HC Deb 07 March 1947 vol 434 c117W
Mr. Wilkes

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement on the method of censorship for the Japanese Press now in force; how many representatives are on the governing censorship body; and whether he will request the Commonwealth member of the allied control for Japan to ensure that greater weight is given to British and Commonwealth representations in the future operation of the censorship policy.

Mr. Mayhew

Censorship is carried out by a section of the Military Headquarters of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, who is the sole executive authority for the Allied Powers in Japan. It is not known here how many officers are attached to this censorship unit. The censorship is designed to prevent the publication of matter detrimental to the Allied Powers or to the occupation. On the only occasion on which the Head of the United Kingdom Liaison Mission in Japan was obliged to make representations on a censorship matter to the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, these were immediately successful. The Allied Council for Japan is not concerned with details of the military administration.