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Salient: Victoria University Students' Newspaper. Vol. 24, No. 9. 1961

The Truth About the Demonstrations

The Truth About the Demonstrations

The Kishi Government wished to report, to President Eisenhower on his arrival in Japan, the successful completion of the ratification—a touching thought. As the Treaty had not made satisfactory progress, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, upon the motion of the Liberal-Democratic Party members, was intending to announce an extension of the session, so as to complete the examination of it. The Social-Democratic Party, using methods this writer has already commented on, formed a sit-down picket in the door-way of the Speaker's room, thus physically preventing him from going to the House to carry out his function. Speaker Ichiro Kiyose then had to call for the police who removed the sitters, one by one, thus allowing him access to the House. There, with only the Liberal-Democratic members present, he used the excuse that examination of the Treaty Bill was as yet incomplete, and thus got a 50-day extension—then 20 minutes later, at midnight, still with only one party present, approved the passage of the selfsame bill. The day—May 19, Ike's estimated arrival date June 19. And Kishi was well aware that, by Japanese law, a Treaty Is considered "approved" 30 days aftei the Lower House has read it, in spite of what the Upper House may say. No doubt Kishi was annoyed by the Socialists' behaviour, but annoyance was no excuse for the shameless way the Bill was passed. On May 19-20, the public remembered all of the Kishi Government's bad mistakes, and grew angrier at this one. Anti-Kishi-ism grew rife, and it was only unfortunate that it was tied up with an international question. While large numbers of the crowds were muttering "Down with Kishi," the Sohyo and Zengakuren leaders yelled "Down with America." Trained leaders appeared from nowhere, organised students into snake-dancing arm-linked lines, controlled by whistles—the excuse being so as not to disturb the general public. All were told to bring their various flags representing various groups. What New Zealanders, and many western newspaper correspondents don't realise however, is that in Japan A Red Flag is the Traditional Symbol of any Action Group. Red flags on explosives trucks in New Zealand don't indicate Communist sympathy any more than Japanese student's red flags do!

It can be safely said that of the participants in the recent demonstrations, a large majority were anti-Kishi, with a comparatively small number representing anti-Security Treaty elements and a yet smaller portion consisting of Communists. Anti-Kishi did not mean Anti-American, although anti-Americanism was dominant in the anti-Security Treaty group and among the Communists.

The following two incidents, reported in a magazine edited by a Japanese friend of the present writer, serve adequately to illustrate the peculiar nature of the so-called anti-Americanism in Japan: "When the Presidential Press Secretary and his party were getting out of their beseiged car to catch the helicopter rushed to the scene for their rescue, one of the students who was beating the car stepped by accident on the foot of one of the Americans. He promptly drew back with an apology "I am sorry" and then went back to beating the car. The other was a scene witnessed in one of the swanky tea-shops in busy Ginza Street. It was on a day when mass demonstrations were in full swing. Two American soldiers from Korea, enjoying a furlough in Tokyo, were seated at a table. A group of students recognisable at a glance as members of Zengakuren, entered the tea-shop and took a table next to that of the Americans, much to the embarrassment of the latter, as they had been informed that Zengakuren members followed the same tradition as the historically famous Kamikaze Suicide Squad of the last war. The students, seeing the Americans greatly perturbed and discomforted, decided among themselves that it was because the Americans knew but little Japanese. So, one of the students got up, and came to the American's table offering politely, 'May I help you?'"

Also it is a fact that the demonstrations before the American Embassy were very quiet and orderly, and it was only in front of the Diet that trucks were burned, and fighting took place.