Press translations [Japan]. Political Series 0355, 1946-02-19.

Full Translation:

Before the forthcoming general election which helds epoch making significance in the construction of a democratic JAPAN, a reporter called on Mrs. KATO, Shizue, member of the Social Democratic Party and Miss MAKI, Yu, of the Communist Party, who are fighters for the emancipation of women, and heard their views on the election campaign and on the emancipation of women from their respective viewpoints.

Mrs. KATO, Shizue (the former Baroness ISHIMOTO, Keikichi) is famous for having supported Mrs. SANGER; and advocated birth control. In the coming general election, Mr. KATO, Kanju, her husband, a leader of the Social Democratic Party, is scheduled to run for election as a candidate from AICHI-Ken; and Mrs. KATO, Shisue from TOKYO-2. In the foreign-style, sunny study-room which stands on an unbombed hill in KOYAMA-Machi, IBARA-Ku, TOKYO, Mrs. KATO, Shizue, 49 years of age, amusing her child. TAKIKO, ten months old, said "I who advocated birth control, gave birth to a child. It seems to be contrary to my motto, but "birth control" means in a word, 'bear a good child'. The other day, I was praised by Miss MIYAWOTO, Yuriko, saying that I had practiced my motto. Women's suffrage has been obtained after more than thirty years' struggle. The use of women's suffrage will play a great role in the reconstruction of democratic JAPAN. I think that we should understand our important mission thoroughly in the coming general election. There is one thing that women voters must guard against in the general election. That is that those who are applicable under the directives of MacARTHUR's Headquarters and have been removed from the political world, will probably have their wives run for election as puppet candidates, in order to maintain their influence.

Question: Concerning the formation of a democratic front, what is the standpoint of the women's section of the Social Democratic Party?

A. "To the formation of a democratic front, both I and my husband, wholly agree. As regards the Emperor problem which has interrupted co-operation wit the Communist Party, we have opinions very similar to those of Mr. NOZAKA since his return to JAPAN. As a result, I think that the possibility of the formation of a democratic front has increased very much. In any event, it is necessary that both the Social Democratic Party and the Communist Party should treat each other with sincerity,"

Question: Your election slogan? —-

A. "First of all, I think that among the neighborhood associations, a co-operative union must be developed. For this purpose a woman must play a most important role. I want to emphasize that legislative, economic and all other discriminatory treatment of women should be abolished, there should be protection of mothers and children, birth control should be instituted, and lastly, coeducation should be practice The opinion opposed to birth control which says that the population is

POLITICAL SHRIES: 355 (Continued)

ITEM 1 (Continued)

decreased already owing to the defeat, is very pessimistic and judging from the future racial development of JAPAN, this view is not desirable. I am of the opinion that the increase of population in number, does not insure the development of the Japanese race, only by improving the quality of the population can this be possible. From birth, Japanese women have always been taught, 'Be patient and be obedient, I wish to say, 'Seek happiness; and act positively, should be their guiding principle."

Behind Mrs. KATO, Shizue, who was talking with animation, the goddess of mercy, copied after the style of the Imperial articles at SHO[illegible](TN Warehouse of the Imperial Household in ancient times.), presented a classical, calm atmosphere.

Summary:

With the enactment of the economic emergency measures announced by the Government to cope with the crisis in the national economy, the coming general election will take place under unprecedental circumstances It is, therefore, a matter of keen interest for us all ask what influences it will bear upon the election. In the first place, the public has learned much from the inefficiency of the present Government to sett[illegible]the crisis. They are, by now, fully aware that nothing other than the strong political power of a party cabinet truly representing the common interests of the nation can meet the crisis we now face. It was a well-learned, though costly, lesson for them. The election, upon which the eyes of the whole world is focussed, mill be met by the nation with a political consciousness unprecedented in the political history of this country.

In the second place, the restriction placed on the withdrawal of deposit is expected to force the election expenses to be reduced to the limit legally permitted. Thus, the buying-over policy of the candidates, a long-established and notorious tradition in our country, seems to have been made impossible. The stipulation of the Election Law fixes the amount of the election expenses at the figure achieved by multiplying thirty sen by a figure, which is the result of the number of all the voters in the electoral district divided by the figure of the fixed membership allotted for the electoral district. The amount, generally speaking, available for each candidate thus calculated is placed at about 25,000 yen. This amount plus the sum for payment of security for candidacy are the only expenditures legally permitted. As a matter of fact, not much will be left from the above amount when the expenses of sending letters of recommendation to voters are met. Furthermore, the stipulation of the revised Election Law which allowed the expenses spent by a third party to be excluded from the total of election expenditures is to be nullified by the issuance of an Imperial Ordinance to prohibit activities of third parties except by telephone or by letters written in their own hand. The Government is further expected to exercise strict precautions against briberies of any kind.

All in all, it can be safely expected that a most impartial election will result when all these measures ore properly put into force.

Full Translation:

A people's meeting for welcoming Mr. NOZAKA, Sanzo was held at 1300 hours

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ITEM 3 (Continued)

on 17 February at the NAKANOSHIMA Park grounds in OSAKA: After addresse of welcome were made and demands and resolutions for the organization of a democratic front in OSAKA were expressed, they decided on: (1) the resignation of the Governor of OSAKA Fu and also of the reactionary SHIDEHARA Cabinet, (2) democratic management of all principle foods and (3) the speed up of the organization of a democratic front. Furthermore, it was also decided unanimously as an urgent motion to urge the leaders of the Social Democratic and Liberal parties to make positive efforts to organize a democratic front.

After that, Mr. NOZAKA delivered the following speech to more than ten thousand listeners: "Indeed, the Government says that its recent measures are for the purpose of preventing inflation, overcoming food shortage and equalizing the difference between the rich and poor, but to tell the truth, their essential value lies in facing the present situation at the sacrifice of the working people. As funds for enterprise are not restricted, they are at the capitalists own disposal. Moreover, it is impossible to supply markets, where the purchasing power has been reduced, with products, which are made from vitally needed raw materials at low prices. Therefore, production will be reduced. If production is not increased and even if new yen are paid to the extent of five hundred yen per person per month, the inequality between currency in circulation and prices will be trebled in three months: This must be obvious even to the most uninformed. Difficulties cannot be overcome completely. Nevertheless, claims of workers for trebling their salaries have already been suppressed through drastic measures. On the other hand, the price of rice at three hundred yen per koku cannot cover the expenses of farmers, when necessities for living are at black market prices. In short, these recent measures ere the lost left to the Government and they have disclosed their anti-public and non-democratic characteristics through their actions.

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