Press translations [Japan]. Social Series 0076, 1945-12-12.

Full translation:

The students’ self-governing committee, which consists of forty representatives from every classes, was organized among some 900 students of the Second High School of WASEDA, who are working for the democratization of the school by forbidding admission of students from military schools and demanding reforms on the examination system.

The Committee handed a Student's Charter to the school authorities on 1 December. The Charter includes demands for adoption of a public election system of principal and professors and participation of students in the school administration. The school authorities recognized the self-governing system of the students and prepared for discussions with principal OKADA, several school authorities concerned, and the student's committees, and examined the Student's Charter, which they recognized as a request of legal participation by the students in school administration. This set a precedent for all the higher schools throughout the country.

The contents of the Charter are as follows: All the matters concerning the school administration and the like should be principally decided by a faculty board which consists of professors as the standing committees and student’s self-governing committees as its members. The decision concerning these matters should be carried out by the common agreement of the board, In case there is a difference of opinion between professors and students, a higher delegate conference consisting of fifteen professors and ten delegates of the students will decide the matter. The new Charter will go into effect this coming school year beginning February.

MUSASHI High School

A general meeting of the students of the MUSASHI High School at EKODA in ITABASHI-Ku TOKYO, was held on 4 December to correct evil practices in the school a administration. An agreement between the school authorities concerned including Principal YAMAKAWA and the students has been reached and now they are going to start, anew, working together.

Full translation:

In reply to the interpellation of SAKAMOTO, Katsu, Social-Democrat,

SOCIAL SERIES: 76 (continued)

ITEM 2 (Continued)

at the plenary session of the Budget Committee of the Lower House on 8 December, NARAHASHI, the President of the Legislative Bureau, expressed an interesting opinion on the reform of the higher civil service examination including participation by females in that examination. He remarked, "Almost all the members of the examination board of the higher civil service examination are professors at the Imperial University in TOKYO, but, for the sake of those who take the examination, there must be other officials on the board. Practical men in various business endeavors such as banking experts, and attorneys are also to be included as examiners.

"Along with the unprecedented enforcement of woman suffrage, female participation in this examination is most welcome. It is desirable that able officials appear among the females, exercising their abilities as presidents in bureaus or vice-ministers, or even cabinet ministers, The organization of cities, towns, and villages does not permit the administrative participation of females as yet. But, before long, reforms will encourage the appearance of women as mayors and assistant mayors."

Summary:

On 8 December, 15 farmers' representatives from AKITA Province visited Prince HIGASHIKUNI and petitioned that the Emperor visit the six TOHOKU (Northeast) Provinces to reassure the farmers. The 15 representatives were all members of the Farmers' Association or of the Rice Allotment Commission. They declared that the mental distress among the farming population in the six TOHOKU Provinces was great. The farmers did not have any trust in the central Government or provincial authorities, and if things were left in the present state less than 60 per cent of the allotted rice sales' quota would be delivered. The farmers' representatives then declared that the present Government only thinks of demanding deliveries from the farmers without any guarantee of supplying farmers' needs. The Diet members were solely interested in securing a return to Diet seats. If such conditions were allowed to continue the people would starve. Government proposals for land reform are no good. Even if tenant farmers managed to buy land, they would then be unable to pay taxes, A compromise would be the creation of half-landed, half-tenant farmers. A real solution to the problem could be attained only if the Government would buy up the land and redistribute it to the farmers after ten years of communal production, during which period a fixed agrarian community would be jointly responsible for production and delivery. Such an agrarian community would govern itself and be responsible for delivery of its allotment of foodstuffs to the cities. If such a reform was effected opposition between villages and cities would cease and the black market would disappear.

DISTRIBUTION "X"

- 2 -