Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0280, 1946-01-22.
Date22 January, 1946
translation numbereditorial-0876
call numberDS801 .S82
Persistent Identifier
EDITORIAL SERIES: 280
ITEM 1 The Emperor System-Yomiuri Hochi-20 January 1946. Translator: SATO, Kasuko.
Full Translation:
I heard that a KUMAZAWA, calling, himself the descendant of the southern dynasty,
introduced himself as "the Orthodox
Emperor". Although his assertion cannot be immediately trusted, there might arise
various opinions on the genealogy of the
Imperial Household, by tracing back "the line of Emperors unbroken for ages eternal".
This men's claim may end as a mere
episode, yet it may serve as proof that the Emperor System in point of blood does
net have absolute authority.
Of the three sacred treasures of tae Imperial court, symbol of the Imperial Throne,
the mirror and the sword, were once
claimed as not original by Dr. INOVE, Tetsujire. As to the beads, scientific proof
that they are originals from the time of
the Sun Godess would be difficult, too. It is mere nonsense in this age of atomic
power to succeed to the Imperial Throne ay
means of such ritualistic divine treasures.
It is too preposterous that they should enshrine the treasures and the goddess, and
compel the Nation to offer worship. The
special Japanese character should be recognized to some extent, it is true, but measures
to coerce the people by extreme dogma
will become factors shutting us out of world civilization. In the Imperial Rescript
of the New Year the Emperor himself
preclaimed that he is not a "living god." He is necessary at this time, to inaugurate
a thorough reform of the system of State
SHINTO with the aim of surmounting the obstacles to democracy.
ITEM 2 "More All-Embracing Measures Should be Adopted Concurrently" Mainichi Shimbun-20 January 1946. Translator: H. Furukawa.
Full Translation:
Considering the unfavorable results of the rice delivery, which showed only 28 perecent
of the scheduled amount up to 10
January, the Government decided to strengthen its control of food at its regular meeting
on Friday.
The food situation is supposed to reach its first crisis in March or April. The Government's
control measures consist of five
items: to secure the delivery; to check illegal activities; and to make fair distribution;
to inspect the warehouses and other
institutions; and to readjust the present complicated system of food management. The
farmer Minister of Agriculture expects
both the farmers and urban dwellers to cooperate everywhere in order to insure prompt
delivery.
Since the officials and the leaders of the agricultural associations are no longer
trusted, the mere advocacy of a moral
spirit without the back-
EDITORIAL SERIES: 280 (Continued)
ITEM 2 (Continued)
ground of an efficient and resolute policy, failed to increase the delivery. The
matter can no longer be put right except by
compulsory measures. The strengthening of Government control cannot but he regarded
as the result of such a recognition of the
situation. It was inevitable that such measures should be taken when the matter became
serious. We doubt, however, that the
present crisis can be overcome by this measure alone. What is most needed to tide
ever the crisis, we think, is that the
Government and the agricultural association restore the confidence of the formers.
The Government says that the production of fertilizer, farming implements, cotton
goods, and other necessities for farmers
will be carried out despite all difficulties in order to link the distribution of
these necessities with the delivery of rice
and other staple food. On the other hand, the Government declared that the farmers
will be forbidden to exchange their rice
for materials.
What the Government intends is excellent, and we have often heard the Government
say so. What the Government said, however,
didn't conform to its actions. So it can be supposed that the farmers are very doubtful
about the Government's sincerity
fulfilling its promises.
According to the program drafted by the Agriculture Ministry, for instance, the production
of fertilizer is scheduled to
amount to 750 thousand tons in 1946 and two million tons in 1947. Then, how is the
production of ammonium sulphate going at
present? It reached the estimated amount of 18 thousand tons in December, gradually
increasing each month from the figure of
5,800 tons in September. However, the amount of 30 thousand tons expected to be produced
in January and February is reported
to fell short of expectations by about 23 thousand tons. It is difficult, therefore,
to be successful in operating the plan to
produce ammonium sulphate at a rate of 320 tons a year.
As to the production of daily necessities designed mainly for war sufferers low figures
of from three to ten percent of the
scheduled amount are shown. As can be judged from the above figure[illegible]s, the Government, which wishes
to be trusted, is unreasonable. It is desirable that the Government fulfill its promises
despite all difficulties. Those who
refuse to fulfill their quota with malicious intent should be duly handled by compulsory
measures and by severe sentences. It
is necessary that the Government should not drew up on unjust bill if it desires to
prevent the formers exchanging their rice
for other necessities. That is the reason why the officials or staffs in the lower
grades of the Agricultural Department and
the agricultural association must prove themselves reliable, so as to be able to be
consulted in confidence by farmers.
