The Vestiges of the U.S. Occupation and the Redefining of the Japanese Woman

Abstract

This article addresses the construction of Japanese womanhood toward the end of the U.S. occupation of Japan (1945)(1946)(1947)(1948)(1949)(1950)(1951)(1952). In the early 1950s, the Japanese people were conscious about independence and envisioned a new, positive image of the nation. However, the actual image was overtly sexualized by the presence of numerous women consorting with U.S. servicemen during the occupation. This article explores how the Japanese government attempted to eliminate any sexualized elements from Japan. While focusing on Japanese women who had relationships with foreign men and mixed-blood children, I argue that they served as the "Other" in redefining post-occupation femininity. ***** In 1951, the Japanese government signed the San Francisco Peace Treaty.1 The signing of this treaty virtually signified the end of the U.S. occupation and the beginning of Japan's independence. As Japan was about to reenter the international arena as a newly independent country, its people were envisioning a new image of the nation that was distinct from its militaristic past and the U.S. occupation: a new, democratic, and cultured nation. In actuality, however, the whole nation was sexualized with the presence of a large number of panpan, or postwar unlicensed female sex workers serving Allied servicemen. This sexualized image was highly inappropriate for the reborn country when it attempted to receive recognition by the international community. In the early 1950s, the Japanese government realized that it was necessary to eliminate not only the panpan but also the spread of panpan's influence on a large segment of Japan. To this end, two groups in particular appeared to be sexualized along with the panpan, and became the target of criticism. One of them was Japanese women who had relationships with foreign men, and the other was mixed-blood children of the occupation.