Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0205, 1946-01-20.

Summary:

According to an announcement of the Commercial and Industrial Department, the total amount of coal stored in JAPAN at the end of November 1945 was 2,730,000 tons. Only 1,370,000 tons of it could be delivered because of the labor shortage. The amount of coal which can now be delivered monthly is less than 50,000 tens, so we do not exaggerate when we say that the coal crisis is severe.

Though we are also in the midst of a food crisis, there is a wide difference between the two. The letter is due to an absolute scarcity of products, where as the former is not due to a lack of resources. The responsibility for the coal shortage rests entirely with the present Government.

To our great regret, there has not yet been any noticeable countermeasure taken to remedy the coal shortage by any of the political parties in the Government. However, the proposal submitted to the Government by the Social-Democrat Party to nationalize all coal mines and to encourage the establishment of a labor union is a sound one. The farmer plan was suggested by the example set by the Labor Party of ENGLAND, but it can never be executed by the present Government. However, it provides an excellent platform for the Social-Democrats. As for the latter, it is welcomed by the present Government since the Labor Union Law has already been passed. However, the Minister of public Welfare alone opposes the proposal and insists that national conscription of labor be readapted to solve the present coal crisis.

Frankly speaking, the political development of the labor class cannot be expected to materialize through the mere passage of a union law. Wholehearted effort toward this development is necessary. The idea that new legislation can form a political system is nothing more than bureaucracy.

The Nation's first great postwar economic crisis is now before us in the form of the coal crisis, and its solution rests in our hands. Resolution of the crisis depends entirely on the labor of JAPAN. It is high time for decisive activity on the part of the Social-Democrats. The Social-Democrat Party, above all other, has control of labor, the one all-important economic factor of today, and by exercising that control and setting the coal mines into motion, it may afford hope of a political reform. At the same time, it will serve to solve the national coal crisis. The JAPAN Communist Party would also do well to heed these words.

Under the circumstances, formal legislative measures alone cannot arouse the poeple's emotions. They must be accompanied by conscientious efforts

POLITICAL SERIES: 205 (Continued)

ITEM 1 (Continued)

and material reforms. Hence, we demand of the Social-Democrats the presentation of a united front against the incompetance which is so clearly in evidence in the coal crisis of today.

Summary:

Question: Do you think the Emperor system is necessary?

Reply: Yes- 91%; No-9%

(No vote of abolition from females)

On the 5th of August, 1945, JAPAN accepted unconditional surrender, leaving as her only hope of existence, the maintenance of the sovereignty of the Emperor. This, of course, was JAPAN's one-sided understanding of the situation. For this reason, JAPAN has faithfully followed the POTSDAM Declaration and has carried out the demobilization of her soldiers, both in and outside the Country with unprecedented calmness, enabling the Allied Forces to occupy JAPAN bloodlessly.

But now, criticism of the Emperor system is arising in many parts of the world. The NEW YORK TIMES says, "Destruction of the Emperor's sovereignty is the only way of establishing a peaceful JAPAN". President TRUMAN's opinion is a representative one, namely, "Give the Japanese the chance to settle the matter among themselves by free voting."

The results of an investigation made by this magazine (YORON) are as follows (The total number of people polled was 227, among whom 212 were men and 15 were women):

Supporters of the System - wen 192, Women 15;

Opponents of the System - Men 20, Women 0.

Some of the supporters say that the traditions and characteristics of JAPAN are not simple things which can be viewed systematically. They are the blood of the Japanese Nation, and there can be no JAPAN without the Emperor.

By acceptance of the POTSDAM Declaration on 15 August, 1945, the Emperor System was driven out of existence. A revolution has been achieved. This is not only a fact but also a legal truth. Therefore, it is reasonable to establish a new government in JAPAN based on the free will of the people, and to settle the problem by national voting.

In order to reconstruct JAPAN, we must cutshort this long standing tradition of generations, and let the problem be solved by all of the people. Those are the opinions and reasons given by those who voted for the abolition of the Emperor System.

Summary:

According to a SCAP Public Relations Office press release, the Supreme Commander of the Allied powers, Douglas MacARTHUR, on 17 January ordered the Japanese Government to apprehend 111 Japanese, including seven generals, as suspected war criminals. They are to be turned over to the Commanding General of the XI Corps at the SUGAMO Prison.

