<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The article focuses on the representation of wartime Japan as a home (and home country) by analysing contemporary popular songs. Within this frame I show examples of how the Japanese state managed to influence the Japanese people through propaganda songs in order to gain the people’s moral support for the war effort. My essay aims further at drawing a picture of Japan’s musical world from the latter half of the 1930s to the end of World War II, as a detailed consideration of popular music and its surroundings always allows us to interpret much more than expected at first view.</p><p>In addition, I consider the mass media as a supporter of Japan’s ideological aims. The history of radio and record companies is firmly interwoven with the efforts of the Japanese state to manipulate people during the war years. The contribution from artists must also be considered an important part of this mosaic.</p></abstract>

The article focuses on the representation of wartime Japan as a home (and home country) by analysing contemporary popular songs. Within this frame I show examples of how the Japanese state managed to influence the Japanese people through propaganda songs in order to gain the people’s moral support for the war effort. My essay aims further at drawing a picture of Japan’s musical world from the latter half of the 1930s to the end of World War II, as a detailed consideration of popular music and its surroundings always allows us to interpret much more than expected at first view.In addition, I consider the mass media as a supporter of Japan’s ideological aims. The history of radio and record companies is firmly interwoven with the efforts of the Japanese state to manipulate people during the war years. The contribution from artists must also be considered an important part of this mosaic.

Home, Militarism and Nostalgia in Japanese Popular Song from 1937 to 1945

Vienna Journal of East Asian Studies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Home, Militarism and Nostalgia in Japanese Popular Song from 1937 to 1945"}

The article focuses on the representation of wartime Japan as a home (and home country) by analysing contemporary popular songs. Within this frame I show...

Home, Militarism and Nostalgia in Japanese Popular Song from 1937 to 1945

Published Online: Nov 30, 2018

Page range: 115 - 147

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/vjeas-2011-0011

Keywords
general mobilisation, Japanese popular song, propaganda in Japan,

© 2011 Sabiene Strasser, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Home, Militarism and Nostalgia in Japanese Popular Song from 1937 to 1945

Published Online: Nov 30, 2018

Page range: 115 - 147

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/vjeas-2011-0011

Keywordsgeneral mobilisation, Japanese popular song, propaganda in Japan,

© 2011 Sabiene Strasser, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
general mobilisation, Japanese popular song, propaganda in Japan,