Communist Students' Growing Influence In Japan

Press, Volume C, Issue 29554, 1 July 1961, Page 2

Communist Students' Growing Influence In Japan

When Westerners in Tokyo were advised to stay indoors on May 1. because of the possibility of May Day demonstrations, the influence of communism in Japan seemed very real to Miss Edna Neville, of Christchurch, who was there at the time.

A mass march through Tokyo streets by communist students was all that happened. Nevertheless, earlier demonstrations by communist groups against the visit of Mr Eisenhower, then President of the United States, were still fresh in the minds of law-abiding citizens. They did not want any more trouble.

’Theae communist students constitute a dangerous element tn the Pacific area,” Miss Neville said. "I was told there were about 10,000 of them in Tokyo and they were a growing influence.” Miss Neville went to Japan ss a New Zealand delegate to the Congress for Cultivating Cultural Harmony. Representatives of 38 countries from educational and cultural organisations met in Tokyo to discuss ways in which world peace could be maintained. "I felt we did not achieve much at the congress on the ■whole. because of the language barrier.” she said. “The Japanese express themselves so differently from English-speaking people that it is often difficult to follow them. Where we would use about eight words they might take un to 80 to express the same idea.” COMMON LANGUAGE The real gain had come from individual contacts among delegates who could sneak a common language, and from seeing so much of Japan's culture and its customs and traditions.

“The congress did much to bring the women of Japan and other countries closer together, when we could under, stand each other’s speech." she said. “The traditional Japanese ballet, drama and art were truly wonderf-l.” After congress sessions finished a tour was arranged for delegates across the south of Japan. During the 2000mile journey by train and ship, stops were made at points of interest. Once out of Tokyo, away from the excessively fast pace of life. Miss Neville said she could really enjoy the beautiful scenery of the countryside and the Japanese people.

“Life in Tokyo really frightened me. I could not live there.” she said. “With a papulation of 10 million people in a small area it

seems everyone is rushing: frantically to get from one! place to another. The push-1 ing, elbowing and surging of, the crowds is almost un-i believable.”

The Japanese workers apparently felt the strain too. Anyone who was fortunate to find a seat on a train seemed to fall asleep, Miss Neville said. About one million commuters passed through the main Tokyo railway station every day. “The Japanese are steeped in tradition and superstition, in spite of the Western influence since World War Two,’’ she said. “Women work very hard. I saw women doing hard manual labour, such as digging roads and carrying heavy loads.” WELFARE WORK

Japanese women were taking an increasing part in their country’s affairs, particularly in welfare work. Miss Neville found a tremendous interest in the work of the New Zealand Plunket Society, for instance. “Japanese children are very precious and very well cared for,” she said. “I never heard a baby crying. Perhaps it is because they feel so secure being carried on their mothers’ backs. This seems to create a very close relationship between mothers and their babies.” There had been much concern about a recent outbreak of poliomyelitis in North Japan, she said. “A doctor told me that since Japanese living conditions had been i cleaned up and a stricter I pattern of hygiene adopted, I children were less immune ■to disease.” Both the United States and I Russia had sent poliomyelitis ■ vaccine to Japan. The social side of Miss ■ Neville’s tour included many ■ visits to theatres and recepi tions.

“Japanese receptions are quite fabulous," she said.

“The thought and work that is put into the food served and the floral arrangements are most impressive. Even toothpicks in sandwiches have a flower on top. All the hostesses wear kimonos.” KIMONOS WORN

Kimonos were still very much in evidence for ceremonial occasions and evening wear. Students and working girls, however, preferred the ease and comfort of Western dress.

While overseas. Miss Neville visited schools, kindergartens and an orphanage, as well as a Red Cross hospital and factories in Japan. In Hong Kong she visited a little girl who is sponsored by the Christchurch area group of the Pan-Pacific and South-east Asia Women’s Association, under the Save the Children fund. Miss Neville is a member of the association and has brought back photographs of the child to show the sponsors. When she returned to her flat on Thursday evening. Miss Neville found 142 letters, messages and telegrams awaiting her arrival. Included in the batch were many cables of good wishes from new friends in Japan.