MACARTHUR’S JAPAN

Series

Series Name

The March of Time 15th Year

Issue

Issue No.

2

Date Released

1949

Length of issue (in feet)

1585

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1MACARTHUR’S JAPAN

Story

Story No. within this Issue

1 / 1

Summary

The March of Time synopsis: One of the biggest tasks facing the Command of the American occupation forces in Japan is the attempt to establish a wholly new concept of national life in the land bound for centuries by rigid, autocratic traditions, whose people regard their Emperor as the living descendent of the Sun Goddess who created heaven and earth. Realizing that this belief was the basis of Japanese unity and discipline, says March of Time’s "MacArthur’s Japan", the victors decided to retain Emperor Hirohito as a symbol of state for, though he has publicly denied his divinity, he still receives the adulation of millions of his people.

A new constitution, approved by General McArthur and adopted by the Japanese Diet, became effective in May, 1947 but, while willing to co-operate with their conquerors and eager to comply with suggestions, the Japanese found the ideology of democratic government elusive and almost incomprehensible. Under the new regime a radical change has taken place in the status of Japanese women. No longer inferiors, they now share equal rights with men, and have organized clubs to discuss their newly-found freedom and to take an active role in civic affairs. This March of Time gives an account of what is being done to give the people a chance to elect their own officials and run their government. Today, Emperor Hirohito’s role is that of a democratic-constitutional monarch, and in place of the representatives answerable only to the throne, the politician’s only hope of getting elected is in having an appealing programme that will win the support of his constituents. In the free elections held in the Spring of 1946, nearly three-quarters of the electorate went to the polls, including two-thirds of the eligible women voters.

In marked contrast to his former splendour, Emperor Hirohito now lives in quiet seclusion with his wife and two sons. After much negotiation and a reversal of age-old precedent, The March of Time’s cameraman was able to obtain permission to film informal scenes of the Japanese Imperial Family at home, and the film shows the Emperor pursuing his favourite hobby of Marine Biology, on which he has become an international authority. The film shows many changes that have already been made in the Japanese way of life. Great success has attended the land reform, whereby the Government has bought up the great estates and resold them to the farmers on liberal terms. Japanese state universities, from most of which women were traditionally barred, are now co-educational. In a sequence revolving round an automobile worker - Takeshi Saito - the film also shows the family life and working conditions of the artisan. Skilled men like these, working in an industry that is geared to bolster the country’s domestic economy, are considered very fortunate for they are able to earn as much as £10 a month, which allows them to live reasonably well. But for the impoverished masses life is still very difficult, and while Communist progress has been slow, the Utopian promises of jobs and a full bowl of rice are meeting with some success. Today most observers believe that the vast social experiments that have been undetaken are making real progress. But whether General MacArthur can succeed in so indoctrinating the Japanese with democracy that it will remain firmly established or whether they will follow China into the Communist orbit or at some future time return to the old totalitarianism - no one can yet foretell.

Researcher Comments

This story was included in Vol.15 No.11 of the US edition.

Keywords

Social conditions; Occupied territories; War and conflict

Written sources

The March of Time Promotional Material   Lobby Card, Used for synopsis

Credits:

Production Co.

Time Inc.