Chapter 48 The influence of the Japanese people's struggle is very far-reaching[1]

(January 24, 1961) Mao Zedong: Do you still stay in China for a while? I am happy to see my Japanese friends.We express our condolences to the death of Mr. Asanuma[2]. Kuroda Toshio: Mr. Asanuma came to China as the head of the Socialist Party delegation and delivered a very good speech, saying that US imperialism is the common enemy of the Chinese and Japanese peoples.We inherit the spirit of Asanuma and continue to carry forward his spirit. Chairman Mao: Mr. Asanuma has grasped the essence of the relationship between Japan and the United States, as well as the essence of the problems of China, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and even Europe, North America and Canada.I once said to Mr. Asanuma at that time that sometimes fewer people agree with this argument, sometimes more, but after a while, the majority will always agree.

The United States has no way to establish its own rule in various countries, and must rely on the supporters of various countries. This is its allies, that is, the most reactionary small group of people in each country.In China, it is a group of people headed by Chiang Kai-shek, and in your country, it is Kishi Nobusuke[3] and the monopoly capital group. Hei: There was a big movement against the "Security Treaty"[4] in Japan last year. The government representing monopoly capital stood against us from the opposite position and passed the "Security Treaty" violently.During this period, China held a large parade and rally to support us, and we express our gratitude.

Chairman Mao: We support each other, international struggles always support each other.You are at the forefront. During his visit to China the year before last, Asanuma said that U.S. imperialism is the common enemy of the Chinese and Japanese peoples.Even if the majority of people do not agree with this for a while, when people understand it, they will always be in favor of the majority. We must have such confidence.One year later, in 1960, Japan had undergone such drastic changes, and the movement against the "Security Treaty" reached such a climax that it had developed into a struggle of the whole people.

The relationship between our two countries is not normal and trade has stopped.When I met with the delegation led by Mr. Asanuma at East Lake in Wuhan, I said that the interruption of Sino-Japanese relations is a temporary phenomenon, which will change after a period of time.The trade side has now begun to change, the political side is not yet certain.There are two aspects of politics. The Chinese people have always been friendly with the majority of the Japanese people, and the friendly relationship is still developing after the war; that is, the relationship with the Liberal Democratic Party government and monopoly capital has not yet been settled, and it still has to wait.There is a difference between the relationship with the Japanese people and the relationship with the Japanese government.The relationship with the Japanese government is also different. There are so-called mainstream factions and anti-mainstream factions, and they are not completely consistent.Matsumura[5], Miki[6], Takasaki[7], Kono[8], and Shiqiao[9] are our indirect allies.The Japanese people are our direct allies, and the Chinese people are also direct allies of the Japanese people.There are contradictions within the Liberal Democrats, and the anti-mainstream is our indirect ally.Do you think this makes sense?

Black: If the anti-mainstream faction has a better understanding of China in the future and is more determined to oppose the "security treaty", then it can be said to be an indirect ally. Chairman Mao: European countries also have this problem with the United States, they are not completely consistent with the United States.The awareness of the people of the world has risen, mainly in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.Have you done any work on Africa and Latin America? Black: We have the Asian Solidarity Committee, and we are carrying out activities around this group, fighting against US imperialism and supporting peace, and supporting the national independence movements of the people of Asia, Africa, and Latin America.We would like to mobilize further in the future to intensify this activity.

Mao: It is very necessary. Hei: In Asia this year, the main issue is the Laos issue.The Lao people were striving for national liberation, and the United States took advantage of the Japan-US "security treaty" and used Japanese military bases to interfere in Laos' internal affairs.Recently, various trade unions, political parties, mass organizations and cultural groups in Japan held a meeting to oppose the use of Japanese military bases by the United States to interfere in the internal affairs of Laos. They also demonstrated in front of the American embassy, ​​demanding that the United States stop this kind of interference, and also to the Japanese government. Demonstration, demanding that the Japanese government not allow the United States to use Japanese bases.

