Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0211, 1946-01-21.
Date21 January, 1946
translation numberpolitical-0869
call numberDS801 .S85
Persistent Identifier
POLITICAL SERIES: 211
ITEM 1 Women Assemble to Talk on Politics - Yomiuri-Hochi - 20 Jan 46. Translator: K. MURAKAMI.
Full Translation:
In order to find out about the question of women's suffrage, the Progressive Party
summoned two noted women, namely, Mrs.
YOSHIOKA, Yayoi, director, and Mrs. MURAOKA, Hanako, head of the Woman's Section,
to hold a meeting at noon of 19 January at
the Industry Club (In KOGYO).
As many as 40 women attended on that day, perhaps out of a sense of duty to Mrs YOSHIOKA.
This is quite rare, since, in a
woman's meeting, men such as Chief Secretary TSURUMI, Director SHIMADA and Mr. SAITO,
Takao, seemed to have effaced themselves
among the female veterans.
Mrs YOSHIOKA delivered the opening address; "It is an honor to have all the noted
women attend, except for the Communists. We
women, who have been given women's suffrage, have a duty to form a common front by
ourselves. Don't you agree?"
Next Director SHIMADA spoke, "A woman minds what others say too much. Now that you
have joined the same circle, I would advise
you not to forget the relationship." In addition, he advised them not to be disturbed
about the future of the party, which
swams with war criminal suspects.
Mrs. MURAUKA made an address about her reasons for joining the party and giving up
her candidacy. Mrs. TAKARA, Tomiko, and
Mrs.KINOSHITA, made an address on their candidacy.
After these addresses the women expressed their own political views under the direction
of Mrs. YOSHIOKA. However, those who
definitely supported the Progressive Party numbered only two, namely Mrs. TAKEDA,
Kiku, and Mrs. KAWAGUCHI Mesdames INOUYE,
Hide, KAWAI, Michiko, and FUJIMURA, Toys, said, "As we wish to work from our own standpoint,
that is, as educators, we do not
support any special party". HIRATA, Kobu, HUTARI, Miyuki, said "We came here only
to hear the Progressive Party's policy for
women and children". YAMADA, Waka (in a satirical manner): "Previous Diet members
have treated women who followed
parliamentary movements roughly. When I lock back upon those days, I am deeply moved
with emotion". Old members: "Anyhow, the
world has become too censorious."
ITEM 2 Measures for Election Decided - Tokyo Shimbun - 20 Jan 46. Translator: T. Kitayama.
Full Translation:
The JAPAN Co-operative Party(KYODOTO) held a general committee meeting at its headquarters
in MISAKI-cho, KANDA, on 18
January, attended by FUNADA, representative commissioner, SENGOKU, YOSHIDA, TANAKA,
AKAGI, KODAIRA and other Commissioners. At
the conference, there were discussions
POLITICAL SERIES: 211 (Continued)
ITEM 2 (Continued)
about measures for the general election, the structure of its branch offices, the
urgent food problem, the Emperor system, the
democratic front, and other impending problems.
The following decisions were reached:—
- 1.The party will establish its branch offices in all prefectures during the last ten days of this month and the end of February, and each committee should decide on its own constituency before it systematically begins its electoral.
- 2.With regard to measures for the general election, the planning for the election should be accomplished at the headquarters, and FUNADA, Naka, KUROSAWA, Iorizo, and KODAIRA, Gonichi were selected as commissioners for the election; while KUMURA was chosen as the thief in charge of the headquarters.
- 3.Measures for the problems of the Emperor system and democratic front are to be published after the guiding principles of the Party's headquarters has been determined in the near future and then a conference of those in charge of the party will be requested.
- 4.As for the measures on the food problem, it has been decided to ease the stringent food crisis by some means along with measures for the self-supervision of working and farming classes and measures dealing with materials. The Party is to request the Government to solve these problems satisfactorily.
