[Hebrews 11:6]

But it doesn't happen. And the reason it doesn't happen, I think, is as we've discussed before, the American occupation does the last thing the Japanese ever expected it to do: it treats the Japanese, not as subdued people to be conquered, but as, well, sinners who need to repent. The Japanese think like conquerors; the Americans think like Christians.

May one presume, with the great increase in international contact and continuing Christian missionary efforts since 1945, that kokutai has lessened substantially?

[untenured]

May one presume, with the great increase in international contact and continuing Christian missionary efforts since 1945, that kokutai has lessened substantially?

To the best of my understanding, Christianity is not widely practiced in Japan today. The Japanese have a flexibility about religion in general – there is a saying that Japanese are Shinto when born, Christians when they get married and Buddhist when they die.

There were many conversions to Christianity in the decades after Westerners began coming to Japan in large numbers after 1853. Some scholarship contends that it was the result of a widespread Japanese belief that Christianity was part of the recipe for being a modern, perhaps including being a powerful, nation. (Certainly missionary efforts were a big part of the story.) But it didn't really take as the decades passed. The same thing may be going on in China now, where Christianity is also spreading by leaps and bounds. (The Chinese government certainly does not react as if it thinks this is a promising development.)

But any way you slice it, the average Japanese is much more pacific, even to the extent of naively so, than in 1931. The peaceful rebirth of Germany and Japan has been one of the miracles of the postwar era.

I don't know if it approaches the prewar idea of 國體，which from appearances (I read Chinese but not Japanese) seems to indicate the idea of "national body." But modern Japan does have this idea of nihonjinron, this discussion of Japanese distinctiveness. But it's my feeling that any country has a similar phenomenon.

[EternalVigilance]

http://wwiiletters.blogspot.com/2009/06/uss-bristol-pacific-august-12-1945-wwii.html

USS Bristol Pacific August 12, 1945, WWII Letter

Dear Mother and Dad,

I have just returned from a very pleasant church service on the ship next to ours. There were about 120 present, men from our ship and men from theirs. The Chaplain was a younger man than most I have seen out here. He was about Herb’s age. I think I can mail a program. I shall enclose it with this letter.

We expect the Jap’s surrender terms will be allowed by the Allies. It was unofficially announced two days ago in the evening during our movie. There was quite a bit of revelry here. Official recognition of Japanese surrender is expected any time. I surely hope it is soon.

I have been very busy the last several days here aboard ship. We are in port at a dock and she doesn’t roll around like at sea. My tools aren’t always sliding out of reach here. In the evenings after 1900 I knock off for the movie. On the 9th it was “Delightfully Dangerous” with Ralph Bellamy and Constance Moore. We got rained out in the last reel.

On the 10th it was “Thrill of a Romance” with Esther Williams (Wow!), Van Johnson, and Clarence Melchior (Metropolitan Opera Co.) and Tommy Dorsey’s orchestra. I really enjoyed this picture. All in color and a very nice story. The music was most excellent, just like ours at home, the kind I love. I think Mr. Lockhart, one of our Engineering officers, is to be commended for his excellent selections of motion pictures for this ship. I have enjoyed every one I have seen. Films are distributed in every port of call we hit.

Last night the 11th, it was “Murder He Says” With Helen Walker, Fred MacMurray and Marjorie Main. This film was very funny, quite spooky, and thoroughly entertaining. Also there was a Navy film of all the news highlights of recent months. It was superior to most news films.

I have bought a real surprise for you. It will arrive by mail from California. “Guaranteed: safe delivery and correct lettering” Tell me if it is OK, it will be at your office in a few weeks or so.

Two letters postmarked Denver Aug 1 and Aug 3 have arrived eight days time in travel for each of them. Thanks for clippings. I see that our “repeaters” haven’t yet learned that they must get reservations in early. Your roofing is hot work, I’ll bet. No regular mail has arrived yet. Don’t subscribe to the Post for me. Glad that refund was full amount I haven’t yet sent any packages home since leaving Frisco. The cup cakes haven’t arrived yet but thanks for sending them. They will arrive on of these days. I’m proud of Bud. He is a go getter. Interested in the planes in Denver, they must be bound over here. Thanks for Kenny’s address, I hope both he and Dicky get better quickly. Also Aunt Ella. It’s kinda hot here wish I were at Silver Crags.

1530, Have just been informed that the Japanese Army and Navy have been ordered to cease giving resistance by the Tokyo High Command. I don’t know whether to believe it or not: they are not to be trusted. The clipping on “big 3”text was good.

Are my American Chemical Society Journals on Ind. And Engineering Chemistry and the Hexagon still arriving OK? That is it!

Love and Kisses,