Mao: That's good. Hei: Right now the Japanese government is negotiating with the South Korean government, and they regard the South Korean government as the legitimate government of the whole of Korea to resolve the Korean issue, which hinders the peaceful reunification of North Korea.The United States uses the Japan-South Korea negotiations to strengthen the military power of South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan, and to strengthen the military alliance in Northeast Asia.The Japanese people who fought against the Japan-U.S. "security treaty" are now opposing the Japan-Korea negotiations.

Mao: Opposition is necessary. Recently, the Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, and South Vietnam, which have relations with the United States, held "foreign ministers' talks." The Japanese government did not attend because they were afraid of the Japanese people.It can be seen from this that the Japanese government was terrified by the struggle of the Japanese people last year, and the great struggle of the Japanese people has had a far-reaching impact. It now appears that the struggle of the Japanese people against U.S. imperialism is just after the first peak and before the second peak. The struggle is advancing in waves, temporarily at a low ebb, and is preparing for a second high.You know that China's decades of struggle have developed in waves, not in a straight line every day, every month, and every year.Therefore, the people's movement you lead has great promise.However, some people feel that the movement cannot be carried out now, and they complain pessimistically; some people may also criticize, saying that your leftist struggles in the past were wrong.At times like this, the leftists have to bite the bullet and stand up, to use our words.For example, before the 1911 Revolution[10] in China, the military uprising led by Huang Xing[11] in Guangzhou in April 1911 failed, and all the martyrs who died were buried in Huanghuagang.After the failure, even Huang Xing himself ran to Hong Kong, thinking that it was a failure, it was impossible, and there was no hope.No one expected that the 1911 Revolution would take place not long after, and the Qing government would be overthrown.After the failure of the Russian Revolution in 1905, most people in the Social Democratic Labor Party were pessimistic and disappointed, and "god-making factions" [12] emerged, such as Lunacharsky and others.These people are all idealists. Lenin wrote a philosophical work "Materialism and Empirio-Criticism" in order to criticize them.Ten years later, the Russian Revolution was victorious. At this time, Lunacharsky of the "God-making School" also became the People's Commissar of Education of the Lenin government, and he did not want to make gods.I think you will also find such instances in your history.

Why has the revolution in your country not yet been victorious? It seems that countries with more developed capitalism may have won later, and the reason is that capitalism is more developed.Revolutions triumph first in countries with underdeveloped capitalism, where the air is thin and easy to break through.For example, the air in Russia and China is thin, and now it is the same in Africa.Japan's monopoly capital is still relatively weak among the seven or eight major capitalist countries including the United States, Britain, France, Germany, and Italy.The reasons are: first, it lost the battle; second, it was ruled by the United States.

In a sense, I see both aspects as beneficial to the Japanese people: First, after losing the war, the colonies are gone, which is beneficial to Japan.The Japanese people and the revolutionary political party should understand that this failure is not a disgrace, it is a disgrace to monopoly capital, but it is a victory for the people.Whether losing a battle is a good thing or a disgrace, you should debate.Some people don't see it this way, and think that losing the war is shameless, so they feel ashamed and feel that they have done something bad.This is because they make no distinction between monopoly capital and the people, so they come to that conclusion.Monopoly capital and militaristic governments should be responsible for past wars, not the Japanese people.Why should the people be responsible? If it is said that the people should be responsible, then everyone will come against the Japanese people, and that’s fine! In fact, the Japanese militaristic government threatened, deceived, and forced the Japanese people to become cannon fodder.