ITEM 3 A United Front Based on Friendship and Sincerity - Minppo - 20 Jan 46 Translator : H. KATO.
Summary:
In the Central Executive Committee of the Social Democratic Party on 16 January the
formation of a democratic united front was
deemed rather premature, and it was decided to delay forming it until after the forthcoming
general election. However, there
will be local unification with the Communist Party in small localities. Nevertheless,
affairs are slowly progressing toward
the sober but substantial formation of a united front. There is no doubt that the
forthcoming general election will be
seriously affected by the local united front presented by the Social Democrats and
Communists. By the postponement of the
general election, an enlightened movement by the Government and the people independly
to realize the Allied political purge,
order will be carried out through the general election campaign, and a movement to
restore production and guarantee the
people's livelihood will be gradually seen.
Democrats
The Social and Communists should extend the united front locally in this sense through
the general election campaign. What are
the prerequisites for carrying out the common fight of both parties in friendship
and confidence on the election campaign? The
Communists must be moderate in calling some leaders of the Social Democrats slovenly
or fascists as in the past. On the other
hand the Social Democrats should guard against such slanderous propaganda as that
claiming the Communists foster social
disorder and instigate violence. Otherwise tae general masses will l[illegible]respect and confidence in
both parties and the formation of a popular front would be impossible.
The prime requirements for the formation of a united front are as follows: 1. Adoption
of the widest possible agreement
regarding the revival of the people's livelihood centering on food, clothing and shelter.
2. Co-operation in the
constituencies by candidates of both parties, and 3. Arrangement of
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POLITICAL SERIES: 211 (Continued)
ITEM 3 (Continued)
the number of candidates put forward by any organization; or by the organization
of a united front, constituenies should
automically be respected. Strong candidates must be chosen by considering the power
of both parties over the masses and the
number of representatives to be elected in the localities concerned.
ITEM 4 B[illegible]ucrats [illegible]tc- [illegible]Posts - The Mimpo - 20 Jan 46 - Translator: S. KAWASAKI.
Full Translation:
Home Minister MITSUCHI will bring about a great change in the bureaucratic composition
of the Home Office in accordance with
the retirement from office of war criminals, based on the directives issued by Mac
ARTHUR'S Headquarters. Those who fall
within the limits of resignation with good grace, are as follows:-
Director of the Local Bureau of the Home Office IRIE, Seiichiro; Director of the
Superintendent Bureau of the Home Department
OSHIMA, Hiroo; Vice-Minister of Welfare KAMEYAM, Koichi; Director of the Social Bureau
of the Welfare Office KURIHARA, Minoru;
Director of the Board of Health of the Welfare Office SAWA, Shigeuji: Governor of
HOKKAIDO, MOCHINAGA, Yashio; Vice-Governor
of TOKYO Metropolis, MACHIMURA, Kingo; Director of the Board of Education of TOKYO
Metropolist TATEBAYASHI, Mikio; Director of
the Planning Bureau of TOKYO, NAKAJ[illegible], Kenzo.
Also, Governor of OSAKA-Fu, ARAI, Zentars; Governor of KANAGAWA-Ken, FUJIWARA, Takao;
Governor of HYOGO-Ken, SAITO, Ryo.
Governor of NAGA-SAKI-Ken; NAGANO, Wakamatsu; Governor of NIIGATA-Ken, HATADA, Masafuku;
Governor of GUMMA-Ken, TAKAGATA,
Toshio; Governor of CHIBA-Ken, SHOETSU, Jukuma Governor of NARA-Ken, ODA. Shigenari;
Governor of MIE-Ken, KCB [illegible]SHI, Chiaki; Governor of AICHI-Ken, FUKUGI, Ryuichi; Governor of SE[illegible]MA-Ken, Horita, Tateo; Governor of SHIGA-Ken; INADA, Shuichi; Governor of IWATE-Ken,
MIYADA, Tamemasu;
Also, Governor of AOMORI-Ken, Kanal, Matohiko; Governor of FUKUI-Ken, MIYATA, Shonai;
Governor of OKAYAM-Ken, AZUMI, Takuya;
Governor of YAMAGUCHI-Ken, OKAMOTO, Shigeru; Governor of WAKAYAMA-Ken, Koike, Uichiro;
Governor of KAGAWA-Ken, TANAKA, Shogo;.
