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| <ref name="Hiroshima K">{{cite web|url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12155095&dopt=Abstract|title=Essay on the history of population policy in modern Japan. 2. Population policy on quality and quantity in National Eugenic Law (Abstract)|year=1981|month=October|author=Hiroshima K.|accessdate=2007-04-18}}</ref> | <ref name="Hiroshima K">{{cite web|url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12155095&dopt=Abstract|title=Essay on the history of population policy in modern Japan. 2. Population policy on quality and quantity in National Eugenic Law (Abstract)|year=1981|month=October|author=Hiroshima K.|accessdate=2007-04-18}}</ref> | ||
| ⚫ | ==The Greater East Asia War== | ||
| ⚫ | Eugenics was introduced to Japan by ] (池田 林儀), a journalist who had been sent to Germany. He started the magazine '']'' (優生運動) in 1926. The ] (JSHHE) was established in ]. The "Doctor of Eugenics", ], assumed the position of the chief director of this organization. <Ref>Japanese Society of Health and Human Ecology - Outline of society (Japanese) </ref> | ||
| == Origins == | |||
| According to Jennifer Robertson of University of Michigan, eugenism, as part of the new scientific order, was introduced in Japan "under the aegis of nationalism and empire building" <ref>''Blood Talks:Eugenic Modernity and the Creation of New Japanese'', p.192, http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:48YqAbt7joIJ:sitemaker.umich.edu/jennifer.robertson/files/blood_talks__eugenic_modernity_anthro___hist_2002.pdf+eugenics+in+showa+japan&hl=fr&ct=clnk&cd=16&gl=ca</ref>. She identify the "positive eugenism", promoted by Shigenori Ikeda, which refers to "the improvement of circumstances of sexual reproduction and thus incorporates advances in sanitation, nutrition and physical education into strategies to shape the reproductive choices and decisions of individual and families" <ref>Robertson, ''Blood Talks'', p.196</ref> and the "negative eugenism". The later, promoted by Hisomu Nagai, "involves the prevention of sexual reproduction, through induced abortion or sterilization among people deemed unfit". <ref>Idem</ref> "Unfit" included people such as alcoholics, lepers, mentally ill, physically disabled, criminals. <ref>Idem</ref> | |||
| Ikeda (池田 林儀), a journalist who had been sent to Germany, started the magazine '']'' (優生運動) in 1926. In 1928, he promoted the 21 December as the "blood-purity day" (''junketsu de'') and sponsored free blood-test at the Tokyo Hygiene laboratory. <ref>Robertson, ''Blood talks'', p. 206</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| By early 1930s' detailed "eugenic marriage" questionnaires were printed or inserted in popular magazines for public consumption. <ref>Roberston, ''Blood Talks'', p.205. </ref> Promoters like Ikeda were convinced that these marriage surveys would not only insure the eugenic fitness of spouses but also help avoid class differences that could disrupt and even destroy marriage. The goal was to create a database of individual and their entire households which would enable eugenicists to conduct in-depht survey of any given family's genealogy. <ref>Robertson, Blood talks, p.206</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | ==The Greater East Asia War== | ||
| During ], healthy Japanese frequently died during combat. This led to the suggestion that physically handicapped persons, who were not able to fight, were the ones left to create the next generation. The government considered that the increase of ratio between ] versus "able-bodied" persons should be deliberately corrected. <ref> ] is a chairman of Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology. | During ], healthy Japanese frequently died during combat. This led to the suggestion that physically handicapped persons, who were not able to fight, were the ones left to create the next generation. The government considered that the increase of ratio between ] versus "able-bodied" persons should be deliberately corrected. <ref> ] is a chairman of Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology. | ||
| </ref> | </ref> | ||
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| There were also campaigns to ensure reproduction amongst the "intelligent or superior elements" in the population.<ref name ="Hiroshima K" /> | There were also campaigns to ensure reproduction amongst the "intelligent or superior elements" in the population.<ref name ="Hiroshima K" /> | ||