Second, being ruled by the United States also needs to be analyzed.In my opinion, the people of a country will not be awakened without external oppression.Now Japan is not only oppressed by its own monopoly capital, but also by its ally, the United States. This has quickly educated and united the Japanese people; The slaves of monopoly capital must either rise up and fight for independence and freedom.As I said earlier, I do not believe that it is possible for a great nation like Japan to be bullied for a long time and oppressed for a short time.The people of our country have also been educated by domestic and foreign enemies, including Japanese militarists.When Saburo Nango[13] from Japan met me, he said as soon as we met: Japan invaded China, I am sorry for you.I said to him: We don’t see it this way. The Japanese warlords occupied most of China and educated the Chinese people. Otherwise, the Chinese people would not be enlightened and united. Then we are still on the mountain and cannot come to Beijing to see it. Peking opera.It was because the Japanese "imperial army" occupied most of China, and the Chinese people had no way out, that they woke up and armed themselves to fight, and established many anti-Japanese base areas, creating conditions for victory in the liberation war.So the Japanese warlords and monopoly capital have done a good thing. If I want to thank them, I would rather thank the Japanese warlords. A great nation like Japan should have independence and sovereignty.Japan's economy and culture are ahead of China's. It is said that there are seven universities in Okayama County; we have Wuxi, which has a relatively developed culture, but there are no seven universities.We do not have such a county that can be compared with Japan.It will take some time for China to catch up with Japan. Japan has bourgeois democracy and a national assembly. This is your advantage, but it is also a disadvantage.There is no democracy in China, and the Kuomintang just arrests people, kills people, and gives us nothing.This may be a disadvantage, it may be an advantage.So what is our way out? Our way out is to learn from Chiang Kai-shek. You can kill people, why can’t we kill people? We have conducted investigations and studies. The Kuomintang has hands, knives and guns; we also have hands, but no knives or guns.If we can take the knives and guns from the hands of the Kuomintang, can't we also kill the lackeys of the imperialists and make something famous? Your situation is a little different. You have a parliamentary system, which is relatively democratic. Unlike China’s Kuomintang, which arrests and kills people, you can use it to engage in mass movements.I don't know much about your situation. Probably the Japanese monopoly capital is smarter than the Chinese comprador bourgeoisie. It seems that you can also take advantage of this.They are afraid that the common people will rise up.For example, the government cannot prohibit many Japanese friends from visiting China; they cannot prohibit us from going to Japan, but they can impose various restrictions because the Japanese government has diplomatic relations with Chiang Kai-shek.In addition, they are also afraid of the Communist Party.Gao Pan invited Comrade Liao Chengzhi[14] to visit Japan. Comrade Liao Chengzhi, when will you go? Liao: It has not been decided yet. Mao: A delegation from the Federation of Trade Unions recently visited Japan.Our people-to-people exchanges and exchanges are very good, which can enhance understanding, exchange opinions and experience.Some private contracts have been signed for trade, and some large sales have also begun.We have coal, salt, iron ore, soybeans, and we can exchange some things with Japan.China and Japan are very close, and the freight is also cheap. Black: Totally agree.There will be more non-governmental exchanges this year. Regardless of whether the Ikeda[15] government is willing or not, people-to-people contacts between China and Japan will increase, the friendly relationship between the peoples of the two countries will deepen, and a treaty of friendship will definitely be signed. Mao: Very good, there is a future for development. Hei: We came to China at the beginning of the year for the goodwill of the two peoples.We have heard many useful words from Chinese friends, and we have seen the development of China's socialist construction, which is of great benefit to us. We express our gratitude and wish the chairman good health. Chairman Mao: Please send my regards to friends both known and unknown to the Japanese Socialist Party. According to the "Mao Zedong Diplomatic Selected Works" published in 1994 by Central Literature Publishing House and World Knowledge Publishing House. -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ note [1] This is a conversation between Mao Zedong and Japanese Socialist Party member Kuroda Hisao. [2] Asanuma, referring to Asanuma Inajiro.See note [2] on page 206 of this volume. [3] Nobusuke Kishi, former president of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan and former prime minister of the Japanese cabinet. [4] Japan-US "Security Treaty", that is, "Japan-US Mutual Cooperation