Cabinet of Japan, 1960

MUNUC 32 TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Letter from the Chair………………………………………………………….. 3

Letter from the Crisis Director…………………………………………………5 History of the Problem…………………………………………………………6

Statement of the Problem……………………………………………………23

Powers of Committee……………………………………………...…………28 Character Biographies………………………………………………………3o

Bibliography…………………………………………………………………...41

2 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 LETTER FROM THE CHAIR

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Dear Delegates,

I’d like to welcome you all to the Japan 1960, a committee where we, the most important members of the government and elite, get to decide upon the identity of Japan. My name is Ritik Shah, and I will be your chair for this year’s conference.

A bit about myself: I’m a second year at the University of Chicago majoring in Biological Sciences, and I’m originally from the Jersey Shore. Besides MUNUC, I am also a crisis director for our college conference, ChoMUN, and compete on our travelling team. Outside of MUN, my main interests boil down to basketball, rap music, and Avatar the Last Airbender.

As far as the committee goes, there are some important things to keep in mind. The goal of this committee mostly consists of determining the identity of a growing Japan including our international standing, technological prowess, domestic relations, and more. There will be problems to solve throughout the weekend, and we look to have productive debate on any and all topics that come our way.

Another key point is that this committee is the tone of the committee. Ultimately, we are attempting to build up a nation. Having directives, speeches, or notes that support gratuitous violence or pointless aggression, will not be acceptable. Of course this committee will have conflict involved in it, but violence, especially when unwarranted, should not be the solution that delegates resort to.

Of course, like every other committee, the most important thing we look for is respect during conference. Inflammatory or derogatory comments whether directed at another person or not will not be tolerated. Furthermore, any content that is discriminatory in any way will result in consequences. We do not see this being a problem on this committee and hope that you all engage in debate with respect.

3 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 With that being said, Thadeus and I are super excited to be running this committee and we cannot wait to see you all during this upcoming conference!

Best of luck,

Ritik Shah [email protected]

4 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 LETTER FROM THE CRISIS DIRECTOR

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Welcome to the heady days of modern Japan!

My name is Thadeus, and I will be your crisis director, serving as your guide through the harrowing times of nation building and the creation of a modern Japan. I am a third year student and a History/Political Science double major in the College. I have a fascination with all things historical, and a research emphasis on the rise and fall of empires and how they are sustained and administered. I come from Naperville, in the suburbs of Chicago (Neuqua Valley HS for any of you keeping track), and as somebody who almost went to MUNUC when I was in high school, I relish the opportunity to participate in the behind the scenes antics that make this conference run well - so much so that after being a Chair on the German Unification committee last year, I decided to return as a crisis director! I can be found exploring the city for new restaurants and foodie locales, browsing eBay, or repairing vintage fountain pens and typewriters. Outside of MUNUC, I participate in EUChicago, a research-cohort based group that studies the European Union and its broader policy, ChoMUN, our college Model UN conference, where I serve as an executive, and the UChicago Model UN team, wherein I am occasionally sent across the country to participate in conferences.

I look forward to meeting you all in the committee and going through the process of statecraft together! If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to me at [email protected], and I will gladly be of assistance.

Regards,

Thadeus J. Obora

5 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 History of the Problem

Geography of Japan

The Japanese Archipelago is a region of four islands just 120 miles off the continent of Asia. It is a small country made even smaller by the fact that only 15% of the land is habitable and suitable for agriculture; most of Japan is covered in uninhabitable forested mountains.1 Japan is often impacted by natural disasters, mostly because Japan sits on the meeting point of four tectonic plates. Because of this, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis have been a regular part of Japan’s history.2

Alongside its dangers, living in Japan does have its benefits. Although land for farming is limited, the climate is very favorable for growing crops like rice, barley, potatoes, soybeans, and more.3 Farming areas are further enriched by the presence of rivers, which, while too small for transportation, still provide a source of irrigation. As an island chain, Japan also has easy access to the Pacific Ocean and thus has always relied heavily on fishing.

