Abstract: The term “home front” gained prominence with Japan’s National Mobilization Law in 1938 and the ensuing Pacific War, while being portrayed as the domestic counterpart to the battlefield. This paper aims to examine how the image of “women on the home front” became a representation of war during Japan’s colonial rule, with a focus on Indigenous women from Taiwan, as exemplified by Chen Chin’s artwork. Chen’s portrayal of Indigenous women reflects Japan’s colonial policy, presenting them as symbolic embodiments of war. Through her art, Chen navigates the complex political landscape of wartime Taiwan, aligning her work with Japan’s Southern Expansion plan. The depiction of Indigenous women, while indirectly implying the absence of men, symbolizes the home front’s role in wartime mobilization. This representation of women on the home front extends beyond painting, permeating literature and propaganda leaflets. Women were targeted for mobilization on the home front during the war and were expected to fulfill their roles as dictated by the government. In conclusion, the image of women on the home front was repeatedly propagated with an undertone of the dual structure of otherization between the colonial ruler and the colonized. Therefore, this image stands as a representation of war that must be transcended to advance towards decolonization.
Junghee Moon (Wed,) studied this question.