Press translations [Japan]. Social Series 0124, 1945-12-26.

The Occupation authorities in NIIGATA ken sent a directive to the NIIGATA Prefectural Government to eradicate black market activity. The contents of the directive are as follows:-

Souvenirs for occupation personnel are too expensive. This is due to the high prices of civilian goods sold in the black market. Excessive profits are made by the dealers. If the Prefectural Government can not lower the prices, the occupation troops will. To comply with this directive, the Crime Prevention Section is earnestly devising measures, as follows: 1) Open-stall merchants and peddlers must have licences, without which no one will be allowed to carry on business. 2) Every merchant must post price-cards in his shop to prevent selling at higher than reasonable prices. 3) With approval of the public prosecutor's office and other authorities, agents will be appointed, to establish resonable prices and prosecute profiteering mercants. 4) Police offices will strengthen their control over merchants. In this connection Lieutenant PORO said: "I was astonished when I saw these high prices. I plan to fix prices resonably after our inspection of the markets. It has been reported that especially high prices are charged the Occupation troops. To prevent this I want price-cards, written in English and Japanese, posted in the storës."

Summary:

The main TOKYO dailies printed on 24 December long accounts of the increase of crimes and crime prevention measures by the TOKYO Police Board. The following is a summary of these accounts:

The night of 22 December, the police carried out a large-scale raid throughout TOKYO and were able to arrest 884 delinquent youths involved in 561 criminal cases. Of these 824, were boys, 60 were girls, with ages ranging from 16-25 years in the case of boys, and 16-18 years in the case of the girls; but, there was even an 11 year-old burglar and some old-timers up to 60 years old amongest them.

Crimes included burglary, robbery, fraud, blackmail and assault to immorality. On the same night there occurred, however, in spite

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of all police efforts to prevent crime, two murders and four burglary cases. One of the burglaries was unprecedented since it was committed by a gang of more than 50 in the warehouse of the SHIBAURA factory in KITATAMA-Gun. They stole 60 rolls of cable valued at 200,000 yen. The police, however, have already been able to recover a great part of the stolen goods and have arrested four of the gang. This gang is composed of dissolute youths, including some demobilized soldiers.

While the above reported cases all happened within TOKYO jurisdiction, another gang burglary occurred in OKAYAMA-Shi the same night. This burglary was committed by a gang of tenmen, armed with postols and swords. After trussing up the family where the burglary was committed and cleaning up valuables and 5,000 yen in cash, they drank up the liquor in the store and departed, boasting that they were Army officers who had fought in RABAUL and MANILA.

MAINICHI comments that two or three burglary and murder cases have become a nightly feature in TOKYO. Crimes are committed most by gangs of three or four and the criminals are equipped with pistols, daggers or Japanese swords. A MAINICHI reporter questioned the Crime Detection Section in the Metropolitan Police Bureau on the increase of crime. The reply was that crimes have increased in spite of all year-end prevention measures of the Police Board, and the police are feeling their responsibility acutely. Everything within their power is being done, but the situation is made difficult by the fact that the majority of the cases are committed by first offenders with no previous police records.

Summary:

Gorden CRUIG has been the most outstanding theater critic of modern times, and Anton CHEKOV the most outstanding dramatist. Both of them exerted world-wide influence not only Soviet artists, but artists and playwrights from all parts of the world used to visit Anton CHEKOV's home in YALTA entrusted in the care of CHEKOV's sister, to draw now insperations. In the UNITED STATES, Clifford ODETS, of the now theater movement whose plays are produced by the Theater Guild, is most deeply influenced by Anton CHEKOV. In fact, Clifford ODETS personifies the modern American development of the CHEKOV tradition. It appears strange that the producer of Clifford ODETS plays, Harold KURAMAN does not like his theater to be compared with the MOSCOW art theatre, nor ODETS to be compared with CHEKOV.

