The Vestiges of the U.S. Occupation and the Redefining of the Japanese Woman

This article addresses the construction of Japanese womanhood toward the end of the U.S. occupation of Japan (1945–1952). In the early 1950s, the Japanese people were conscious about independence and envisioned a new, positive image of the nation. However, the actual image was overtly sexualized by...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of historical sociology 2016-12, Vol.29 (4), p.439-475
Main Author: Endo, Masako
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Children
English language
Femininity
Japan
Military occupations
Names
Sociology
Women
World War II
World War Two
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Summary:This article addresses the construction of Japanese womanhood toward the end of the U.S. occupation of Japan (1945–1952). In the early 1950s, the Japanese people were conscious about independence and envisioned a new, positive image of the nation. However, the actual image was overtly sexualized by the presence of numerous women consorting with U.S. servicemen during the occupation. This article explores how the Japanese government attempted to eliminate any sexualized elements from Japan. While focusing on Japanese women who had relationships with foreign men and mixed‐blood children, I argue that they served as the “Other” in redefining post‐occupation femininity.
ISSN:0952-1909
2832-5796
1467-6443
2832-580X
DOI:10.1111/johs.12096