Japans Postwar Policy - Essay Example

Japan’s Postwar Policy America had occupied Japan for more than 6 years during the Second World War and dropped atomic bombs in Nagasaki and Hiroshima that forced Japan to surrender. Following the defeat, the Japanese constitution was changed to make the country a democracy by reducing the powers of the monarch. Japanese residents have struggled to reconstruct their identity and values in the aftermath of the Second World War. The Japanese culture changed to accommodate prostitution, black-markets, and suicidal despair. The country was destroyed during the war, and about three million people died. Several others were left homeless, maimed, and deprived of basic requirements such as food. Countries and institutions have different reactions after losing a war. The political and social state of the defeated country may change to conform to the tradition and development of the winners. The Japanese people embraced defeat by changing the postwar foreign policy. This gives an example of how countries embrace defeat after a major war. The intellectuals of the defeated country have to embrace democracy and device ways of developing their country. According to Dower, the elite in the country were bullied or seduced to conform to the ideology of the state without any opposition before and during the war (40).1 For example, the government was never blamed for the Nanjing Massacre of 1937 and the elite never criticized the authorities. The sudden conversion of the educated people after the war would be seen as hypocrisy. It took almost 10 years before they became critical of their complicity and failure during the war. The elite individuals become the advocates of democracy and participate in resistance movements and demonstrations. Post-war reconstruction requires mass enlightenment through the formation of intellectual groups. During the war, these groups failed to resist or form movements that would address the concerns of the minority and human rights abuses. They bear the responsibility of campaigning for equality and keep an eye on the effects of post war democracy. The education system was also changed to resemble the American system through the introduction of the Fundamental Law on Education and the School Education Law. These laws reformed the Japanese education system that transformed the country to one accommodate science and technology. Japan is one of the leading countries in science and technology, and this was made by the educational reforms introduced after the war. Educating the population helps identify the failure and complacency of the elite group during and after the war. Viewing war as an act of the state can help change the foreign policy of the defeated country. Dower highlights that the U.S government conducted war crimes trials after the war and military leaders were blamed for activities and crimes perpetrated in Japan (70).2 The prime minister and some military officers were convicted and hanged. This was a sign of accountability by those in power, and the U.S government helped the Japanese conduct postwar reconstruction. The government and military leaders allowed the attack on Pearl Harbor that led to the invasion. The leaders of a country, both political and military, are responsible for creating courses of war and strategizing attacks. In Japan, the state was responsible for crafting the affairs of the nation including those pertaining war (76).3 Democracy is seen as giving power and freedom to citizens and creating accountability among political leaders. Accepting the role of the leaders in the war helped Japan reconstruct its policy and become responsible for the activities and suffering of the people. The American administration signed a peace deal with Japan that prohibited any act of war towards another country. This changed the foreign relations with other countries by limiting the powers of the emperor in terms of declaring war. America helped in the reconstruction process after convicting military and political leaders for war crimes. This was an act of creating democracy by making leaders accountable for their mistakes and limiting their powers. The defeat of the Japanese caused a genesis of a new constitution. According to Dower, the American administration drafted a new constitution after Japan surrendered (48).4 The constitution gave the Japanese democracy by addressing their rights. According to the constitution, the emperor was not supposed to participate in any war activity with any country (50).5 The Labor Standards Law allowed women to participate in the formal labor force. The Japanese feudal business system was replaced by capitalism in the economic sector. The constitution also opened the avenues of international commerce for the Japanese. The country began participating in international trade with countries such as USA and helped industrialize the country. Adopting a new constitution established a new government and changed the traditional power structure to liberate women and introduced human rights. Foreign policies were strengthened by the constitution, and the government embraced modernization from Americans. The constitution also created courts that were used by Japanese citizens to battle for compensation, recognition, and apology from the government. Thousands of the war victims battled the government in courts seeking for compensation. The people acquired protection against unlawful government activities and those affected by the bombs could sue the government. The Second World War caused millions of deaths, destruction of property, and maiming of several Japanese citizens. The war had been caused by Japanese attacks on the Pearl Harbor that led to the American invasion. The defeat of Japan led to post war reconstruction that involved a change of foreign policies in the country. The intellectuals in the country had to accept their failures during the war and conduct mass education to enlighten the citizens on their rights. This led to the establishment of movements that campaigned for human rights and reviewed the activities that led to the war. The government and military leaders had to bear responsibility for the war. This was conducted by the American government through postwar trials. A new constitution limited Japanese participation in conflict activities with other countries. It also created a channel for international commerce between America and Japan. These activities were necessary for changing the foreign policies of the Japanese government. Work cited Dower, John W. Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II. New York: Norton, 2000. 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