Introduction: The U.S. occupation of Japan – innovation, continuity, and compromise

Post-World War II occupations experimented with new approaches to dealing with defeated nations to rejuvenate erstwhile foes, rather than overburden them with reparations. The U.S. occupation of Japan (1945-1952) was no exception. Setting aside fierce hatreds and dehumanizing wartime images and prejudices, the occupation administration sought to remold Japan and its people in order to create “democratic and representative organizations” that honored “individual liberties and respect for fundamental human rights . . .”2