| Marriages between Koreans and Japanese were discouraged. In 1942, a survey report argued that "the Korean laborers brought to Japan, where they have established permanent residency, are of the lower classes and therefore of inferior constitution...By fathering children with Japanese women, these men could lower the caliber of the Yamato minzoku" <ref>Robertson, ''Blood Talks'', p.205 http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:48YqAbt7joIJ:sitemaker.umich.edu/jennifer.robertson/files/blood_talks__eugenic_modernity_anthro___hist_2002.pdf+eugenics+in+showa+japan&hl=fr&ct=clnk&cd=16&gl=ca.</ref> | |||
| Eugenism was criticized by some ] ultranationalists as it seems to treat Japanese people, considered of divine origin, as animals to be "bred". <ref>牧野千代蔵「断種法反対論」『優生学』第一五年四号［神国日本の歴史的秩序を尊重、断種法のような人為的介入は、人間を動物視するものだ] Makino Chiyozou "Opposite sterilization law" (1935) </ref> | Eugenism was criticized by some ] ultranationalists as it seems to treat Japanese people, considered of divine origin, as animals to be "bred". <ref>牧野千代蔵「断種法反対論」『優生学』第一五年四号［神国日本の歴史的秩序を尊重、断種法のような人為的介入は、人間を動物視するものだ] Makino Chiyozou "Opposite sterilization law" (1935) </ref> | ||
| According to Nagai Hisomu, the Japanese Army's ignorance and dismissal of the science behind eugenics also stalled the spread of eugenic ideology.<ref>民族衛生(1946) Nagai Hisomu "敗因は科学の精神の閑却 民族衛生学の役割は重要 資質優れたものを前線に送りだしのに反して 劣弱なる素質者は，悠々結婚して，子供を産み得る点に於て，由々敷逆淘汰であり…"</ref> | According to Nagai Hisomu, the Japanese Army's ignorance and dismissal of the science behind eugenics also stalled the spread of eugenic ideology.<ref>民族衛生(1946) Nagai Hisomu "敗因は科学の精神の閑却 民族衛生学の役割は重要 資質優れたものを前線に送りだしのに反して 劣弱なる素質者は，悠々結婚して，子供を産み得る点に於て，由々敷逆淘汰であり…"</ref> | ||
| ==After the war== | |||
| One of the last eugenic measure of the Shōwa regime was taken by the ] government. On ], ], the Home Ministry ordered local government offices to establish a ] service for allied soldiers to preserve the "purity" of the "Japanese race". The official declaration stated that : «Through the sacrifice of thousands of "Okichis" of the ], we shall construct a ] to hold back the mad frenzy of the occupation troops and cultivate and preserve the purity of our race long into the future...» <ref>Herbert Bix, ''Hirohito and the making of modern Japan'', 2001, p. 538, citing Kinkabara Samon and Takemae Eiji, ''Showashi : kokumin non naka no haran to gekido no hanseiki-zohoban'', 1989, p.244 . | |||
| </ref> Such clubs were soon established by cabinet councillor ] and ]. | |||
| ⚫ | ==Abolition of eugenics laws== | ||
| In 1948, ''National Eugenic Law'' was abolished and replaced by an ] (]). This law dealt with measures enforcing ] and ]s upon people with certain ]s, as well as ]. <ref name=formerhansen>{{cite web | In 1948, ''National Eugenic Law'' was abolished and replaced by an ] (]). This law dealt with measures enforcing ] and ]s upon people with certain ]s, as well as ]. <ref name=formerhansen>{{cite web | ||
| |url = http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20010511a9.html | |url = http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20010511a9.html | ||
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| |language = English}}</ref> | |language = English}}</ref> | ||
| ⚫ | ==Abolition of eugenics laws== | ||
| Laws that decreed compulsory sterilization of the disabled were abolished with the approval of the '']'' (]) on ], ] <ref name=formerhansen />. | Laws that decreed compulsory sterilization of the disabled were abolished with the approval of the '']'' (]) on ], ] <ref name=formerhansen />. | ||
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Eugenics in Shōwa Japan were supported by politically motivated movements that sought to increase the number of healthy Japanese, while simultaneously decreasing the number of people suffering mental retardation , disability, genetic disease and other conditions that led to them being viewed as "inferior" contributions to the Japanese gene pool..
Originally brought to Japan through German influence, eugenics during the Japanese Shōwa period had similarities to Nazi Eugenics, as well as those in the United States (see Buck v. Bell), both of which were developing around the same time. Predominately this included legislation for forced sterilization of "inferior" persons.
The Leprosy Prevention laws of 1907, 1931 and 1953, the last one only repealed in 1996, permitted the segregation of patients in sanitarium where forced abortions and sterilization were common and authorized punishmement of patients "disturbing peace". Under the colonial Korean Leprosy prevention ordinance, Korean patients were also sujected to hard labor .
Opposition to the eugenics movement persisted amongst several right-wing ultra-nationalist factions, including members of the Diet of Japan and obstetricians, who perceived eugenics as suggesting that the Japanese people were only animals, not people of divine origin as believed by the Japanese national Shinto tradition.