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POLITICAL SERIES: 205 (Continued)

ITEM 3 (Continued)

The newly-listed war crime suspects are: Lieutenant General ISOGAI, Ranouke, Governor-General of HONGKONG; Lieutenant General KAGESA, Sadaaki, commanding officer of the Defense Forces of General Headquarters RABAUL, NEW BRITAIN; Lieutenant General KAWAGUCHI, commanding officer at PARONG, MINDANAO; Lieutenant General SAKAI, Takashi, commanding officer of the Japanese Forces at General Headquarters in HONGKONG; Lieutenant General TAWI, Hisao, formerly commanding officer of the 6 Division; Lieutenant General WACHI, Takaji, chief of staff of the Japanese Forces at General Headquarters in the PHILIPPINE ISLANDS; Lieutenant General WATANABE, Saburo, commanding officer of the 3 War Shipping Unit at SINGAPORE; Captain AOMORI, Masao, of the TOKYO branch camp No. 1; ADACHI, Fukusahuro, employee of the YODOGAWA branch camp, OSAKA; AIHARA, Fuku, EHIME Prefecture AKAWATSU, Toranosuke, employee of the YODOGAWA branch camp; ANAMIYA, Norio, of the OFUNA camp; First Lieutenant ANDO, of the MUKDEN camp; ARIGATA, Shigeru, guard of the MUKOJIMA branch camp, HIROSHIMA; ASOMA, Tadakichi, of the OMORI camp; AZUMA, Suro, who was stationed in the ANDAMANS and later served at the SASEBO Naval Base; EGAWA, Yukio, of FUKUOKA branch camp No. 18; Captain ENOGUCHI, Toshio, of the NAGOYA main camp; FUDO, Masao, HAKODATE branch camp No. 2; FUJII, guard of the SENDAI branch camp No. 4; FUJIKAWA, Yoshimitsu, guard of the MUKOJIMA branch camp, HIROSHIMA; FUJIMOTO, guard of the TOKYO branch camp No. 12; Sub Lieutenant FOKUOKA, Chiyokichi, crew of the No. 10 convoy; First Lieutenant FUKUYAMA, Sekuji, of the WAGOYA main camp; Sergeant GOTO, Hachiro, of the NAGOYA main camp; Major HAMABA, Seihei of the TOKYO branch camp No. 14; HARAKAWA, Gore, guard of the TOKYO branch camp No. 20; Captain HIRAKAWA, Ko, commanding officer of the landing forces in the ANDAMANS and later serving at the SASEBO Naval Base; Sergeant HITOSUGI, Toshio, of the NAGOYA main camp; First Lieutenant HOAITA, Daizo of the NAGOYA war camp; Sergeant IEDA, Chuzo, of the NAGOYA branch camp No. 2; Sergeant Major IIDA, Hiroshi, of the TOKYO branch came No. 18 D.; Sergeant IIDA, Kiyoshi, ASAHI-Cho, CHIBA-Ken; First Lieutenant IKEGAMI, Uichi, of FUKUOKA branch camp No. 18; Captain ISODA, Yoshio, of the NAGOYA main camp; Sergeant ITO, Kunio, of the HAKODATE main camp; ITOMI (or ITO) and KANO of the MUKDEN camp; Colonel KANAKAMI, who served in PARANG, COTABATO and MINDANAO with General KAWAGUCHI; KIMURA, Tomatsu, guard of the TOKYO camp; KIRYU, Masaki, interpreter of the YOKKAICHI camp; KITAZAWA, Yoji, interpreter of the HAKODATE branch camp No. 2; KITAMURA, Sueharu, medical non-commissioned officer of the OMORI camp; Sergeant KITAKA, Sajiro, cook of the SENDAI camp; KOMATSU, Ken, civilian of the HIROSHIMA camp; KOSHIKAWA, Junnosuke, guard of the TOKYO branch camp; Captain MABUCHI, Masaki, No. 20, 1, MINOCKA, MADA-Ku, KOBE; Sergeant Major [illegible]ATSUKAWA, Zenichi, OITA; Corporal [illegible]ATSUMURA, of the S[illegible]RAKAWA camp; First Lieutenant MATSUO, Shokei, of TOKYO branch camp No. 8; Second Class Se[illegible]man MATSUOKA, Hiroshi, of the OMORI camp; MATSUOKA, Mangen, of the OMORI camp; MIUMI, Natsuo, guard of the HOKODATE branch camp No. 2; Sergeant Major MIWA, Toiichi, of the NAGOYA camp; MOR[illegible]NO, Eiichi, employee of the HIROHATA camp; Sergeant NAGATA, Tsuneo, of the NAGOYA main camp; First Lieutenant NAKAMURA, Shuji, of the ARAKI Forces at APARI, LUZON; Sergeant Major NAMIKATA, Takeji, of the MUKDEN camp; RAM SOU CIO, FORMOSA, of the CABANATUAN camp; Second Lieutenant NISHIZAWA, of the TOKYO branch camp; Corporal : NISHIKAWA, Keiso, of the CARANTUAN camp; Second Lieutenant NEMOTO, Fugio, of the TOKYO camp; NOMOTO, Takao, of the TOKYO camp; First Lieutenant NUMAJIRI, Shigeru, of the TOKYO camp; OBAYASHI Kiyoshi, guard of the ZENTSUJI and later HIROSHIMA camp; Sergeant OGATA, Masakatsu, of the SENDAI camp; Second Lieutenant OGURA, Shigeo, of the TOKYO camp; Noncommissioned Officer OHARA, Katsui, of the OFUNA camp; Second Lieutenant OKAMOTO, Hitoshi, KLMAMOTO; Second Lieutenant OKUBAYASHI, Seitaro, of the HIROSHIMA, camp; OTAKE, Shigakiyo, guard of the TOKYO camp; First Lieutenant KODERA, Kinshiro, who returned from the LUZON Island; Probational Officer OUCHI, Nobutaro, of the OFUNA camp; Lieutenant Commander OZAKI, of the 18th Naval Construction Unit; Sergeant Major SAKAINO, Takayoshi, KAMIKAWA-GUN, HOKKAIDO; Sergeant SAWAI, Hideo, BEPPU, OITA; Noncommissioned Officer ISHIWARA, Isamee, who returned from TRUK Island to URAGA; Ward Boy SHIOIRI, Rikio, TOKYO; Petty Officer SHOJI, Kideo, who returned from TRUK Island; Corporal

