Press translations [Japan]. Social Series 0138, 1945-12-31.

Summary:

Resulting from a directive of General Headquarters ordering that Shintoism be separated from Government administration, ancient legends of JAPAN are going to undergo scientific analysis in order to abolish incorrect and mythological legends concerning the history of JAPAN. Then we must consider the legends of our prefecture of MIYAZAKI in the light of this scientific study.

This prefecture is considered to be a sacred place where the ancestor of the Imperial Household decended from heaven. The legends also are important for the sight seeing travelers. In this connection; SENOGUCHI, Ienkuro; chief of Provincial History Research Institute, said, "Our Institutes research aims at the scientific study of old manuscripts, and legends were studied only to make sure of the result of study of old manuscripts. Therefore, we are not forced to change our attitude of study. But I believe the legends were abused by militarist and others, so we must study them from a critical point of view." If the result of archaeological study contradicts the legends, we must consider the archaeological results as correct."

HIDAKA, Shigetaka; chief of the Ancient History section of HYUGA Research Institute said, "In our institute, there are four sections: legends, old manuscripts, ancient objects, ancient customs. Later we will study mainly ancient objects and ancient customs and other concrete materials, and refrain from employing the mystic method of legends. We further aim to study ancient history from an archaeological and biographical point of view, and ancient economics religion, arts, etc, will be also studied scientifically. But we do not despise the legends. If scientific study and legends should prove the same, we should not throw away legends."

Concerning the effects of abolishing mysticism in the study of legends, the Sight Seeing Tourist Section of the prefecture stated. "Beautiful legends and traditional stories should not be thrown away. However, the mystic charms of legends of the prefecture should not be exaggerated. In the future, we must improve the convenience of the prefecture from a sight-seeing point of view, Advertisements of scenes places, improvement of resorts, better service, etc should be encouraged."

Summary:

Instructions have been given to all the police stations in TOKYO by the

SOCIAL SERIES 138 (Continued)

ITEM 2 (Continued)

Metropolitan Police Board to carry out a more drastic control over those stall-venders who operate eating stalls under extremely unsanitary conditions. At these stalls, wines containing methyl alcohol, dangerous meats of diseased animals and secretly butchered cattle are sold at blackmarket prices. Mr. ITOGA, the Chief of the Health Section of the Metropolitan Police Board, made a surprise overall inspection of these stalls in SHIMBASHI and ASAKUSA areas, the most flourishing black markets in the Capital, acompanied by one of his able subordinate health officers on Wednesday. As a result of this inspection tour, the following facts were disclosed:

• 1.A copper cauldron was used to boil food, and inside this cauldron was found green rust.
• 2.In a box containing salt, there was found a dirty FUROSHIKI, the out side of this box was soiled with mud.
• 3.Muddy water was used to wash the table ware. At the bottom of the chopstick rack, an empty tin can was also soiled with mud.
• 4.A vender was using his fingers to pick up foods instead of using chopsticks, with the same fingers he had just counted dirty 50 sen notes to hand a customer small change.
• 5.A vender was selling meat of questionable origin, perhaps from diseased cattle or secietly butchered animals, not approved by veterinary examination.

The-result of this inspection indicates that the stall-venders who have not been warned numbered only ten. Those who have been strictly [illegible]warned amounted to 300. The vine sold by a young man named KUZUHARA, Yasuhico, (aged 22) was confiscated a detrimental to health.

Summary:

The TOKYO Traffic Laborers Union (TOKYO KOTSC RODOKUMIAI) has demanded of the TOKYO Traffic Bureau the following: (1) raise in pay by 300 per cent; (2) Eight-hour day; (3) allocation of daily commodities; (4) democratization of the Traffic Bureau. The TOKYO Traffic Bureau gave no definite answer, and the union gave instructions to the members to be prepared for a struggle.

The State Tram Car Laborer's Union will hold an inaugural meeting on 29 December at the TAKANAWADAI National School. The Union will issue the following demands to the TOKYO Traffic Bureau; (1) recognition of collective bargaining; (2) a single sum of 1,500 yen to every employee and 500 yen to be given to every family member of the employee; (5) a raise in the sum of the retiring allowance.

The employees of the SHIMBASHI Section of the State Railway has organized a union and made the following demands to the Railway Ministry: (1) recognition of the Union; (2) a single sum of 1,000 yen be given to every employee and 300 yen for every person supported by the employee, (3) raise of retirement pay and other allowances by 500 per cent; (4) said to war sufferers; (5) dissolution of the daily commodity section of the bureau.

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SOCIAL SERIES 138 (Continued)

ITEM 3 (Continued)

A stock holders' meeting of the KEISEI Electric Railway approved recognition of the demands of the employee's union of the Company. The representatives of the Union and YOSHIDA, Ide managing director of the Company, were going to sign the agreement at 1300 26 December, but the Company suddenly stated that the raise in pay 500 per cent was recognized while other items were rejected. The union will carry on the strike.

Summary:

The population of TOKYO is increasing alarmingly. Increase of population among those who seek food distribution, apart from the census, shows the following figures:

The majority of this number is due to the return of 100,000 school children, evacuated family members and demobilized personnel, adding a considerable number of repatriates. The reconstruction of shopping centers and dwelling areas has invited the increase in population.

