; Prince TAKAMATSU, Nobuhito; Prince MIKASA, Takanito; Prince FUSHIMI, Hiroyasu; Prince YAMASHINA, Takehiko; Prince KAYA, Tsuneuori; Prince KAYA, Kunichisa; Prince KUNI, Tomoaki; Prince NASHIMOTO, Morimasa; Prince KUNI, Tokuhiko; Prince ASAKA, Hataniko; Prince ASAKA, Fumikiko; Prince HIGASHIKUNI, Naruhiko; Prince HIGASHIKUNI, Norihiro; Prince TAKEDA, Tsunenori; and Prince KANIN, Haruhito.

Full Translation:

The party of British public prosecutors, headed by Mr. Carl Cummings, British legal adviser, will leave LONDON early next week to attend the TOKYO Court for the trials of the Japanese first class war criminals. Several allied countries are said to have appointed prosecutors. Efforts will be made to facilitate the TOKYO trials by adjusting the work of these prosecutors. The date of the opening of the court is still kept secret, but it is expected to be announced soon at WASHINGTON. The organization of the International Court will also be made public.

On the other hand, Chief Prosecutor KAENAN and his men have been busy gathering evidence. They have finished gathering data on some men. Mr. KEENAN is gathering evidence from as far back as 1931. According to information received on 16 January, data on 408 war criminal suspects, now detained in SUGANO Prison, is also being gathered.

Full Translation:

At the central executive committee conference, held on 16 January, Mr. KANEKO, representative for TOCHIGI, and Mr. SHIMAGAMI, representative for TOKYO, asked about President of the Liberal Party HATOYAMA's announcement concerning the co-operation between the Social Democratic and Liberal Parties. In reply, Mr. NISHIO said that it a false report and there was never such a tacit agreement. He explained as follows:

POLITICAL SERIES: 200 (Continued)

ITEM 3 Continued)

"It was when the organization of parties was being prepared for, after the termination of the war, that we had an interview with Mr. HATOYAMA. At that time we were asked by Mr. KATO, Kanju, and others to co-operate with them, and a liberal round-table conference was organized. However, we had to collect various information by interviewing every person in every field, so Messrs. HIRANO and MIZUTAINI and I had an interview with Messrs HATOYAMA, ANDO and UEHARA, at 1300 on 23 August, at KOJUSHA.

It then became clear that their liberalism was contradictory to our socialism, and therefore it was impossible to organize one party. We promised them to have an interview again on 29 August, but as we happened to sit with Mr. ASHIDA at the liberal round table conference on 24 August, we refused to organize a single party through Mr. ASHIDA. Later we asked him for co-operation in the critical situation, even if we and they belonged to different parties. These events happened before we organized our party. There was never the tacit agreement Mr. HATOYAMA claims."

Summary:

At the employees' meeting of the Ministry of agriculture and Forestry on 15 January, it was decided to create-what is called "a box for inquiries into public opinion." This is expected to be of great interest to the public. What then is this box to accomplish?

First, the origin of the appearance of the inquiry box is ascribed to an interview of representatives of the employees' union with ex-Minister of Agriculture and Forestry MATSUMURA. At this interview a strong demand was made that in case of the reduction of the number of the officials of the Ministry, it should not be carried out in a bureaucratic manner, but in as fair a way as possible, a way on which all the employees at the Ministry could agree, As the ex-Minister was of the same opinion, he agreed to their request and asked them to submit a list of those who seemed to have acted in an underhanded manner.

The second aim of this inquiry box is to expell militaristic and unjust officials above the rank of chiefs of sections who during the war flattered the military authorities too much or were incompettent. Also included are officials who became distinguished by virtue of their contacts and parties; those who had distributed various gifts, which were acquired by means of their position, or those who had neglected their duties on the pretext of air raids or inability to concentrate.

Some departments of the Ministry of agriculture and Forestry are located separately at various places in TOKYO; for example, the Marine Products Department is located at the TAKASHIMA Department Store, and the Department of Colonization is located at the Central Agricultural House, so as such inquiry boxes are to be placed at all of these addresses.

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POLITICAL SERIES: 200 (Continued)

Summary:

In view of the new aspect of the formation of a popular front, the Social Democratic Party, having persistently refused the Communist proposal for a united front, clarified its attitude to the Communist Party at the Central Executive Committee meeting held on 16 January and formally shaped its course for the establishment of a popular front. Under present circumstances, the formation of a united front is premature, in spit of the fact that it is now time for a, democratic revolution, and powerful organizations, with strong political views are raising questions for the Social Democratic and Liberal Parties.

