Press translations [Japan]. Social Series 0039, 1945-11-29.
Date29 November, 1945
RepositoryRauner Special Collections Library, Dartmouth College.
Call Numbersocial-0132
Call NumberDS801 .S84
Persistent Identifier
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SOCIAL SERIES: 39
ITEM 1 Japanese industrial art enterprises determined to produce articles in counter
payment of food
imports - Asahi Shimbun - 21 Nov 45. Translator: H. Nishihara.
Summary:
After the Emperor notified Agriculture and Forestry Minister of his intention to
donate art works to help pay for the
importation of food, a movement for collecting art works, was started covering all
the artists and makers of industrial works.
This is a result of consultations among the following members of the Japanese Art
and Industrial Art Co-operation. KODAMA,
chief director; TAKAMURA, Hoshu, hanging committee member of the Education Ministry
Art Exhibition (BUNTEN); YAMASAKI,
Kakutare, another hanging committee member; TAKIMURA, Heizo; NISHIJIN Art Embroidery
artist in KYOTO; KAWASHIMA, Jinbei;
NISHIMURA, Soemon; ANDO, noted SHIPPO maker; MIKIMOTO, pearl dealer and lacquerware
artist in ISHIKAWA-KEN.
Petitions were submitted for procuring materials from the General Headquarter of
the Allied Forces and from the Ministry of
Industry and Commerce. Art works valued at 5,000,000 yen were collected and exhibited
at the MITSUKOSHI Store during the
middle of last month. Colonel KUREMAA indicated the art works suitable for exportation.
The JAPAN Art and Industrial Art Co-operation has submitted the plans already, and
is preparing to begin the production of art
works as soon as possible after the materials are procured.
The materials desired are silk, HABUTAE silk, silver, lacquer etc., which were stocked
for military production. From these
materials will be made NISHIJIN Embroideries, silver articles, draperies, lacquerware,
HAKATA dolls, china, etc., which will
be suitable for daily use.
Production of one billion yen is expected to be completed before long. In this connection,
KODAM, chief director stated:
"Industrial art works are most suitable for exportation to pay for the importation
of fond. We want to refrain from exporting
national treasures and important art works reflecting the Japanese culture, moreover
splendid draperies and SHIPPO Chinese,
etc., are far more pleasing than priest's painting. Now we are striving toward production,
but it may become necessary to
export ancient works. Anyhow procuring material is the most urgent matter."
SOCIAL SERIES: 39 (Continued)
ITEM 2 Educational Consultation Office opened in Ministry of Culture - Asahi Shimbun
- 21 Nov 45.
Translator: M. Ono.
Full translation:
An Educational Information Bureau was established in the Education Ministry as the
first official step toward democratization.
This organization will solicit the opinions of the common man on education. Any suitable
ideas will be submitted to the
Vice-Minister or the Minister of Education and matters beyond the jurisdiction of
the Bureau will be sent to the proper
department for further attention.
ITEM 3 St. Pauls University opens Student managed dining room - Asahi Shimbun - 21
Nov 45. Translator: H.
Nishihara.
Summary:
A dining hall was opened on the 20th of November in RIKKYO University in IKEBUKURO.
The Mutual Aid Section of the RIKKYO
Students' Society, newly organized since the war, planned this dining hall as a first
step toward the settlement of the food
problem of the university.
On 20 November, the meal consisted of two pieces of potato, one orange, and a cup
of black tea without sugar.
This scarcely filled the students' empty stomachs, but it was better than nothing,
and the price of one and a half yen was
reasonable compared with black market prices. The potatoes were a part of two thousand
kan of potatoes which the students
obtained from farmers through the aid of the Agricultural Association in the province.
MORI, Shizuko, is the full-time employee in the new dining hall, TOMITA, Keitaro
is chief of the Mutual Aid Section,
OGASAWARA, Hideo, son of the Commercial and Industry Minister, is chief of the dining
hall. Eight committee members, and
thirty students manage all business of the organization.
Since the most important problem of students is the food shortage, this plan is regarded
as most timely. If dining-halls are
opened in other schools and a pooling of resources is made, many students may be relieved
of their worries over the
food-shortage.
