Press translations [Japan]. Social Series 0224, 1946-02-04.

Full Translation:

A mayor's council of the five major cities was held at 1000 on 30 January. They discussed the problem of establishing a special municipal system for the major cities. The present autonomous system in the major cities is hindering the development of the municipal administration because of its feudalistic and bureaucratic nature, causing many difficulties in enforcing the emergency counter-measure to cope with the difficult situation after the termination of the war. In view of this current situation the following resolutions were adopted by the mayor's council:

• 1.To extend the scope of the public rights of the citizen and the right of the municipal assembly for democratizing the autonomous administration.
• 2.To elect the mayor by popular vote.
• 3.To secure municipal finance for making the autonomous activity vigorous.
• 4.To transfer all the rights of the Ken Governor, excepting one part of the police business, into the hands of the mayor.
• 5.To realize promptly the large municipal system in which the city is placed under the direct superintendence of the Home Minister.

After a conference of the presidents of the five major municipal assemblies to be held on 30 January at KOBE-Shi, the five mayors are to make further deliberations on the resolution, at the joint meeting of the mayors and the presidents of the municipal assemblies, to be held on or about 7 or 8 February. Then, the resolution will formally be submitted to the Government. In the meantime, a concrete plan to better the treatment of the officials in municipal offices is to be decided upon, at the conference of the chiefs of the personal affairs sections of the five municipal offices, to be held in the beginning of February, at YOKOHAKA.

Summary:

IMANO, Takeo, of the Democratic Scientists' Association (MINSHUSHUGI-KAGAKUSHA KYOKAI), from a stand point of the parents of school children, stated: "I have six children. When I observe closely the children who go to school, I really feel that something must be done. First of all, they have not even sons they can sing aloud,

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and they don't have toys either. I wondered what they were doing in school, and went there. I saw them gambling, and a boy who made a profit bought wheat gluteus at a black market near by. I was really astonished."

"The children are really in a miserable state; if the present situation is not changed, they will be ruined for life. The democratization of schools is not only for the construction of the democratic JAPAN in the future, but a problem of grave consequence which we must settle. It is not a problem for the school authorities only but a problem for the parents. Administration by the people, or something, I do not care what it is called, is necessary. I want such organs to be instantly formed to save schools from this miserable state. If the bureaucrats can not clothes, the people will. Now the Teachers Union has taken up this problem. I wish the Ministry of Education would also take a positive attitude toward the solution. It should not take a critical attitude toward the problem."

SH[illegible]MAZAKI, Manabu, school master of the SENKO National School in YODOBASHI-Ku said; "I, being a school master, want a solution to this problem. My school was burnt and of all the former 800 school children, only 150 remain now. But there is no room to accommodate even this small number of children. So, I have been teaching the children in uncovered places since September of last year. If it rains I must close the school. We can not continue teaching from morning till afternoon, as the children have difficulties in getting lunch. Then really, is there no building to accommodate them in TOKYO? I do not think so. It can be done, if democratization of schools and ward offices is completed. In YODOBASHI-Ku, 14 schools out of 19 were burnt and the remaining five schools are situated very far from the center of the ward. We wanted to accommodate children of the burnt schools in the remaining five, but all could not be accommodated, and we used factories and temples as school rooms, and still a certain number of children remained out of school. We teach them in uncovered places.

To find the factories and temples suitable as school rooms, the school authorities did not work together. They scrambled for vacant buildings, paying black market prices. I think if schools, ward offices and wards as a whole become democratic and strong co-operative organs are formed, this problem will be easier to settle. At least we can build barracks. Apart from this problem of school rooms, we have not enough text books and tools to teach with. This school situation must not remain neglected. I believe that if powerful school committees are formed, this situation can be improved. I also want powerful associations of families of school children to be formed. The members should include those who love children strongly, and those who voice their intentions to improve the poor situation. I hope that co-operation of the families can overcome this crisis. Administrative organs of the people will not be enough if they do net co-operate with each other. A good result will not be obtained if a whole ward as the smallest unit does not form an organ. My only aim is to save schools from this misery".

