Press translations [Japan]. Social Series 0217, 1946-02-02.

Summary:

As a result of numerous complaints about the frequent losses of articles on the railways, the Transportation Ministry took extraordinary measures to prevent losses during last December, naming the month as the "Period for Preventing the Loss of Articles". Within the jurisdiction of the MOJI Railway Office, some 1700 cases were reported during that period. Of these cases, 99 were thefts. It is really surprising that the criminals in 36 cases were railway employees. In 22 cases, robberies were attempted but not actually committed through the precautions taken.

In robbery cases, many large gangs of burglars have appeared instead of the former single handed robberies. 80 per cent of the criminals arrested are ex-soldiers, the leaders in most cases being former criminals. Even after the period, the preventative measures are being continued, every member of the staff possessing clubs and whistles and they are requesting firearms.

One of the most capable men in NAGASAKI-Ken in this connection is MATSUMOTO, Masao of the Freight section of SASEHO Station. The Transportation Minister has been asked to reward him.

Full Translation:

Sergeant SOKU, Nobuharu, of ATOKAWA-Mura. HANTA-Gun, KOCHI-Ken, returned to his home recently from IWO JIMA. A surprising fact was reported by him. He said that the seriously wounded soldiers were forced to commit suicide by taking poison. The following is his story.

On 1 July 1944, I landed on IWO Island and was stationed at the FUNAYAMA machine gun fort at the central part of the MOTOYAMA Airfield, where the land consisted of sand only. Consequently since we could not make trenches we were called the "Weather-beaten Unit". On the next day, we were attacked by enemy planes and as a result, six squads were wiped out. At 0300 of 8 March 1944, we gathered at the TENZAN district, when I was ordered to attack an enemy heavy tank. With 5 subordinates I attacked five enemy tanks with grenades. However, the tanks were empty and there was no one in them. We concealed ourselves under rocks and with the coming of the dawn, I looked over the place, feeling that there was no one except my comrades, when I was astonished at the fire from the tank. Splinters of the first shell injured my femoral region. I stretched down on the ground. However, a superior private, IKEDA, brought me to our encampment and I entered the patients trench of the naval guards

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at the rear side of FUTAMIYAMA. Then the situation of the battle was approaching the worst stage. A decision was reached to make a final attack under the command of KURIBAYASHI on the night of 17 March. We were notified in advance on 11 March. We thought our last minute was approaching.

"On the very day when the general attack was enforced, guards gave us each a glass of water. How earnestly did we desire to drink water then? Even a drop of water was a thing quite valuable to us then. Many comrades drank the water with a gulp, forgetting the pain of wounds. I, then, took the glass to my mouth, but did not drink the water. I thought of drinking it after urinating. I went out of the trench and returned again. But my glass had been drunk by some other soldier. Chi That moment! How terrible! Many cries of death were heard then. 169 seriously wounded soldiers were dead. The water they drank was mixed with poison. I was the only living one in that trench. Absent-mindedly, I passed the night."

Full Translation:

In the SAGARA district the movements of organizing youth has recently become active. We can see parties already organized or some leagues under preparation which are composed of young men and girls who eagerly desire to have an organization based on their own ideas of democracy, emancipating them from the bureaucratic thought of war time. Among these are, a Young Men's Association and a Girl's Association in NISHI-WATO village, the Democratic young Men's League, the Girls' League in HIGASHI-WATO village, the TANAKURA Young Men Party in TANAKURA village and the Democratic Young Men's League in KIZU-shi. Some of them held oratorical contests, etc., or activities with the purpose of enlightening the old leaders in their villages.

Now a league of all farm village youths and many other organizations are reported to be under consideration as the symbol of the local youths' ambition.

Full Translation:

In accordance with the Allied supreme Headquarters' directive ordering the prompt reinstatement of discharged teachers having been implicated in the thought control problem, the prefectural authorities have been seeking applicants for reinstatement among approximately 40 teachers concerned since last year. Only one applicant, however, has reported as yet.

The whereabouts of the majority of the teachers being unknown, the Education Section of the Prefectural Office has instructed the District Offices to submit as soon as possible a list of such teachers and to induce than to resume their former profession immediately.

