Press translations [Japan]. Social Series 0022, 1945-11-18.

Summary:

The Housing project for the homeless cannot he carried out immediately, though it is recognized that a solution to the housing problem is as important as a solution to the food problem.

As a temporary alternative, the Reconstruction Bureau has launched an investigation into the capacities of buildings not destroyed by air raids. Directions have been sent to provincial governments ordering the use of all available government buildings, such as barracks, factory dormitories, and warehouses; and vacant spaces such as those beneath the elevated railways.

As of 13 November, the following totals of space-area have been reported available:

• 1.Damaged, but usable structures: TOKYO, 25,000 TSUBO TSUBO = 3.31 S0 meters); OSAKA, 10,000 TSUBO; KANAGAWA, AICHI, and HYOGO, 3,000 TSUBO each. In other words, 44,000 TSUBO of housing space is available in this category. This is sufficient to accommodate an estimated 17,600 people.
• 2.Factory Dormitories: TOKYO, 20,000 TSUBO: OSAKA, 10,000 TSUBO; KANAGAWA, AICHI and HYOGO, 10,000 TSUBO each. Total of 30,000 TSUBO, housing area for an estimated 18,000 people.
• 3.In TOKYO and KANAGAWA 30,000 TSUBO of barracks space is available for an estimated 18,000 People.
• 4.The total area of Ware House space and space beneath elevated railroads is 150,000 TSUBO in TOKYO and KANAGAWA. This will accommodate an estimated 33,000 people.

As a solution to the coming winter's fuel shortage, the Forestry De-partment, after conferring with various concerned parties, has decided to distribute two bales of charcoal per family and in addition to have brought into TOKYO, large guantities of a soft coal product called COLES

COLES is highly combustible, and can be ignited with burning newspaper. Its heat-calory value is the same as that of soft coal. Moreover, the supply at its source of production is extremely great.

COLHS will be priced at the same level as soft coal. Its only draw-back is that it burn rapidly.

SOCIAL SERIES: 22 (Continued)

Summary:

Mr. ASHIDA, Welfare Minister, saw the crowd of homeless at the ASAKUSA HONGWANJI temple on 12 NOVEMBER 1945. His astonishment was such that he rushed to the Charity Hospital Headquarters to aid, at least for the moment those who were sick and dying. Their problems are worthy of our attention for many reasons. They were poorly provided with any means of livelihood, and the war has made their way of life still worse.

At first 400 of them used to live on UENO HILL and it was to aid them that they were transferred to their present dwelling. However the shortage of rationed food has caused an increase in the number of deaths.

The chairman of the Hospital Association, SUZUKI, Shintaro readily stated that regular medical treatment will be effected, and that serious cases (about 15) will be sent to the Imperial Charity Association Hospital. Clothing and transportation will be supplied by the Communication and Transport and Welfare departments.

Food, too, will be distributed by family ration units.

Full Translation:

Aiming at full understanding of the workings of American democracy, the JAPAN-AMERICA Cultural Association held an inauguration meeting in the Public Hall at TAMURA-CHO, SHIBA-KU. The meeting was attended by several officers of the Allied Forces, reporters from AMERICA and ENGLAND, and MAFDA, Minister of Education, Following the inaugural address by Mr. MAEDA, lectures in democracy were given by Mr. Palit of the New York Times, Mr. Ryan of the London Daily News, and Mr. Kelly of the New York Herald.

After the lectures, an educational film entitled "Electricity and the Farm" was shown. The meeting closed at 1700.

Full Translation:

Koreans, desiring to return to their homeland, are now pouring into SHIMONOSEKI, SENZAKI, HAKATA and other parts. Dysentery, typhus, and other infectious diseases have broken out among them, and, fearing an epidemic, the Welfare Ministry, in compliance with a directive issued by the Commander of the occupation troops in the area, has ordered the transportation of Koreans temporarily stopped. Those already en route will be held over at convenient stations or sent back to the station from which they came.