The Social Democrats criticized the politics of the Communists on the grounds of ideology, maintaining that the party never revealed any definite principles, kept everything secret except for the general plans, and revised their attitude in a realistic manner on the return of NOZAKA from the continent. The attitude of the Social Democratic Party toward the Communist Party is as follows: "The urgent question is to increase the fighting power on which the formation of a popular front rests, a united front is to be formed with mutual confidence and agreement and not just with oft-repeated phrases. Situated half-way between the Communist Party and the Progressive and Liberal Parties, and with the ability to get a majority of votes at the coming general election, the Social Democrats are qualified to propose and fulfill a popular front by themselves."

Formal denial of the collaboration with the Liberals: "The party formally denied the alleged collaboration with the Liberal Party at the committee meeting and decided its attitude toward the Liberal and Progressive Parties. Both parties are conservative, supported by capitalist and land owners who have been badly shaken by the SCAP directives. The Liberal Party is ambiguous about the economic question with regard to industrial capitalists, middle and small traders, and industry, and is lukewarm to the idea of a popular democratic revolution. There is no room for the liberal economy which the Liberal Party has as its guide patterned after the Liberal Party of the UNITED KINGDOM. Still the party reapproved the views for the curtailment of the Emperor's sovereignty at the committee meeting in connection with the joint statement issued by NOZAKA and the Central Committee of the Communist Party.

Full Translation:

Since Minister of State MATSUMOTO has remained in office, the revising of the Constitution will be, as before, carried out under his chairmanship. Originally it was intended to submit a House of Peers reform bill to the special Diet Session and then after renewal of both Houses, to convene again an extraordinary Cabinet meeting in order to deliberation on the revision of the Constitution. By dint of the MacARTHUR Directive, demanding that a general election be undertaker, after 15 March, the special Diet meeting will be further postponed.

Holding the view that under recent swiftly changing political condition, it would be difficult to carry the problem forward by an extraordinary Diet meeting, the Government has therefore gradually become inclined to introduce the Constitution reform bill to the special Diet Session following the general election. On this subject Chairman MATSUMOTO yesterday revealed the Government view on revising the Constitution as follows:

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POLITICAL SERIES: 200 (Continued)

ITEM 6 (Continued)

"For various reasons the general election, anticipated to take place during January, has been postponed until about the middle of April. The Government, at first, was of the belief that the presentation of a Constitution reform bill to the Special Cabinet meeting would be rather difficult, but in view of the delayed Diet meeting, the Government considers it necessary to present the bill to the special Diet meeting. The Government wants more time for careful deliberation but believes there would not be time for convening an extraordinary Diet meeting again.

We want to alter our previous plan of revising the Constitution after renewal of the House of Peers. We now believe it should be done before renovating the House of Peers. Despite technical difficulties the Government wants to settle both the questions concurrently."

In case a Constitution reform bill should be presented at the special Diet meeting, the Government plans to effect the Constitution reform after renovating the House of Peers. A renovation of the House of Peers would also be quite possible concurrently with the reform of the consititution. The reform bill decided on recently at the Cabinet meeting or the House of Peers Law will naturally be remodelled in accordance with the new plan.

Full Translation:

The directive issued on 4 January by Allied Headquarters ordered the removal of Government officials who held principal posts in militaristic societies such as the Imperial Rule Assistance Association. The directives are so clear that the scope of those to whom they apply need not even be investigated. Nevertheless, on the grounds of conducting a preliminary investigation, the SHIDEHARA Cabinet has not taken any measures to remove these who were responsible for the war. Mr. MITSUCHI, Chuzo who has become Home Minister of the reorganized SHIDEHARA Cabinet, made the following statement at the Cabinet meeting:

It is difficult to decide the number of persons to whom the directives apply. Therefore the Cabinet wishes to proceed with the plan by which those who submit their resignations of their own accord, should be retired from office. However, some who may not resign, expect to be restored to their posts. It is inevitable that these to whom the directives apply and who do not submit their resignations, will remain in pests."

Various ministers agreed with his proposal, it is said. It is natural that the most urgent duty which the new Home Minister must undertake, is to select these to whom the directives apply, and to deprive them of all government offices. However, although Home Minister MITSUCHI has such a plan, and the Cabinet has approbed it, one cannot help wondering whether or not it will be carried cut. Prior to this plan, the Government had insisted that the directors of local boards of the Imperi[illegible]Rule Assistance Association and the chiefs of the Men's Rule Assistance Association (YOKUSAN SONEDAN) should be forced to resign, but the governors of various prefectures are outside the jurisdiction of the directives because the system is that governors can automatically become the heads of branch offices.

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POLITICAL SERIES: 200 (Continued)

ITEM 7 (Continued)

With such a policy, whether or not the Government will carry out the directives, is very doubtful. The Government, which has continued to neglect as far as possible the compulsory directives of SCAP, intends to take underhanded measures.

The intentions of the Government have the become obvious. The conclusion has been reached by the Government that directives issued at this time, should net be put into effect.

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