National Spiritual Mobilization Movement
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
National Spiritual Mobilization Movement (国民精神総動員運動 Kokumin Seishin Sōdōin Undo?) an organization in the Empire of Japan established as part of the controls on civilian organizations under the National Mobilization Law by Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe.
Representatives from 74 nationalist organizations were assembled at the Prime Minister’s residence in October 1937, and were told that their organizations were now part of the “Central League of the Spiritual Mobilization Movement”, headed by Admiral Ryokitsu Arima and under the joint supervision of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Education. The purpose of the Movement would be to rally the nation for a total war effort against China in the Second Sino-Japanese War, but the Movement had few concrete programs other than to issue public calls for increased patriotism.
Konoe later ordered another 19 nationalist organizations to join the League. His successor, Prime Minister Kiichiro Hiranuma, turned the movement over to General Sadao Araki in January 1939, who revitalized it by having it sponsor public rallies, radio programs, printed propaganda and discussion seminars at tonarigumi neighborhood associations. Famous public figures were recruited to provide lectures on the virtues of thrift, hygiene and hard work, and to disseminate a sense of national pride in the Japanese kokutai.
The League was abolished on 20 December 1945 by the American occupation authorities after the surrender of Japan.
[edit] References
- Buckley, Sandra (2001). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Japanese Culture. Routledge. ISBN 0415143446.
- Duus, Peter (1989). The Cambridge History of Japan. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521223571.
