TheAnarchistLibrary Anti-Copyright The Anarchist Movement in Japan, 1906–1996 John Crump JohnCrump TheAnarchistMovementinJapan,1906–1996 1996 AnarchyisOrderCDandlibcom.org AnarchistCommunistEditionsACEPamphletNo.8.Paper editionprintedbyPiratePress(Autumn1996).ThisElectronic Edition(Summer1998) PublishedbytheAnarchistFederationwww.afed.org.uk theanarchistlibrary.org 1996 Contents PrefacebytheACF 5 Author’sDedication 7 Author’sNote 8 TheAnarchistMovementinJapan 9 Chapter1:1906–1911 10 HistoricalandEconomicBackground . . . . . . . . . . . 10 KôtokuShûsuiandtheEmergenceofJapaneseAnarchism 13 “American”Influences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Kôtoku’sReturnandtheAnarchistsOrganiseinJapan . . 18 MountingRepression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Chapter2:1912–1936 28 Endofthe“WinterPeriod” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 AnarchismversusBolshevism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Ôsugi’sDeathandFreshAttemptsatTerrorism . . . . . . 35 TheResurgenceofAnarchistCommunism . . . . . . . . 37 TheSplit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 DeathThroesofthePrewarAnarchistMovement . . . . 48 Chapter3:1945tothePresent 55 SelectBibliography 63 3 • Tsuzuki,Chûshichi,“AnarchisminJapan”inDApter&JJoll, AnarchismToday (Basingstoke:   65 • Jiyû Rengô/Jiyû Rengô Shinbun [Libertarian Federation/Lib- ertarianFederationNewspaper](Tôkyô:Kaien,1975). • KokushokuSeinen[BlackYouth](Isezaki:KokushokuSensen, 1975). Preface by the ACF • Kropotkin, Peter, The Conquest of Bread (New York: Univer- sityPress,1972). The Anarchist Communist Federation have decided to reprint • LibertaireGroup,AShortHistoryoftheAnarchistMovement JohnCrump’spamphletTheAnarchistMovementinJapan(which inJapan(Tôkyô:Idea,1979). isasummaryofhisbookHattaShûzôandPureAnarchisminInter- warJapan)foravarietyofreasons. • Mihara, Yôko, “On the Present Situation of Anarchism in One is as a tribute to the continuing struggle of the libertarian Japan”,AnarchistStudiesI(1993). movementinJapan,bringingtotheattentionofEnglish-speaking • Nikkan Heimin Shinbun [Daily Common People’s Newspa- comrades what is unfortunately a little known part of the global per](Tôkyô:MeijiBunkenShiryôKankôKai,1960–3). struggle for a free and equal society. We hope this will be a start- ingpointforgreaterunderstandingofavaluabletraditionofanti- • Notehelfer, F, Kôtoku Shûsui: Portrait of a Japanese Radical authoritariancommunismandmayleadtoincreasedco-operation (Cambridge:UniversityPress,1971). withJapaneseanarchiststoday,ontheroadtoatrulyworld-wide • RôdôUndô[LabourMovement](Isezaki:KokushokuSensen, anarchistmovement. 1973). As well as being an inspirational example of struggle against a powerfulauthoritarianstate,thishistoryofJapaneseanarchismis • ShakaiShinbun[SocialNews](Tôkyô:MeijiBunkenShiryô also of great value in providing an example of the development KankôKai,1960–3). of anarchist theory. The clear and cogent arguments against the reformism of the trade unions and social democracy are still rele- • Shakaishugi Kenkyû [Socialist Studies] (Tôkyô: 1920 on- vant today, as is the critique of Bolshevism, revealing its inherent wards). hierarchical nature in contradiction to the oft repeated claims of • Shiota, Shôbee (ed), Kôtoku Shûsui no Nikki to Shokan [The TrotskyiststhatitonlydegeneratedunderStalin.Italsoservesasa DiariesandLettersofKôtokuShûsui](Tôkyô:Mirai,1965). historicallessoninthefutilityofresortingtoterrorismwhenfaced withstaterepression,andinthedangerofanti-organisationalten- • Stanley, Thomas, Ôsugi Sakae: Anarchist in Taishô Japan dencies. (Cambridge,Mass:Harvard,1982). Evenmoreimportantforanarchiststodayistherecordofthede- • Suzuki, Mosaburô, Zaibei Shakaishugisha Museifushugisha bate between the anarcho-syndicalists and anarchist communists Enkaku [History of the Socialists and Anarchists Resident inthemovement.WhileweintheACFhavecriticismsaboutsome inAmerica](Tôkyô:ShakaiBunko,1964). of the positions taken by anarchist communists in Japan at differ- 64 5 entperiods,suchasformationofaparty,workingwithinthetrade union structure, making a distinction between class struggle and insurrection,aswellastheirvisionofhowthefutureanarchistso- cietywillbeorganised,wethinkthattherejectionofsyndicalism Select Bibliography asastrategyforsocialrevolutioniscorrect,particularlyfortherea- sonthatitcanonlyduplicatetheeconomicstructureofcapitalism. Wedonotaimtoofferinthisshortprefaceanin-depthanalysis oftheseorthemanyotherimportantissuesraisedbytheJapanese • Akaba, Hajime, “Nômin no Fukuin” [The Farmers’ Gospel] movement.Thepamphletspeaksforitself,andasisoftenthecase inMeijiBunkaShiryôSôshovol.5(Tôkyô:Kazama,1960). with timely anarchist literature, its