asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the many postponements by the Japanese Government of the date of the municipal elections in Japan, he will instruct our representative on the Allied Council to press for the fixing of a definite unalterable date for these elections.

A Japanese Government ordinance, dated 4th January, provides that candidates for municipal elections must possess a certificate showing that they have been screened and do not' fall under the provisions of the purge directives. The screening of candidates must, therefore, be completed before the elections can take place, but it is intended that these should be held as soon as possible after the middle of April.

In view of the repeated postponements by the Japanese Government, will the Minister instruct our representative to hasten this elimination process?

We are anxious for it to be carried through as soon as possible, but there are 60,000 people involved, and it must take some time.

Are the 60,000 all election candidates?

Mr. May hew:

I could not say for certain. I believe so.