JAPAN’S “NEW LIFE”

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21336, 6 February 1941, Page 11

JAPAN’S “NEW LIFE”

PRIVATIONS ARE IRKSOME COMPLAINANTS CASTIGATED Opposition to Japan’s entry into the Berlin-Rome Axis smoulders beneath the surface so fiercely in some quarters that the Tokyo newspaper Kokumin demands governmental “elimination” of all Japanese holding these views, on the ground that they are “traitors.” This is the substance of a report from the Japanese capital to the Christian Science Monitor dated November 23. Premier Prince Konoye also encounters domestic resistance in his effort to spur flagging enthusiasm for a four-year war effort that has brought to the Japanese people much hardship and a troubled future. Prince Konjye’s “New Structure,” like its predecessor-slogan, “The New Order in East Asia,” is not hiding from thinking Japanese the morass into which Japan is slipping economically and socially.

Kokumin, advocating more military whip-cracking rather than a moderation of Japan’s policy, insists that tlie Triple-Axis pact must be

“utilised” at once. The reasoning advanced is that as time goes on, Britain and America will be in better position to curb Japan’s ambitions in East Asia.

The “hurry-up” call seems to be finding support in governmental quarters. Japan is reassembling its forces, organising “flying columns,’ and preparing a new adventure, probably toward Indo-China and the Netherlands Indies, with ultimate designs on the Philippines and Australia. To succeed in any such undertaking will require enormous new exertions after a decade of enormous old exertions, so the Nation is being put in shape. It is being rebuilt into a “new structure.” A new Japan is being made, that it may make a new world, in the view of its leaders. New Structure Really Old Such newness is not very new, any more. Communism was said to be new; so was Fascism; and Nazism—but they have all turned out to be very old. Oldest of all is Japan’s “new structure.” One of history’s most notorious facts is that innovators go back to the past for their inovations. Herr Hitler goes back to blond-bearded German nomads in primeval forests; the Japanese renewer, back to the Sun-god and his celestial comrades. The “new structure” is an attempt to revive a mystic, sentimental and very reactionary type of feudalism. It is turning brass hats into coats-of-mail. It professes to believe that little men and women like to be tired, hungry, and humiliated, if only they can watch romantic knights cavort on panoplied charges.

Of course, the “new structure” aims at creating a “new life.” It is a huge mill, designed to turn out the grist of a new life. Let’s look at the grist first, then at the mill. The purpose of the Government’s new social and educational policy is, “to induce the people to endure 10 years of extreme hardships.” It is added that “They will have to put up with great privation.”

That is the new mode of life and it comes after 10 years of privations, already an unpleasant memory. It comes at a time when the cost of living is rising by from 3 to 5 per cent monthly and when wages in all industries are dropping. It comes at a time when Japanese youth are already so under-developed that reports indicate only 27 per cent measure up to ordinary physical standards. Rule One: Eat Less An agency of the “new structure” is the Spiritual Mobilisation Bureau, which issues specific rules for the new life. Rule Number One is: Eat less. Especially less rice. Though indulging in other things, the people must cut down on rice. Yet rice is about all they have to eat! "The serving of rice is to be prohibited in restaurants providing foreign foods. In native restaurants it must be restricted to certain hours.” Luxury food stuffs are banned. A fruitless day and a riceless day are to be observed each month. The Nation is told it must get down to “the rock bottom subsistence level.” Youth are taken out of school, to work in munition factories. Women and girls are taken from homes for tlie same

purpose. Multitudes of workers are imported. All are controlled as dependents. Such arc salient features of the new mode of life.

Why are responsible Japanese leaders so eager to impose such an existence on "one hundred million” people, if we may use their own figures? “So that Japan may emerge as the strongest Nation in the world,” they answer. Now is Japan’s supreme moment, the people are assured. If they go hungry for only 10 years more they will dominate the earth.