The Greater East Asia War
Eugenics was introduced to Japan by Ikeda Ringi (池田 林儀), a journalist who had been sent to Germany. He started the magazine Eugenics movement (優生運動) in 1926. The Japanese Society of Health and Human Ecology (JSHHE) was established in 1930. The "Doctor of Eugenics", Nagi Hisomu, assumed the position of the chief director of this organization.
During Greater East Asia War, healthy Japanese frequently died during combat. This led to the suggestion that physically handicapped persons, who were not able to fight, were the ones left to create the next generation. The government considered that the increase of ratio between disabled versus "able-bodied" persons should be deliberately corrected.
The Race Eugenic Protection Law was submitted from 1934 to 1938 to the Diet. After four amendments, this draft was promulgated as a National Eugenic Law (国民優生法) in 1940 by the Konoe government . This law limited compulsory sterilization to "Inherited mental disease", promoted genetic screening and restricted birth control access . According to Matsubara Yoko, from 1940 to 1945, 454 people were sterilized in the Japanese Empire under this law.
There were also campaigns to ensure reproduction amongst the "intelligent or superior elements" in the population.
Eugenism was criticized by some Shinto ultranationalists as it seems to treat Japanese people, considered of divine origin, as animals to be "bred". According to Nagai Hisomu, the Japanese Army's ignorance and dismissal of the science behind eugenics also stalled the spread of eugenic ideology.
Abolition of eugenics laws
In 1948, National Eugenic Law was abolished and replaced by an Eugenic Protection Law (ja:優生保護法). This law dealt with measures enforcing forced sterilization and abortions upon people with certain genetic disorders, as well as leprosy.
Laws that decreed compulsory sterilization of the disabled were abolished with the approval of the Mother's Body Protection Law (母体保護法) on June 18, 1996 .
See also
- Nazi eugenics
- Reproductive rights
- Margaret Sanger
- Marie Stopes
- Japanese fascism
- Japanese nationalism
- Japanese military-political doctrines in the Showa period
- Militarism-Socialism in Showa Japan
- Xenophobia in Showa Japan
References
- "The National Eugenic Law" The 107th law that Japanese Government promulgated in 1940 (国民優生法) 第一条 本法ハ悪質ナル遺伝性疾患ノ素質ヲ有スル者ノ増加ヲ防遏スルト共ニ健全ナル素質ヲ有スル者ノ増加ヲ図リ以テ国民素質ノ向上ヲ期スルコトヲ目的トス
- Rihito Kimura. "Jurisprudence in Genetics". Waseda University. Retrieved 2007-04-18.
- Hansen's sanitarium were houses of horrors, http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20050128a1.html, Abolition of leprosy isolation policy in Japan, http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-1556743_ITM
- Korean Hansens patients seek redress, http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20040226a4.html
- ^ Hiroshima K. (1981). "Essay on the history of population policy in modern Japan. 2. Population policy on quality and quantity in National Eugenic Law (Abstract)". Retrieved 2007-04-18.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - Japanese Society of Health and Human Ecology - Outline of society (Japanese)
- 優生学と人間社会 Eugenics and society - Yonemoto Shohei Yonemoto Shouhei is a chairman of Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
- "The Eugenic Protection Law" The 107th law that Japanese Government promulgated in 1940 (国民優生法) 第二条 本法ニ於テ優生手術ト称スルハ生殖ヲ不能ナラシムル手術又ハ処置ニシテ命令ヲ以テ定ムルモノヲ謂フ , http://www.res.otemon.ac.jp/~yamamoto/be/BE_law_04.htm
- http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20060312x5.html
- 「優生問題を考える（四）──国民優生法と優生保護法 Matsubara Yoko - Research of Eugenics problem (Professor of Ritsumeikan University, researcher of Gender-blind and Eugenics.)
- 牧野千代蔵「断種法反対論」『優生学』第一五年四号［神国日本の歴史的秩序を尊重、断種法のような人為的介入は、人間を動物視するものだ] Makino Chiyozou "Opposite sterilization law" (1935)
- 民族衛生(1946) Nagai Hisomu "敗因は科学の精神の閑却 民族衛生学の役割は重要 資質優れたものを前線に送りだしのに反して 劣弱なる素質者は，悠々結婚して，子供を産み得る点に於て，由々敷逆淘汰であり…"
- ^ "Former Hansen's disease patients shun return to society, survey shows". The Japan Times. 2001. Retrieved October 19, 2007.
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