Author Description
In The Long Defeat, Akiko Hashimoto explores the stakes of war memory in Japan after its catastrophic defeat in World War II, showing how and why defeat has become an indelible part of national collective life, especially in recent decades. Divisive war memories lie at the root of the contentious politics surrounding Japan's pacifist Constitution and remilitarization, and fuel the escalating frictions in East Asia known collectively as Japan's history problem. Drawing on ethnography, interviews, and a wealth of popular memory data, this book identifies three preoccupations - national belonging, healing, and justice - in Japan's discourses of defeat. Hashimoto uncovers the key war memory narratives that are shaping Japan's choices - nationalism, pacifism, or reconciliation - for addressing the rising international tensions and finally overcoming its dark history.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates how the memory of defeat in World War II continues to shape Japan's national identity, political discourse, and international relations in the contemporary era. Akiko Hashimoto, a sociologist specializing in Japanese culture and society, utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to analyze how the trauma of 1945 remains an active, evolving force in Japanese public life. By examining the tension between nationalism, pacifism, and reconciliation, the author argues that the 'long defeat' is not merely a historical event but a persistent framework that dictates Japan's current geopolitical choices and internal social cohesion.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of three primary memory discourses: national belonging, healing, and justice.
- Examination of the political friction surrounding Japan's pacifist constitution and remilitarization efforts.
- Integration of ethnographic fieldwork, personal interviews, and analysis of popular media and cultural artifacts.
Scope Limits
- The text focuses primarily on domestic Japanese memory culture rather than a comprehensive military history of the Pacific War.
- It does not provide a detailed diplomatic history of post-war treaties, focusing instead on the sociological impact of memory.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and regional experts identify this work as a significant contribution to the study of collective memory and post-war Japanese politics. Readers frequently note the clarity of the author's sociological framework, which makes complex historical grievances accessible to both academic and general audiences.
Page Count:
256
Publication Date:
2015-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0190239174
ISBN-13:
9780190239176
History
Sociology
Japan Studies
International relations
War Memory