General Headquarters
United States Army Forces, Pacific
Public Relations Office
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Representatives of the Japanese press were called together today by Col. Donald Hoover, chief Civilian Censorship Unit, Office of Counter Intelligence, to be told that Domei News Agency would be permitted to resume operations under censorship and on sufferance at noun today.
The following representatives of the Japanese press attend:
- Inosuke Furuno, president of Domei.
- Yoshiatsu Hori, director of Domei.
- Hasasi Takahashi, director of Domei.
- Shiji Hasegawa, chief of overseas bureau, Domei.
- Hachiro Ohashi, Press Radio Tokyo (Japan Broadcasting Corp.)
- Kenjiro Yabe, director and chief of news bureau (Radio Tokyo)
- Taiichiro Kato, Chief of Liaison officer (Radio Tokyo)
- Tatsuo Kawai, president of the Board of Information.
- Togasa, director of Nippon Times.
The following statement was made by Col. Hoover at the conference.
You have been called together to receive instructions regarding censorship of news distributed in Japan through press and radio.
The Supreme Commander is not satisfied with the manner in which the Japanese government, the press and radio have observed the directive of 10 September on the subject.
General MacArthur has decreed that there should be an absolute minimum of restrictions upon freedom of speech and discussion of matters affecting the future of Japan. His limitation was that discussion could not be untrue, that it could not disturb the public tranquility and that it not be harmful to the efforts of right-thinking Japanese to help their nation emerge from defeat. Freedom of the press is very dear to the Supreme Commander, and it is one of the freedoms for which the Allies have fought.
You have demonstrated that the latitude provided in the directive cannot be entrusted to you. You have not met this responsibility cooperatively. In the days since your surrender you have revealed you lack of good faith in handling the news. Therefore, the Supreme Commander has directed a more severe censorship. Domei News Agency was suspended yesterday at 1729 hours, for the dissemination of news which disturbed public tranquility.
Any other media which violates the directive will be similarly suspended.
General MacArthur desires that it be clearly understood that the Allied Powers do not regard Japan as an equal in any way. It is a defeated enemy which haas not yet demonstrated a right to a place among civilized nations. The tone of the colored news which you have been presenting to the public gives the impression that the Supreme Commander is negotiating with the Japanese government. There are no negotiations, and the public should not be permitted to gain a false idea of the position of the Japanese government in relation to the Allied Powers.
The Supreme Commander will dictate orders to the Japanese government...He will not negotiate with it. Negotiations take place among equals...and the Japanese are not to be led to believe that they already have regained the respect of the world or the status whereby the can "negotiate" over orders of the Supreme Commander. This slanting of news must be discontinued immediately.
You are upsetting the public tranquility in that you do not give the truth to your people; you are creating an inaccurate picture of the true status of Japan.