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POLITICAL SERIES: 205 (Continued)

ITEM 3 (Continued)

SHURAKI, Takeo, of the YOKKAICHI camp; First Lieutenant SUDO, Yoshio, of the TOKYO camp; Lieutenant Commander SUGIHARA, Hiraku, who was stationed in the ANDAZMAN Islands, and later at the KURE Naval Submarine School; SUZUKI, Ken, civilian of the SENDAI branch camp, TOKIWA coalmine; TAKAHASHI, Seiso, guard of the TOKYO branch camp No. 9; First Lieutenant TAKAHASHI, Takao, formerly of the OFUNA camp; Superior Private TAKAHASHI, Takeshi, of the HAKODATE branch camp No. 3; TAKEUCHI, Tetsunosuke, naval employee who recently returned from TRUK; TANAYAMA, Keiji, formerly of the OFUNA camp; TATEDO, Sotaro, civilian clerk, of the HAKODATE branch camp No. 3; Second Lieutenant TODA, Toshio, formerly of the NAGOYA come; First Lieutanant TOMAKI, of the MITO camp; Captain TOSHINO, Junzaburo, HATSUYAMA, EHIME; UEMATSU, Goke, civilian formerly of the SENDAI branch camp No. 4; Sergeant Major UENO, Torao, of the HAKODATE branch camp No. 3; Captain WADA, Yoshitono, formerly of the Prisoner Of War branch camp No. 1; WATANABE, Hidewa, guard of the HAKODATE camp; WATANABE, Sadao, guard of the HAKODATE camp; Superior Seaman WATAWABE, Tomikuni, of the OFUNA camp; Second Class Mariner YADOIWA, Isao, of the HAGOYA, camp; Sergeant YAMADA, Masao, of the [illegible]AGOYA camp; First Lieutenant YAMASHITA, Yoshira, of the NAGOYA camp; YA[illegible]ASAKI, interpreter of the SENDAI camp; YAMANOUCHI, interpreter; YAKAMOTO, Seijiro, employee of the HAKODATE camp; YASUDA, Kishiro, Captain of the TACHIBANA-MARU; First Class Private YOSHINAGA, Yoshitaro, of the LUZON camp; Corporal YOSHIO, Tetsuo, of the SENDAI camp; First Lieutenant YOSHIZAWA, Kanichiro, of the TOKYO camp.

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