The Conservative Imaginary: State Power and World Order in Transwar Japan, 1930-1960

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K20833
• Project/Area Number (Other): 18H05627 (2018)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2019); Single-year Grants (2018)
• Review Section: 0103:History, archaeology, museology, and related fields
• Research Institution: Waseda University
• Principal Investigator: Hofmann Reto 早稲田大学, 高等研究所, その他(招聘研究員) (40822268)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-08-24 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: History / Japan / Conservatism

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This grant has allowed me to initiate an investigation into the history of conservatism in Japan. I have been able to conduct research in archives in Japan, Switzerland, and the United States. Over the tenure of this grant, I presented my work in progress at 7 conferences. I also produced two journal articles, published in prestigious international journals (Journal of Asian Studies, Japan Forum). Overall, this research has laid the groundwork for the book that I am currently writing.

Free Research Field

Japanese history

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

Conservatism has been a powerful force in postwar Japan, but we know surprisingly little about its history. This study has elucidated the contribution of prewar actors in the making of political conservatism by showing how they recast old ideas in an internationalist framework.