ITEM 4 Policemen on strike - Tokyo Shimbun - 21 Nov 45. Translator: T. Ogawa.
Summary:
According to TOKYO SHIMBUN, young policemen of the TAKASAKI Police Station in GUNMA-KEN
called a strike on Monday asking for
better treatment. Surprised by this move, the Police Station authorities, together
with the prefectural Police Department,
stopped the strike and are now taking measures to remedy the situation. This is the
first case of a policemens' strike ever to
occur in this country.
The direct cause was the unfair distribution of surplus commodities of which the
Army had disposed. The strike was initiated
by two policemen, TAMURA and SATO, of the KATAMACHI Police Box who told their fellow
policemen about what had happened to
these items and encouraged them to strike.
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SOCIAL SERIES: 39 (Continued)
ITEM 4 (Continued)
The strike, however, was quelled just before its outbreak owing to timely measures
taken by the Station authorities who were
aware of the situation beforehand. Nevertheless there is still a feeling of resentment
among the dissatisfied policemen.
ITEM 5 School principals meet to discuss food problem - Mainichi Shimbun - 21 Nov
45. Translator: M.
Ono.
Full translation:
A conference of TOKYO schoolmasters which was attended by HIROSE, Chief of the Metropolitan
Office, MACHIMURA, Vice-chief of
the same office, and TATEBAYASHI, Director of the Educational Bureau, was held at
the KUDAN Middle School at 1000 on 20
November.
At the meeting, the fundamental educational policies of the city were revealed by
HIROSE who said, "I will make the utmost
effort to eliminate extreme nationalism and standardization of education in order
to educate the people who are to live in
true freedom and peace. When you can't carry on as usual because of meagre attendance
or food shortages, you may take whatever
steps you deem necessary on your own initiative."
ITEM 6 RAA Round Table Talk (part 3) - Tokyo Shimbun - 21 Nov 45. Translator: C. Gilbert.
Summary:
TSUJI: I observed an American soldier in a cabaret with a beautiful Japanese girl
on his lap. An American officer entering the
establishment was also struck by the girl and told a Japanese policeman to get the
girl for him. The Japanese policeman did as
he was told and the girl went meekly over to the American officer. But, then the American
soldier jumped up and showed himself
to be very angry and the American officer had to give him back his girl.
I have also noticed that an American soldier never offers his seat to an American
officer in such public places, where they
seem to meet on equal terms, so that the Japanese may come to doubt the discipline
in the American Army, but I am told that
once the soldier returns to the barracks he strictly observes discipline and the rules
of rank. As a matter of fact the
Americans seem to me very much superior to us in their policies.
OTSU: I opened a free clinic for the needy and went to the MacARTHUR Headquarters
and applied for medicine. They received me
very courteously and told me that they had transferred the medical supply section
to the Japanese Ministry of the Interior. So
I went to the Ministry of the Interior.
But there they made a lot of fuss about nothing and did not get anywhere. Imagine,
however, my surprise when next day two
officers from the MacARTHUR Headquarters arrived to inspect my free clinic and even
carefully examined and questioned a needy
patient.
- 3 -
SOCIAL SERIES: 39 (Continued)
ITEM 7 Report on Condition of Japanese in Manchukuo and North Korea - Mainichi Shimbun
- 21 Nov 45.
Translator: C. Gilbert.
Summary:
ICHIBASHI, Masao, manager of the HSINKING Branch of KOMATSU KOGYO (industrial enterprise)
escaped on 7 September from
HSINGKING and arrived on 10 November in JAPAN. He told the reporter of his experiences
and the conditions of the Japanese in
MANCHURIA. At present he is living in the RYUMEIKAN Inn at KANDA.
The SOVIET army entered HSINGKING on 17 August and disarmed the Japanese self-defense
corps and Manchurian Army units. Later,
they formed a public security bureau composed of Manchurian police and former Manchurian
soldiers. Japanese in HSINGKING
stayed behind locked doors for the first few days, but, after that hunger drove them
into the open.
Manchurians sold them food at exorbitantly high prices, and as their income and accounts
are blocked, their situation will
become more and more desperate as time goes on. ICHIBASHI heard that in HARBIN the
Soviets interned Japanese men, but made
young Japanese women serve the Soviet Soldiers. In a certain district in NORTH MANCHURIA
the Japanese inhabitants co-operated
with the Japanese soldiers and burned their houses and possessions.
