VOTERS IN JAPAN

Evening Star, Issue 19006, 30 July 1925, Page 10

VOTERS IN JAPAN

“ Up to 1919 tbo suffrage in Japan- was confined 'to male citizens above twenty-five years of age paying a direct national tax of 10 yen (about 5dol) or mure. The pcxcenliu;o of voters was a. little over twenty-eight for every 1,000 of the male population. In 1920 this law was revised so as to lower the tax paid by the voter to 3 von, or about, l.SOdol. By this revision the percentage of voters increased tn about 102 per 1,000 of (he male population. In other words, 2,860,000 out. of the total male population of 28,0H,341 were qualified voters. By the manhood suffrage law the number of voters has been " increased to 14.009,000 that is, one voter lo every two of the male population.

” (strangely, this signal stride toward democracy in Japanese politics has been coupled with what a Liberal might call a reactionary measure. This is a law directed against the Communistic movement, which the Japanese of tho Conservative class fear might bo strengthened by Russian recognition.

‘‘.Naturally, it was made tlm butt of ridicule and assail at the hands of practically all the 163(11)15 Japanese newspapers. The law imposes an imprisonment not exceeding ten years upon any person, who 'forms a group or Joins a group with the object of subverting the national constitution or of destroying the. institution of private property,” writes Jlr K. K. Kawaltatui, in the Independent.’