Evening star., 1946-01-07
Communism in japan


litical developments noted by Gen.
eral Macarthur during the first two
months of Allied occupation of
Japan was the gradual emergence
from underground of japanese
Communism. Although the move
ment has not yet crystallized into
a full-fedged Communist party,
the supreme commander pointed
out IN his account of stewardship
during September and October that
the nucleus Is there and Is begin
hing to make itself evident through
vigorous" program of activity.
Encouraged by the, to them, strange
new era of political freedom in
Japan, the Communists are losing
no time in mapping strategy and
planning tactics for major share
In the characterization" of the
Nipponese government-and at a
time when Russia, fountainhead of
Communism, is demanding and Sc
curing an important voice in the
control of Japan.
That the Japanese Communists
conception of characterization diff
fers radically from that of the
American and British is attested
by the query of university student,
as quoted by General Macarthur:
Which is better, democratism or
communism, to rescue modern
Japan?" That question seems to
be troubling the minds of many of
the younger generation of japanese
Actually, the Macarthur report
says, there is evidence that the
many years of police and political
oppression have dulled the political
consciousness of most Japs, with
the result that the meaning of de-
mocracy and of individual liberty
is rather vague to them. This
fact, coupled with the preoccupa-
ton Of the people right now with
the all-important business of find
ing enough food for their families
and enough money to buy or build
shelters, has tended to retard the
evolution of strong political fac
tions. There are about a score of
so-called political parties in Japan,
but their members overlap and
party lines are anything but clear.
General Macarthur divides them
into four main classifications: The
extreme right wing, supporting the
Emperor and opposing commu-
nism; the conservatives, favoring
supreme power for the Diet and pos
sibly reduced imperial prerogatives;
the Socialists, urging curtailment of
the Emperor's powers and far
reaching land reform and social
- legislation, and the radicals, COM
posed largely of Communists, who
advocate confscation of industry,
retirement of bureau heads, resig-
nation of the House of Peers, in
vestigation of war expenditures and,
for the more outspoken of them,
abolishment of the imperial insti-
tuition.
Most of the political leaders have
exercised caution in preparing their
campaigns and launching propa-
ganda through press, radio or
stump speeches, apparently through
fear of police reprisal in the event
that General MacArthur's forces
are withdrawn. In an effort to
gain strength, the Communists,
through their leader, Yoshio Shiga,
made futile coalition overtures to
the Socialists. 1t is not like the
Communists to be discouraged by
rebuffs or other temporary set
backs, however-nor by fear of
police vengeance. They seem to
thrive on adversely. Their propa-
ganda may be expected, therefore,
to make the most of hunger, poverty
and economic disorganization in
beaten Japan. How successful their
campaign will prove to be cannot be
gauged at this early stage of Allied
occupation.