JAPAN: New Road

2 minute read
TIME

One warm winter’s day in Tokyo last week, self-effacing Tetsu Katayama herded his cabinet members to the back door of the Prime Minister’s residence. To waiting photographers he explained with a shy, tired smile: “The back is better because we are going out, you know.” The pictures over, Katayama solemnly wrapped his state papers in a purple scarf and bustled off to report the fall of his cabinet to the Emperor (he had already told General MacArthur).

The hodgepodge coalition cabinet headed by Katayama, a Christian whose favorite motto is “Do not overdo,” had done a surprising amount in eight months. SCAP-sponsored democratizing legislation, obstructed by previous cabinets, had Katayama’s willing acquiescence. The Home Ministry, notorious for its “thought control” hammer lock on the Japanese, had been dissolved; a Labor Ministry had been inaugurated; a new criminal code and a new police system had been established.

Why, then, had Katayama’s cabinet fallen? The answer lay deep in the tangled skein of postwar Japanese politics, in Katayama’s own lackluster leadership, and in shifting U.S. occupation policy.

Last spring, Social Democrat Katayama had traded away most of his socialist principles to win the support of conservatives for his coalition. However, Shigeru Yoshida, ultra-conservative Liberal party leader, pulled out. Hitoshi Ashida, head of the conservative Democrats, gave only grudging cooperation, pushed easygoing Katayama along an economic path more conservative than socialist. Within his own party, Katayama steadily lost support.

With democratizing legislation on the books and the end of the war crimes trials in sight, SCAP officials began to do some hardheaded thinking. Japan’s mired economy, which would sink into complete bankruptcy if it were not for American food and raw materials, had to be headed on a new road leading toward economic self-sufficiency. SCAP wanted a balanced budget, which Katayama had not been able to achieve. Heavier taxes, higher government commodity prices would be necessary. Social Democrats boggled. The crisis came at a party convention last month. Left-wingers voted against continued support of the coalition. Katayama, realizing that his job was ending, let out a sigh: “All I want is sleep, sleep!”

Last week, as weary Katayama headed for his summer home at Katase and sleep, conservative-minded Yoshida and Ashida kept a bright eye on the Diet, which would elect the new Prime Minister. Each thought he might be just the man.

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