Press translations [Japan]. Social Series 0061, 1945-12-05.
Date5 December, 1945
translation numbersocial-0226
call numberDS801 .S84
Persistent Identifier
SOCIAL SERIES: 61
ITEM 1 Reformation of the Peers' School - Mainichi Shimbun - 2 Dec 45. Translator: T. Ogawa.
Summary:
How will the selection of applicants for entrance to secondary schools he made? The
selection, of course, will he made
pursuant to the instructions of the Education Ministry. The details, however, have
been left to the discretion of each school.
In this connection, the important feature is that the written examination is left
to the discretion of each school. This is
noteworthy because it suggests the comeback in the future of the examination for literary
attainment. The intention of the
school, however, is to discover the pupils' capacities, as it is difficult to select
a pupil by his achievements, due to the
various handicaps caused by air raids, the mobilization of school children in war
industries, the evacuation to the country,
etc. The Peers' School, which has heretofore been opened only for the children of
the privileged classes will now be opened to
the children of the average citizen.
A partial revision oh the Peer's School Regulations appearing in the Imperial House
Ordinance will be made as follows: From
Article One: "The aim of this school is to educate the son (or daughter) of peers
in obedience to the Imperial command" the
words "of peers" were eliminated. From Article Four, the phrase which reads "Those
who have finished the primary course will
be admitted to the secondary course; those who have finished the secondary course
will be admitted to the advanced course,"
was revised to "admitted upon selection". Through this revision, the sons and daughters
of peers who have been admitted to the
advanced courses without scholastic qualifications will be required to take an entrance
examination together with the rest of
the applicants in order to be eligible for advanced instruction.
ITEM 2 KYUSHU University Student Meeting - Asahi Shimbun - 3 Dec 45. Translator: H. Nishihara.
Full translation:
KYUSHU University students at a 1 December general meeting in the auditorium of the
Industries Department, discussed plans for
the establishment of a self-government system, advancement of student welfare, and
the institution of movements for the
political enlightenment of the people.
The following proposals were drafted, then turned over to the President with a demand
for an immediate reply:
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SOCIAL SERIES: 61 (Continued)
ITEM: 2 (Continued)
- 1.To establish a self-government system:
- a.Force 9 change in the attitude of professors who persist in keeping most matters secret.
- b.Permit student participation in University administration by means of a student committee.
- c.Dismiss incompetent professors.
- d.Establish a self-governing body in the Industrial Association.
- e.Encourage the sincere consideration of school problems by University authorities.
- f.Abolish the system whereby attendance is considered in grading examinations.
- g.Extend the loan period on library books, permission to take books out of the library, and publication of banned books.
- h.Permit the organization of an autonomous literary association.
- 2.To promote student welfare:
- a.Set up a committee for procuring foodstuffs.
- b.Organize a purchasing body.
- 3.To launch social movements!
- a.Establish a social sciences research group.
- b.Recognize student activity in social movements.
ITEM 3 Resignation of [illegible]Middle School Principal - Mainichi Shimbun - 3 Dec 45. Translator: M Ohno.
Full translation:
ONO, Tokushiro, principal of the SENDAI First Middle School, in spite of the Allied
directive ordering abolition of all
military education in all schools, abolished only JIUJITSU and not KEKJITSP from the
school curriculum. Moreover, both the
SHIOGAMA National School and the Young Men's School retained some wooden guns for
use in military training.
These facts were revealed on 27 November by the Occupation Forces' Military Police.
The TOHOKU Local Administrative Affairs
Bureau (TOHOKU CHIHO GYOSEI JIKUKYOKU) promptly dismissed ONO, and is at present deliberating
on action to be taken against
MACHIDA, Shizeo, principal of SHIOGAWA National School, and FUJITA, Tsutomu, principal
of the Young Men's School, both of whom
have already been put to work by the Occupation Forces. (TK - Article appears in 4
December English edition of NIPPON Times in
substantially the same form.)