As far as Japan’s location in perspective to other countries, its existence as an island chain has always kept it politically and culturally separate from China. While other parts of mainland East Asia have been heavily influenced by China over the years, Japan has managed to maintain its total independence for quite some time. Furthermore, it

1 "Japan's Geography (1)." Geography: Japan's Geography. Accessed June 19, 2019. http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/japan/japanworkbook/geography/japgeo.html. 2 "Japan's Earthquakes & Tectonic Setting- Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology." IRIS. June 8, 2017. Accessed June 19, 2019. https://www.iris.edu/hq/inclass/animation/japans_earthquakes__tectonic_setting. 3 Saito, Hirosi. "The Natural Resources of Japan." The American Academy of Political and Social Sciences 122, no. 1 (November 1, 1925): 96-99. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/000271622512200112.

6 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 has historically been a common landing spot for Pacific Ocean explorers, and its strategic location has allowed Japan to be a prominent force in the region.

The Classical Era

For 40,000 years man has called Japan home. These paleolithic and later hunter-gatherers roamed the islands and left behind stunning examples of edge-ground tools, cherished by archaeologists today. But the Japan of today started to develop in the Jōmon Period, stretching from 14,000 BCE to 300 BCE. The Northern Jōmon people would later intermingle with those from what is now South- Eastern Russia, the Kuril Islands, and the Kamchatka peninsula to form the Ainu - the closest living group related to the Jōmon, Satsumon, and Okhotsk cultures of ancient Japan. Little is known, unfortunately, about how they originally arrived in Japan or much of their ethnographic makeup, for even today the Ainu are repressed not only in Russia and the former Soviet Union (where the Ainu ethnicity no longer exists in official records despite a small and vocal group of ~100 people), but also in Japan, where legislation protecting and recognizing them as an indigenous people was only passed in 2008.4

The Yayoi Period, from 300 BCE to 250 CE, was a time of great change and development. It was in 100 BC when rice was first introduced to the islands, introducing its people to a staple part of the modern day Japanese diet. New techniques of pottery, metalworking, glassmaking, and even government were introduced, as the area was ruled by a queen called Himiko (or Pimiko).5 Further exchange with Korea and China brought bronze and iron weapons and tools, as well as the nascent ability to recreate and forge them. Slowly but surely, the Yayoi people began to replace or intermingle with the Jōmon, with the latter existing in communities in the north of the large island of Honshu until the Eighth Century. Today, the legacy of the Jōmon people is carried on through the small population of Ainu living in Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan.6

4 Notehelfer, Fred G., and Shigeki Hijino. “History.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., November 14, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan/History. 5 Ibid. 6 Notehelfer, Fred G., and Shigeki Hijino. “History.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., November 14, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan/History.

7 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 It was during the Yayoi period that the Japanese population began to grow and develop, with archaeologists finding the remains of grain storehouses and fortified towns accompanying an increase in tribal warfare and the stratification of society into different bands and eventual kingdoms. This, then, was the beginning of the system of regionalized and segmented rule that would characterize Japanese political life for centuries to come.

The end of the Yayoi period brought the ascendance of one kingdom above the rest. Though its name is debated and unclear, a Chinese document calls it the Yamatai. Regardless of the nomenclature, the consolidation brought about the Kofun Era (Third Century - Sixth Century CE), and with it, centuries of imperial rule and diplomatic expansion to Korea and China - connections which would have an incredibly influential impact on the development of modern-day Japan. Named after the burial mounds of members of the ruling class, the era was distinguished by a powerful emperor supported by an aristocracy and subservient clans who worked to enact imperial and centralized rule more than ever before. These leaders received formal recognition from the Chinese Empire of the time, establishing themselves as the Five Kings of Wa, and with this recognition, broadening cultural exchange in Japan.

