🇯🇵Intro to Modern Japanese Literature

🇯🇵intro to modern japanese literature review

4.4 Censorship and government control of literature in prewar Japan

4 min read•Last Updated on August 6, 2024

Prewar Japan saw intense government control over literature. The Peace Preservation Law of 1925 gave authorities broad powers to censor and suppress dissent. Writers faced strict scrutiny, with all works needing approval before publication.

Many authors practiced self-censorship or used subtle techniques to avoid persecution. Some recanted their beliefs in a process called tenko, while others went underground or into exile. The government promoted propaganda literature supporting its ideology and war efforts.

Government Censorship Apparatus

Top images from around the web for Legal Framework for Censorship

  • Home - Eva Lacy View original

    Is this image relevant?

  • Postal censorship - Wikipedia View original

    Is this image relevant?

  • Home - Eva Lacy View original

    Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Legal Framework for Censorship

  • Home - Eva Lacy View original

    Is this image relevant?

  • Postal censorship - Wikipedia View original

    Is this image relevant?

  • Home - Eva Lacy View original

    Is this image relevant?

1 of 3
  • Peace Preservation Law enacted in 1925 gave the government broad powers to suppress political dissent and control public discourse
  • Amendments to the Peace Preservation Law in 1928 and 1941 further expanded the government's censorship authority and increased penalties for violations
  • Additional laws and regulations were implemented to restrict freedom of speech, assembly, and publication (Public Security Preservation Law, Publishing Business Law)

Enforcement Mechanisms

  • Tokko (Special Higher Police) established in 1911 as a secret police force to monitor and suppress political opposition
  • Tokko had broad powers to investigate, arrest, and interrogate individuals suspected of subversive activities or thoughts
  • Tokko worked closely with other government agencies (Home Ministry, Ministry of Education) to enforce censorship policies and control the flow of information
  • Extensive network of informants and collaborators helped the Tokko monitor and report on potentially subversive activities or publications

Suppression of Literature

  • Literary works were subject to strict censorship and control by the government to ensure conformity with official ideology and prevent the spread of subversive ideas
  • All publications had to be submitted for pre-publication review and approval by government censors (Home Ministry, Ministry of Education)
  • Works deemed to be critical of the government, socially disruptive, or ideologically suspect were banned, censored, or heavily edited before publication
  • Authors, publishers, and booksellers who violated censorship regulations faced severe penalties, including fines, imprisonment, and the closure of their businesses

Wartime Intensification of Control

  • As Japan entered the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937) and World War II (1941), government control over literature and public discourse intensified
  • Wartime literature was expected to promote patriotism, self-sacrifice, and support for the war effort while avoiding any criticism of the government or military
  • The government established official literary organizations (Japanese Literature Patriotic Association) to promote state-sanctioned literature and suppress alternative voices
  • Foreign literature, particularly from enemy nations, was heavily censored or banned outright to prevent the spread of "dangerous" ideas

Impact on Writers and Literature

Tenko (Ideological Conversion)

  • Many leftist and proletarian writers, facing intense pressure and persecution from the government, publicly recanted their beliefs and embraced state ideology in a process known as tenko
  • Tenko often involved a public declaration of ideological conversion, an apology for past "errors," and a pledge of loyalty to the state and the Emperor
  • Some writers who underwent tenko continued to produce literature that conformed to government expectations and promoted official ideology (Hayashi Fusao, Nakano Shigeharu)
  • Others withdrew from public life or struggled to reconcile their past beliefs with their new public stance

Self-Censorship and Literary Strategies

  • Many writers, seeking to avoid government censorship and persecution, engaged in self-censorship by avoiding sensitive topics or adopting subtle forms of critique and resistance
  • Some writers employed allegorical or symbolic language to express subversive ideas or social criticism without directly challenging the government (Nagai Kafu, Tanizaki Junichiro)
  • Others focused on personal, psychological, or aesthetic themes that were less likely to attract the attention of censors (Kawabata Yasunari, Yokomitsu Riichi)
  • The use of historical settings, foreign locales, or fantastical elements allowed some writers to explore controversial ideas or social issues indirectly (Dazai Osamu, Abe Kobo)

Underground and Exile Literature

  • Some writers, unwilling to compromise their beliefs or submit to government censorship, continued to produce subversive or critical works through underground channels
  • Underground literature was often distributed through informal networks of trusted readers, study groups, or secret publications
  • Many leftist and proletarian writers, facing persecution in Japan, went into exile abroad (primarily the Soviet Union) and continued to write and publish for foreign audiences
  • Exile literature, while largely cut off from domestic readers, helped to preserve alternative voices and perspectives during the era of intense government repression

State-Sponsored and Propaganda Literature

  • The government actively promoted a body of state-sponsored literature that conformed to official ideology and supported the war effort
  • State-sponsored literature often glorified the military, promoted self-sacrifice and loyalty to the state, and depicted the enemy as subhuman or barbaric
  • Government-organized literary organizations, such as the Japanese Literature Patriotic Association, provided a platform for writers who embraced official ideology and produced propaganda works
  • Wartime magazines, newspapers, and radio programs disseminated state-sanctioned literature and ideas to a wide audience, shaping public opinion and suppressing alternative perspectives
  • Some established writers, seeking to secure their position or avoid persecution, produced works that aligned with government expectations and contributed to the propaganda effort (Kikuchi Kan, Shiga Naoya)