Uyoku dantai
Encyclopedia
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese nationalist right-wing
Right-wing politics
In politics, Right, right-wing and rightist generally refer to support for a hierarchical society justified on the basis of an appeal to natural law or tradition. To varying degrees, the Right rejects the egalitarian objectives of left-wing politics, claiming that the imposition of equality is...
groups.
In 1996, the National Police Agency
National Police Agency (Japan)
The is an agency administered by the National Public Safety Commission of the Cabinet Office in the cabinet of Japan, and is the central coordinating agency of the Japanese police system....
estimated that there are over 1000 right wing groups in Japan with about 100,000 members in total.
Tennō period
The first uyoku dantai are said to have their origins at the Meiji RestorationMeiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
on 3 January 1868. When Iesada Tokugawa abandoned the national seclusion
Sakoku
was the foreign relations policy of Japan under which no foreigner could enter nor could any Japanese leave the country on penalty of death. The policy was enacted by the Tokugawa shogunate under Tokugawa Iemitsu through a number of edicts and policies from 1633–39 and remained in effect until...
on 31 March 1854, pro-Imperial and anti-Tokugawa
Tokugawa
Tokugawa may refer to:*Tokugawa clan, a powerful family of Japan**Tokugawa Ieyasu, the most notable member of the Tokugawa clan and founder of its shogunate*Tokugawa shogunate, a feudal regime of Japan...
politicians increased political influences. Hence, the basic features of the Japanese right-wing groups are the praise to the Tennō period from 1868 to 1945 (Empire of Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
). In this context, the modern usage of the word "tradition" means no more than the 77-year period from 1868 to 1945. On the other hand, they ignore pre-1868 periods such as the Tokugawa period
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
and the warring kingdoms period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
.
Dramatic and drastic changes to society resulted in widespread movements throughout the nation against the newly formed Meiji government, consisting mainly of disgruntled former samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
and the rural poor, known collectively as the Freedom and People's Rights Movement
Freedom and People's Rights Movement
The was a Japanese political and social movement for democracy in 1880s....
, often resulting in bloody clashes such as the Chichibu Incident
Chichibu Incident
The was a large scale peasant revolt that occurred in November 1884 in Chichibu, Saitama, a short distance from Japan's capital, and lasted approximately two weeks....
in 1884. The authorities frequently resorted to use of hired gangs to suppress these movements.
As the socialist movement spread to Japan in the early 20th century, the authorities in turn used similar tactics to suppress or intimidate unions
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
and the socialist movement. Some more violent groups or groups tied to organized crime, having close contact with the conservative elements of Japanese politics at the time, formed ultranationalist secret societies and militias that went on to develop extensive espionage networks throughout Korea, Russia and China. Ultranationalists gradually gained influence in the military and mainstream politics, and increasingly used political violence — see Imperial Way Faction
Imperial Way Faction
The was a political faction in the Imperial Japanese Army, active in the 1920s and 1930s and largely supported by junior officers aiming to establish a military government, that promoted totalitarian, militarist, and expansionist ideals...
. The groups not only helped the authorities fight a covert war against socialism, but often ran prostitution and drug-smuggling rings throughout continental Asia and agitated for conflict.
US-Japan alliance period
After the dissolution of the Empire of Japan and the establishment of the State of JapanPostwar Japan
Postwar Japan refers to the period in Japanese history immediately following the end of World War II in 1945 to the present day. Before and during the war Japan was known as an empire but is now officially the .-Occupation and democratization:...
on 2 September 1945, the ultranationalist societies were disbanded and socialism was decriminalized, ruling structure was changed from Tennō to the US-Japan alliance
Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan
The was signed between the United States and Japan in Washington, D.C. on January 19, 1960. It strengthened Japan's ties to the West during the Cold War era...
.
However, as the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
set in, the Allied Occupation authorities soon started to suppress the growing socialism movement. Despite to the death of politicians of the Empire of Japan, The last emperor Hirohito
Hirohito
, posthumously in Japan officially called Emperor Shōwa or , was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order, reigning from December 25, 1926, until his death in 1989. Although better known outside of Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan he is now referred to...
escaped death by mercy of Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
, and allowed settlement of the United States Military in Japan
United States Forces Japan
The refers to the various divisions of the United States Armed Forces that are stationed in Japan. Under the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan, the United States is obliged to defend Japan in close cooperation with the Japan Self-Defense Forces for...