Chinese and Korean ideas and technology would have a great impact on the transition of Japan, for the introduction of Buddhism and Confucianism by Korean scholars would see the end of the Yamatai clan’s reign, and the first of a series of Buddhist clans, each of whom would implement Confucian ideologies and codes of conduct, ingraining Confucian values into everyday life and governance, including the implementation of a merit-based civil service system (rather than the existing hereditary system).7

After this time, there was a period in which all power in Japan was concentrated in a single emperor, with individual warriors gathering together under regional elites called shugo, leading to the growth of regional autonomy from the central ruler, as well as clan and region-based warfare. This led to the development of the samurai, highly experienced and well equipped soldiers, who organized with local elites called daimyo. This period would begin known as the Warring States, or Sengoku, era,

7 Notehelfer, Fred G., and Shigeki Hijino. “History.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., November 14, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan/History.

8 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 wherein the violence between individual daimyo intensified more and more, leading to an era of pitched and constant warfare. Starting in the late 15th century, the Era of the Samurai saw the heavily armed forces of daimyos clashing on battlefields across Japan.8 One small clan, that of Oda Nobunaga, would rise to the top of this melange of bloody fighting, and it was by his example that Japan would finally be unified. His descendants would distribute lands out to the loyal daimyo of the Sengoku period, including the family of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who becomes important as Japanese history develops. Upon the death of Nobunaga’s successor Hideyoshi, the armies of his five most trusted advisors clashed to determine which among them would be his successor (the emperor having long ago taken a sideline to the military daimyo) as ruler of Japan. Finally, at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, the forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu vanquished the last of his major opposition to power in Japan, and thus began the Tokugawa Shogunate. 9

The Origins of Modern Japan, or, When Japan Met the World

Classical history aside, understanding Japan’s incredible transformation into an international superpower requires us to begin in a time of official isolation called sakoku and a long period of enforced peace during the Tokugawa Shogunate. This period, from the defeat of Tokugawa Ieyasu’s enemies in 1607 to the creation of the Meiji Dynasty and the succession of the Emperor over the Shogunate in 1867, would prove to be the last period of traditional Japan before a swing towards the mass industrialization that had been taking root and reshaping the Western world. The Shogunate maintained their great control through establishing friendly elites in potentially hostile areas of the countries, and by requiring those leaders to pay tribute and acknowledge the authority of the Shogun. Arising out of an era of constant warfare and strife, the Tokugawa Shogunate offered a period of unparalleled peace in Japanese history, with peace enforced at the local level by the semi- autonomous daimyo, or local lords, and state-wide cohesion facilitated by the Shogun ruling from Edo (modern day Tokyo). Each lord was required not only to keep a house in Edo, but to leave his family and a trusted vassal behind in the capital when not in residence, ensuring that should a daimyo attempt anything seditious, his family and trusted associates would bear the

8 NG, WAI-MING. "POLITICAL TERMINOLOGY IN THE LEGITIMATION OF THE TOKUGAWA SYSTEM: A STUDY OF "BAKUFU" AND SHŌGUN." Journal of Asian History 34, no. 2 (2000): 135-48. www.jstor.org/stable/41933235. 9 The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Tokugawa Period.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., November 7, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/event/Tokugawa-period.

9 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 consequences.10 Social mobility was frozen between the four classes of warriors, farmers, artisans, and merchants, and peasants were forbidden from nonagricultural activities. This ensured not only a stable food supply, but also a distinct lack of warring for control - class divisions were set and mobility was nonexistent, so there was little use in rebellion or the traditional warring between families and clans. Japanese subjects were forbidden from travelling to foreign destinations, and the only contact with foreigners was through the port of Nagasaki, where they were kept isolated from the general population. Christian missionaries and indeed any foreigners caught attempting to mingle with the general population were expelled or executed, and in this way, the Tokugawa Shogunate was able to prevent Japanese society from experiencing the upheavals brought forth by Western interference with domestic policies.11

