SHINTOISM TO BE ABOLISHED

Southland Times, Issue 25797, 8 October 1945, Page 5

SHINTOISM TO BE ABOLISHED

State Religion In Japan

(Rec. 9 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Oct. 6. In a State Department broadcast, Mr John Vincent, chief of the department’s Far Eastern Affairs Division, announced that the United States had decided to abolish Shintoism as a State religion in Japan. Mr Vincent was one of the three policy-forming officials who broadcast. The others were Major-General John Hilldring, the War Department Civil Affairs Director, and Captain R. L. Dennison, the Navy Department member on the Government’s policy-making committee for Japan. They made one of the most comprehensive reports of the Japanese occupation policy since President Truman released his basic instructions to General MacArthur.

Mr Vincent said that Shintoism would lose Government support for its special taxes, its place in schools and its official enforcement. However, the policy v/ould not affect the cult insofar as it was the religion of individual Japanese.

Mr Vincent added that the occupation was continuing until Japan was demobilized and demilitarized and well along the path of Liberal Reform. The Japanese could keep the institution of the Emperor if they desired, but it must be radically modified. Referring to the governing group, he said: “The old gang is on the way out.” He added that the relationship between General MacArthur and the Stale Department was not strained. General MacArthur welcomed civilian advisers, more of whom would be sent to him.

He disclosed that the plan for the formation of a Far Eastern Commission announced by Mr James Byrnes in London had actually been proposed by other countries and by the United States immediately after the Japanese surrender.

Major-General Hilldring said that Japanese monopolies must be broken up. The Japanese, who were trained in one idea—obedience—may more easily learn democracy than the Nazis, who had been trained so well in propaganda ideas.

Captain Dennison said that the United States Navy will necessarily exercise potential control over Japan long after the withdrawal of the troops. He added that some industrialists may be tried as war criminals.