SOCIAL SERIES: 22 (Continued)

Full Translation:

The new Japanese Women's Union (SHIN NIPPON FUJIN DOMEI) is planning a "First Course in Political Education for Women" for women who are to become voters. A series of seven lectures starting 16 November has been scheduled. They will be held at the Russian Language Institute (ROGO GAKUIN) of NIKORAIDO, in KANDA-KU.

The lectures are scheduled as follows:

Friday, 16 November, "Several Problems Concerning The Constitution" by SUZUKI, Y.;

Tuesday, 20 November, "Present Trends in Internal Administration" by SASA, H.;

Friday, 23 November, "Democracy in JAPAN" by HIRANO, G.;

Tuesday, 27 November, "Present International Policies" by ICHIKAWA, Y.;

Friday, 30 November, "History of International Political Ideas" by HORI, M.;

Tuesday, 4 December, "Forms of Politics in Powerful Nations" by ROYAMA, M.;

Friday, 7 December, "History of the Political Movement of Women" by ICHIKAWA, F.;

Women who wish to attend the series should apply at the office of SHIN NIPPON FUJIN DOMEI in TAKEGASHI Building at 5. 3 - CHOME, KYOBA-SHI, KYOBASHI-KU. The charge will be five yen.

Summary:

Mr. SHIMOMURA, War Minister, yesterday made the following remarks to demobilized Japanese military officials:

"The present difficult situation in JAPAN compels me to ask you all to make another effort to build a peaceful nation. Among many lines of business in which you may engage while endeavouring to restore complete peace, the most critical are the jobs of providing foodstuff and coal".

"The balance between demand and supply in labor is completely upset. It is a difficult task for me to have to advise you take up another occupation which requires such hard work as mining. Yet, even if you call me hard hearted and maintain that honest people have the hardest lot, it is my hope that you will understand that I give you the advice only because of my heartfelt desire for the immediate reconstruction of a new JAPAN."

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SOCIAL SERIES: 22 (Continued)

Full Translation:

Thirty-three convicts (people from the Central Public Opinion Publishing Company, the Japanese Review Publishing Company, the SHAWA Private School, the South Manchurian Railway Company, the Rightist Labor Union, etc., originally a total of 45, five of whom had died and seven of whom were seriously ill) were released from YOKOHAMA prison where they had been detained on suspicious of violating the Public Peace Maintenance Law held a conference at 1000 hours at the TOKIWAYA restaurant in MARUNOUCHI. At the conference the following items were deliberated under the chairmanship of Mr. HOSOKAWA Karoku: 1. Organization of SASAGE Society (SAGAGE KAI)(TN. "SASAGF" is an alias of YOKOHAMA Prison). 2. submission of a claim to the Ministry of Justice for return of the books confiscated and establishment of a circulating library, profit of which to be appropriated for the relief of the political victims' bereaved families. 3. destruction of tyrannical politics and the promotion of democratization of trials.

Full Translation:

A movement for forming a consumer's co-operative is being launched in TOKYO in answer to the serious food situation. Before the war there were 32 such unions, called Purchasers. Co-operative Unions, which were a part of the industrial union. After the war broke out the sale of everyday necessities was controlled, by the Government, so these organizations were automatically dissolved. At present there are only the following remaining: the Home Purchasers Union of MOTO-MACHI, HONGO-KU (having 12 branches), the Purchasers Utilization Union of HIGASHI-KOMAGATA-CHO, HONJO-KU, and the KOTO "Consumers Co-operative Union."

Among the above mentioned branches of the Home Purchasers' Union (of MOTO-MACHI) some were made distributing stations for all supplies. But, on the whole, this union was created for the well-to-do consumers of YAMATE-DISTRICT. On the other hand, the "KOTO" Union's membership is made up of workers in domestic industry in HONJO and JUKAGAWA, and of small and middle-class business men and industrialists in the lower brackets. It has 150-CHO (2.45 acres) of fertile land, and the men who lost work on account of the so-called industrial consolidation (KIGYO—SEIBI) were used to cultivate it. At the same time it took up live-stock breeding and distributed the products among the Union's members. The producing of foodstuff made the members particularly glad, but its distribution only among the members caused some comment, because they already had shares of extra-rice from the TOKYO SHOKURYO HAIKYU-KYOGIKAI (Tokyo Food Distributig Office) in the Metropolitan Police Office. So the producing of foodstuff was transferred from the members' hands to the factory owner. It is a point to be noted that the union supplied foodstuff as well as other agricultural products even during the war.