ITEM 4 Diet Members the Japanese Cultural World by TAMOGAWA Tetsuzo - Yomiuri-Hochi - 3 Dec 45. Translator: C. Gilbert.
Summary:
In the past it was the fashion of Japanese society to make derogatory remarks about
Diet members. The present fashion of the
Japanese people is to put the GUMBATSU and officialdom in disfavor and comment on
the disorderly conduct of demobilized
soldiers. But not all officers and officials are bad and not all demobilized soldiers
are disorderly, but such is the world!
If a certain class falls into of disrepute, even those without blemish in that particular
class are condemned and dragged down
with the rest. The same applies to the Diet members. Not all are bad; there are many
fine men among them.
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SOCIAL SERIES: 61 (Continued)
ITEM 4 (Continued)
This unsympathetic condemnation and reproach is only possible because the mud slingers
feel above those whom they accuse.
Whether this is desirable for the present and future JAPAN is another question. In
this connection, the close relation between
the Diet members or politicians in general with the so-called cultured class is worthy
of study.
In the Tokugawa Period the so-called cultured class was limited to those versed in
the teachings of CO[illegible]CIUS. Tokugawa statesmen were elected from among this class. After the MEIJI Restoration,
this
"cultured class" came into disrepute and was replaced by those who had superficial
knowledge of European and American culture.
Both these "cultured" classes as a rule possessed of little knowledge of things Japanese.
They were superseded shortly before
and during the war by Shintoistic ultra-nationalists. All these "cultured" classes,
however, knew nothing of Japanese and
world realities. Therefore, the politicians elected from among these "cultured", or
artificial, classes lacked all real
political perspective.
The Japanese "cultured" class and their politicians were, therefore, both at fault,
for the prerequisite of real politics Is
the understanding of realities. The Japanese people do not trust their Diet today,
but the reason lies, not so much on the
question of war responsibility of the Diet members, but rather on the awakened political
interest of the people.
The sane is the case with the Japanese press. The Japanese press claims to reflect
public opinion while it looses itself in
trivial mud slinging. Even their reports are stereotyped and therefore seem to lack
real insight. Prof. YOSHINO, Sakuzo,
commenting on parliamentary and dictatorial politics said that in parliamentary politics
at least those who commit mistakes at
once become evident, while in dictatorial politics the roots of the evil are kept
secret until the State collapses. The
Japanese people lack real political training, so it is inevitable that many faults
will exist in their parliamentary politics.
Yet, whatever the faults of Japanese parliamentary politics, it will be better than
dictatorial politics. While it is an easy
matter to criticize ether people, nevertheless, criticism is necessary, for only thru
such critical education will the
Japanese people awaken to political realities well as their political responsibilities.
ITEM 6 Asahi Lecture Meetings on Japanese History - Asahi Shimbun - 3 Dec 45. Translator: H. Nishihara.
Full translation:
To rebuild a democratic state of JAPAN, a scientific study of its national history
is necessary. Accordingly, the ASAHI
SHIMBUN has made plans for lectures on national history in its fourth "ASAHI Academic
Public Forum", starting on 7 December
and lasting for four days. The lectures will he divided into first and second sections,
with the schedule as follows: First
Section - 7 December (Friday) at 1300, "Establishment of Proper Historical Views"
by TSUCHIYA, Takao; 8 December (Saturday) at
1300, "Scientific Study of Japanese Ancient History" by WATAWABE, Yoshimichi. Second
Section - 14 December (Friday) at 1300,
"Historical Development of Democracy" by HIRANO, Jitaro; 15 December (Saturday) at
1300, "Historical Development of Japanese
Capitalism" by SHINOBU, Seizaburo.
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SOCIAL SERIES: 61 (Continued)
ITEM 5 (Continued)
These lectures will be given at the auditorium on the fourth floor of KYOIKU KAIKAN,
near the KAND-JINBOCHO streetcar stop.
Any question will be answered by the lecturers, and those interested are requested
to submit such questions to the hall
office. Tickets priced at four yen for both sections are available at the ASAHI SHIMBUN
office.
