officials instead, the real threat appeared to be the creep of communism, particularly in Asia. perception of international threats had changed so profoundly in the years between 19 that the idea of a re-armed and militant Japan no longer alarmed U.S. In the third phase of the occupation, beginning in 1950, SCAP deemed the political and economic future of Japan firmly established and set about securing a formal peace treaty to end both the war and the occupation. The United States ends Occupation and Creates an alliance with Japan defense perimeter in Asia, assuring the Japanese leadership that whatever the state of its military, no real threat would be made against Japanese soil. The conflict also placed Japan firmly within the confines of the U.S. The outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 provided SCAP with just the opportunity it needed to address this problem, prompting some occupation officials to suggest that, “Korea came along and saved us.”After the United Nations entered the Korean War, Japan became the principal supply depot for UN forces. However, the most serious problem was the shortage of raw materials required to feed Japanese industries and markets for finished goods. Occupation policies to address the weakening economy ranged from tax reforms to measures aimed at controlling inflation. SCAP became concerned that a weak Japanese economy would increase the influence of the domestic communist movement, and with a communist victory in China’s civil war increasingly likely, the future of East Asia appeared to be at stake. This period is sometimes called the “reverse course.” In this stage of the occupation, which lasted until 1950, the economic rehabilitation of Japan took center stage. Some of the most profound changes in the document included downgrading the emperor’s status to that of a figurehead without political control and placing more power in the parliamentary system, promoting greater rights and privileges for women, and renouncing the right to wage war, which involved eliminating all non-defensive armed forces.īy late 1947 and early 1948, the emergence of an economic crisis in Japan alongside concerns about the spread of communism sparked a reconsideration of occupation policies. In 1947, Allied advisors essentially dictated a new constitution to Japan’s leaders. MacArthur also tried to break up the large Japanese business conglomerates, or zaibatsu, as part of the effort to transform the economy into a free-market capitalist system. In the economic field, SCAP introduced land reform, designed to benefit the majority tenant farmers and reduce the power of rich landowners, many of whom had advocated for war and supported Japanese expansionism in the 1930s. At the same time, SCAP dismantled the Japanese Army and banned former military officers from taking roles of political leadership in the new government. The Allies punished Japan for its past militarism and expansion by convening war crimes trials in Tokyo. The first phase, roughly from the end of the war in 1945 through 1947, involved the most fundamental changes for the Japanese Government and society. MacArthur sought to fundamentally alter the Japanese Government and Business Community The occupation of Japan can be divided into three phases: the initial effort to punish and reform Japan, the work to revive the Japanese economy, and the conclusion of a formal peace treaty and alliance. Although Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and the Republic of China had an advisory role as part of an “Allied Council,” MacArthur had the final authority to make all decisions. In September 1945, General Douglas MacArthur took charge of the Supreme Command of Allied Powers (SCAP) and began the work of rebuilding Japan. Five Things You Need to Know During Japanese Surrender in World War II General Douglas MacArthur appointed the head of the SCAP
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