There are two methods of forming a union. One is a district union, formed through the CHOKAI (town assembly), and TONARIGUMI (Neighbourhood groups). The other is a professional union formed through company meetings and in places of work. One of the first district unions was organized last month in the SETAGAYA-OYAMA-CHO town assembly (headed by OHARA, K.). This union distributes necessities at cost price to its

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SOCIAL SERIES: 22 (Continued)

ITEM 8 (Continued)

members. Another feature is that the producers and retailers as well as consumers are members. This kind of district union will he most popular in the large cities. There is a case where a town assembly took the form of a consumers' co-op union. That was in the SUGINAMIKU, KUGAYAMA-CHO town assembly (led by OSAKU, S.). This assembly has its own farm, cows and pigs, so it unites production and consumption, making itself a self-sufficient unit. There are many cultured people there, so under the leadership of the mayor, they are trying to raise the intellectual level of the people.

In NAKANO-KU, DOGENMOT-SAN NISHI-CHO (headed by NAKABAYASHI) the townspeople living in air raid shelters have also formed a union, and as was the case of the OYAMA-CHO union, the founders are also members. with the exception of HACHIOJI, TACHIKAWA, which belongs to the Greater TOKYO Consumer District, in the farm villages in MITAMA District the agricultural assembly takes the place of the consumers co-op union. As a result they are such active movements. The only thing we have to consider in making a consumers' co-op union in the suburban districts like SETAGAYA and SUGINAMI is to organize a barter system for vegetables and fertilizer. The wagon which carries fertilizer to the farmers should be filled with vegetables and brought back. This would solve the problem of sending the fertilizer back to the farm, a plan of the GYOSEIKYOGIKAI (EXECUTIVE COUNCIL).

A woman in Secretary SHIBUYA's office stated, "To get something to eat seems to be the motive of unions as planned in districts and work-shops, but this will not form the basis for a sound consumers co-op union in the future. Certainly the most serious problem is to obtain food, but at the same time cultivation of the people's minds should be another aim of the union. When food becomes sufficient, there is no need for a union, then the union will mean nothing. Public health, orphanages and libraries should also be the union's work. This is the reason that I want women to co-operate actively."

Full Translation:

About 1430 on 12 November 1945, four masked men about thirty years old, broke into Tatsuo ICHIKAWA's storehouse, 1 - 35, SARUWAKA-CHO, ASAKUSA-KU and after stabbing the watchman Mr. Seijiro SUZUKI, took five yen and an upright clock.

Full Translation:

The army's powder-magazine at MARUYAMA, south of HIDEHIKOYAMA station, ENDEN-CEO, TAGAWA—GUN, FUKUOKA prefecture, was blown up by the occupation troops at 1620 on 12 November 1945. The explosion split the mountain in two, 30 houses were totally destroyed, 36 houses half demolished, over 100 houses partially damaged, and 124 persons killed, 83 injured, 8 of whom died at the hospital. The fire spread to Mrs, Hirao SHIZU's straw-thatched house at ENDEN-CHO. Other people were killed by stones and sand blown up by the explosion.

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SOCIAL SERIES: 22 (Continued)

Full Granslation:

The ASAHI Motion Picture Company held a mass meeting of employees on 7 November 1945 at the company's NIRIMA studio. At the meeting it was decided that to seek an improvement in labor conditions, settlement of food problems, and the adoption of better shop techniques by nominating Mr. Kiichi INAMARA as the Chief of Preparation Committee, and by electing a committee of 17 people. The younger employees of the company, were dissatisfied because among the 17 committee members, 10 were departmental or sectional chiefs. These employees will hold their own meeting at NTRIMA today.

The employees of the ASAHI company will hold a mass meeting again on 18 November in order to discuss the organization of a union and to draft the union's by-laws.

DISTRIBUTION "X"

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