success will be judged by its • Anarkowic, Stefan, Against the God Emperor: the Anarchist influenceonthepracticalactivityofworkingclassmilitantstoday. TreasonTrialsinJapan(London:KateSharpley,1994). AnarchistCommunistFederation,Summer1996 • Beckmann,George&Ôkubo,Genji,TheJapaneseCommunist Party1922–1945 (Stanford:UniversityPress,1969). • Borton, Hugh, Japan’s Modern Century (New York: Ronald, 1970). • Crump,John,TheOriginsofSocialistThoughtinJapan(Beck- enham:CroomHelm,1983). • Crump, John, Hatta Shûzô and Pure Anarchism in Interwar Japan(Basingstoke:Macmillan,1993). • Hagiwara, Shintarô, Nihon Anakizumu Rôdô Undô Shi [His- tory of the Japanese Anarchist Labour Movement] (Tôkyô: GendaiShichô,1969). • Hatta,Shûzô,ZenshûMuseifukyôsanshugi[CollectedWorks: AnarchistCommunism](Tôkyô:KokushokuSensen,1981). • Hatta,Shûzô,ZenshûMuseifukyôsanshugi[CollectedWorks: AnarchistCommunism](Tôkyô:KokushokuSensen,1983). • Hikari [Light] (Tôkyô: Meiji Bunken Shiryô Kankô Kai, 1960). 6 63 wage rates since 1950. Pressed by rival capitalist states (above all, the USA) Japan is being forced to open its agricultural markets, whichinturnisleadingtopoliticaldisaffectiononthepartofthe farmers. Author’s Dedication Given Japan’s position as one of the most powerful economic forceswithinworldcapitalism,itsimportanceasalinchpinofthe present international system can scarcely be exaggerated. This is whyitisbynomeansinsignificant,evenforthoseofuslivingon This pamphlet is dedicated to Ôshima Eizaburô, whose undi- the other side of the world, that the opportunities for spreading minishedpassionforanarchistcommunism,despitehisadvanced anti-stateandanti-capitalistideasinJapanarebetternowthanthey years,isaninspirationtomanyyoungercomrades. havebeenformanyalongyear.WhetherJapaneseanarchistscan Not only that, but how many can enliven a flagging conversa- risetothechallengeissomethingwhichconcernsusall. tionwiththecasualremark:“WhenIsetoffasmokebombatthe imperialpalace…”?Ôshima-sancan. 62 7 chism during the postwar years are currently being undermined. As was mentioned previously, from 1955 politics in Japan was set inamouldofperpetualLiberalDemocraticPartydomination.The second largest political party, the social democratic Japan Social- Author’s Note istParty(NihonShakaitô),waspermanentlyexcludedfrompower and could thus engage in the politics of moral postures from the loftyremotenessofopposition.For38yearsthesetwopartieswere JapanesenamesaregiveninthecustomaryEastAsianform,i.e. in effect the foundation stones of the moribund political system. familyname(e.g.Kôtoku)followedbypersonalname(e.g.Shûsui). The Liberal Democratic Party used its position in government to LongvowelsinJapanesewordsareindicatedbyaccents(e.g.ô). distribute the spoils which maintained the status quo, while the holier-than-thouJapanSocialistPartystruckposturesforthesake of those who failed to benefit from the largesse or who found it morallyunacceptable,ThesystemcrackedwhentheLiberalDemo- cratic Party failed to secure its customary majority in the general electionof1993.Thenin1994theLiberalDemocraticPartysawits chance to re-enter the government, providing it was prepared to makecommoncausewithitssupposedarch-enemy,theJapanSo- cialistParty.Withoutsomuchasablush,bothpartieshastenedto embraceoneanother,sothatatthetimeofwritingthereisagov- ernment headed by the leader of the Japan Socialist Party with a majorityofCabinetMinistersdrawnfromtheLiberalDemocratic Party.Needlesstosay,inhisenthusiasmforgainingpower,Prime MinisterMurayamahasfoundnodifficultyinembracingallthose capitalistpolicieswhichweresupposedlyunacceptableaslongas theJapanSocialistPartywasinopposition.Thewholesordidbusi- ness has been an object-lesson in the opportunism of politicians andthenonsenseofparliamentaryshadowboxing.Henceitisno wonder that cynicism and disillusionment are now the prevailing politicalattitudesamongmostworkingmenandwomen. Associated with these political shenanigans have been the changes in Japan’s economic fortunes. The economy is presently passing through the longest and deepest economic downturn since the war. Crumbs from the capitalist feast are in decidedly shortsupply,somuchsothat1993sawthefirstdeclineinaverage 8 61 Company(KokushokuSensenSha)whichisgroupedroundtheold militant, Ôshima Eizaburô. Among recent Black Battlefront publi- cations,themultivolumeMaterialsontheNôseishaIncident (Nôson SeinenShaJikenShiryô,1991onwards)reflectsthebeliefofmany postwar anarchists that there are important lessons to be learnt from studying the theories and practice of earlier generations of anarchists. One point which has often been made regarding postwar anar- chismisthat,whiletheself-declaredanarchistmovementissmaller