Summary:

what is the real condition of the investigation of those who have illegally concealed surplus war materials? Public feeling on this

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matter has been mounting all over the country, following the discovery of such materials concealed in the former army arsenal at ITABASHI. It is presumed that a large amount of war materials has been concealed by delinquent youths who took advantage of defects in the controlling structure of the daily necessary items stored in different points by army and navy militarists in preparation fort decisive battle on the Japanese mainland. These materials, together with their disposal, are now attracting popular attention. The means of disposal by the existing controlling association and other distribution organizations which are said to be fair by the Government[illegible]authorities are in actuality devoid of speed and confidence, and consequently a new means of disposal through ''control by the people" has been widely discussed in line with the exposure of concealed materials. The following are the conditions of these materials in various provinces and some of the opinions expressed as to their disposal:

AOMORI Prefecture: Prefectural branch of the Social Party formed picket troops in several large cities which in co-operation with the local people succeeded in rounding up 70,000 suits of navel uniforms, 100 drums of edible oil, 600 bales of wheat flour and 3,000 lbs. of sugar to be handed over to the food corporations, textiles control association, etc.

CHIBA Prefecture, with the exception of the silver are case, concealed articles were duly disposed of comparatively early, for which the prefectural authorities were praised by the Allied Forces. Materials discovered are being received by the Arrangement section of the Prefectural Office and distributed to the people through regular control organs. A certain number of army officers arbitrarily held 1,565,000 kilograms of barley, 805,000 kilograms of bean-cake besides [illegible]uried grass, straw and Kaoliang, with intention of establishing a dairy farming company, and these foods are now being distributed as fodder, except for a small portion.

IBARAGI Prefecture. The Prefectural authorities took over, early in January, a large quantity of unregistered materials including 4287 bales of rice, 1,303 bales of wheat together with other cereals and SHOYU and distributed them to war-sufferers, repatriates, etc. with permission of the Occupation Forces.

YAMANASHI Prefecture. This prefecture is mountainous and called the "Japanese Chungking", so war materials stored in the prefecture were in huge quantities, but a large amount disappeared due to release by the army end theft. Materials returned from the Allied Forces are being controlled and disposed of by the Prefectural Office but the business progress is slow, causing serious complaints among the people.

NIIGATA Prefecture. 282 bales of rice, 50 bales of soy-bean and wheat, 960 blankets, 260 bicycle tubes, etc., were found to be in store at the local construction department of the Government railways in NIIGATA to be distributed to its staff; this was transferred to the prefectural authorities for disposal.

SAITAMA Prefecture. A "Pure cotton palace" has been discovered in OMIYA Park, where the second OKUYAKA-SO babaret is run by one SATO. Passages leading to many rooms on the second and third floors intended for dance halls, bars end tea rooms were found packed with white cotton cloth fit for foreign clothes.

ISHIKAWA Prefecture. Besides 247 bales of rice, over one thousand and several hundred items of military clothes, gasoline, automobiles, cereals, and miscellaneous goods were exposed even after the war. At a naval hospital In YAMANAKA hot spring, 162 bales of rice were concealed by several officers in a neighboring farmhouse. 2,000 mats

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were sold to three hotels in payment for their expenses. Besides, several thousands items of medical appliances and tools as well as medicines disappeared.

KANAGAWA Prefecture. HAYAMA Police notified the people to the effect that no punishment shall be imposed on those who offer concealed materials, as a result of which 38 bales of rice and 39 boxes of dry bread were delivered to the police. The authorities are encouraging such voluntary offers.

Opinions relative to the new means of disposal.

Mr. TOKUDA, Shuichi, communists: "Rice stored in anticipation of the decisive battle on the Japanese mainland amounts to around 5,000,000 koku which is still held in the hands of military authorities, capitalists, and bureaucrats. If exposed completely and disposed of legally, it will greatly relieve the nation's burden. However, actual conditions are such that even if exposed, it will never come to the people, as it is likely to go astray and be made the object of black marketeering, in view of the actual distribution through the Home Ministry of returned materials from the Allied Forces. Accordingly, it is a necessity to establish a 'People's Conference' in order to control concealed materials directly by the people when such materials are discovered."

Mr. NAKAMURA, Takaichi, socialist: "When concealed articles are discovered, it will be better to form a 'Disposal Committed', so to speak, with representatives of political parties, labor unions, co-operative societies and agricultural associations as well as Government officials of the prefectures, cities or towns concerned, and make it execute partial distribution under its striet supervision along the general route of normal distribution.?"

MR. AOKI, Chief of Research Department of the Home Ministry: "When any one finds concealed articles he must report this at once to the Metropolitan or Prefectural Offices. They are to be distributed in a fair and reasonable way, which is the same for returned materials in general, with each metropolis and prefecture as a unit. Decisions ere to be made by the 'Committee for the disposal of special articles.' "

DISTRIBUTION "X"

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