ROYAMA, Masamichi; a critic, said: "I think the associations will be suitable if the teachers' associations become powerful organs which are not subsidiary organs of the Education Ministry and everything is passed on by the associations just as the teachers associations in ENGLAND. Even if such power is not obtained, the associations must launch movements and educate themselves to have more

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power over the public and the Diet, concerning important principles of education. I think good results will be gained if the school administration is carried on by ward assemblymen and the families of the children, forming an organ in every ward".

USAMI, chief of the education bureau of the TOKYO offices, said; "About the problem, I am not informed in full, but toward democratization of education and better treatment of teachers, the authorities are taking the necessary steps. At the meeting of the educational agencies on 31 January, I insisted strongly that democratization as desired is not just a voice of the public which is not to be listened to. In the educational agency, formerly, the chief and the assistant chief of every branch office were appointed by the bureaucrats, but now they are appointed by election. In the future, the authorities do not aim to force the opinions of authorities upon the educational circle. In connection with better treatment, which is the basic problem of education, we are studying measures for immediate materialization. The problem of the supply of food at the school is very difficult, as the food shortage throughout the country must be settled first. But I want and am making efforts to revive the system. Every precaution is necessary because the problem is related to the welfare of children who shall bear the responsibilities in the coming generation. "I will gladly listen to every sincere opinion of the public".

Full Translation:

The [illegible]ARUNOUCHI Police Station arrested KUBOTA, Ichisaku, age 42, with 2 previous convictions, a graduate of YAMAGATA Higher School, as a suspected swindler. He is expected to be sent to the procuratorial office. Last June, KUBOTA was employed by General SUGA, of 30, 2-chome, ICHIGAWA-KAGA-Machi, USHIGOME-Ku, as a caretaker during the wartime evacuation of his family, where the alleged criminal used to hire a taxi at the fee of 1,000 yen per day for the purpose of carrying out his scheme of swindling. He swindled the Mutual Aid Society of JAPAN, Silk Threads Control Co. in KOJIMACHI-Ku out of an advance of 172,000 yen on the promise of selling 5,000 pairs Jikatabi (TN: type of socks), on 10 June, he swindled ENDO, Eize, owner of a saw-mill, AIKUMA Machi, "WATARU-Gun, MIYAGI Ken, out of an advance of 230,000 yen on the contract of selling 50,000 kan of sugar. At the end of the month, he swindled SHIRAISHI, Tomoji, of 1054, OYAMA-Machi, SHINBUYA-Ku out of an advance of 50,000 yen on making a promise to sell General SUGA's mansion. Furthermore he swindled [illegible]IGURE, Saburo, of No 1, KASUGA-Cho, KOISHIKAWA-Ku, out of 40,000 yen by promising the sale of gasoline. The swindled money, amounting to 500,000 odd yon, has been expened in nightly pleasures by the swindler, who has 3 mistresses.

The Metropolitan Branch of The War Calamity Assistance Society, of No 11, KANAZAWA-Cho, KANDA-Ken reported to the police on 2 February that 50 bales of rice, 70 bales of barley, 24 bales of sova-beans, a bale of French beans, 5 bales of wheat, 100 aluminium pans, 8 aluominium pots, 60 buckets, 25 mosquito-curtains, and a pack of JIKATNBI had been stolen out of the downstairs storeroom of their Branch Office.

Ay 0200 hours, 2 February, a gang of 3 masked robbers with pistols broke into the house of KOKATSUBARA, Kazuyoshi, age 40, of 70, [illegible]UZAKA-Cho, HONGO-Ku, and robbed him of 400 yen and clothes, while

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one of the gang robbed KURANO, Kimi, aged 30, who lives upstairs, of 2,000 yen by threatening him with a dagger.

Summary:

There are many heroic farmers who are doing their best to offer their rice to save their contemporaries from starvation. But, on the otherhand, there are those who have no sense of duty as farmer. An official inspection of the gay circles by the SHIBATA Police Station, NIIGATA-Ken has revealed that 95 percent of the guests are agrarian youths. Most of them offered hulled rice for their entertainment fee. A bale of rice enabled a youth to entertain himself 5 days running, while a youth with 2 to of rice took lodgings in a brothel. There were several similar cases. The most deplorable is that a bey as young as 12 years old exchanged his 5 sho of rice for 100 dried cuttle-fish.

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