(such as Okinawa agreement in September 1947). This is a reason that Japanese uyoku dantai activists claim worship to Tennō with submission to the United States.
Throughout the US-Japan alliance period, uyoku dantai boast of remnants of the Tennō period and deny democratization
Democratization
Democratization is the transition to a more democratic political regime. It may be the transition from an authoritarian regime to a full democracy, a transition from an authoritarian political system to a semi-democracy or transition from a semi-authoritarian political system to a democratic...
s such as the Potsdam Declaration
Potsdam Declaration
The Potsdam Declaration or the Proclamation Defining Terms for Japanese Surrender is a statement calling for the Surrender of Japan in World War II. On July 26, 1945, United States President Harry S...
.
During the Cold War
GHQ frequently resorted to seeking the help of leading pre-1945 right-wing and organized crime figures, and this formed the basis of post-1945, anti-communist groups with close links to both organized crime and the conservative Japanese establishment. The basic attitude of uyoku dantai during the Cold War is "Aiming to restore the Imperial periodEmpire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
, Submitting to the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
".
Throughout the Cold War, the groups, known as uyoku dantai, generally carried a philosophy of anti-leftism and advocated solidarity with the United States and South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
against communist nations such as the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
and the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. The 1970s, however, also saw the emergence of the shin-uyoku ("new right wing") — nationalist organizations that viewed the post-1945 Japanese conservative establishment as a puppet of the US and sought to break away from the traditionally pro-American stance of rightist movements during the Cold War.
After the Cold War
After the Revolutions of 1989Revolutions of 1989
The Revolutions of 1989 were the revolutions which overthrew the communist regimes in various Central and Eastern European countries.The events began in Poland in 1989, and continued in Hungary, East Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and...
and the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
in 1991, pro-American uyoku dantai decreased. By the Revolutions of 1989 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, people and politicians of the United States restored thoughts of the Allies of the World War II and condemned pre-1945 totalitarian
Totalitarianism
Totalitarianism is a political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible...
regimes. During the Cold War, the United States supported anticommunism regimes whether democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
or authoritarian. But, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the United States began to distinguish between democracy and authoritarian governments. This attitude increased animosity towards the United States among uyoku dantai.
Philosophies and activities
Uyoku dantai are well known for their highly visible propaganda vehicles, known as gaisenshaSound trucks in Japan
Sound trucks in Japan are used by political parties and candidates to express their views. In addition, vendors and others in Japan use sound trucks for the purpose of selling goods, collecting recyclable materials, etc...
--converted vans, trucks and buses fitted with loudspeakers and prominently marked with the name of the group and propaganda slogans. The vehicles are usually black, khaki or olive drab, and are decorated with the Imperial Seal
Imperial Seal of Japan
The Imperial Seal of Japan is a mon or crest used by members of the Japanese Imperial family. Under the Meiji Constitution, no one was permitted to use the Imperial Seal except the Emperor of Japan, who used a 16 petal chrysanthemum with sixteen tips of another row of petals showing behind the...
, the flag of Japan
Flag of Japan
The national flag of Japan is a white rectangular flag with a large red disk in the center. This flag is officially called in Japanese, but is more commonly known as ....
and the Japanese military flag
Rising Sun Flag
The is the military flag of Japan. It was used as the war flag of the Imperial Japanese Army and the ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy until the end of World War II...
. They are primarily used to stage protests outside organizations such as the Chinese, Korean or Russian embassies, Chongryon
Chongryon
The General Association of Korean Residents in Japan , abbreviated to Chongryon The General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chae Ilbon Chosŏnin Ch'ongryŏnhaphoe in Korean or Zai-Nihon Chōsenjin Sōrengōkai in Japanese), abbreviated to Chongryon The General Association of Korean Residents...
facilities and media organizations, where propaganda (both taped and live) is broadcast through their loudspeakers. They can sometimes be seen driving around cities or parked in busy shopping areas, broadcasting propaganda, military music or Kimigayo, the national anthem.
Political beliefs differ between the groups but the three philosophies they are often said to hold in common are the advocation of kokutai
Kokutai
Kokutai is a politically loaded word in the Japanese language, translatable as "sovereign", "national identity; national essence; national character" or "national polity; body politic; national entity; basis for the Emperor's sovereignty; Japanese constitution". "Sovereign" is perhaps the most...
