A religious studies examination of the Allied Powers treatment of Asia: re-examining documents in overseas Public Record Offices and National Archives

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26284012
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Religious studies
• Research Institution: Soka University
• Principal Investigator: Nakano Tsuyoshi 創価大学, 文学部, 教授 (00164252)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 西村 明 東京大学, 人文社会系研究科, 准教授 (00381145) ; 小林 和夫 創価大学, 文学部, 准教授 (00546129) ; 井上 大介 創価大学, 文学部, 准教授 (20511299) ; 粟津 賢太 南山大学, 付置研究所, 研究員 (30558911) ; 平良 直 八洲学園大学, 公私立大学の部局等, 准教授 (40334015) ; 石井 研士 國學院大學, 公私立大学の部局等, 教授 (90176131)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): ISHII Kenji 國學院大學, 神道文化学部, 教授 (90176131)
• Research Collaborator: MULLINS Mark オークランド大学, 教授 ; FISKER-NIELSEN Anne Mette ロンドン大学, 東洋アフリカ研究学院, シニア・フェロー ; TAMURA Keiko オーストラリア国立大学, アジア太平洋学部, 客員研究員 ; MIYAGAWA Shinichi 創価大学, 非常勤講師 ; BAEK Eunjeong 創価大学, 非常勤講師 ; OKAZAKI Masafumi 東洋大学, 国際共生社会研究センター, 助教
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 宗教 / 占領 / 戦後処理 / 連合国 / 日本 / アジア / 天皇 / 戦没者

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This joint research project by scholars from religious studies and sociology focused on the defeat in the Pacific War, the processes of occupation reform, and postwar developments in Asia. Scholars investigated official documents in Japan and from overseas (US, UK, Korea, Russia, Indonesia, the Netherlands). A significant difference in the policies of the Allied Powers towards the Emperor system and Japanese religions was found. Factors surrounding the difficulties and confusion faced in defining and implementing occupation policy were clarified. Moreover, compared to the mainland's war experiences and postwar reconstruction, Allied Powers handling of Okinawa and Amami archipelagos differed. Furthermore, the forgotten history of issues people faced in the collection of the remains of war dead soldiers, and the existence of a Japanese (soldier) cemetery in Australia was rediscovered. These postwar processes can be said to be the root of the various dispositions of nationalism today.

Free Research Field

宗教社会学