Press translations [Japan]. Social Series 0220, 1946-02-03.

Summary:

The number of elementary schools in the TOKYO district has been reduced by half due to the war. The students, who once numbered 804,000 on 1 April 1944 now total only 550,000 which is expected to decrease further to 400,000 by 1 April this year. Under these circumstances, the TOKYO Metropolitan Office is considering the readjustment of school houses according to the number of pupils, how much of the school house remains and the degree of damage incurred.

The staffs will be reshuffled in conjunction with this move. The number of teachers to remain will be decided by the following standard.

Those who still remain after the above measures have been taken shall be discharged according to the following standards.

Thus, there must be 10,000 teachers for 400,000 students, that is, one teacher to 40 students and 2,500 teachers for other purposes. Therefore, from the 13,800 teachers, 1,300 will be oblighed to leave. However, as there have been about 1,000 teachers annually who desire to leave of their own will, of these 1,300, only 300 teachers will be forced to leave

SOCIAL SERIES: 220 (Continued)

ITEM 2 (Continued)

The ITARASHI army arsenal case which created a sensation throughout Nation has made people wonder about the existence of other large quantities of concealed materials. Material discovered in the ITABASHI case is said to be a part of the property of the Mutual Aid Societies but doubts are also entertained as to what the KYONIKAI actually is.

The ITABASHI case is nothing compared with that of the Central Provisions Department. (TN. Hereinafter will be called CPD). Outsiders can not know how business managements are being conducted in military offices of active or outdoor units. A large quantity of silver are brought to light by the report of the CHIBA Prefectural Office on 14 January is ascertained to be a part of the materials concealed by the CPD.

The KYOEJKAI of the ITABASHI arsenal and the purchasing society of CPD are similar organizations, established for the purpose of mutual relief of workers and low salaried members without qualifications for a pension. However, with the approach of defeat, they have been gradually changed into military clubs.

In May or June of last year, when the special attack corps was active and popular, 500 koku of rice were purchased through the office of the Ministry of Agriculture at URANA and was intended for the use of the corps. Actually its destination was to the workers of CPD. Then the society bought gun boots, rubber for military use classified as vital war expenses supplied to manufacturers under the label "military use" as received by the society. Such tricks have easily succeeded since 1943 when the system of the renewal of ear material supply tickets was revised. Another trick is known as "package arrangements" quite customary in the army. If canned pineapples are wanted, large packages are opened as "spoiled material and then, disposed of. Beer and wine may easily be obtained by falsifying relative registers as if they had been loaded on sunken transports.

Under these circumstances, military material acquired and concealed by the purchasing society will reach a considerable amount when finally estimated. In addition, favored by frequent government sale of war materials, the society's stock will have swelled to its full capacity.

In the meanwhile, although there are about 100 persons remaining in CPD now located in the URAWA Commercial School, to deal with the remaining business, there are no workers nor low salaried members for whom the society exists. How is the society going to dispose of such a vast amount of property?

Immediately after the war, a certain clerk of an agricultural association in the NAGANO Prefecture was forced to conceal a month's supply of rice to be supplied to 70,000 high officers, at the rate of 6 go per head a day, in a single supply order. The rice is thought to be held even now in an association warehouse together with alloted rice delevered by farmers.

Concealed materials also have their place in the research department of CPD. When asked what "research" means they reply "Now we are working on research" or "Research was in vain and bare no fruit". They are free, on these pretexts, to arbitrarily dispose of almost anything. For example, if sugar is wanted, they may obtain considerable quantities for research in manufacturing canned shiruko. If part of the sugar obtained in this manner is given secretly to those who are aware of the circumstances, there is no fear of future difficulties.

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SOCIAL SERIES: 220 (Continued)

ITEM 2 (Continued)

As a result of such research, a brilliant discovery was rumored to have been made by an expert to produce pure water from sea water. It attracted special attention as it was during the time of the island battles. In the battle of IWO JIMA its practical application was demanded, but could not be realized due to the lack of necessary materials, which were also used for manufacturing airplanes and radar appliances. Theoretically, the discovery may have been good in the laboratories but in practice proved to be of no value. We formerely considered "research in CPD" as being synonymous with irresponsibility.

Wood powder

Sawdust can be made edible if placed in a hothouse, with a certain type of fungus applied. It is said to be a substitute for wheat flour and best suited for horse breeding, When it was first examined by technical inspectors, bread, biscuits and spaghetti made from this wood powder were offered for experimental eating, mixed with a large percentage of butter, milk and wheat flour. They must be good if mixed with so much proper food. It was given to horses in the military veterinary school, with the result that they died of malnutrition

Azote Albumen

The authorities disclosed a discovery to make "air beef" by freezing nitrogen in air, with three kinds of fungus and without much materials. The practical application of this precious discovery was made by a certain brewery company in KUMAMTO. They used various materials and spent more than a year, but it was proved to be of no practical value. To disguise this failure the research was diverted to the manufacture of alcohol, far which about 30,000 soldiers were mobiliaed to cultivate sweet potatoes. They were called "Farming soldiers" and despatch to several points in order to reclaim land and fields, with the production of 1,000,000,000 kan of sweet potatoes as the objective. This attempt ended in complete failure, the harvest being only a little more than the quantity of seeds. However it may be, we are anxious to know how CHIKATABI (T.N. Bifurcated sneakers) intended for the use of these farming soldiers numbering 30,000 were disposed of after the war. A certain captain is said to have concealed over 10 packages of CHIKATABI, valued at about 230,000 yen at the black market price, but the matter was settled when he submitted a written explanation to his superior.

CPD was destroyed in the air-raids and moved to URAWA from TOKYO. A section of it was subdivided into three parts to supervise control over the remaining war materials. One unit was stationed in NODA with the NODA SHOYU Company as its headquarters. A large quantity of materials supposedly burnt in the air-raids vas transported there from TOKYO. A certain second lieutenant concealed butter and other goods in a house, paying a monthly storage fee of 15 yen. He was caught last December in the act of operating, without a license, a transport agency called AMANO SHOKAI, with more than 20 trucks belonging to the army and other organizations, A UEDA unit was established as a research institute in the UEDA Special Textile School last April. Here, rice sufficient to feed over 50 men for a year can be found disguised as research material. However, it may be difficult to locate as it probably hoarded separately in several forms. An expert officer was posted to supervise materials remaining in ETCHUJIMA after the war. He failed to become president of an agricultural implement company, which he tried to do freely giving it a large quantity of war materials, and it is now rumored that he is running for the earning election, also by giving away a quantity of glycerine to various agricultural unions.

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SOCIAL SERIES: 220 (Continued)

ITEM 1 (Continued)

The establishment of a supplementary food company and a food cultural society destined for the distribution of supplementary foods in now making headway. Use is being made of various large machines, buildings and money obtained as result of the liquidation of the purchasing society. "If mone amassed by the purchasing society is appropriated for this new enterprise, we shall be able to suffice for over 10 years. By saying this, military officers, still in office, are persuading their fellow officers in the reserve list to join the movement

DISTRIBUTION "X"

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