NEW COMMUNIST DRIVE IN JAPAN

Grey River Argus, 28 February 1949, Page 7

NEW COMMUNIST DRIVE IN JAPAN

| From Denis Warner, N.Z.P.A. Reuter Correspondent in Tokio] TOKIO. Japan’s Communist Party wasted no time after its election gains in pushing left-wing activities. With its strength in the House of Representatives increased from four to thirtyfive and with popular support up from one million to three million votes, it. is already obvious that the Farty intends to make a strong bid for increased power. First step was the proposal to form a popular front with the Social Democratic and Lab-or-Farmer Parties. Rejected by the greatly weakened Social Democrats, the proposals put forward by the Communists are expected to make strong appeal to many militant labour unions. The Communists proposed a . common front on the following thirteen points: 1. Administrative adjustment, rationalisation of enterprises and dismissal of employees 2. The 48-hour-working schedule, the 6,300 yen basic wage scale and improvement of the working conditions.

3. The right to dismiss Government and public servants and their jobclassification system (quota). 4. Opposition to over-quota farm produce delivery, pre-planting allocation of delivery as well as favouring cost-covering rice prices. 5. Opposition to a revision of the labour laws and regulations. 6. Firm establishment of the right to cultivate and fish, and thoroughgoing reform of the farmland system. 7. Abolition of the income taxes on the working people, sales tax, and taxes levied on enterprises getting less than 200,000 yen income, as well as the detection of large-scale tax evasions.

8. Opposition to a rise in transportation fares, and electricity charges which are all monopolistic in nature.

fl. Assurance of funds and materials to sijiall and medium enterprises 10. Opposition to a gigantic bulget liable to sacrific the masses and reduction in non-productive expenditure, such as subsidy to big business. 11. Unconditional unification on a large-scale of the labour and farmer front.

12. Facilitation for an early conclusion of the peace. 13. Complete clean-up of political circles and' elimination of bureaucracy.

Concern at this and subsequent developments was exnressed by the English language newspaper Nippon Times, which said that it was no use to pretend that the sudden increase of Communist representatives in the Diet from four to 35 did not mean anything. When any party could multiply its strength in the diet at one fell swoop by almost nine times and its popular vote by two and a hall times, it was a matter which could not be calmly ignored. It was time io ask some honest, embarrassing questions. Does the election result presage the further growth of the Communist regime in the coming months and years? The paper'asked. What defect of Japanese society and what mistakes of the non-Communist elements were responsible for the sudden upsurge of Communist strength 9 What can and should be done to stor? the' growth of Communism? The Nippon Times said it believed that the large Communist vote war preponderantly a protest vote. “It is evidence of a great discontent on the part of a substantial proportion of the public,” the paper commented “It means that there are many people in Japan who find it so hard to earn a tolerable living that they are ready to succumb to the siren promise of the Communists.” As a means of preventing the further spread of Communism, it advocated what it termed a “Healthy Progressiveism ’ “Not suppression and opposition but vigorous and progressive social reform is the only effective antidote to Communism,” said the Nippon Times.