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| Japan |
State in East Asia, located on 4 large islands - Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu - and numerous adjacent small islands. Territory - 372.2 thousand sq. km. Population - 115.2 million (as of March 31, 1979); over 99% are Japanese. The capital is Tokyo (11.4 million inhabitants). The official language is Japanese. The main religions are Shinto and Buddhism. The Meiji bourgeois revolution in 1867 marked the beginning of the development of capitalism in Japan. After the defeat of militaristic Japan in 1945 in the Second World War, in which the Soviet Army played a decisive role, some democratic reforms were carried out in Japan. A new constitution was adopted, proclaiming democratic rights and freedoms. One of the articles of the constitution prohibits Japan from having armed forces, contains a waiver of the right to wage war. As a result of the agrarian reform, most of the landowners' lands were transferred to the peasants for ransom. The largest monopolies were divided. Nevertheless, power in the country remained in the hands of representatives of the big bourgeoisie and the bureaucratic elite, who, with the support of the American occupation authorities, took a course to strengthen the positions of monopoly capital. С подписанием Сан-Францисского мирного договора в 1951 г. формально окончилась американская оккупация Японии. Однако одновременно США навязали Японии «договор безопасности», оформивший заключение военно-политического союза между двумя странами и узаконивший сохранение на японской территории американских войск и военных баз. В 1960 г. этот договор был пересмотрен и с 1970 г. автоматически продлевается. Американская администрация рассматривает Японию как основного союзника США на Дальнем Востоке. At the same time, there are quite sharp contradictions in relations between the two countries, which are mainly caused by clashes of interests of the American and Japanese monopolies. Japan maintains active political and economic ties with the EEC. The powerful offensive by Japanese monopolies on the US and EEC markets in recent years has led to an exacerbation of Japan's relations with its Western partners. Japan's economic penetration into developing countries is increasing in order to obtain and develop new sources of raw materials (primarily energy), as well as sales markets. In this regard, Japan attaches great importance to the development of relations with the countries of Southeast Asia, especially with the ASEAN countries. Recently, Japanese-Chinese political and economic ties have intensified. Relations between the USSR and Japan were established on November 26, 1925. In August 1945, due to the war, diplomatic relations between the USSR and Japan were interrupted and restored on 19X 1956, when the Joint Soviet-Japanese Declaration was signed in Moscow. In December 1957, the USSR and Japan signed a trade agreement, and then began to regularly conclude long-term trade agreements. In recent years, new forms of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries have developed, in particular, compensation agreements, on the basis of which large-scale programs for the development of natural resources of Siberia and the Far East are being implemented. The USSR stands for the broad development of Soviet-Japanese relations on the basis of mutual respect and good neighborliness. Considering that Japan is not yet ready to conclude a peace treaty, the USSR made a proposal to conclude an agreement on good-neighborliness and cooperation, which would meet the common interests of both countries and would be a contribution to peace in the Far East and around the world. However, in Japan and abroad there are forces opposing the development and strengthening of good-neighborly relations with the USSR . These forces are openly conducting anti-Soviet propaganda and making illegal territorial claims against the USSR . In recent years, militarist circles have noticeably intensified in Japan. Contrary to the provision of the constitution prohibiting Japan from having armed forces, the so-called so-called equipped with modern weapons have been created in the country. self-defense forces, which actually turned into a regular army of 270 thousand people (1979). In August 1978, Japan signed the so-called. "A treaty of peace and friendship" with China, which includes the thesis on counteracting "hegemonism", under the slogan of which Beijing is pursuing its anti-Soviet course. Japan is a constitutional monarchy. According to the constitution, the emperor (since 1926 - Hirohito) is "a symbol of the state and