FRATERNSATION IN JAPAN

Chronicle (Levin), 17 April 1947, Page 4

FRATERNSATION IN JAPAN

NEW ZEALANDERS ALLOWED TO VlSstT JAP HOMES (By the New Zealand Press Association Represeritative with the' Press DelegatiGn in Japali) ] All ranks oi the. New Zealand; Brigade in Japan are' permitted to' Visit Japanese homes provided they haVe received an invitation to do so, and provided the prestige of the f oree is not • brought into disrepute by their presence in such company. This is the baSis of the frate'rnisatibn laws as they apply to the 2nd N.Z.E.F., and it is to the credit of the Commander, Brigadier . L. Potter, that he has modified the Originai directive on this matter —Which in effect said, "There will be no . frate'rnisation"— and has applied it ih a commbnseiise way to meet the changes in relationships between soldiers and civiiian nationals. that have occurred in the year after the arrival of the hrst New Zealand troops -- in •Tanan.

It is no exaggeration to say that : AmeriCan troops, despite their 1 rigid fratemisation orders, mix 1 quite freely and openly With japanese of either sex. On the whole British, AUstrallan, Indian ] and New Zealand soldiers are somewhat reserved in their rela- > tions With Japanese civilians, - though so far as some New Zea- \ ianders are concerned firm friend- - ships have beeh made. This, however, is the exception and not the rule. The probable reason why : there is no real and widespread ■ fratemisation is found with the Japanese themselves. It is impossible for the average New Zealand soldier to know or find out exactly what the Japanese are thinking, however much they may smile and bow and ingratiate and humble themselves. One example of fratemisation which is popular with. the units at Chofu, the base area of the New Zealand Brigade, is dancing, and the men themselves have built a commodious and well-. appointed hall in which. are held regular weekly dances. The supply, of girls comes. from nearby vil-; lages, but before they are aceepted they have to undergo a thorough medical examination. The girls arrive at the hall with, Japanese police escort, and return ■With the same escort. They show that they obviously enjoy the dance. and, indeed, their dancing is equ'al to that of the moder'n New Zeaiand girl, despite the fact that the majority of them have danced in .the European. way for only a very short time. In fact, many of them were taught to dance by the soldiers, and by a few girls who were transported from the United States, and who already were accomplished dan-: cers. The conduct of these entertai'hments is above reproach and similar in every respect to a wellcohducted dance in New Zealand, with a "modern and old-time prngramme, specialty numbers, and of course, supper. The. men themselves provide the music and control .the evening, and never yet has there been the slightest cause for complaint or criticism.