On the day that the Russo-Japanese War broke out, CHEKOV's "Cherry Orchard" was produced in ST. PETERSBURG and was greatly acclaimed. CHEKOV's play announced a new era, and in this sense the Russo-Japanese war can be said to be a prelude to the Russian revolution. While CHEKOV did not witness the Russian revolution, he certainly foresaw it. Consequently, the best literature announces the trends of the time.

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JAPAN was deeply influenced by modern European drama, and especially by Anton CHEKOV, after the Russo-Japanese War. Modern Japanese drama has not yet been able to reach the height of CHEKOV's drama. But, it is only by surpassing Anton CHEKOV's drama, and adding to it Japanese individual traits, that JAPAN will be able to truly contribute to world literature.

Summary:

In compliance with a directive of the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Forces in regard to Shintoism, an Imperial ordinance relating to Imperial festivals has been so revised as to separate All State connections with the various rites in the Palace. The revision was promulgated on 24 December. It will go into the following day, and will be applicable to the anniversary festival for the Emperor TAISHO. As a result of this revision, the Emperor will not observe the rites or worship at the Imperial shrines; hereafter members of the Imperial family and functionaries; may attend these rites at their own will. Grand festivals to celebrate great national events in the Imperial Sanctuary, Imperial Ancestors' Shrine and Mosoleums of the Emperor JIMMU and other Emperors have been abolished. Imperial offerings of food and clothing at Government shrines have also been abolished. Accordingly, the rites in the Palace will hereafter be observed simply as functions of the Imperial Household and extraordinary grand festivals will be limited to the Emperor's report of great events in the Imperial Household, the removal of gods from old shrines to new ones etc. At the time of extraordinary minor festivals, Imperial messengers will be sent only to ordinary Imperial shrines, but not to government shrines. However, Imperial offerings will still be made to Government shrines having some special connection with the Imperial Household, such as ATSUTA shrine, but no such offerings will be made next year to the three shrines of KAMO, IWASHIMIZU and KASUGA. In accordance with the provisions of the ordinance relating to the system of Imperial rites the Prime Minister reports matters concerning Shinto shrines at an Imperial function held on 4 January, Next January however the Prime Minister will report only on administrative matters of the Stat:. The twenty fifth of December, anniversary of the death of Emperor TAISHO, will not be considered a festival day but will be made a holiday and other grand festival days will similary be made holidays.

His highness the Crown Prince who celebrated his 12th birth day on 23 December, received the congratulations of Baron HOZUMI, Lord Chamberlain and others that morning and proceeded to the Imperial Palace to exchange congratulations with the Emperor and the Empress. After lunching with the parents and brothers, he returned to his AKASAKA Palace, leaving the Imperial palace at 3 p.m.

Summary:

The abolition of the Religions Organization Law (SHINKYO DANTAIHO) will be effected on 29 December together with the enactment of a

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now law. This is surely an epoch-making matter in the Japanese religions world. Thus, the freedom of religion stated in the provisions of the POTSDAM Declaration will be put into practice. It must be said that this is the best Christmas Present for JAPAN.

With the forthcoming new year, will there be a bright era of religions revolution or will many small-scale religions groups appear? In any event the religions world in JAPAN will have many problems. As the Religions Organization Law has been in force since April, 1940, people are apt to think of it as only for the purpose of controling religion during the war. But, actually, the Law is the collection of more than 300 religions rules from the MEIJI Era.

The religions circles in JAPAN have been placed under keen restraint by the law. But now the obstacles have been removed. The following items, it is considered, will appear in the forthcoming religions circles in JAPAN: 1. Mohammedanism, the Anglican Church, and Greek Orthodoxy, etc., will start as independent religions group; 2. The 28 sects of Buddhism, 13 sects of SHINTO and 2 forms of Christianity which had been forced to unit during the war, will be disunited; 3. A new religions movement will prevail over the country and the old religions circles will be reformed; 4. In this transition period, objectionable paganism might appear.

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