Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0271, 1946-02-03.
Date3 February, 1946
translation numberpolitical-1109
call numberDS801 .S85
Persistent Identifier
POLITICAL SERIES: 271
ITEM 1 A New Privy Councillor - Provincial Newspaper Hokkoku Nainichi (Kanazawa) 27 Jan 46. Translator: S. Kawasaki
Full Translation:
The Government is now selecting successors for the five vacancies in the Privy Council.
The appointment of Dr. MINOBE,
Tatsukichl was decided and his informal consent was obtained. Therefore, Prime Minister
SHID HARA proceeded to the Throne at
1600 on 26 January, and asked for Imperial sanction. At 1700 the same day, in the
presence of the Premier, the Imperial
investiture took place. The following public announcement was made: "With the senior
grade, third class court rank, and the
First Order of merit, MINOBE, Tatsukichi has been appointed Privy Councillor.
Dr. MINOBE is one of the experts on the constitution in JAPAN. He is also a doctor
of law. His appointment has been made in
preparation for the bill on the revision of the Constitution. The bill is to be submitted
to the Privy Council for inquiry,
and then, the authority for the Constitution will be needed.
ITEM 2 Views of Various Political Parties on Government's Measure Restraining Illegal Strikes - Yomiuri Hochi - 2 Feb 46. Translator: K. Murakami
Full Translation:
The Social-Democratic Party Chief Secretary KATAYAMA says; It is apparently a one-sided
judgment to blame the workers only,
overlooking the sabotage of capitalists. A labor dispute takes place for the maintenance
of workers' rights along the lines of
the spirit of the Labor Union Law. Therefore, it is natural to apply the law when
the workers take violent measures in the
dispute. Even from the point of view that the Labor Union Law aims to contribute to
the development of industry as well as to
the position of workers, they should not run to such extreme acts.
In a dispute, the problems of wages and working hours must be settled in the first
place. As for other subjects, they should
be dealt with according to a joint contract. At resent, in order to develop industry,
it is urgently necessary for workers to
make slow-going capitalists take notice of the solid front. We can assert that up
to the present, no strikes were affected by
the statement.
The Communist Party Chief Secretary XURODA: The statement issued by the four ministers
aims at preventing the worker's
progress towards self-management. Now that capit lists are trying to make excessive
profits by the rise in prices due to the
shortage of commodities caused by their own sabotage, we can find no way out but to
strike and and the dispute.
Self-management does not mean the infringement of ownership, much more, it multiplies
products by four or five times, thereby
increasing profits. If the workers' self-management is regarded as the infringement
of ownership, they are deprived of their
wights. It is apparently against the POTSDAM Declaration.
POLITICAL SERIES: 271 (Continued)
ITEM 2 (Continued)
Our party will endeavor to prevent violence and coercion not only in case of labor
disputes but also in any other movements.
We will try to mediate in troubles by lawful and peaceful means. For this, we exclude
the interference of police authorities
and claim the security of the people's liberty.
The Liberal Party Director MATSUNO: It is quite natural to apply the law for violence.
I cannot understand why the Government
has ignored it up to now. A democratic country cannot admit violence. It is not bad
for workers to demand increase of wages,
etc. However, we cannot approve the so-called self-management in the hands of a labor
union. Both manager and laborers must
work in their proper places in a synthesized organization; only in this way, is a
company or a factory well managed. If there
is one of the workers who is good at management he should be the only one to be moved
to the managing section. We can by no
means appreciate compulsory self-management in the hands of the majority of laborers.
The Progressive Party Mr. KOGURE: Of course, we welcome the formation of labor unions
and extension of laborers' rights.
However, if they dare ignore law and order, they will lose the sympathy and support
of the people, thereby making it more
difficult to achieve their ends. It is time to endeavor to increase production and
secure the national livelihood in complete
harmony with capitalists, managers, engineers and laborers. Therefore, labor disputes
and union movements are to be carried on
for the benefits of the whole Nation. We do not approve of unlawful behavior. If there
be such behavior, a law must be
naturally applied against it. Self-managements which is now carried on under the guise
of labor disputes and union movement,
does not always conform to law and order.
ITEM 3 The Necessity of Unifying People's Front Emphasized for Victory of Democracy in Coming General Election - Mimpo - 2 Feb 46. Translator: S. Hirata
Summary:
Under the Emperor system people could not have complete faith in the functions of
the Diet. However, the Diet is now going to
stand upon its own feet and a governing body of the people, by the people and for
the people has come within the range of
possibility. The Diet of to-day should be viewed in a different light. That is to
say, it is now necessary for the people to
send as many representatives of the democratic front as possible, for the purpose
of overthrowing the reactionary elements.
The SHIDEHARA Cabinet ought to be overthrown before the general election takes place,
and a fair election should be held by a
democratic government. But, due to the lack of unity, the election affairs are now
being controlled by a bureaucratic
government. Even now it is not too late,— unite in a democratic front at once! Overthrow
the SHIDEHARA Cabinet!
The first demand in carrying out the election campaign is the dissolution of reactionary
associations and the banishnent of
all war criminals and militarists from official posts. The bureaucratic government
is making an attempt to foil the execution
of the purge directive issued by SCAP with perfunctory measures such as its reshuffle
of governors and the questionaire of a
candidates' qualification. Moreover, most of the central as well as provincial posts
at present are occupied by war criminals.
However, it is not actually difficult to execute the purge directive, to say nothing
of the democratization of provincial
administration. United action in a democratic front is feasible especially in the
provinces, and we have actually witnessed
that fact.
Next, the solution to the inflation and food problems should be treated independently
of the election problem. Both
impeachment for concealed food and the adjustment of distributing organizations should
keep pace
- 2 -
POLITICAL SERIES: 271 (Continued)
ITEM 3 (Continued)
with the progress of democratization of the municipal administration. The establishment
of a powerful food control organ which
consists of representatives from various democratic bodies is not only demanded by
the present critical situation but it
should be the most important reason for which the election campaign is going to be
waged. For that purpose, too, the
unification of a democratic front becomes necessary.
We advise a democratic front to bring about an election agreement. We desire the
establishment of an election campaign
committee to consist of representatives from various democratic parties. We long for
the realization of a national unification
of democratic parties such as the Social Democrats and the Communists, etc., before
the general election takes place. Whether
or not the democratic front will overthrow the feudal or reactionary elements in the
forthcoming general election depends upon
its result.
The democratic front must win, in the forthcoming general election. At this juncture,
selfish movements of each democratic
party should be avoided. Its common foe is as yet neither fallen nor feeble. Nothing
but defeat will result from the resent
dissension within the democratic front, if it continues. Our defeat, that is to say,
the continuation of a reactionary
government which neglects the solution of food and inflation problems will bring about
the ruin of the Japanese race. We must
win. Faced with the national crisis, won't we let bygones be bygones and fight for
a common cause? Leaders of the democratic
front, be wise and resolute!
ITEM 4 Narahashi's Statement on the Will for the Revision of the Constitution - Yomiuri Hochi - 2 Feb 46. Translator: K. Murakami
Full Translation:
The Government held a Cabinet Meeting at 1430, 1 February to discuss the Constitution.
At the meeting, Chief Secretary
NARAHASHI issued the following statement:
A bill for revision of the Constitution was published in some newspaper as the tentative
bill of the Constitution
Investigation Council. However, it is quite different from the genuine bill of the
Council. Of course, we find some indentical
points since various persons attended for reference, as well as advisers and committeemen.
Anyhow, it is quite different from
the bill of the Council which is now being investigated at the Cabinet Meeting.
DISTRIBUTION "X"
- 3 -
Loading...