Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0261, 1946-02-02.
Date2 February, 1946
RepositoryRauner Special Collections Library, Dartmouth College.
Call Numberpolitical-1073
Call NumberDS801 .S85
Persistent Identifier
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POLITICAL SERIES: 261
ITEM 1 Investigation of women's opinion in HOKKAIDO-Provincial Newspaper Hokkaide
Shimbun (HOKKAIDO) -27
January 1946. Translator: S. Sano.
Full Translation:
The Women's Association in HOKKAIDO has investigated women's opinions from the beginning
of December concerning; 1. The hope
for the New members of the House of Representatives. 2. The requests regarding the
Government's policy in everyday life. 3.
The opinion about women suffrage. But, only 53 answers have reached the headquarters
up to now. This poor figure shows how
indifferent the members who number more than 200,000 in all, over the HOKKAIDO area
will be to the election and at the same
time, reveals the weakness of the association whose name was changed after the end
of the war, from the old name of "Women's
Patriotic Association in HOKKAIDO." Out of 53 answers; the distinctions by ago are:
(number) | (age) |
22 | from 40 to 50 years old |
14 | from 30 to 40 years old |
10 | from 50 to 60 years old |
5 | from 60 to 70 years old |
2 | from 20 to 30 years old |
and we can surmise that the women of middle age are more interested in political
affairs than the young women. However, it
will be natural not to attract the attention of the young women since the new association
is only the substitute of "the
Women's Patriotic Association" of the past.
The contents of the answers are: 1. Regarding the hope for members of the new Diet,
there was an overwhelming majority who
wish the maintenance of the Emperor system, and this is an indication of women's conception
for the Emperor. 2. Concerning the
requests of everyday life, many of them were dissatisfied with the present ration
quantities and the methods of irregular
delivery and sincerely hoped for an increase and regular rationing of the main foods.
While among the better were some
peculiar ideas such as suggesting time allotment of proportionate numbers of men and
women to the Diet and that a primary
condition must be that the member was not a bystander during the war. The paper failed
to record anything regarding point
No.3.
POLITICAL SERIES: 261 (Continued)
ITEM 2 Various Opinions on "Control by the People" -The Tokyo Shimbun-30 January 1946.
Translator:
HIRATA, Shozo.
Full Translation:
Mr. SUZUKI, Mosabure of the Social Democratic Party says, "Control of production
by labor unions may be considered as another
form of the strike. Sabotage by the capitalists will be given notice, and labor without
decreasing production, can obtain the
support of the public. Furthermore, it should be noted that this expresses labor's
enthusiasm for production. Therefore, it is
quite evident that this control covers both the production and management. So the
situation becomes different according to
whether the labor union consists of clerks and technicians or not. But I can not approve
of the complete control of any
company or firm by the labor union if its sole purpose is to achieve labor's demands
and oppose the sabotage of the company.
It should be a temporary measure used against the companies concerned, and 1 should
say that the control which extends over
all the affairs of companies and factories is too much, because such radical measures
will deprive capitalists of a desire for
enterprise and will cause, in the end the decline of Japanese industry. It will also
become and obstacle to the reconstruction
of JAPAN. Furthermore, it is not only unbearable but impossible for laborers to shoulder
the burden of raising funds with the
capitalists.
'Considering these facts, it is impossible for me to let the labor unions concern
themselves in such matters as obtaining
materials or funds. Of course, it is permissible for labor to stir up capitalists
who are inclined to be idle, by carrying out
the control of production and thereby satisfying their demands. But labor should remember
that a certain limit is put on such
steps. Several labor unions which have started the control of production, knowing
nothing about practical affaires, are at a
loss how to carry on the control. Therefore, I hope for capitalists' enthusiasm for
production and understanding for the labor
union, but at the same time I wish the labor unions to rectify their excess attitude.
"Concerning the food problems, I still fear for the reckless control of provisions
by the people. This problem became widely
known by the ITABASHI incident. As an ideal plan, it is not a mistake to control our
provisions by ourselves, and I have a
plan of my own. That is to say, to make a farmer's union carry out the delivery of
staple feed through unbaised, democratized
organs. This organ should consist of the representatives of farmers, landowners and
consumers of limited number, and the
price, too is to be decided by a committee formed by the above three."
Mr. OKADA, Bunkichi, of the Communist Party Central Office Provisions Committee,
says, "As is already known, it is difficult
for the distribution of provisions by the Government to be fair and just. In order
to rectify this, it must be performed by
the people themselves. This is the reason why the Peoples' Provisions Control Committee
has been formed. Naturally it is
impossible to control everything by this organization, and this is why the Communist
Party advocates the establishment of the
Peoples' Consultative Conference. That is to say, we propose to unite the Peoples'
Control Committee, the Farmers Comittee in
small towns and villages and the labor Unions in cities into one group, and thereby
we intend to operate the factory
production of such things as daily necessities and also agricultural products.