Although Japan missed out on the first swings of the Industrial Revolution during its period of isolation, the Edo Period was hardly one of stagnation, either economically or culturally. The Tokugawa family created a tenuous equilibrium of state institutions designed at maintaining their rule, and through this create peace within Japan. Following their victory at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, the family found military hegemony, and with their monopoly of force, economic supremacy. Instead of worrying about internal uprisings or a competitor arising from within Japan, then, they viewed the greatest threat as coming from abroad. This is why in 1636, a comprehensive set of regulations were set out, limiting foreign trade to Nagasaki and enforcing a penalty of death to any Japanese subject who returned from abroad.12 This allowed for the government to keep abreast of foreign development, while still ensuring that all of Japan was still under their control, not merely politically, but economically, with the family maintaining a monopoly on the Chinese silk trade as well as all imports to Japan. The government built an extensive series of highways to enable to rapid transit of goods, information, and people throughout the country, establishing a reliable and safe highway system at a time in which Britain relied heavily on Roman roads over a millennium old. This not only facilitated the daimyo’s quick travel to their regions, but also enabled the Shogun’s army to

10 Saxonhouse, Gary R. "The Stability of Megaorganizations: The Tokugawa State." Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE) / Zeitschrift Für Die Gesamte Staatswissenschaft 151, no. 4 (1995): 744. 11 The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Tokugawa Period.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., November 7, 2019. 12 Saxonhouse, Gary R. "The Stability of Megaorganizations: The Tokugawa State." Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE) / Zeitschrift Für Die Gesamte Staatswissenschaft 151, no. 4 (1995): 742-743.

10 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 swiftly arrive on the scene of any errant lords. The centralization of the elite class in Edo would have a profound impact on Japan’s economic development, as the roadways allowed for goods from all over Japan to be brought to Edo to serve the extravagantly wealthy daimyo in residence there, creating a national market for goods and products. With the national market came the concept of comparative advantage and a diffusion of agricultural practices - individual areas were able to focus on maximizing the quality and quantity of certain goods for sale across Japan13

A system that was so intricately and carefully managed could only last for so long, as the daimyo and the Shogun residing in Edo would become gradually more ignorant of the conditions in the countryside. Social divisions eventually became more and more intense, with ever-increasingly wealthy merchants concentrating in cities and peasants and the daimyo becoming ever more ignorant of the conditions for peasants in their regions, as that ever-oppressed class continued to toil and labor in the same way as generations had before them. Even the samurai, who were left to administer the daimyos’ regions, began to feel the pressure from above as they were turned from an elite warrior class to glorified tax collectors with no wars to fight, and great opposition from farmers who disdained having the products of their labor continually taken by some faraway administrators. Between internal discontent and anxiety about foreign intervention, the tenuous powder keg of order was steps away from succumbing to the pressure, and on a sunny day in June of 1853, a fleet of American ships was to supply the match.14

The Perry Expedition

On 8 June 1853, Commodore Matthew Perry and four ships of the United States Navy, under orders to survey the area and establish diplomatic relations, steamed past the capital of Edo (modern day Tokyo), and fired a large volley of blanks. The destructive power of the large naval cannons aboard Perry’s ships was immediately apparent, and soon his small fleet was surrounded by Japanese guard boats carrying a sign in French demanding that the Americans depart immediately. This order was not obeyed, and every attempt to board the American vessels was not allowed, nor any Japanese

13 Saxonhouse, Gary R. "The Stability of Megaorganizations: The Tokugawa State." Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE) / Zeitschrift Für Die Gesamte Staatswissenschaft 151, no. 4 (1995): 744. 14 NG, WAI-MING. "POLITICAL TERMINOLOGY IN THE LEGITIMATION OF THE TOKUGAWA SYSTEM: A STUDY OF "BAKUFU" AND SHŌGUN." Journal of Asian History 34, no. 2 (2000): 135-48. www.jstor.org/stable/41933235.

