740.00119 Control (Japan)/1–546
The Acting Political Adviser in Japan (Atcheson) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 15.]
Sir: I have the honor to transmit copies of a directive to the Japanese Government issued by the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers on December 31, 1945,19 ordering the suspension of courses in Japanese schools on morals (shushin), Japanese history and geography.
Summary of Directive. The Japanese Government is ordered to discontinue courses in the schools which were used “to inculcate militaristic and ultra-nationalistic ideologies”. Old texts used in these [Page 94] courses are to be collected and new textbooks prepared. Temporary substitute programs and instructions to teachers are authorized, subject to the approval of SCAP, until such time as resumption of the suspended courses with new approved texts and teachers’ manuals. Officials, teachers and employees, in both public and private institutions, are made responsible for “compliance with the spirit as well as the letter of the terms of the directive”. Appendices give specific and detailed instructions for the collection of texts, the submission of substitute programs, and the submission of the final revised program. End of Summary.
Publicity issued by General Headquarters, SCAP, indicated that the old textbooks used in the Japanese schools had been found so filled with objectionable material that censoring was not feasible and the only practical course was full suspension of the courses and withdrawal of textbooks until new ones could be prepared.
Respectfully yours,
- Not printed.↩