Depiction of the Atomic Bombings in Japanese Cinema During the U.S. Occupation Period

During the American occupation of Japan following World War II from 1945 to 1952, ¹ U.S. authorities supervised, guided and censored all forms of Japanese artistic expression and mass communications. The occupation was an attempt by the American victors in World War II to change defeated Japan from a fascistic-militaristic nation to a democratic one. American officials in charge of cultural policy believed that film would play an important role in propagandizing this aim. To re-educate the Japanese, they urged Japanese filmmakers to promote ‘democratic’ themes such as basic human rights, civil rights and equal rights for women. Those who had struggled against the military government during the war were to be glorified. On the other hand, the victors prohibited ‘militaristic,’ ‘feudalistic,’ and xenophobic attitudes in the belief that these had been responsible for the war. American censors were particularly concerned about any criticism, intentional or unintentional, of the occupation. Thus, they prohibited overt depictions of the occupation. In addition, they banned portrayals of antisocial behavior (such as suicide, prostitution, black marketeering and gambling), and slurs against religion.