This analysis reveals censorship of imperial myths in Japanese textbooks during the Occupation era, suggesting implications for historical narratives.
This paper examines Occupation-era censorship policies, focusing on the portrayal of the divinity of the emperor and the inclusion of imperial myths in Japanese textbooks. It reveals that the concept of the emperor as a ‘living god’ (akitsumikami) only appeared in textbooks starting in 1940. Beyond showing the limitations and bluntness of these censorship efforts, the analysis highlights how Occupation authorities leveraged the emperor’s image to justify their reforms. It also explores how longstanding debates regarding the use of ‘myths’ as historical sources hindered these censorship efforts, and explains how a more ‘scientific’ historical analysis of Japanese antiquity came into favor.
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Thomas D. Conlan (2026) studied this question.
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