the unity of the people." Legislative power is exercised by the parliament (it consists of a chamber of representatives - 511 deputies and a chamber of advisers - 252 deputies, with a term of office of 4 and 6 years, respectively). The executive power belongs to the Cabinet of Ministers, which is formed by the Prime Minister (since July 1980 - D. Suzuki). Political parties: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) - founded in 1955, represents the interests of monopoly capital and high-ranking officials. Chairman - D. Suzuki. The New Liberal Club (NLK) - was formed in 1976 as a result of the withdrawal of a number of parliament members from the ruling LDP. The Socialist Party of Japan (JSP) is the most influential of the opposition parties, founded in 1945, relies on part of the working class and the middle strata of the population, and acts from anti-imperialist and anti-monopoly positions. Social Democratic Union - created in 1978 by a group of political leaders who split from the PCJ. Komeito (Pure Politics Party) - founded in 1964, closely associated with the Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai; the social base is the petty-bourgeois and semi-proletarian strata. Коммунистическая партия Японии (КПЯ) — основана в 1922 г. и до конца второй мировой войны действовала в подполье. XV съезд КПЯ (март 1980 г.) поставил перед коммунистами задачу добиваться единства прогрессивных сил, вести борьбу против военного союза Японии с США и милитаризации страны. Председатель ЦК КПЯ — С. Носака, председатель Президиума ЦК КПЯ — К. Миямото, председатель Секретариата ЦК КПЯ — Т. Фува. Trade unions play an active role in the struggle of the working class. The General Council of Trade Unions (SOHIO) is the largest progressive trade union center in Japan (supports the PCOS). All Japan Confederation of Labor (Domei) - pursues a policy of class cooperation (supported by the PDS). Independent Trade Union Liaison Council (Churitsu Roren) - Cooperates with SOHIO on many issues of working class struggles. In March 1979, an agreement was signed between Churitsu Roren and Shinsambetsu (New Congress of Industrial Trade Unions) to establish a new trade union association - the All Japan Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenkoku Rodokumiai So-Renkai). Japan is a highly developed industrial and agricultural country. It underestimates the 2nd place in the capitalist world in terms of GNP and industrial output. production after the USA. The economy is dominated by 6 powerful financial and industrial groups: Daiichi Kangin, Mitsubishi, Sanwa, Fuji, Mitsui, Sumitomo. Japan is poor in natural resources. The industry uses imported raw materials. The main industries: ferrous metallurgy, radio electronics, shipbuilding, automobile construction, petrochemistry, etc. In 1979, the following were produced: steel — 111.8 million tons, automobiles — 10 million units. (in their production, Japan occupies one of the leading places in the capitalist world), electricity - 474.5 billion kW-h, launched ships with a total displacement of 6.2 million br.-reg. tons. Industrial production index in 1979 was 108.3%. Agriculture is dominated by small peasant farms. 16% of the land area is cultivated. The main agricultural crop is rice (collected in 1979 - 11.9 million tons). Other industries are poultry, fruit and vegetable production. Fishing is developed. Fish catch in 1978 - 10.7 million tons. Length of rail roads (at the end of 1977) —27 thousand km, paved roads - 303 thousand km (at the beginning of 1975). Tonnage of the sea fleet (as of mid-1978) - 39.2 million br / reg. m (2nd place in the capitalist world after Liberia). The currency is the yen. 1,000 yen = 2.67 rubles. (February 1980). In terms of foreign trade, Japan ranks third in the capitalist world (after the United States and Germany). The main export commodities: machinery and equipment, metals and metal products, textiles and chemical products; imports - industrial raw materials and semi-finished products, fuel and food. The share of the United States in Japan's trade in 1979 was 25.6%. In 1979, trade with the USSR reached 2.6 billion rubles. The number of unemployed, as of August 1979, amounted to 1.18 million people. The working people of Japan are actively defending their vital interests. For many years, under the leadership of the leading trade unions in the country, the so-called. "Spring offensives". A characteristic feature of these "offensives" in recent years is the intensification of the struggle to ensure employment guarantees and increase wages, along with the demand for social and democratic transformations.
