Kishi's Answer

In a tough answer to Nikita Khrushchev's threats to "atomize" all U.S. forward bases, Japan's Premier Nobusuke Kishi decided to rush through the new U.S.-Japanese treaty of alliance which has long been stalled in the House of Representatives by opposition Socialists.

Parliamentary democracy. Japanese-style, makes even the convening of the Diet an occasion for free-for-alls in which any number may play. When the bell sounded for the showdown session, 200 opposition Deputies massed outside the office of wispy Speaker Ichiro Kiyose, 76, blocking the corridor so solidly that he could not get out to call the session to order. Kiyose called the police. On signal, 500 cops entered, picked up the Socialists and carried them kicking and struggling from Kiyose's door. The Speaker made a run for the chamber only to be met there by more angry Socialist Deputies, who grabbed him round the back and half-throttled him. Diet guards pulled him free and carried him half-fainting to his tall chair.

When Kiyose managed to croak out the words to open the session, all remaining Socialists and 27 members of Kishi's own Liberal-Democratic Party stalked out. Nonetheless, shortly after midnight, the House finally got around to passing the treaty by a standing vote. Then the 259 Liberal-Democrats present (quorum needed: 156) raised three throaty banzais and adjourned.

Next day 30,000 left-wing students and trade unionists paraded through Tokyo's streets shouting "Down with Kishi!" and "U2, go home!" and the Soviet Union formally protested against the treaty. By his coup Kishi assured that the treaty would become law on the day (June 19) President Eisenhower is scheduled to arrive in Japan. For the constitution provides that if the upper house (where Kishi's majority is even bigger) should for some reason delay its approval, any measure passed by the lower house of the Diet becomes law automatically after 30 days. But the Socialists were so infuriated that they promised to make things unpleasant during Ike's visit.

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