MEMO FOR RECORD: (SCAPIN - 2146)
7 March 1951
1. References are:
a. SCAPIN 6257-A, Collections of Staple Foods, dated 24 December 1948.
b. SCAPIN 2043, Price and Distribution Controls over Potatoes, dated 9 September 1949.
c. SCAPIN 2043/1, Price and Distribution Controls over Potatoes, dated 9 December 1948.
d. Memo for Chief, ESS, subject: Proposed Amendment to the Food Management Law, dated 26 February 1951.
2. Paragraphs 1 - 3 of reference Id above read as follows:
"1. The Japanese Government requests approval of a proposed bill for partial amendment to the Food Management Law (Law No. 40, 1942). The proposed amendment would (a) delete references to the Food Distribution Kodan, (b) delete references to staple foods other than rice, wheat and barley, and (c) provide for voluntary delivery of wheat and barley for government purchase, but with the added proviso that the Japanese Government might later reimpose compulsory collections.
2. Deletions under 1a and 1b are in harmony with the abandonment of controls on minor staple foods and the dissolution of the Staple Food
Kodan.
3. The provisions of 1c above are consistent with a decision reached at the time of preparation of the 1951 budget under which it was agreed that there would be (a) no compulsory collection of 1951 crop wheat and barley, (b) purchase by the Japanese Government on a voluntary delivery basis of up to 8 million koku of wheat and barley, and (c) ending of the wheat and barley ration in November 1951. It was understood that compulsory collection of wheat and barley might be reimposed by later decision if circumstances warranted."
3. Reference 1d above recommends approval of the amendments as consistent with policies already approved by ESS. Approval, however, is not possible under the restrictions imposed by references 1a - c above.
4. Reference 1a, paragraph 3b provides:
"Provide means for and accomplish the collection of maximum practicable quantities of available staple food crops, including the amendment or promulgation of necessary laws or ordinances to provide for the assignment of additional legally enforceable collection quotas to farmers at or near harvest time when crop conditions warrant."
5. Reference 1b provides for decontrol of potatoes; but paragraph 2 concludes with the sentence: "It is expected, therefore, that the removal of controls over potatoes will be accompanied by a strengthening of grain collection and distribution controls."
6. Reference 1c, paragraph 3 repeats in similar wording the proviso of reference 1b above, quoted in paragraph 5 above.
7. The current food situation in Japan is such as to permit consideration of further relaxation of food controls. Therefore, in the interest of making possible a more flexible program for the future it was decided to issue SCAPIN, subject: Price and Distribution Controls of Mugi, which provides the required scope of action.
E. C. HUTCHINSON
Chief, Price & Distribution Div.