11 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 envoy allowed to meet with Commodore Perry himself. Eventually on the 14th of July, Perry was allowed to land - accompanied by a detachment of 250 US Marines and a Marine band - where he presented a letter from President Millard Fillmore asking for an opening of friendly relations and trade with the United States.15 Before leaving, he vowed that he would return in a year to receive the reply. Also before leaving, however, Perry sent small boats around the surrounding area and intimidated the populace with threats of violence and destruction if they did not heed the American demand for freedom (by force).

Shortly after Perry left, Russian ships arrived in Edo harbor with their own set of demands, and they stayed for over a month trying to convince the Japanese to accept a treaty preferencing Russian trade and diplomatic ambition.16

The Bakumatsu Period and the Dawn of the Meiji

For generations, the Emperor of Japan was forced to take a subservient role to the power of the Shogun and his system of daimyo. Following the arrival of Commodore Perry and the American demands of openness, the Shogunate’s tenuous grasp on the complicated system of daimyo and samurai would begin to collapse. Founded in its ability to protect Japan from outside and foreign influences, the Tokugawa Shogunate had been forced to accede to American demands, and with the realization that the Shogunate had lost military supremacy as well as the ability to protect its subjects from foreign forces, confidence in the government was shaken. This era was known as the Bakumatsu Period, a time in which the Tokugawa Shogunate abandoned their policy of isolation, and accepted Western technology and presence. A series of unequal treaties which advantaged foreign powers over the Shogunate would form the nail in the coffin of a weakened system that the final Shogun had tried and failed to reform.17 Westerners tanked the Japanese currency system as they exploited a very advantageous exchange rate of silver, resulting in massive amounts of gold coinage leaving the country in the pockets and holds of foreign ships. This destroyed the Japanese gold standard as the government chose to debase the gold content of its coins and return to a

15 Notehelfer, Fred G., and Shigeki Hijino. “History.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., November 14, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan/History. 16 Ibid. 17 Hall, John Whitney. "E. H. Norman on Tokugawa Japan." Journal of Japanese Studies 3, no. 2 (1977): 365-74.

12 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 system of weights to bring Japan into line with the international system. As Westerners took gold out, they brought numerous things in, introducing cholera and causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands. Discontent among peasants led to rebellions across Japan, with fighting only worsening the outbreaks of disease that swept through the countryside. By late 1866, it was apparent that the Shogun had lost control, and that change was in the air.18

Early in 1867, a few powerful clans that had been able to sequester away wealth and power in their regions combined forces to put an end to the Tokugawa family’s dominance over Japanese politics, and together, they demanded an imperial restoration of the young Emperor Meiji. What followed was a bloody conflict known as the Boshin War, in which forces loyal to the Shogun fought desperately against the new Imperial regime, but the forces of the Samurai were defeated by a state which had, as Tokugawa Ieyasu had predicted, accepted Western assistance and military technology. Whereas the Shogun’s forces had accepted small amounts of modern technology and outnumbered the Imperial forces 3:1, their opposition was fully armed with modern Western technology, from artillery to modern rifles and even gatling guns (a hand-cranked predecessor to the machine gun). Modern artillery and rifle fire, when combined with Western professional military advisors, proved to be more than a match for the Samurai and the Shogunate’s army, and the success of the Imperial Army fundamentally showed the power of modern technology over the more traditional elements of the rebel groups.19

The Meiji Empire, as it was then called, was a time of incredible change for Japan. Western culture was adopted en masse, and traditional clothing and practices were shunned by many. The Samurai were banned from wearing theirs swords and top-knot hair styles in public, and Westerners flooded into the country, bringing with them telegraphs, railroads, and many other innovations. Japan adapted quickly to the industrial age, however, with its imports of finished goods steadily decreasing as the years progressed and Japanese native industry emerged. In fact, Japan’s industrialization was such that it was able to begin exporting a shocking amount of manufactured goods to other Asian

18 Saxonhouse, Gary R. "The Stability of Megaorganizations: The Tokugawa State." Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE) / Zeitschrift Für Die Gesamte Staatswissenschaft 151, no. 4 (1995): 7416.www.jstor.org/stable/40751856. 19 Notehelfer, Fred G., and Shigeki Hijino. “History.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., November 14, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan/History.