ITEM 6 Criticism of HATOYAMA's Democracy - Mainichi Shimbun - 3 Dec 45. Translator: C. Gilbert.
Summary:
While the Japanese people worry about how they are going to eat, the rest of the
world is making rapid progress in all fields
of human enterprise, such as scientific, political, and economic. On 27 October, President
TRUMAN declared 12 new principles
of American foreign policy based on world peace and allied cooperation.
The only way for the Japanese people to exist is by cooperating with the ALLIES in
accordance with the principles stated by
President TRUMAN. For the Japanese people, the case of GERMANY is a tragic example
of what happens when a nation tries to
capitalize on Allied differences.
The Japanese people must adapt themselves to the new trends of world politics by
cooperating with Anglo-American liberalism
and democracy, as well as the Soviet labor-democracy and the new democratic and independent
CHINA now in the process of
unification. The narrow isolationism expressed by the Japanese press and public opinion,
and reflected in the Diet oratory
are, therefore, all the more to be regretted.
Not one Japanese newspaper has made the constructive principles of President TRUMAN's
foreign policy a subject for discussion.
It is this insular policy of JAPAN, lacking the true substance of international cooperation,
which has brought about not only
Japanese defeat, but has been the true cause of the war as well. Such narrowness is
especially apparent in HATOYAMA (TN:
Leader of the Liberal Party) and his speech of 29 November in which he stated that
Japanese democratic policy must have
Japanese restrictions. In other words, he is trying to erect a fence between JAPAN
and the rest of the world, while what is
most necessary at the present for the Japanese people is that all such fences be burned.
JAPAN must adopt all the 800d points of Anglo-American and Soviet democracy. JAPAN
must especially endeavour to acquire
American, Soviet and Chinese culture and promote friendly relations with these three
states. The new Japanese constitution and
form of government must, therefore, be adjusted in such a way as to facilitate such
a friendship with AMERICA, the SOMIET
UNION, and CHINA. Only such a revision of the Japanese Constitution will enable the
Japanese people to survive.
Naturally, every country forms its own special kind of democracy based on its own
history. But as TANAKA, Shozo, has pointed
out, the strange Japanese way of trying to achieve civil liberties not through the
people, but through the rulers, is fraught
with dangers.
In the Past, the Oriental Liberal Party of 01, Kentaro, tried to start a liberal
movement for civil liberties among Japanese
workers and at the same time made it a principle of his party to assist the independence
movements of Koreans, Chinese,
Siamese, and Annamese, thereby going beyond Japanese boundaries.
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SOCIAL SERIES: 61 (Continued)
ITEM 6 (Continued)
His movement, however, ended prematurely. His legitimate successors were the internationally
minded Japanese socialists,
KINOSHITA, aoye, and KATAYAMA, Sen.
The Japanese people can live only by adoption of international progress and pursuit
of international trends. In other words,
JAPAN must adapt herself now to the international progress and trend by converting
all her industries to State enterprises and
adopting Socialism.
England and France are already on their way to attain these ends. Only a planned
economy and Socialism can save Japanese,
industry and economy: from the present production sabotage and raise the cultural
level of the Japanese workers. Land reform
must be effected on the principles of SUN-YAT-SEN, and those now in effect in the
Soviet land reforms East of the [illegible], achieved by liquidating the JUNKERS.
JAPAN has no reason to suffer any longer under her feudalistic land proprietors.
Those nations not abreast of world progress
will be squashed by alien powers. The Japanese people must realize this and effect
a complete democratic reform from
below.
ITEM 7 Case of Infanticide - Mainichi Shimbun - 3 Dec 45. Translator: M. Ohno.
Full translation:
The body of a male child of 12 or 13 strangled with a shabby cotton towel, was found
yesterday in a fire-devastated lot at
1-407, MOTOGIcho, ADACHI-ku. The body has net yet been identified.
The body was dressed only in a MOMPE and some rice paper wrappings. It is believed
the child was strangled by its mother,
driven to despair by hardship.
Distribution "X"
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