Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0206, 1946-01-20.

Full Translation:

It was decided at the standing executive committee meeting held on 18 January that the social-Democratic Party will draft its own democratic constiution after investigation by the society for the Research into the constitution, which is being organized for this purpose. The committee will be composed of the following newly appointed representatives; KATAYAMA, Tetsu; HARA, Takeshi; MORITO, Tatsuo; TAKANO, Iwasaburo; MIZUTANI, Chosaburo; MATSUOKA, Komakichi; KURODA, Toshie; NAKAMURA, Takaichi; SUZUKI, Yoshio; and UNNO, Shinkichi.

The fundamental attitude of the party toward this problem was already made publiy when the late prince KUNOE began the revision of the constitution at the request of the Office of the Keeper of the privy seal. The Party pointed out the following points needing revision.

1. The readjustment and reduction of the emperor's prerogatives; 2. The expansion and maintainance of the rights of national freedom; 3. The expansion of the powers of the Diet; 4. The revision and legalization of the Law of the House of Peers; 5. Making the Minister of the State responsible to the Diet; 6. The abolition of the Privy Council; 7. The abolition of the Emergency Imperial Ordinances; 8, The abolition of the reenactment of the previous year's budget; 9. The amendment of the procedure for the revision of the constitution; 10. The amendment of the Imperial Household Rules, especially the abolition of the office of the Keeper of the Privy seal.

It is now expected that this Party will also pay considerable attention to the revision of other points because of the difference in the general opinion at this time. Moreover, the contents of the revision draft, which will be made public by the above mentioned Society for Research into the constitution, of which Mr. TAKANO and Mr. MORITO are the chief members, will be reviewed by the Government.

Full Translation:

ISHIMATA, Sotaro, has resigned his post as Minister of the Imperial Household Department being liable under the purge directive of SCAP and MATSUDAIRA, Keimin has succeeded him. The Government has now come to admit that there are two more personages serving close to the Emperor, who are to be purged by MacARTHUR's directive of 6 January. They are the grand chamberlain FUJITA and President of the Privy Council SUZUKI. It is predicted that the changes of these two important court officials will take place soon after the Premier's recovery from his illness. But are they the only persons who serve

POLITICAL SERIES: 206 (Continued)

ITEM 2 (continued)

close to the Emperor and are liable under the directive? May there not be more court officials who should be weeded out by the directive?

As the Government declares, if we examine the directive deliberately and strictly, we shall clearly find that, not only the President of the Privy Council, but also all the Privy Councilors are responsible for the war. Under the present state of affairs, if the government is not bold enough to abolish the Privy Council, and fundamentally reform the Imperial Household Department, the whole issue will clearly result in one great fraud.

Summary:

Following the Social Democrats refusal to team up with the Communists, the latter have again stressed the necessity of union now. They have ceased to attack the Social Democrat leadership group, and one is impressed by the gentleness of their tone and their concentration on the actual problems of the united front. They praise YAMAKAWA, Hitoshi's appeal for a united front and the plan of the people's Aid Society (SEWAJINKAI) other than their own projects, which shows their unswerving loyalty toward the final issue, since the social Democrats likewise warmly welcome the YAMAKAWA project it appears that YAMAKAWA has succeeded in bringing into life the union scheme. In their answer to the Communists the Social Democrats do not deny that their lower sections have begun co-operating of their own accord This is natural, since the party was hurriedly formed by parliamentarians and the leader do not really represent the feelings of the rank and file. Despite the original refusal on the part of the Social Democratic Party, the chances of a united front need not be viewed pessimistically at present.

Extracts:

When the Communist Party advocated, a few months ago, the overthrow of the Emperor System and the establishment of a people's republic, the general public, which was made ignorant by the ruling classes, thought to a rash and dangerous idea. The Social Democratic party taking up an opposite view declined the repeated approaches by the Communists for a united popular front. Subsequently the Communists carried on for several months, enlightenment campaign in mines, factories and agrarian villages, in which the social Democrats allowed them a head start. The effect of the Communits' campaigns among the working masses was to arouse their self consciousness and as a result common fights were carried in various places between the ground organizations of the two parties.