The shortage of fertilizer was the most important couse of the bad crop of tae last
year. How will the matter develop if the
fertilizer is short again this year? In such a situation all the departments of the
Government should do their best to
increase the production of fertilizer. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture and
the agricultural association should change
their officials and require the officials or leaders unsuited for postwar conditions
to resign.
It is necessary that the farmers deliver rice by consultative methods in a thoroughly
democratic way, as opposed to [illegible]sion end compulsion. Stern measures should only be taken in extreme cases. We think
that the
Government is justified in its measures to forbid black marketing or illegal disposal
of staple foods, and in severely
punishing the offenders. It is also necessary that the receipt of distributed foods
by illegal means should be strictly
controlled.
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EDITORIAL SERIES: 280 (Continued)
ITEM 2 (Continued)
The allotment of 2.1 go per day, however, is altogether beyond endurance. This small
allotment is the cause of the black
marketing of staple foods, and the people are obliged to run about madly seeking other
food. Therefore, it is desirable to
reestablished control over the shipment and distribution of perisnable food. The past
failure of bureaucratic control should
never be repeated.
Nutrition has been much discussed among consumers in cities in connection with the
problem of substitute foods. Is it
necessary to consider the problem of nutrition with regard to a prompt delivery?
At any rate agricultural villages have an abundance of food in stock compared to
cities, and yet those who live in villages
require a sufficient amount of food. If the movement for the planning of daily meals
prevails in the agricultural districts,
the delivery will become much better under the influence of this movement.
In short it cannot be expected that the delivery of staple foods will be directly
improved by the recent measures alone. Tha
problem of the readjustment of the prices of rice, barley and other agricultural products
requires that tae Government adopt
more all-embracing measures in the future.
ITEM 3 Deliver Rice Without Waiting Government Compulsion-Nippon Sangyo Keizai 20 January 1946. Translator: NARUSE, Iadstaka.
Full Translation:
In view of the current unsatisfactory delivery of rice from the farmers and the seriousness
of the demand and supply situation
in consuming districts, the Government has adopted a decisive measure, by which it
is able to purchase rice from the farmers
to secure prompt delivery. At the same time it has decided to carry out a strict control
and surveillance of all phases of
collecting, distribution, and consumption of food. The elimination of all the causes
for the current unsatisfactory delivery
of rice as well as the sponteneous and positive cooperation of the farmers have been
demanded. Now, everyone realizes that the
farmers devoted themselves wholly to the increase of crops and delivery of food during
the war. However, their recent attitude
toward the State is generally non-cooperative, and this trend prevails throughout
the Country. Food is now one of the most
important problems.
The compulsory measures are a most undesirable step, but now that the food importation
from abroad requires our greatest
effort at domestic production, this Government step is unavoidable. It is rather regret
table that the Government has been
forced to use compulsory measures due to the farmers' unsatisfactory attitude. Since
the schedule of the farmers' delivery has
been prevented for various reasons, the Government's requisition of rice delivery
has become unreasonable, and will remain so
unless these causes are removed. Wherever the responsibility lies, its delivery dir
city dominates the consumers lives, since
it is the people's staple food. In this sense this problem is extremely important.
It is especially obvious that many farmers recently showed an unduly non-cooperative
attitude by reason of lack of confidence
in the Government's policies. For example, due to the inadequate distribution of farming
tools and commodities, the farmers
cannot get the necessities of life unless they present rice in exchange for them,
However, we also see many farmers who are
using rice in exchange for even goods which are in common use. In this case, the discr[illegible]aney
between the official price of rice and the exchange of rice becomes an important problem.
On the other hand there are many examples of outside pressure which has
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EDITORIAL SERIES: 280 (Continued)
ITEM 3 (Continued)
prevented the speed up of rice delivery from honest farmers. Corruption is not confined
only to the farmers, of course, and
the number of farmers who honestly cooperate in the delivery of rice is not small.
From now on, all farmers should give a
satisfactory delivery without the Government having to make compulsory purchases.
The completion of delivery is required from
the farmers, and the Government has many things to do. It should not be permitted
for the Government to compel only the
farmers to deliver if it cannot discharge its own duties.
The Government's duties will be as follower: reform of public functionaries of the
provincial Governments, the municipal
authorities, and the agricultural societies; prevention of unlawful food corporations,
distribution agencies, and transport
services, security and adequate distribution of necessities of life to the farmers,
and reliable distribution to the
consumers; the establishment of a basic policy for the price of rice. Unless these
steps are adopted at the sane time, the
farmers cannot deliver rice with an easy mind, and the Government can not ask for
the farmer's cooperation.
The Government should be very cautious in regard to the best method to secure prompt
delivery of rice. If the authorities who
do not have any qualifications to compel and supervise the people, depend needlessly
on strongarm methods, the situation will
certainly become more complicated. Police authority, especially, must be exercised
with great care, and the Government should
not forget the importance of bringing in compulsory purchase.
DISTRIBUTION "X"
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