Religions Policies During the Allied Occupation of Japan, 1945–1952

Thomas, Jolyon Baraka

doi:10.1111/rec3.12117

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Moving into the postwar period, Ray Moore's study provides a detailed look at the religious policies of General Douglas MacArthur (1880–1964)—the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers during the U.S.‐led occupation of Japan from 1945 to 1951—who attempted to fill Japan's “spiritual void” with Christianity, despite the Allied Occupation's official stance of outward neutrality vis‐a‐vis all religious groups (Moore, 2011). Jolyon Thomas has also examined the religious policy of the Allied Occupation from a broader perspective, making reference to examples from prewar as well as postwar Japan to interrogate the ways in which the notion of religious freedom has been used as a political tool in various historical contexts (Thomas, 2014, 2019). Indeed, due to the special privileges given to them under the occupation, Christians briefly enjoyed a level of influence that has been unmatched before or since, allowing them to weigh in on key issues ranging from the public image of American troops stationed in Japan to the postwar survival of Yasukuni Shrine (Mullins, 2010).…”

Section: Empire and Warmentioning

confidence: 99%

Christianity and modern Japanese society: An historical overview

Tao

2024

Religion Compass

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This review article provides an overview of studies on Christianity in modern Japan, with a specific focus on works that address its social and political impact from a historical perspective. It first seeks to orient readers in the historical context within which the religion was transmitted to Japan, before delving into the notable works in the field. The scholarship indicates an evolution from an initial focus on missionary evangelism and narrowly defined church history to a more expansive outlook that encompasses the rich and complex lives of Japanese Christian leaders and their broader societal impact beyond church walls. Topics covered include Protestant missions, indigenous movements, women's education, social reform, and biographical studies. As a reflection of the author's area of interest, special attention will be paid to the case of the Christian social reformer Kagawa Toyohiko. The review will be limited to English‐language scholarship, although brief references will be made to Japanese‐language scholarship where appropriate.

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Section: Empire and Warmentioning

confidence: 99%

Christianity and modern Japanese society: An historical overview

Tao

2024

Religion Compass

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“…13 The definition of new religions and their characteristics is rendered problematic by the fluidity and complexity of various groups and their affiliations (or lack of), and different phases of their development, formation and expansion. Just as the term shūkyō (religion) has been at the centre of several scholarly debates regarding the formation of the conceptual category of religion in Japan and its application to the Japanese context, 14 so have the terms shinshūkyō and new religions been controversial, as the former was also used apologetically in the postwar period in order to grant new movements legitimacy (Thomas 2014), and the definition of "new religions" in other contexts does not necessary fit Japanese groups. 15 Despite these limitations, however, the term new religions as a chronological category is used in this book because it remains the most viable English-language term to denote what we are focusing on.…”

Section: New Religionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Media and New Religions in Japan

Baffelli

2016

Media and New Religions in Japan

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Media and New Religions in Japan "Erica Baffelli's book breaks new ground by providing us with the first comprehensive analysis of the ways in which Japanese new religions use media forms to create marketable images of themselves and to construct images of their leaders and to transmit their teachings. Her study shows how the charismatic standing of leaders may be constructed and reinforced via media-ised processes, publications and rituals, and how new religions make use of spectacular, media-oriented rituals to attract new audiences. Yet she also shows that new religions at times have problems with new media, as her account of the ways in which they may struggle with the potentialities of the Internet shows. As such, this is a valuable study of importance to anyone interested in Japanese religions, new religions, and the media."-Ian Reader, University of Manchester, UK Japanese "new religions" (shinshūkyō) have used various media forms for training, communicating with members, presenting their messages, reinforcing or protecting the image of the leader and potentially attracting converts. In this book, the complex and dual relationship between the media and new religions is investigated by looking at the tensions groups face between the need for visibility and the risks of facing attacks and criticism through the media. Indeed, media and new technologies have been extensively used by religious groups not only to spread their messages and to try to reach a wider audience, but also to promote themselves as a highly modern and up-to-date form of religion appropriate for a modern technological age. In the 1980s and early 1990s, some movements, such as Agonshū, Kōfuku no Kagaku and Aum Shinrikyō, came into prominence especially via the use of media (initially publications, but also ritual broadcasts, advertising campaigns and public media events). This created new modes of ritual engagement and new ways of interactions between leaders and members. The aim of this book is to develop and illustrate particular key issues in the wider new religions and media nexus by using specific movements as examples. In particular, the analysis of the interaction between media and new religions will focus primarily on three case studies predominantly during the first period of development of the groups. Erica Baffelli is currently a Senior Lecturer in Japanese Studies at the University of Manchester, UK. She is interested in religion in contemporary Japan, with a focus on groups founded from the 1970s onwards. Currently, she is examining the interactions between media and "new religions" (shinshūkyō) in the 1980s and 1990s and the changes in the use of media by religious institutions after the 1995 Tokyo subway attack.

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“…Just as the term shūkyō (religion) has been at the centre of several scholarly debates regarding the formation of the conceptual category of religion in Japan and its application to the Japanese context, 14 so have the terms shinshūkyō and new religions been controversial, as the former was also used apologetically in the postwar period in order to grant new movements legitimacy (Thomas 2014), and the definition of "new religions" in other contexts does not necessary fit Japanese groups. 15 Despite these limitations, however, the term new religions as a chronological category is used in this book because it remains the most viable English-language term to denote what we are focusing on.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On phases of religious policy during the Occupation, see Dorman (2012a, esp. chapter 4) and Thomas (2014). 19.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Media and New Religions in Japan

Baffelli¹

2016

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Religions Policies During the Allied Occupation of Japan, 1945–1952

Cited by 3 publications

References 17 publications

Christianity and modern Japanese society: An historical overview

Christianity and modern Japanese society: An historical overview

Media and New Religions in Japan

Media and New Religions in Japan

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