-Goji (retaining the fundamental character of the nation), hostility towards communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
and hostility against the Japan Teachers Union
Japan Teachers Union
, often just called , is Japan's largest and oldest labor union of teachers and school staffs. The union is known for its critical stance against the conservative Liberal Democratic Party government on such issues as Kimi ga Yo, the Flag of Japan, and the screening of history text books since its...
. Traditionally, they viewed the Soviet Union, the People's Republic of China and North Korea with hostility over issues such as communism, the Senkaku
Senkaku Islands
The , also known as the Diaoyu Islands or Diaoyutai Islands or the Pinnacle Islands, are a group of disputed uninhabited islands in the East China Sea...
(Diaoyu) Islands and the Kurile Islands.
Most, but not all, seek to justify Japan's role in the Second World War to varying degrees, deny the war crimes committed by the military
Japanese war crimes
Japanese war crimes occurred during the period of Japanese imperialism, primarily during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. Some of the incidents have also been described as an Asian Holocaust and Japanese war atrocities...
during the pre-1945 Shōwa period
Showa period
The , or Shōwa era, is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of the Shōwa Emperor, Hirohito, from December 25, 1926 through January 7, 1989.The Shōwa period was longer than the reign of any previous Japanese emperor...
and are critical of what they see as "self-hate" bias in post-war historical education. Thus, they do not recognize the legality of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East
International Military Tribunal for the Far East
The International Military Tribunal for the Far East , also known as the Tokyo Trials, the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, or simply the Tribunal, was convened on April 29, 1946, to try the leaders of the Empire of Japan for three types of crimes: "Class A" crimes were reserved for those who...
and other allied tribunals, consider the war-criminals enshrined in the Yasukuni shrine
Yasukuni Shrine
is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is dedicated to the soldiers and others who died fighting on behalf of the Emperor of Japan. Currently, its Symbolic Registry of Divinities lists the names of over 2,466,000 enshrined men and women whose lives were dedicated to the service of...
as "Martyrs of Shōwa
Showa period
The , or Shōwa era, is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of the Shōwa Emperor, Hirohito, from December 25, 1926 through January 7, 1989.The Shōwa period was longer than the reign of any previous Japanese emperor...
" ( Shōwa junnansha), support the censorship of history textbooks and historical revisionism
Historical revisionism (negationism)
Historical revisionism is either the legitimate scholastic re-examination of existing knowledge about a historical event, or the illegitimate distortion of the historical record such that certain events appear in a more or less favourable light. For the former, i.e. the academic pursuit, see...
However, Uyoku dantai, especially groups affiliated with Yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
syndicates, have many foreign members involved, such as Zainichi Koreans. This is because Yakuza groups include many Zainichi Koreans. Moreover, it is difficult to arrest Uyoku dantai members because freedom of ideology is protected by the Constitution of Japan. This is one of the reasons why Yakuza groups use Uyoku dantai as camouflage.
Right wing groups attempted to prevent the Oscar winning movie The Cove from being shown in Japan in 2010, but failed to do so.
Historical groups
- Aikokusha ( “Society of Patriots”) – Set up in 1928 by Ainosuke Iwata. (Not to be confused with a 1875-1880 organization of the same nameAikokushaThe ' was a political party in Meiji period Japan.The Aikokusha was formed in February 1875 by Itagaki Taisuke, as part a liberal political federation to associate his Risshisha with the Freedom and People's Rights Movement...
). Activities included organization of anti-communist student movements in various universities and indoctrination of youths in rural villages. On November 14, 1930, Tomeo Sagoya, a member of the society shot Prime Minister Hamaguchi OsachiHamaguchi Osachiwas a Japanese politician and the 27th Prime Minister of Japan from 2 July 1929 to 14 April 1931. He was called the "Lion prime minister" due to his physical features.-Early life:...
at Tokyo StationTokyo Stationis a train station located in the Marunouchi business district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, near the Imperial Palace grounds and the Ginza commercial district....
in an assassination attempt.
- Gen'yōshaGenyoshaThe ' was an influential ultranationalist group and secret society active in the Empire of Japan.-Foundation as the Koyōsha:Originally founded as the Koyōsha by Hiraoka Kotarō , a wealthy ex-samurai and mine-owner, with mining interests in Manchuria, Toyama Mitsuru, and other former samurai of the...