In FUKAGAWA-Ku there were 15,000 inhabitants at the war's end, there are 16,000 at present and there will be 21,000 in January 1946 and 40,000 by the following April. The incessant increase in population has been becoming a great hindrance in the fair and smooth delivery of various commodities. The Municipal Welfare Bureau and Economic Bureau have distributed blankets and other goods to an estimated 1,050,000 war victims, but the actual distribution was severely empeded by the average monthly increase in population of some 150,000 leaving a number of people without goods distributed.

As for the food supply, a monthly increase of 200,000 people must be relieved by 17,000 of 18,000 bales of rice and other perishable food substances, which force a heavy burden on the present over taxed transportation. At present, only 15,000 bales of rice out of a daily demand of 20,000 bales are brought into the city. It is doubtful whether the entry in the city of such people is actual necessary. The problem of evacuation to the country to avoid starvation should be stressed instead of the wartime evacuation, it is said.

Full Translation:

Owing to the shortage of food, many school children and students cannot furnish themselves with lunch. As the result of this, the number of

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SOCIAL SERIES 138 (Continued)

ITEM 5 (Continued)

absentees at schools has increased recently and the continuation of the lessons at schools has become difficult. To alleviate this situation, the Education Ministry has decided to make a plan to increase the production of food for school children and students in co-operation with the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry and issued instructions on 27 December to the prefectural governors and the school principals as follows:

A joint patch of farmland for several schools must be made amoung those schools in the center of a major city having no idle land. If therefore any idle areas near the school, they all must be used. The emergency farmland, 1,550,000 chobu to be cultivated under the plan of the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry may also be used for this purposes. If each student, cultivated 20 tsubo of land, they would be able to produce in a year an amount sufficient for 200 days' lunches.

Full Translation:

The Military Government of the Occupation Forces in SHIMCNOSEKI districts revealed that munitions were conceald under cover of confusion at the end of its war, by officers of the KOTSUKI Air Force. The names of the officers are Colonel FURUKAWA; Chief of Staff; Colonel UCHIDA, Chief of the Intendance Section; Lieutenant-Colonel TANAKA, Chief of Ordanance Section; Lieutenant-Commander, FUKUSHIMA, Chief of the Airfield construction Section; Lieutenant-Commander HASHIMOTO, a section chief, Lieutenant-Colonel MACHIDA, Chief of a fighter force; Lieutenant-Commander TAKAYAMA, member of the communication section; Lieutenant FUJIBAYASHI, another member of this section; and Colonels MIURA and KUBOTA, both intendants.

They were arrested, by the SHIMONOSEKI police who revealed that the officers concealed the war goods in neighboring houses and distributed them amoung their friends. Important amoung the war goods are 55 trucks, cars and auto-bicycles; 21 radios, 16 storage batteries; 136 parachutes; 22 dynamos; 3 telephones; 27 machine guns; 12,350 bullets; 188 cases of explosives, 22 bales of beans; 6l hyo of wheat; 26 hyo of kaoliang 52 hyo of dried potatos; 16 hyo of millet; also quantities of seaweed; fuel, rice, canned goods, clothes, MISO, SHOYU, and 10,220 yen.

Occupation Troops confiscated these goods and handed them over to the Home Ministry, The officers were freed on 20th owing to necessity of the pressing matter of the demobilization of troops. All the staff officers were connected in the case, and the public was indignant.

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SOCIAL SERIES: 138 (Continued)

ERATA:

No. 530, SOCIAL SERIES: 128, dated 26 Doc 45. ITEM 1.

Paragraph 4: "Another Nisei, who declined to give his name, landed on 15 December 1943 in NEW GUINEA. Soon after he landed, he was commanded by his superior officer to locate Japanese gun emplacements. While on the job, he encountered four American soldiers with a machine gun who cried "Halt." All four of them were trembling….." should read

"Another Nisei (TN Name is not given.) landed on 15 December 1943 in NEW GUINEA. Soon after he landed, he was commanded by his superior officer to locate Japanese gun emplacements. While on the job, he encountered four American soldiers with a machine gun who cried "Halt." All four of them, it seemed, were trembling under nervous tension....."

Paragraph 5: "..... The natives brought back only dead Japanese and many dead Nisei soldiers among them for the natives could not differentiate between uniforms and were only able to distinguish between the white and yellow race." should read

"....We, American soldiers with Japanese feature, were in danger of attack by natives many times for the natives could not differentiate between uniforms and were only able to distinguish between the white and yellow once."

Paragraph 6: "Private URIFU, Ted, was born and educated in NEW YORK and never know another Nisei until he entered the American Army….." should read

"Sergeant URIFU, Ted, was born and educated in NEW YORK and never knew another Nisei until he entered the American Army….."

Paragraph 7: "Private NAKAMOTO, Ben, stated that Nisei are American soldiers and American citizens, but they are of the same blood as the Japanese people. So, naturally, the Nisei felt more warmly toward, the Japanese Prisoners of War and a occasionally was reprimanded on that account by the American soldier....." should read

"Sergeant NAKAMOTO, Ben, stated that Nisei are American soldiers and American citizens, but they are of the same blood as the Japanese people. So the Nisei felt differently toward Japanese Prisoners of War and our kindness was sometimes misunderstood by American soldiers…"

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