Press translations [Japan]. Social Series 0189, 1946-01-10.

Summary:

I have been asked my opinion on bringing American officers' wives to JAPAN. I think it is all right, though it may incue new difficulties, due to the housing shortage in JAPAN. It will give the Japanese a chance to see what the Americans mean by equality, and by the notion of the "fairer sex".

The Americans came to JAPAN to teach the Japanese respect for women. But now the Americans are going to brothels and geisha houses. These practices are not allowed in AMERICA, where trading in women is punishable by imprisonment. The husband who is in the habit of frequenting such places may be rightly asked for a divorce. The American wedding vows require loyalty of both husband and wife.

We must be loyal to our marriage vows in health and sickness, in wealth and poverty until death. I believe that the Americans will not frequent brothels when the American women arrive, and that the Americans will return to their normal moral standards. I believe that the American authorities have decided to bring American women to JAPAN in spite of the difficulties due to the housing shortage in order to prevent the lowering of the moral standards of Americans. The existence of houses supported by the Government and protected by the police seems degrading to the Americans and is the reason for the degraded moral standards of the Japanese, and also for the slave-like position of Japanese women.

The Americans enjoy the company of such Japanese women, but buying a woman is no substitute for home-life. The Japanese women must learn how the American women dress themselves, and how they behave and play their part in social life. It will be very interesting to observe closely their influence on Japanese women.

Summary: How does the increase of various brutal burglaries affect the minds of young women?

A young mother committed suicide with her baby. On 5 January, INOUE, Yaeko, aged 25, of KATSUSHIKA-KU throwing herself on the tracks with her baby committed suicide. Why did the young mother kill herself and her lovely baby?

Behind this matter, there was something to be deeply considered.

SOCIAL SERIES: 159 (Continued)

ITEM 2 (Continued)

On 29 December last year, YOSHIDA, Eiichi, half-brother of the husband of the young woman, was robbed of 636 yen and a large quantity of rice and clothing. On 23 October and on 27 November of last year, the house of ASAKA, Tarajiro in which the young woman was born, was invaded by burglars. Those brutal incidents which occured in succession gave her a fear of burglars. Upon hearing of those burglaries, she, it is said, turned pale, saying, "I am very worried." Thus her nervousness toward burglars was sharpened. She was in bed almost every day and was terrified even over slight matters. On the morning of 5 January, she went out to the railway line with her baby and killed herself and the baby.

The death aroused many people residing near her house. They decided to form a self protection party against thieves. Many burglaries and robberies are reported as follows:

Around 2130 on 7 January, two burglars broke into the house of SHINOMOTO, Shinro of NAKANO-KU, threatened the family with a pistol and fled with 2,300 yen.

Around 2230 on the same day, a group of six burglars broke into the house of ISHIKAWA, ken of SUGBIAMI-KU and seized 600 yen and two watches.

Around 1910 on the same day, SAKANO, Kyuemon was threatened by two men on a road at AKASAKA-KU and robbed of 40 yen and a wrist watch.

Around 2200 of the same day, a group of 30 bandits came to the warehouse of the former SAGAMI Military Arsenal riding on a truck. Upon hearing of this, the policemen of the KAMIMIZO Police Station rushed to the place and arrested ten of them in co-operation with the Military Police. The rest are being hunted.

Around 0715 on 8 January, a false detective robbed YAMAMOTO, Masao, aged 20, of 1,000 yen at the UENO subway station.

Three hundred Occupation Force Military Police have decided to live on the second floor of the Metropolitan Police Building to help maintain public peace in the central areas in TOKYO.

Thievery has increased in the NAKANO and KOENJI areas:

At 2300 of 7 January, two men broke into the house of YANAGISAWA, Seikichi of SUGINAMI-KU and stole 650 yen. At 2330 on the same day, three men, including the above mentioned burglars, broke into the house of HYODO, Takeshi of the same Ward and robbed him of 92 yen.

At 2120 on the same day, a couple broke into the house of SHINOMOTO, Nobuo of NAKANO-KU and stole 2,300 yen. There were seven other burglaries in the NAKANO area on the same night.

Around 1700 on the same day, two men robbed KOBAYASHI, Tashio of a wrist watch on a road near his house.

At 2230 on the same day, a trio broke into the house of KIKUCHI, fokijiro of SHIBA-KU and seized 150 yen.

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SOCIAL SERIES: 159 (Continued)

Full translation:

An employee's union was formed in the JAPAN Central Red Cross Hospital (NIHON SEKIJYUJI CHUO BYOIN) at ANOYAMA on 20 December last year, when a proposal covering 17 items was submitted to the Director FUJINAMI. On 7 January, a full meeting of all the employees of the Hospital was again held. At the meeting, they decided to oust the Director and to form the JAPAN Red Cross Hospital Labor Union (NIHON SEKIJYUJI RODO KUMIAI). With the employees of the NAKANO Sanatorium they went on strike at the end of last year, demanding wage increases up to three times their basic salary.

The employee's -union of the KIYOSE Sanatorium at MATSUDO will also participate in the strike. These movements will be enlarged to form the Japan Medical Employee's Union (NIHON IRYO JYUGYOIN KUMIAI).

Summary:

YOMIRUI Reporter: The Japanese form of state (KOKUTAI) and BUSHIDO are said to be two of the outstanding characteristics of JAPAN, but, they do not seem to be parallel.

Dr. TSUCHIYA: I am of the same opinion. BUSHIDO is based on the feudal concept of the loyalty of the retainer to his lord. It worked as long as the lord was the benefactor of the retainer, but when economic conditions changed toward the end of the TUKUGAWA period and the lord was often indebted to the retainer, it worked no longer.

HANI: It is said of BUSHIDO that it teaches nothing but how to die for one's master. This concept was bound by personal feudal benefactions from the feudal lord. BUSHIDO is based on the will to rule. The [illegible]AI ml could beg, if things went wrong, but, he could never become a SAMURAI again, once he took up manual labor. BUSHIDO also implied revolts, for power meant terrotorial acquisition and for this purpose the SAMU[illegible]I did not shrink from killing his own parents or feudal lord ac times. Under this system cruelties were committed against the ordinary Japanese people in the past similar to the atrocities committed by them in the recent war in the PHILIPPINES, CHINA, AND INDONESIA. As Dr. TSUDA has pointed out, the idea of the unity between the Emperor and the People (IKKUN BANMIN) is also not based upon the people, but on the feudal concept of lord and retainer (KUNSHIN). Under the tern retainer (SHIN), however, never the people as a whole but, only those subjects who received a reward from the lord for their fealty were included. This applies also to the relation with the Emperor, the subjects under this concept being only the officials, while the people were recognized only for their capacity to pay taxes. In the TOKUGAWA period a directive is found excluding poor people from being SHINTO followers. In the NARA period the propagation of Buddhism among common people was prohibited and until recent by direct worship of the people at the TSE Shrine was not permitted.

HIYANE: In the NARA period Buddhism was an exclusive affair of the nobility. The salvation of the common people did not interest

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SOCIAL SERIES: 159 (Continued)

ITEM 4 (Continued)

anybody. Buddhism was propagated among the common people only at the end of the HEIAN period and became a great force in the KAMAKURA period, which was an age of war and misery similar to the present. SHINTO on the other hand has done nothing for the people. It has undertaken no social or educational work and SHINTO scholars were in the beginning Buddhists who wished to use SHINTO for Buddhist ends. Pure SHINTO consisted of mere ritual. SHINTO Philosophy originates only at the end of the MUROMACHI period and has resulted only from the stimulus of Buddhism.

DISTRIBUTION "X"

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