Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0223, 1946-01-24.

Full Translation:

The president of the GIFU Associated Press, Mr. OHASHI, Sotosaburo, announced the general retirement of the present directors at a meeting of the executive committee council of the press employes' association. Prior to the previous arrangement to change the press title to the GIFU Times as well as to carry out democratization of management by means of the publication and presentation of shares to all employes within the first ten days of February, this step was adopted by the unanimous consent of the company in order to establish a new organization. The method of appointing new directors will be discussed by the committee of electors, which is scheduled to be appointed at the ratio of six from the employes' association and four from the present shareholders. An important general assembly of the same association will be held on Thursday to elect a committee.

Full Translation:

As one who engages in the study of history, my attention is attracted to fellow historians' opinions, not only by their views but also their methods of proposition and attitudes toward researches, As an example I would like to touch on "the Elucidation of the Emperor System", by Mr. HANI, Goro, which appeared in two series in the MAINICHI SHIMBUN.

The writer is well acquainted with the fact that Mr. HANI is a shrewd historian, by personal contact as well as through reading his works. He has not been accepted recently on account of his scientific probing of historical facts, but now that the situation has undergone a sudden change the stage for his activities is open for him, and the writer is one of those who expects much success from him. It is not the writer's direct aim to comment on Mr. HANKI's essays, but, by taking up one or two points, he wants to supplement his own views on the phenomena with which he had no occasion to deal in the foregoing columns.

Mr. HANI's points of argument are: (l) Doubts about JAPAN's chronology of 2600-odd years; (2) Rejection of the [illegible]intertupted Imperial lineage.

Regarding the former, it is common knowledge among historians

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that opinions are divergent on the correct chronology, and in spite of many publications on the question special pressure was brought to bear upon remarks on the question, along with the wholesale prohibition of any comment on the Imperial Family. Books on this subject were banned and the authors were detained by the police, which is really regrettable for research study. Therefore, I have, of course, nothing to say against Mr. HANI's adopting a different view, but, I entertain doubts as to the way of his adopting it. What I want to question him about is whether or not he means that the supremacy of the Imperial Family is maintained because it has continued for 2600 years but is lost if 600 years are deducted therefrom. Does he mean that the people's reverence for the Emperor diminishes because ARAI, Hakuseki, one of the many historians he quotes, arrived at the same view? Does he also mean that Dr. KUEOITA, Katsuyoshi, because he agreed with this view, made remarks in his "Study of the Country's History" which can be taken as injurious to patrotism? Personally, I am of the opinion that, to the people who are the corner stone of the protection of polity, a change in chronology has no substantial meaning.

Regarding the second point, which is about the misconduct of Emperors, while denying the authenticity of the "NIHON SHOKI", he quotes passages from the book as the evidence of such misconducts. For instance, in connection with Emperor SUIZEI's conduct, he quotes 15 lines from Mr. TAKEKOSHI's works, but in spite of this Emperor's reign during the 600 years which he denies, he inserts the description as historical fact without comment. Does not this attitude contradict the scientific methods of his study? This matter must be discussed as a question of the method of study extending over all branches of history.

Along with the rise of "SAMURAI" classes in the medieval age the conception of the polity was shaken owing to sudden changes in the national structure. Among Mr. HANI's arguments touching on the point, he appears to use the coexistence of the Southern and the Northern Dynasties as an argument to prove that this separation caused an interruption in the Imperial line. But the acknowledged opinion asserts that by the handling of the Imperial Heirlooms between the two dynasties, the legitimacy was automatically decided. That this was acknowledged among the SAMURAI classes in those times is proved by the fact that ASHIKAGA, Yoshimitsu, who was the actual power when he asked Emperor GOKAMEYAMA (then in YOSHINO) to come back to KYOTO, proposed, as one of the conditions, to hand over the heirlooms to Emperor GOKOMATSU (who was then in KYOTO) as a pledge of his abdication in favor of the latter. This datum was discovered by Dr. MIURA, Shuko, out of the KONOYE papers and reported to the academic world; it is considered authentic. I am not satisfied with Mr. HANI's attitude that, ignoring this fact, he merely argued or the basis of the co-existence of the two dynasties.