thanpreviously,unconsciously“anarchist”organisationandactiv- ityhavebeennoticeableamongvariousgroupsengagedinstruggle. The Anarchist Movement This argument was frequently heard at the height of the student movement during the 1960s and 1970s, and more recently similar claimshavebeenmaderegardingthe“citizens’movements”(grass in Japan rootscampaigns,generallydirectedtowardsasingleissue).4Those who have used this type of argument have mainly pointed to the decentralised methods of organisation favoured by the groups in question and their emphasis on autonomy and (sometimes) spon- taneity.Yet,whiletheremaybesomething“anarchist”aboutthese attributes,surelyitisappropriatetoinsistthatbythemselvesthey fallshortofanarchism.Opposedthoughthestudents’groupswere to the existing state, few doubted the need for a political state of some sort. As for the citizens’ movements,most focus on a single problem,whichtheyseektosolveinisolationfromthe“bigques- tions”,suchasthenatureofthestate,becausetheyfeel(probably rightly) that these wider issues would divide them politically and thereforeunderminetheircampaigns.Inthelightofthis,toreferto the students’ groups or citizens’ movements as “anarchist” would be to stretch the meaning of the term way beyond that employed inthisstudy. What is remarkable about the present juncture is that so many of the factors which have acted in combination to frustrate anar- 4Tsuzuki(1971)pp.105–6;Mihara(1993)pp.135–7. 60 were the same. Hatta Shûzô might have died in 1934, but Iwasa Sakutarôwasstillverymuchthekeypersonalityontheanarchist communist side, while Ishikawa Sanshirô once more supported theanarchistsyndicalists. Chapter 1: 1906–1911 The Anarchist Federation limped on until 1968, but recognised theinevitableinNovemberofthatyearwhenitdecided“creatively to dissolve” itself.3 Although for many years after that there was Anarchists in Japan! For many the very idea is surprising. nofederatednetworkcoveringthewholeofthecountryclaiming Japan’s popular image is of a hierarchicaland regimented society, tobethe AnarchistFederation,1968bynomeansmarkedtheend while the Japanese are widely regarded as unswervingly loyal ofanarchisminJapan.Indeed,theAnarchistClublongoutlivedits servants of the company and the state. Even within Japan there anarchistsyndicalistrivalandcontinuedtopublishthejournalAn- aremanyJapanesewhoareunawareoftheanarchistmovement’s archist Movement (Museifushugi Undô) until March 1980. Besides existence, of the martyrs who have died for the cause, and of thisbody,composedmainlyofoldanarchistcommunistsfromthe the sustained struggle that has been fought against the capitalist prewar days, numerous other anarchist groups and publications state and the inhumanity it has perpetrated over the years. Not have existed at any one time. Although many have survived for solongagoayoungJapanesewhohappenedtobestudyingatan onlyafewyears,orevenafewmonths,theyhavecontinuallybeen Americanuniversitywrotetomeforinformationontheanarchist replacedbyothers.Inotherwords,anarchistpublishingandpropa- movement in Japan after she had read one of my articles in the ganda activity has continued unabated, even if on a limited scale, BulletinofAnarchistResearch.Thatsheshouldhavediscoveredthe andisolatedcasesofdirectactionhaveeruptedperiodically. anarchistmovementonlyafterleavingJapanisagoodillustration A new Anarchist Federation was formed in October 1988 and of the extent to which the existence of Japanese anarchism has hascontinuedtopublishitsjournalFreeWill (JiyûIshi)uptillthe been omitted from the officially sponsored historical record, presenttime.AlthoughthisnewAnarchistFederationhasanation- filtered out of the education curriculum and ignored by the mass widenetworkofcontacts,thescaleofitssupportismuchsmaller media. than its namesake of the 1940s, let alone the prewar federations, suchasKokurenorZenkokuJiren.Anarchistsyndicalismisrepre- Historical and Economic Background sentedbythesmallgroupcalledtheWorkers’SolidarityMovement (RôdôshaRentaiUndô)whichhasexistedinitspresentformsince Of course, there is an (albeit one-sided) element of truth in the 1983. The Workers’ Solidarity Movement is affiliated to the IWA/ popularimageofJapanandtheJapanese.Thishasmuchtodowith AIT (the Syndicalist International) and since 1989 has published the way Japan modernised in the years of major social upheaval the journal Libertarian Communism (Zettai Jiyû Kyôsanshugi). As following 1868. In 1868 power had fallen into the hands of a nar- for anarchist communism, its most visible manifestation today is rowcircleofyoungsamuraiwhoweredeterminedtomakeJapan the small but active publishing house called the Black Battlefront a wealthy and militarily strong country. In order to achieve this, 3Hagiwara(1969)p.228. 10 59