and Security Treaty".See note [3] on page 93 of this volume. [5] Matsumura, refers to Matsumura Kenzo (1883-1971), a former consultant and former representative of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan.After 1959, he visited China five times.Before the restoration of diplomatic relations between China and Japan, he was the general contact person for the Japanese side of Japan-China trade.During his visit to China in September 1962, he concluded the Japan-China Comprehensive Trade Agreement with China.In 1964, following Tatsunosuke Takamoto, he was in charge of the Japan-China Memorandum of Trade Affairs. [6] Miki, referring to Miki Takeo (1907-1988), the former president of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan and the former prime minister.In 1958, he served as the head of the Economic Planning Agency of the Japanese Cabinet.In terms of foreign relations, he actively advocates the development of political, economic and cultural relations between Japan and China. [7] Takasaki refers to Tatsunosuke Takasaki (1885-1964), a member of the Liberal Democrats of Japan, a former member of the House of Representatives and a senator.In the early 1960s, he served as the Minister of Commerce and Industry of the Japanese Cabinet and the chairman of the Japan-China Comprehensive Trade Liaison Review Committee, actively promoting Japan-China trade.In 1962, he led a delegation to visit China and signed a memorandum of understanding with Liao Chengzhi on the development of non-governmental trade between Japan and China. [8] Kono, refers to Kono Ichiro (1898-1965), who served as Minister of Agriculture and Forestry and Minister of Construction of the Japanese Cabinet in the early 1960s. [9] Ishibashi, referring to Ishibashi Zhanshan (1884-1973), former president of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan and former prime minister.In the early 1960s, he served as the chairman of the Japan-China Economic and Trade Exhibition Cooperation Association for many times.In December 1972, he was elected as an advisor to the Alliance of Parliamentarians for the Promotion of Restoration of Japan-China Diplomatic Relations.He visited China twice in 1959 and 1963. [10] The Revolution of 1911 was a revolution led by the bourgeois political party Tongmenghui headed by Sun Yat-sen to overthrow the autocratic dynasty of the Qing Dynasty.On October 10, 1911 (Xinhai Year), the revolutionaries launched a new army to hold an uprising in Wuchang, Hubei. After that, all provinces responded enthusiastically, and the reactionary rule of the Qing Dynasty supported by foreign imperialism quickly disintegrated.In January 1912, the provisional government of the Republic of China was established in Nanjing, and Sun Yat-sen became the provisional president.China's feudal monarchy of more than 2,000 years has since come to an end, and the concept of a democratic republic has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.But the bourgeois revolutionaries are weak and compromising, unable to mobilize the power of the broad masses of the people to carry out a relatively thorough revolution against imperialism and feudalism.The achievements of the Revolution of 1911 were immediately usurped by the Northern warlord Yuan Shikai, and China still hadn't gotten rid of the state of semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. [11] Huang Xing (1874-1916), a native of Erdu, Shanhua, Hunan (now part of Changsha County).In 1904, he organized Huaxing Association, an anti-Qing revolutionary organization in Changsha.In 1905, he and Sun Yat-sen planned to establish the Tongmenghui, and served as the general affairs of the executive department.He has led several armed uprisings launched by the Tongmenghui.After the Wuchang Uprising in 1911, he served as the wartime commander-in-chief of the military government and the army chief of the Nanjing Provisional Government.In 1913, he served as commander-in-chief of the Yuan Army in Jiangsu Province. [12] Theism is a trend of religious philosophy that emerged after the failure of the Russian bourgeois democratic revolution from 1905 to 1907. Its representatives are Bogdanov, Lunacharsky Wait.They lost confidence in the future of the revolution, advocated "improvement" of Marxism, advocated the creation of a "godless" "socialist" religion, declared that only religion is the organizational force of socialism, and attempted to combine Marxism with religion.After 1912, with the upsurge of the Russian Revolutionary Movement, the doctrine of God-making quickly shattered. [13] Nango Saburo, in 1955, served as the chairman of the Japan-China Import and Export Association.In 1956, he visited China twice.In 1958, he came to China as a representative of the Japanese Commercial Mission to participate in the signing of the fourth Sino-Japanese trade agreement. [14] Liao Chengzhi (1908-1983), from Huiyang, Guangdong.At that time, he was the deputy director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the State Council. [15] Ikeda refers to Hayato Ikeda (1899-1965), who was the president of the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party and prime minister from 1960 to 1964.