Nor am I content with his citing the actions and words of TOKI, KONO, and others, as if such "rare ruffians" were usual. Nor can I agree with his taking up the behavior of ODA, Nobunaga, when he was young, as an instance of disrespectful attitude generally adopted by the then ruling S[illegible]MURAI classes toward the Emperor. It is a well-known fact that when ODA, Nobunaga, reached a mature age he embodied the loyal spirit and performed deeds for the benefit of the

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Imperial Family.

I am not going any farther in raising questions because it is too much trouble to enumerate Imperial virtues and vices, and loyal and rebellious subjects in history. After all, we must decide on our attitude in dealing with these examples. In other words, in adopting a scientific attitude we must weigh the evidence correctly, differentiating between what is exceptioned and what is general. As Mr. HANI specially stressed at the beginning of his discussion, a firm attitude of historical study must be maintained, formed on historical facts, criticised and discussed, but not preconcluded.

Along with such academic questions, what demands more concern of the writer is the people's present view on the Emperor System. For example, the JAPAN Communist Party's Platform avows the overthrow of the Emperor System. Against the attitude expressed when first the party acquired legitimacy, the views of Mr. NOZAKA, Sanzo, and his followers, who have been at YENAN, are reported to be opposed. Mr. NOZAKA touched several times on the subject on his way home, thus giving the impression that there was disagreement between the two, but, according to the joint statement of Mr. NOZAKA and the Party's Central Committee, the Party's demand for the unconditioned overthrow of the Emperor System has been revised. Thus, though the Emperor System is rejected as a national system, the continuance of the Imperial Household will be dealt with as a separate question to be decided by the free will of the Japanese people as soon as the democratization of the country is attained. According to this principle, the separation of rites from administration is anticipated to materialize. But what I would like to point out is the characteristic world-view of the Nation. If an opportunity may arise for the party to put into practice its policy, it appears as though, in the process of its realization, it will undergo some transformation.

I express this view as a result of historical study but it cannot be a prophecy: Mr. NOZAKA revealed his opinion by saying that the reason he did not at once take up the Emperor question was because he desired to await the people's decision as their minds were undergoing a change. Whether the Nation's trend is towards the abolition of the Emperor System or toward the phenomena which I previously described as the spiritual foundation for the preservation of the polity, will influence millions. Personally, the writer, as a historian, is optimistic regarding the future of the Emperor System, and he is determined to have his expectation realized.

Full Translation:

The Fourth day of the trial of war criminal HONDA was opened at 0900, 23 January.

Throughout the previous day, Mr. OKADA, Shinichi, former camp interpreter, had explained the condition under which cases of inflammation of the lungs had broken out at the camp. In reply to the summons of the advocates, former

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Colonel SAKABA, Kanane, chief of the camps in the SENDAI area, explained the condition of the camp and said that HONDA and his subordinates made desperate efforts to nurse the sick prisoners of war. The court adjourned at 1150.

In the afternoon, prosecutors put various questions to witness SAKABA, who stated, "Prisoners at the YUMOTO camp were provided with 705 grams of food a day, the same quantity as that of a Japanese soldier, and a number of Japanese miners protested against what they considered was too much kindness. Without the camp officers' efforts the numbers of sick and dead prisoners of war would have been doubled."

Full Translation:

Prime Minister SHIDEHARA, who has been confined to his bed for many days, has now completely regained his health. He attended his Official Residence on 21 January for the first time since the outbreak of his illness. Since his return, he has been dealing with political affairs as far as his health permits.

It was decided that the Premier will call on General MACAHTHUR on the afternoon of 24 January to talk with him on important matters in order that the JAPANESE Government may be able to face the political situation after the reorganization of the Cabinet and make complete preparations for the various possible political measures that the Government must take to overcome the crucial situation.

DISTRUBUTION "X"

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