( “Occult Ocean Society”) – originated from a secret society of ex-samurai with an aim to restore feudal rule, Genyosha was an ultranationalist secret society which engaged in terrorist activities, such as the attempted assassination of Okuma ShigenobuOkuma ShigenobuMarquis ; was a statesman in the Empire of Japan and the 8th and 17th Prime Minister of Japan...
in 1889. It formed an extensive espionage and organized crime network throughout east Asia and agitated for Japan's military aggression. Forced to disband after the war.
- Black Dragon SocietyBlack Dragon SocietyThe was a prominent paramilitary, ultranationalist right-wing group in Japan.-History:The Kokuryūkai was founded in 1901 by Uchida Ryohei, and was descended from the Genyōsha. Its name is derived from the Amur River, called Heilongjiang or "Black Dragon River" in Chinese , read as Kokuryū-kō in...
( kokuryūkai) – an influential paramilitary group set up in 1901, initially to support the effort to drive Russia out of east Asia. Ran anti-Russian espionage networks in Korea, China, Manchuria and Russia. Expanded its activities worldwide in the subsequent decades and became a small but significant ultranationalist force in mainstream politics. Forced to disband in 1946.
Traditional groups
- Daitōjuku ( “Great Eastern School”) (http://www.juno.dti.ne.jp/~d-kaikan/) – a cultural academy set up in 1939. Runs courses related to ShintoShintoor Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
and traditional arts such as wakaWaka (poetry)Waka or Yamato uta is a genre of classical Japanese verse and one of the major genres of Japanese literature...
(poetry) and karateKarateis a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
. Conducted several campaigns, such as the restoration of the National Foundation DayNational Foundation Dayis a national holiday in Japan celebrated annually on February 11. On this day, Japanese celebrate the founding of the nation and the imperial line by its legendary first emperor, Jimmu, who according to legend established his capital in Yamato in 660 BC....
's original status of kigensetsu ("Empire Day") and of the legal designation of Japanese era nameJapanese era nameThe Japanese era calendar scheme is a common calendar scheme used in Japan, which identifies a year by the combination of the and the year number within the era...
s as Japan's official calendar.
- Great Japan Patriotic Party (Dai-nippon aikokuto ) – Set up in 1951 by, and centred around, Satoshi AkaoSatoshi Akaowas an extreme-right Japanese politician who formerly served as a member of the House of Representatives of Japan. He has also been called "Akao Bin" as a nickname. He had poor health in his childhood. He was interested in utopian philosophy....
, a former anti-war member of the pre-war National DietDiet of JapanThe is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors. Both houses of the Diet are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally...
who was well-known at the time for his daily speeches at Sukiyabashi crossing in GinzaGinzais a district of Chūō, Tokyo, located south of Yaesu and Kyōbashi, west of Tsukiji, east of Yūrakuchō and Uchisaiwaichō, and north of Shinbashi.It is known as an upscale area of Tokyo with numerous department stores, boutiques, restaurants and coffeehouses. Ginza is recognized as one of the most...
, Tokyo. The party advocated state ownership of industries with the Emperor as the head decision maker. They emphasized the need for solidarity with the United States and South Korea in the fight against communism. Their propaganda vans were decorated with the Stars and Stripes alongside the Japanese flag, and Akao once stated that Liancourt RocksLiancourt RocksThe Liancourt Rocks, also known as Dokdo or Tokto in Korean or in Japanese, are a group of small islets in the Sea of Japan . Sovereignty over the islets is disputed between Japan and South Korea...
(Dokdo/Takeshima) should be blown up as it represents an obstacle to friendship with South Korea. A former party member, Otoya YamaguchiOtoya Yamaguchiwas a Japanese ultranationalist, a member of a right-wing Uyoku dantai group, who assassinated Inejiro Asanuma by wakizashi on October 12, 1960 at Tokyo's Hibiya Hall during a political debate in advance of parliamentary elections...
, was responsible for the 1960 assassination of Inejiro AsanumaInejiro AsanumaInejiro Asanuma was a Japanese politician, and head of the Japanese Socialist Party. Asanuma was noted for speaking publicly about Socialism and economic and cultural opportunities...
, the head of the Japanese Socialist Party, at a televised rally.
- Issuikai http://www.issuikai.jp – Formed in 1972 as part of what was then known as the "new right wing" movement which rejected the pro-American rhetoric of the traditional right wing. It sees the Japanese government as an American puppet state and demands "complete independence". Advocates the setting up of a new United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
on the basis that the current UN structure is a relic of the Second World War. Fiercely critical of the Bush Administration over issues such as the Iraq war and the Kyoto protocolKyoto ProtocolThe Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change , aimed at fighting global warming...