Such a situation naturally influenced the upper strata of the two parties to modify or adapt their policies to the prevailing sentiments and demands of the working masses and in concert with their lower sections, the possibility of their forming a. common front is daily increasing. If the coalition of the two parties is materialized, it will be a natural consequence that the Progressive, Liberal and other parties who really wish the people's welfare should join the coalition. Therefore, the co-operation of these two parties is an ardent desire of the working masses, so the leaders on both sides should, at once, break the deadlock and at the same time liquidate their ideological or political errors and go ahead towards a united front.

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POLITICAL SERIES: 206 (Continued)

ITEM 4 (Continued)

As the position now occupied by the Communist Party is very important, it should exhibit the real aspect of the "proselytes" to the working masses and carry on a self-criticism; at the same time the leaders should make the best of the proselytes with their spirit of friendliness for the purpose of expanding and strengthening the party. While each party is criticising itself as well as others, it will find a common point of view among them all. The questions of the existing lack of food, clothing, and shelter for the working masses will in itself be a meeting point. Should these questions be taken up and the common policy and method of combat be studied for the solution, a clue for a united front will automatically be discovered.

Full Translation:

Dismissal of Half provincial Governors Home Minister Begins choice.

With a view toward sweeping away all militaristic leaders from the Home Ministry, as well as from the offices under its jurisdiction, as soon as possible, Home Minister MITSUCHI proposed carrying out a drastic reshuffle of prefectural governors. Accordingly, he notified the prefectural governors and chiefs of bureaus in the Home Ministry that those who feel any responsibility for the war should resign. Those who sent in their resignations by 18 January numbered more than ten, Among them are FUJIWARA of KANAGAWA Prefecture, FUKUMOTO of AICHI, KOBAYASHI of MIE, and ASAKA of OKAYAMA, as well as Chief of the prefectural Bureau IRIE and chief of the Supervision Bureau OSHIMA. It is predicted that resignations will be tendered one after another. Accordingly, the Home Minister has immediately set about making out a list of new personnel as prefectural governors. The Home Minister's plan of requesting the provincial governors to tender their resignations of their own volition seems to have shocked them, and if the present state of affairs goes on as it does now, it appears that the majority of the provincial governors will send in their resignations. Foreseeing this state of affairs, the Home Minister on 18 January gave directives to all governors, except to those whom he wanted to resign, not to be disturbed by changes, but to remain in office, continuing to perform their duties. By this, extent of the reshuffle aimed at by the Home Minister has been made clear, and it will include about half the number of the prefectural governors who once held concurrently the post of chief of the prefectural branch office of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association. There are some, even within the Home Ministry, among the general public of course, who denounce the Home minister in adopting such round about methods. To this denunciation the Home Minister's supporters reply as follows:

"It is extremely difficult to ascertain the extent of the 'purges' directive issued by General MacARTHUR. It will be a month or two before it is legally determined, but the present state of uneasiness among Government officials should not be allowed to continue. In order to determine the scope of the directive by political and not by legal means the Government has advised war responsible Governors to resign of their own accord. It is already known, through public opinion, who among higher officials are responsible for the war. If anyone takes this public opinion and General MacARTHUR's 'purge' directives into consideration, the extent of those who should be held responsible for the war will naturally become clear.

Appointment Also from Among the People.

Homo Minister MITSUCHI has been making progress in selecting prefectural governors since the 17 January, with Vice-Minister OMURA and

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ITEM 5 (continued)

Chief of the TOKYO Area FUJINUMA as his aide-de-camp. On 18 January he began to negotiate with these whom he wanted to adopt as governors from among the people at large. His plan of selecting governors is as follows:

• 1.To select adequate governors not only from among officials, but also from among the public, so that the people 's trust in prefectural governors may be restored,. At first it was thought that chiefs of internal affairs departments would be promoted so that, in the conduct of affairs, stagnation might not result, but such a measure will not be resorted to except where it is unavoidable.
• 2.Appointment will be extended to as many persons as possible among the general public; and among officials, we seek not only those in the Home Ministry, but also in other Ministries, thus selecting trained men to be appointed as governors in the larger prefectures.
• 3.To the regaining positions, younger officials of the Home Ministry will be appointed, so that a fresh and new spirit may be infused into the Government.

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