Work Day of 10 Hours Even such future glory is an insufficient motive to keep tired, poorly fed men working 10 hours daily, as prices rise and wages drop, so other spiritual motives are brought in by patriotic agitators. One is love for the Emperor, who is said to be of divine origin. Another is more reverence for the old Japanese gods. “The Home Ministry has decided to establish a new Board of Heavenly and Earthly Deities to foster old-time religion.” Little shrines are to be built in the homes and families must worship twice daily before them. The masses must renew their faith, so as to have strength for the testing time ahead. New admiration for the Army is encouraged. Old Japanese conceptions are extolled. Even the word Nippon is rigorously substituted for Japan. The wave of hostility for foreigners is augmented. The Japanese are trying to find new strength by withdrawing within themselves. This is a very old Japanese trait—they did not have to learn it from the Axis. Having no international Jews to persecute, they work up nationalistic fervor by crusading against international Rotarianism, and by joining the "Nippon Society for Denouncing Christians.” But in spite of all this "pep” activity by the "Spiritual Mobilisers,” the “Women Patriots,” the “Service Crusaders” and others, the Nation isn’t enthusiastic about the new mode of life. So a great bureaucratic structure has been formed, with hundreds of cells throughout the country, to hold everything in place. Every one is being organised, watched and directed. Under Close Inspection Thousands of inspectors go from house to house to see what the people eat and wear, how they amuse themselves and whether they’re free to work in munition factories. Every community, every firm, every school and church is brought into the system. Virtually every living unit is assigned a place, put into it and kept in it.

This is totalitarianism but far from Naziism. The Nazi Fuhrer aroused great popular enthusiasm among many little people. He established a belief in folk-unity. He kindled a flame of fanaticism that did melt many barriers. He inspired a feeling of revolution. That is all lacking in Japan. Five privileged groups dominate in Japan, namely the Court circle, the Army, Navy, bureaucrats, and big business. Each is powerful and deeply entrenched and all consider themselves above the masses. They look upon common people as feudal dependents. In addition, each group still insists on preserving its established rights. They do no; want to be melted together, nor merged with the masses. They fear a popular movement. A real Nazi Party might dictate to the Army, depose the bureaucrats, and put restrictions on business. These groups won’t tolerate that. So Japan has no “new movement,” but rather a “new structure.” A new steel framework holds all the bricks in place. Japan’s authoritarianism is autocracy, is reinforced feudalism. There is more control and better co-ordination, but no shifting of the seats of power. There are pools and combinations, but in each case power and privilege remain in the hands of the original possessors. Banks merge but the bankers remain to make profits. Businesses combine but are assured of liberal gains. An agrarian policy is launched, but it favours the old landlords. In practically every case, the small man is discriminated against. Konoye Like “Grand Vizier” The propaganda agency, set up to popularise the “new structure” is called “the Movement for Support of the Imperial Administration.” Plainly, it is not a people’s party. It is just a loud speaker, urging support of the home team. The team is not new. Its captain, indeed, Prince Fumimaro Konoye, is a perfect symbol of old Japan. He is not a burly, blustering, hay-pitch-ing Mussolini. He makes you think more of a Granci Vizier.

He is an organiser and promoter rather than a reformer. He is trying to co-ordinate the educational, cultural, economic life of the State and the Nation in such a way “that they may fulfil their duty of assisting the Throne.” He wants to rally the people about a symbol, but not to become a Fuhrer.

The old ways are made to seem good; new-fangled democracy, bad. Soldiers appear as virtuous; politicians are corrupt. Good Japanese are urged to avoid contact with outsiders. Old signs in English lor aiding tourists are to come down. No information of any kind on any subject is to be given foreigners. Foreign businessmen are greatly restricted; foreign missionaries deprived of authority. Japan is seeking to go back to the old days of spiritual isolation from the world, that it may find strength to conquer the world. For that the people are given “a new life” of privations. Time will show whether individual weakness and slavery open the way to world mastery and whether extreme spiritual isolation gives strength for super-intervention in world affairs.