.
Groups affiliated to yakuza syndicates
- Nihon Seinensha http://www.seinensya.org/ – one of the largest organizations with 2000 members. Set up by the Sumiyoshi-ikkaSumiyoshi-ikkaThe Sumiyoshi-ikka is an affiliate of the Sumiyoshi-kai yakuza syndicate, based in Tokyo, Japan. Its current leader is Hareaki Fukuda, who is also the kaicho of the Sumiyoshi-kai.-Successive sochos:...
syndicate in 1961. Since 1978, members have constructed two lighthouses and a Shinto shrine on the Senkaku IslandsSenkaku IslandsThe , also known as the Diaoyu Islands or Diaoyutai Islands or the Pinnacle Islands, are a group of disputed uninhabited islands in the East China Sea...
(Diaoyutai), a collection of uninhabited islets claimed by Japan, China and Taiwan.http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2003/08/26/2003065276 In June 2000, two members of the society attacked the offices of a magazine which ran a headline which was allegedly disrespectful to Princess Masako.
- Nihon Komintō ( “Japan Emperor's Citizen Party”) (http://home9.highway.ne.jp/MIKI/) – affiliated to the Inagawa-kaiInagawa-kaiThe is the third largest of Japan's yakuza groups, with approximately 15,000 members. It is based in the Kanto region, and was one of the first yakuza organizations to begin operating overseas.-History:...
syndicate. In 1987, it conducted a bizarre campaign to smear Noboru TakeshitaNoboru Takeshitawas a Japanese politician and the 74th Prime Minister of Japan from November 6, 1987 to June 3, 1989.Takeshita was also the last Prime Minister during the long rule of the Emperor Shōwa.-Early years:...
during his quest for the position of Prime Minister, by constantly broadcasting excessive praiseBlack propagandaBlack propaganda is false information and material that purports to be from a source on one side of a conflict, but is actually from the opposing side. It is typically used to vilify, embarrass or misrepresent the enemy...
of Takeshita using twenty loudspeaker trucks. The broadcasts were stopped after the intervention of Shin KanemaruShin KanemaruShin Kanemaru , September 17, 1914 - March 28, 1996, was a Japanese politician. He was born in Imasuwa village , Yamanashi Prefecture. He was a member of the Liberal Democratic Party and member of the faction of Noboru Takeshita. In 1992, he was indicted in the Sagawa Kyubin corruption scandal...
. This incident led to a series of political scandals which eventually highlighted the involvement of organized crime in the ruling Liberal Democratic PartyLiberal Democratic Party (Japan)The , frequently abbreviated to LDP or , is a centre-right political party in Japan. It is one of the most consistently successful political parties in the democratic world. The LDP ruled almost continuously for nearly 54 years from its founding in 1955 until its defeat in the 2009 election...
. http://www.rcrinc.com/tanaka/ch5-4.html. In April 2004, a bus belonging to the group rammed the gate of the Chinese consulate in Osaka, damaging the gate. http://english.people.com.cn/200404/23/eng20040423_141323.shtml Police arrested Nobuyuki Nakagama, the driver, and Ko Chong-Su, a Korean member of the group, for orchestrating the attack.
- Taikōsha ( “Great Enterprise Society”) (http://www.taikousya-sumera.com/) – a Tokyo-based organization with about 700 members, officially affiliated to the Inagawa-kaiInagawa-kaiThe is the third largest of Japan's yakuza groups, with approximately 15,000 members. It is based in the Kanto region, and was one of the first yakuza organizations to begin operating overseas.-History:...
syndicate.
- SeikijukuSeikijukuis a right-wing, Japanese imperialist group based in Nagasaki Prefecture, founded in 1981. The group was responsible for a number of violent incidents, including the 1990 near-fatal shooting of the mayor of Nagasaki Hitoshi Motoshima who stated that Emperor Hirohito was responsible for the...
http://www1.ocn.ne.jp/~seiron/ – a group based in Nagasaki PrefectureNagasaki Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. The capital is the city of Nagasaki.- History :Nagasaki Prefecture was created by merging of the western half of the former province of Hizen with the island provinces of Tsushima and Iki...
set up in 1981. Responsible for a number of violent incidents, including the 1991 near-fatal shooting of the mayor of Nagasaki who stated that Emperor Hirohito was responsible for the war.
