Although the phrase “State Shintō” swily came to enjoy widespread currency, conceptually it remained vague.
Seeing a lot of non-definitions throughout this episode. No one wants to define anything, but still take action
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- Feb 2026
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Shintoism insofar as it is a religion of individual Japanese is not to be interfered with,” he proclaimed. “Shintoism, however, insofar as it is directed by the Japanese Government and is a measure en-forced from above by the Government, is to be done away with. . . . Shinto-ism as a state religion, National Shintō, that is, will go.”
How can these two things be reasonably discerned from one another by an outsider?
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Propa-ganda posters likened Japanese people to vermin and called for their exter-mination
This sentiment being about other Americans is so jarring. Not to say its any less upsetting otherwise, just bizarre in context
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Not everybody agreed on what reli-gious freedom was or how it should be protected, but despite signicant dif-ferences of opinion the occupiers were unanimous in claiming that Japan had lacked “real” religious freedom prior to their arrival
How can they say something is lacking if they cannot even agree on a definition?
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Religious freedom did not travel from America to Japan during the Allied Occupation. It did not touch down when American boots hit the ground. Religious freedom was already there.
Religious freedom hardly existed in America to begin with, so the notion that it would bring itself anyplace from there is ironic
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