"I am now making preparations to publish concrete plans. I believe a new way will
be opened tous by control and distribution
not by the bureaucrats but by the people."
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POLITICAL SERIES: 261 (Continued)
ITEM 2 (Continued)
Next, as regards the control of production by labor, Mr. TAKEDA, Shuro, of the Communist
Party, TOKYO District Committee,
Business Bureau, says "Control of production by labor is now being carried on as a
temporary measure, and how long it will
last will depend upon the situation. Of course, I am not so sanguine as to say that
everything can be successfully operated by
labor alone. Co-operation between capital and labor is desirable. However, the increase
in labor's compe[illegible]ence by their participation in the management should naturally be realized as a new
policy, and the
demand for the control of production needs to be directed chiefly for this purpose."
ITEM 3 What will be the result of the general election-Tokyo Shimbun-31 January 1946.
Translator: S.
Sano.
Full Translation:
It has been decided to carry out the general election on 31 March. We admit the efforts
of the SHIDEHARA Cabinet which strove
to hold the general election in spite of the Premier's illness of more than ten days.
Frankly speaking, this announcement gave the utmost relief to the candidates and
leaders of various political parties. For
seeing the dissolution of the Diet and carrying out of the general election, after
the end of the war, the new candidates have
held various preparatory election campaigns such as, lecture meetings, roundtable
conferences, discussion meetings, etc., and
ex-members of the House of Representatives who have made detailed regulations for
election campaigns against those new
candidates, have continued the campaign of self-nomination (JISEN UNDO). Since the
dissolution of the Diet, and some
candidates who have spent quite a bit of the officially recognized expenditure on
their campaigns, were in a state of complete
inaction.
Comment is being made on the Communist Party that it is demanding a postponement
of the general election on the professed
grounds of the food question etc. and that it is nothing more than a plan to extend
it's existing structure.
What effects has the speedy progress toward the foundation of a people's front on
the election? It must be recognized that the
popular front movement, is, at the same time, a measure against the general election.
The general election has now developed
into a spectacular arena where all the political problems are to be finally determined.
What ultimate influence it will have
on the nation as a whole, must be seen in the course of time.
ITEM 4 Trails of Sergeant ISHIDA, FUKUHARA and HONDA-Asahi Shimbun-l February 1946.
Translator: T.
KITAYAMA.
Full Transition:
The war criminal trial of Sergeant ISHIDA, Kitare, a corporal when he was in active
service, and formerly assistant station
master of HIMEJI, accusing him of maltreating war prisoners while he was a guard of
the HIROHATA war prisoners camp, was held
at the first court in YOKOHAMA at 0900 on 31 January. The accused insisted on his
innocence to Chief Judge TRECHTER.
Prosecutor SWEET began to read affidavits, and the trial was carried on speedily in
American style. After the reading of
thirteen affidavits the Court went into a recess at 1150.
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POLITICAL SERIES: 261 (Continued)
ITEM 4 (Continued)
ISHIDA's crimes consist of nine items. In all these items except the last one, are
involved such cruelties to the prisoners as
striking them with a club, a leather band, a rope, etc., throwing them into the water,
or pouring water into their mouths. The
ninth item consists of diverting provisions, tobacco, and goods of the Red Cross Relief.
At 1330 the trial reopened. The prosecutor read several affidavits of atrocities
to Sergeant MORE and others, concerning the
first item.
Third Day of Trial of FUKUHARA.
The third day of the trial of FUKUHARA commenced at 0900 on 31 January The prosecution
requested the summoning as a witness of
an American surgeon, Major CREMER, but it was rejected. Questions were asked about
the cure of pneumonia. Chief attorney
PHILLIPS questioned concerning the medical differences between JAPAN and AMERICA.
At noon the Court went into recess. The
trial was reopened at 1330. After the making of affidavits by the prosecution, prosecutor
KAYUFFMAN produced the temperature
table of OMUDA District at the time the prisoners were taken there, but on account
of some unavoidable delay by the defense
the court was closed at 1400.
11th Day of Trial of HONDA
The 11th day of the trial of HONDA opened at 0900 on 31 January. Counter examination
of HONDA to those of the defends MARTISON
on the preceding day were made by Chief Prosecutor Captain HOWARD.
HONDA stated that he tried to keep himself in close touch with the' prisoners so
that he night hear their complaints,
endorsing the evidence made on the previous day. The court was closed at 1145, and
it was not reopened in the afternoon on
account of certain reasons of the prosecution.
DISTRIBUTION "X"
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