- Yūkoku Dōshikai – an extreme nationalist party. The group set fire to Ichirō Kōno's house in 1963. The members were armed with gunGunA gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
and katanaKatanaA Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
, took eight hostages, and barricaded themselves in Japan Business FederationJapan Business Federationis an economic organization founded in May 2002 by amalgamation of Keidanren and Nikkeiren...
's office in 1977. Its leader Shūsuke Nomura had admired Korean nationalist An Jung-geunAn Jung-geunAn Jung-geun or Ahn Jung-geun was a Korean independence activist, nationalist, and pan-Asianist....
as a patriot. On the 37th election of assembly member of the House of Representatives (1983), a secretary of Shintarō IshiharaShintaro Ishiharais a Japanese author, actor, politician and the governor of Tokyo since 1999.- Early life and artistic career :Shintarō was born in Suma-ku, Kobe. His father Kiyoshi was an employee, later a general manager, of a shipping company. Shintarō grew up in Zushi...
defamed his opposition candidate Shōkei Arai (Bak gyeong-jae/박경재) as a "Korean", it protested hard against Shintarō Ishihara.
Other groups
- National Socialist Japanese Workers and Welfare Party ( Kokka Shakaishugi Nippon Rōdōsha-Tō) – a small neo-Nazi party. Its website shows a unique blend of Japanese nationalism and Nazi philosophy.
- International Federation for Victory Over Communism ( Kokusai Shōkyō Rengō) (http://www.ifvoc.org) – Set up in South Korea and Japan in 1968 by Sun Myung MoonSun Myung MoonSun Myung Moon is the Korean founder and leader of the worldwide Unification Church. He is also the founder of many other organizations and projects...
, the founder of Unification ChurchUnification ChurchThe Unification Church is a new religious movement founded by Korean religious leader Sun Myung Moon. In 1954, the Unification Church was formally and legally established in Seoul, South Korea, as The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity . In 1994, Moon gave the church...
. The Japanese chapter was set up following a meeting between Moon and Ryoichi SasakawaRyoichi Sasakawawas a Japanese businessman, politician and philanthropist born in Minoh, Osaka. He was accused but acquitted of being a Class A war criminal after World War II, was a self-proclaimed fascist, kuromaku , and the founder of The Nippon Foundation...
, an ultranationalist businessman, and Yoshio KodamaYoshio Kodamawas a prominent figure in the rise of organized crime in Japan. The most famous 'kuromaku', or behind-the-scenes power broker, of the 20th century, he was active in Japan's political arena and criminal underworld from the 1950s to the early 1970s....
, a leading figure in organised crime. These two figures, both suspected class-A war criminals due to their involvement in drug smuggling operations in China during the war, headed the organisation. http://rightweb.irc-online.org/groupwatch/ucm.php#P10115_2011819 In 1969, it campaigned to close the (pro-Pyongyang) Korean University in Japan which was run by ChongryonChongryonThe General Association of Korean Residents in Japan , abbreviated to Chongryon The General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chae Ilbon Chosŏnin Ch'ongryŏnhaphoe in Korean or Zai-Nihon Chōsenjin Sōrengōkai in Japanese), abbreviated to Chongryon The General Association of Korean Residents...
, a pro-Pyongyang Korean group in Japan. In 1971 it organized hunger strikes to protest against Japan's official recognition of the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. The group advocates a nuclear armed Japan and solidarity with United States and South Korea.
See also
- Japanese nationalismJapanese nationalismencompasses a broad range of ideas and sentiments harbored by the Japanese people over the last two centuries regarding their native country, its cultural nature, political form and historical destiny...
- Japanese militarismJapanese militarismrefers to the ideology in the Empire of Japan that militarism should dominate the political and social life of the nation, and that the strength of the military is equal to the strength of a nation.-Rise of militarism :...
- Japanese war crimesJapanese war crimesJapanese war crimes occurred during the period of Japanese imperialism, primarily during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. Some of the incidents have also been described as an Asian Holocaust and Japanese war atrocities...
- Statism in Shōwa JapanStatism in Shōwa JapanStatism in Shōwa Japan was a political syncretism of Japanese right-wing political ideologies, developed over a period of time from the Meiji Restoration...
External links
- Media Intimidation in Japan article by David McNeill
- Building 'crisis' mood article by Eric Prideaux
- Uyoku: The Japanese Right Wing article by Mai Wakisaka
- The Uyoku Ronin Do article by Daiki Shibuichi