Shōwa Kenkyūkai
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The was a political
think tank A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governmenta ...
in the pre-war
Empire of Japan The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of Japan, 1947 constitu ...
.


History and background

The ''Shōwa Kenkyūkai'' was established in October 1930 as an informal organization led by Ryūnosuke Gotō, with the original intent of reviewing and assessing issues with the
Meiji Constitution The Constitution of the Empire of Japan (Kyūjitai: ; Shinjitai: , ), known informally as the Meiji Constitution (, ''Meiji Kenpō''), was the constitution of the Empire of Japan which was proclaimed on February 11, 1889, and remained in for ...
and the current political process. Goto was a close friend and political companion of Fumimaro Konoe, who hoped that the study group would generate innovative ideas for political reform, and Gotō called upon Masamichi Rōyama, a
political scientist Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...
from
Tokyo Imperial University , abbreviated as or UTokyo, is a public research university located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1877, the university was the first Imperial University and is currently a Top Type university of the Top Global University Project by ...
to head the association. Membership in the ''Shōwa Kenkyūkai'' was intentionally very diverse to avoid a
systematic bias Systematic may refer to: Science * Short for systematic error * Systematic fault * Systematic bias, errors that are not determined by chance but are introduced by an inaccuracy (involving either the observation or measurement process) inheren ...
. It included noted scholars, journalists, bankers, socialists, militarists, businessmen and leaders of youth organizations. Established specifically as an organization of intellectuals, the ''Shōwa Kenkyukai'' excluded bureaucrats and politicians from the outset. Many of the members had been regarded Marxists and leftists. By the time the group was dissolved in 1940 it had involved, at its height, some three hundred intellectuals every year in its work. In 1936, it spun off a ''Shina-mondai Kenkyūkai'' (China Problems Study Group), and in 1938 it formed a ''Bunka Kenkyūkai'' (Cultural Study Group) to deal with the cultural aspects of Japanese-Chinese relations. In July 1938, it also established the ''Shōwa Dōjinkai'' (Shōwa Comrades' Association), which brought together middle-level bureaucrats, business leaders, and politicians to spread the ideas it was developing. In November of that year it established a school, the ''Shōwajuku'' (Shōwa Academy), to train successors in its methods. Discussion concerning Japan's future polity after the projected victory in the
Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...
dominated discussions after 1937. The ''Shōwa Kenkyūkai'' was a strong proponent of
Pan-Asianism Satellite photograph of Asia in orthographic projection. Pan-Asianism (''also known as Asianism or Greater Asianism'') is an ideology aimed at creating a political and economic unity among Asian peoples. Various theories and movements of Pan-Asi ...
, in which it envisioned that Japan would take the leading role, and its thesis influenced Konoe in his
New Order in East Asia The , also known as the GEACPS, was a concept that was developed in the Empire of Japan and propagated to Asian populations which were occupied by it from 1931 to 1945, and which officially aimed at creating a self-sufficient bloc of Asian peo ...
declaration of November 1938, and formed part of the theoretical basis for the
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere The , also known as the GEACPS, was a concept that was developed in the Empire of Japan and propagated to Asian populations which were occupied by it from 1931 to 1945, and which officially aimed at creating a self-sufficient bloc of Asian peo ...
. Politically, the ''Shōwa Kenkyūkai'' decided that
liberal democracy Liberal democracy is the combination of a liberal political ideology that operates under an indirect democratic form of government. It is characterized by elections between multiple distinct political parties, a separation of powers into ...
was obsolete, and that the Diet of Japan should be replaced with a corporativist
national assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the rep ...
where membership would be based on occupation, and which would direct a state socialist
command economy A planned economy is a type of economic system where investment, production and the allocation of capital goods takes place according to economy-wide economic plans and production plans. A planned economy may use centralized, decentralized, p ...
. Generally the Shōwa Kenkyūkai was theory-oriented, especially compared with the Kokusaku Kenkyukai. It was underpinned by personal linkage revealed by social network analysis. This disposition resulted in the way their concepts were developed at abstract level, then applied to more concrete topics. This tendency led the group to make the decision to dissolve into the Taisei Yokusankai.Ito, Militarismus des Zivilen, pages 342-345 Some members also promoted the future political integration of Japan and China, and envisioned a unified economic block that would cover all of Asia. The ''Shōwa Kenkyūkai'' was voluntarily absorbed into Konoe's New Order Movement and the ''
Taisei Yokusankai The , or Imperial Aid Association, was the Empire of Japan's ruling organization during much of World War II. It was created by Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe on 12 October 1940, to promote the goals of his ("New Order") movement. It evolved i ...
'' in November 1940.


Notes


References

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OCLC 44090600
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External links


University of California Article by Ezra Vogel
{{DEFAULTSORT:Showa Kenkyukai Politics of the Empire of Japan Think tanks based in Japan Pan-Asianism Think tanks established in 1930 1930 establishments in Japan Organizations disestablished in 1940 1940 disestablishments in Japan