SUFFRAGETTES IN JAPAN

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 62, 6 December 1930, Page 18

SUFFRAGETTES IN JAPAN

AGITATION AFTER GREAT WAR

Strictly speaking the women suffrage movement in Japan began after thd World War. The activities of the European women during the war and their acquisition of the franchise after the war stimulated the Japanese women to a considerable extent. As the result, Miss Raieho Hiratsuka and Miss Fusaye Ichikawa, both of them well-known writers in Japan, took the initiative in organising the New Women’s Association. The programme of the association was diverse, but the greatest emphasis was put upon filing petitions and bills to acquire the right to form or join political parties and to acquire municipal suffrage and national suffrage (writes the secretary of the league).. The agitation over the universal manhood suffrage was great in 1921, and there were many mass meetings. Miss Hiratsuka and Miss Ichikawa attended one of those meetings, and they were arrested in the place for the alleged violation of the fifth article of the Peace and Police Act. Japanese women are even now prohibited from joining any, political "arty under the same Act, but in 1921 this Act had a clause prohibiting women from even attending a political gathering. That was the reason why they were arrested. Though the punishment was not heavy, this incident gave a stimulus to the movement for the acquisition of women’s right of assembly, and finally this right was granted in 1922. After the first victory the New Women’s Association was dissolved.

Catastrophe Bring Women Together. The great earthquake and fire in 1923 brought many women’s organisations together, and the women suffrage movement haS made' au impressive progress since then. The Fusen-Kakutoku-Domei (The Women’s Suffrage League of Japan), was organised on December 13, ,1923 for the sole object of gaining women suffrage, and it has taken an active part ever since. On July 10,1930, the number of the members was 1294, of whom 188 are supporting members. The work of the league is carried out by the central committee of fifteen and six standing committees, that is, Publication Committee, Membership Committee, Finance Committee, Committee of Political Education, Parliamentary Committee, and Research Committee. President of the league is Miss Fusaye Ichikawa, and the executive secretary Miss Shigeri Kaneko. The league publishes a monthly magazine, “Fusen” (Women Suffrage), and also an official report every month. The first general election under the universal manhood suffrage took place on February, 1928. During, this election the women took a very active part. For instance, Miss Shigeri Kaneko,, executive secretary, covered almost entire Japan in her campaign tour in 18 days, and made 69 speeches. Women set an example at this wonderful opportunity of how capable and active they could, be. Man, even if illiterate, can vote, while a woman, however educated, is deprived of the privilege. The special session of the Diet was convened immediately after the, election. Though there were many difficulties, Japanese Wj)men succeeded in getting 148 members to their support,, and the three Bills demanding the municipal suffrage, the national suffrage, and the right to

form or join a political party, were introduced, but due to the lack of time, they were not even discussed. During the summer, however, the activities were kept up. and as the result, it seemed as if the Bill for the municipal suffrage 1 might be presented to the Diet as a Government measure, but because of the objection of the Home Minister, who considered Japanese women, as a whole, were not ready for it, it was not proposed by the Government, but to the surprise, and embarrassment of the Home Minister, it was proposed with the signature of more than 280 members, a majority of the House of Representatives, and it looked as if it might pass at least the Lower House, but owing to the opposition of the Government it was killed in the Committee.

First Election Under Manhood Suffrage. The first city election in Tokio under the universal manhood suffrage took place in March, 1929. The Women’s Suffrage League of Japan chose 13 best candidates and gave them its support by speeches and letters of recommendation. This activity was mainly carried on by the Committee of City Election. After the election was over, the committee was changed into a Special Committee of Tokio City Assembly, to study the city government, thus getting women educated against the time when they should gain the equal citizenship with men. At the time of the second general election in February, 1930, the .women changed their strategy. They ?did not make even one single speech in (support of a candidate, but spent all their time and energy in the purification of election and political education of Japanese women. On April 27, 1930, under the auspices of the league, an All Japan Women Suffrage Conference was held in one of the big halls in Tokio. It was a demonstration demanding the 58th Diet then meeting, to pass the Municipal .Suffrage Bill at once. ■ The women did not expect more than 300 full delegates, but to their surpriee 483 delegates attended it. This conference was a first attempt of the kind, and it was a great success. Municipal Bill Killed.

On May 8, 1930, the Bill of municipal suffrage was placed , on the order of the House of Representatives, and at once referred to the committe of eighteen. Of the eighteen members of the committee only one was against the Bill, and on May 10. 1930, for the first time in the history of Japan, the Bill of municipal suffrage for women passed the House of Representatives. Though the Bill was killed in the Upper House, the women have not lost their courage. The Women’s Suffrage League of Japan, together with several other women’s suffrage associations, is now doing its utmost to move the members of the Upper House, and they hope that at the 59th session of the Diet, the municipal suffrage Bill will pass both Houses with an overwhelming majority.