1940-1950
History
The British historian A.J.P. Taylor was the first of many to conclude that World War II was “a good war,” a righteous conflict fought against tyranny. I doubt there is such a thing as a “good war,” and in my opinion, that description certainly does not apply to the Pacific theatre of World War II.
By the end of the war, an enormous number of people — mostly civilians — had lost their lives. In China alone, 15 million people perished, and Japan itself suffered nearly 3 million casualties. The country was devastated: countless cities were fire-bombed, and the tragedies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are well known. On August 15th, 1945, Japan surrendered, after Emperor Hirohito announced the end of the war in a radio broadcast. The Japanese people, he said, “had to endure the unendurable and bear the unbearable.” The words were meant as a euphemism, not a prophecy, yet they proved all too accurate in describing what was to follow.
Two weeks later, the Americans arrived. On September 2nd, the surrender was signed aboard the USS Missouri — one of the flags flying on the ship was the 31-star standard used by Commodore Perry in Tokyo Bay in 1854. Less than a century had passed since his first arrival.
General Douglas MacArthur, now Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers in Japan, chose to keep Hirohito as emperor, using him as a symbol of unity. Politically, this was probably a pragmatic choice; morally, it was far more questionable. Since the highest authority responsible for Japan’s actions escaped punishment, many Japanese found it easier to absolve themselves of guilt. At the same time, his survival as a figurehead helped the nation to distance itself from the trauma and begin to rebuild.
In an interview, MacArthur referred to Japan as a yonto koku — a fourth-rate country. The term was accurate given Japan’s ruined state but also carried deliberate insult. Two expressions often used to describe the atmosphere of postwar Japan were maketa sensô (“lost war”) and kyodatsu (“exhaustion and despair”) — two inseparable realities. Hunger was widespread, and despite U.S. food shipments, thousands starved. Millions of displaced people, orphans, widows, and impoverished returnees from former colonies flooded the country. Returning soldiers faced resentment and indifference, much like American troops after Vietnam in 1975.
Economic recovery was painfully slow. Many Japanese cities were reduced to yaki-nohara — “burnt plains.” Tokyo’s population fell from 7 million in 1940 to just 3 million after the war; Osaka’s dropped from 3 million to 1 million over the same period. It was only in the mid-1950s that real economic recovery began to take hold.
Artistic developments
As expected, the war brought artistic development to a halt. Artists who depended on income from their work were forced to cooperate with the government in some capacity — refusal meant being cut off from essential supplies such as paper, paint, and ink. Young artists were recruited into the army for propaganda work, while most of those active in the 1920s and 1930s simply did what they could to survive. Yet, despite the hardships, many remained creatively active throughout the war.
In 1939, the Ichimokukai (First Thursday Society) was founded. Initially, it consisted of only three artists — Sekino Jun’ichirô (1914–1988), Yamaguchi Gen (1896–1976), and Onchi Kôshirô, in whose home they gathered on the first Thursday of every month. Later, others joined, including Maekawa Senpan (1888–1960) and Azechi Umetarô (1902–1999). Around the same time, another group formed under Hiratsuka Un’ichi, called the Kitsutsuki-kai (Woodpecker Society), which met at his house in Yoyogi, Tokyo.
In 1944, the first Ichimoku-shû (First Thursday Collection) was produced — an extraordinary accomplishment amid wartime scarcity, made possible by Onchi Kôshirô, who combined both resources and organizational skill. Six such collections were eventually published, the last appearing in 1950.
Another noteworthy publication was Tokyo Kaikô Zue — Scenes of Last Tokyo — issued in December 1945 by Fugaku Shuppansha. It reused several designs from the earlier series Shin Tôkyô Hyakkei (One Hundred Views of New Tokyo, 1928–1932). The title Tokyo Kaikô Zue can also be translated as “Retrospective Pictures of Tokyo,” reflecting its nostalgic emphasis on the city’s pre-war beauty and spirit.
In a weird twist of fate it was the Americans who really boosted sôsaku hanga after the war. William Hartnett, who was among the first to enter Japan as part of the Occupation forces, discovered sôsaku hanga, and he also organized several exhibitions. Another US pioneer was Oliver Statler who first saw an exhibition in Yokohama in 1947. Soon afterwards prints started getting sold in considerable quantities – mainly to US servicemen - and for the first time in many years sôsaku hanga artists were getting paid for their efforts.
