Evening star., 1947-11-02
Future Dark
ForJapReds
Party Has Slim Hope of
Ever Becoming Very
Influential
By Stuort LiIIieo

day. It's exact role-and, even more,
it's future-is subject of profound
speculation. zone thing is certain,
however. 1t has been losing popular
support and political strength
steadily in the past year. Two Diet
members. out of total membership
of something over 500. are now
party members. A year ago the Reds
had six men in Parliament and had
the tacit support of a dozen inde-
pendent members.
Moreover, within the past month,
the Soviet Union has taken stand
that places all Japanese Commu-
nists in serious jeopardy. Commu-
nism is going to suffer as the result,
regardless of how the Reds clarity
their position.
Since the party was organized in
the fall of 1945, after native Com
munists were released from prison
at Gen. MacArthur's orders, the
Japanese Communists have pretend
ed to be strictly orthodox. Similarly,
Reds throughout the world have
treated the japanese as blood BROTH
ers. But the fact of the matter is
that the connections between Japan S
Reds and the Kremlin have been
ltenllollS indeed
One Trained in Moscow
For example, only one important
figure in the ranks Of Nipponese
communism was trained in Moscow
He Is Same Nozaka, who Is respon-
sible in large part for the compare
tive responsibility of the Reds today
But Nozaka is highly original
thinker and a man of unusual in
telligence, whose training in Stain
ism shows little influence on his
political decisions so far. AS a matter
of fact, 1t is commonly said in
Tokyo that the Communist Party
there Is following the "Nozaka line"
which is far removed from current
Kremlin policy.
The other important Reds
notably Kyuichi Tokuda, the execu-
tive secretary of the party, and
Yoshio Shiga. editor of the Red
Flag-have spent most of their
adult lives in prison. Consequently,
while they have strong convic-
tions and great strength of char
acter, they tend to follow the party
line of 1927, when they were jailed,
instead of current dogma.
Nozaka has turned out to be a
moderating influence, rather than
the firebrand his Moscow training
would suggest.
"The Japanese are not ready for
communism yet," he said. "They
must first learn what democracy is -
The Kremlin's spokesman In Tokyo
is Gen. Derevenko, Russian delegate
to the Allied Control Council for
Japan, who often expresses strong
disapproval of soap policy Cob
servers feel some Of his points are
we'll taken, incidentally.
Early in october, however. Gen.
Derevenko got up at the Control
Council session and blasted the
whole philosophy of the occupation
of Japan.
The Real Problem
The Russian attack caused some
CONSERVATION in MacArthur's head
quarters, not because of any par
ticular truth or untrutl1 in Dere-
venko's charges, but because up to
that time the United States and the
Soviet Union had gone to some pains
to maintain the appearance of Allied
solidarity.
The real problem, however, is the
one posed for the Japanese Com
munist Party. Should it 60 along
with Moscow in the attack on Amer
ican motives, or should 1t play dumb?
The answer is loaded with dynamite
Whichever line the Reds take, they
face destruction.
If the Communists decide to come
out in support Of Derevenko, they
will find themselves In violation OF
one Of the major tenets of that OF
any other military occupation
japanese criticism of occupation
motives or methods is not permitted
Formal suppression Of the Japanese
Communist Party would not, o1
course, end Communist activity
However, it would kill whatever slim
chance still remains that the Reds
can get into power legally.
If, on the other hand, the Com
munist Party does not support Dere-
venko in his attack, 1t will quickly
be branded as renegade by Soviet
we'll -wishers An important part ol
the Reds domestic strength is baseo
on the supposition that they have
the backing of the Russians. With
that gone, much of the support will
drift away.