Governor of FUKUOKA-Ken, SOGA, Kaji-matsu; Governor of KUMAMOTO-Ken, HIRAI, Akira;
Vice-Chief of the Reconstruction Board,
MATSUMURA, Mitsumaro.
ITEM 5 A Democratic United Front - The Mimpo - 20 -Jan 46. Translator: J. WEILLER.
Full Translation:
The Realization of a General Principle.
This general principle must agree with the fundamental spirit of the POTSDAM Declaration.
To accomplish this, first all
militarists and War criminals must be punished and expelled. Second, a temporary democratic
government must be set up composed
of representatives of the various democratic parties and public bodies in order to
study the measures against the imminent
starvation problem, and, at the same time, an impartial general election must be held.
Third, a peaceful and responsible
democratic government must be chosen in the general election. Only the establishment
of a democratic government which
represents the real demands of the people and not those of war criminals, will enable
the various democratic policies to be
realized faithfully. This is the formula for the administration of occupied zones
published as a decision of the CRIMEA
Conference of the three great powers, ENGLAND, AMERICA and SOVIET RUSSIA in February
1945 and the democratizing formula which
was agreed to by the world.
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POLITICAL SERIES: 211 (Continued)
ITEM 5 (Continued)
In the case of JAPAN, for sundry reasons, things have not happened precisely in the
above order. In this country stern
disposal of the War criminals and militarists now has become the important concern
of the Nation. Not only do the reactionary
elements exist in swarms but they are still holding political, economic and educational
powers in the capitol as well as in
the country, and once MacARTHUR'S directives strike at the organization, the whole
working structure comes to a standstill. On
the other hand, however, the Japanese nation has acquired comparatively wide political
freedom, which is the realization of
the most fundamental principle of the POTSDAM Declaration for eliminating obstacles
to the revival and development of
democratic tendencies. By this cleans, the people have obtained the basis on which
they can win their own democratic duties in
an extremely liberal, popular, and peaceful manner, which is the greatest harvest
of the first stages of JAPAN'S democratic
revolution.
In the second stage, we must utilize the above harvest to the fullest extent to organize
ourselves without delay, and at the
same time, by a comprehensive mobilization of the masses from top to bottom, the war
criminals and militarists must be
entirely driven out from places of work and areas allowing close contact with the
people, in order to hasten democratic
undertakings. In such a case the establishment of a temporary democratic coalition
government and thorough democratization of
local administration is moot essential. The reason for insufficient exercise of power
from below in this country is due to the
fact that the local administration which has the closest contact with the people is
least influenced by the democratic trend,
affording an ideal stronghold for the reactionary elements which are trying to obstruct
all improvements and reformations and
which are awaiting a chance of victory in the general election.
The directive of 4 January thrust a surgical knife into this canvas bringin about
an important turning point in the second
stage. Availing themselves of this opportunity, the second attack was evolved by the
people, but the disunity of our
democratic powers is entirely responsible for premitting the crisis-threatened SHIDEDAR.
Cabinet to survive by
reorganization.
The same tiling can be said of local politics. Should the democratic influence form
a united front it will be possible, when
the war criminals have been eliminated, to elect the prefectural governors by public
vote, and to dissolve the equally guilty
prefectural assemblies and insure that they be run by the people. In towns and villages
it is much easier, because, for
example, in case food and educational administration are utterly p[illegible]ralized, if all the democratic
parties combine, it will be quite possible to organize food and education committees
established by the people as a temporary
measure and so bring about great improvements.
DISTRIBUTION "X"
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