ICHIBASHI managed to get on a train on 7 September. When he got to MUKDEN, the Manchurian
security police and Chinese
Communist soldiers relieved him of his baggage. After that he travelled on the roof
of the train for fear that his identity as
a Japanese might be discovered. When he arrived in ANTUNG, he found there approximately
200,000 Japanese, 140,000 were local
Inhabitants and 60,000 from other districts. The Soviet Commander in ANTUNG knew how
to have his orders strictly carried out,
and the Manchurian Security Bureau in ANTUNG sympathized with the Japanese. Consequently
they were able to live there in
comparative security.
On the night of 19 September, a party of 45 men, women, and children escaped from
ANTUNG under the leadership of ICHIBASHI.
They wore chased by the police of the Security Bureau and questioned by Soviet soldiers,
but, after an eight mile hike, they
reached the river and later, KOREA by sailing boat on 24 September.
Unfortunately they beached their boat near a Soviet air field where they were discovered
by Korean security police and
relieved of their baggage and possessions except for 200 yen cash per person. The
party finally arrived in KEIJO on 2 October,
sick and in a beggarly condition. There they received care and were able to continue
safely their journey to JAPAN. ICHIBASHI
describes the 25 days journey from HSINGKING as a "ride of death".
ITEM 8 American MP examines Japanese officials in SAITAMA on illicit deals - Tokyo
Shimbun - 21 Nov 45.
Translator: T. Ogawa.
Summary:
At a time when a just distribution of army surplus goods is needed most by the Japanese
public, dishonest practices are being
carried on by the officials in charge. Major SPENCER, commanding officer of the UNITED
STATES Military Police Headquarters in
KAWAGOYE-SHI, SAITAMA-KEN, visited the IRUMA District Office at 1400 17 November,
and questioned
- 4 -
SOCIAL SERIES: 39 (Continued)
ITEM 8 (Continued)
SAKAMAKI, a technician of the Economic Section; TAMADA, chief of the same section;
OKANO, director of the District Office;
MATSUBA, chief of the General Affairs Section; YOSHIDA, chief of the Welfare Section;
and 3 others.
Previously the Military Police Headquarters had received letters to the effect that
a great many items scheduled for
distribution were being concealed at the home of SAKAMAKI. Hearing this, Military
Police Headquarters decided to make an
investigation.
As a result, it was revealed that more than 2,000 pairs of underwear both summer
and winter issue are missing and a search is
now being made for the missing items.
ITEM 9 Prosecutors decide to control black-market of farmers - Asahi Shimbun - 20
Nov 45. Translator: T.
Ogawa.
Summary:
Along with the increased Government purchasing price of rice, the control of illegal
disposal of staple food will be
reinforced in order to break the deadlock in the food supply situation. In this connection,
Public Prosecutor General NAKANO
yesterday issued to the Chiefs of Public Prosecutors throughout the country, a directive
referring to the policy of arresting
all offenders of the Staple Food Control Law. The directive instructed that whenever
arrest and control of farmers is
necessary, a sharp lookout is to be kept on the professional black-marketeers and
amateur brokers.
These consist mostly of demobilized soldiers and discharged workmen, who are like
parasites, in the farming communities. It
also instructed them to make arrests for a considerable period and to redouble the
control on the misappropriations of food by
the farmers who have not delivered their allotment.
In addition to this, further control is to be exercised regarding the embezzlement
and other illegal action by the officials
of return purchasing organs, such as the Foodstuff Supply Corporation (SHOKURYO EIDAN)
or the agricultural association (NOGYO
KAI, unjust delivery by means of fake population figures, pretended occupation, larceny
or robbery of foodstuffs kept in
custody by the Government or the Foodstuff Supply Corporation, or the hijacking of
goods. The range of supervision and control
will be expanded in general. In the directive it was also demanded that the prosecution
authorities should appeal to the
peoples' co-operation by letting them know the intention of this control through newspaper
announcements or circulation of
notices before adopting penal action.
DISTRIBUTION "X"
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