13 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 countries, allowing Japanese businesses to take root across all of Asia. Japan not only imported massive amounts of foreign machinery, but produced imitations of foreign-produced heavy machinery at a rate many times their import, allowing for factories to pop up in cities across the country. This led to a wealthy industrial elite who, along with the modern machines in their employ, demanded an increasingly modern and European administration. This administration, many argued, should be fervently pro-trade and pro-industry, and should focus on national industrial development and the development of a modern financial system as soon as possible - and so the gargantuan task of radically reforming a state which had remained mostly constant for two and a half centuries was undertaken with speed.20

Imperial Wars

Japan, now solidly an industrializing and Westernizing state, turned to utilize its newfound might in much the same way as many Western nations of the period: expansion. This ambition took the form of the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95. The powerful Japanese state wanted to expand its influence over Korea, a territory it would eventually colonize in 1911.21 The results of the conflict, however, resulted in the cession of Taiwan, the Liaodong Peninsula, and the Penghu Islands to Japan, areas it would rule for decades. Japan’s sphere of influence over Korea would come at odds with the Russian ambition for the same, and eventually tensions would break out in the form of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5, which was a humiliating defeat for the Russian Empire. A shock for the Western world, Japanese forces were able to defeat the Russians (who were, as always, seeking a warm water port) in a series of pitched battles centered on the Liaodong Peninsula and the surrounding waters. Importantly, with both Russia and China out of Korea, Japan was free to slowly encroach upon Korean sovereignty with relative impunity.22

20 Horie, Yasuzo. "FOREIGN TRADE POLICY IN THE EARLY MEIJI ERA." Kyoto University Economic Review 22, no. 2 (53) (1952): 1-21. www.jstor.org/stable/43216999. 21 Notehelfer, Fred G., and Shigeki Hijino. “History.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., November 14, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan/History. 22 Notehelfer, Fred G., and Shigeki Hijino. “History.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., November 14, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan/History.

14 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 Japan During World War I

Japan’s role in World War I may have been limited, but it helped launch Japan onto the international stage after long periods of isolation. At that point (June 1914), Germany had ships in Japanese and Chinese waters. Furthermore, Germany had occupied Tsingtao on the Shandong Peninsula, turning it into a naval base. Japan demanded that Germany remove its fleets from the waters and give up its holdings in Tsingtao. Germany refused and Japan, in accordance with its 1902 treaty with Britain, gave naval assistance to Britain in the fight against Germany, thus entering the war. Japan had several reasons to enter the war. First and foremost, it wanted occupied land and waters back. However, many argue that there was a stronger reason. Whereas previously China was the main power in the Far East (for the greater part of the past millennium), it was clear that this was no longer the case. China and East Asia’s weakness was exacerbated by German occupation and Japan took this opportunity to intervene and position itself as a saving force in East Asia. With the help of Britain, Japan launched a naval invasion of Tsingtao and helped provide support to Britain with manpower and supplies as well. In the end, Japan was seen as the primary power in East Asia, now having control of multiple regions in the Pacific as well as Tsingtao. This power extended further into China’s Shandong peninsula, eventually leading to Japan having heavy influence over the whole of divided China.23

Japan During World War II

Japan saw World War II as an opportunity to expand its international dominance, but its role in the war consisted of acting as the aggressor, terrorizing China and the rest of East Asia. Japan went from acting as the country that stood up for East Asia to the country that would subjugate it.

Japan continued to occupy parts of the Shandong Peninsula, but on September 18, 1931, Japan faked a railroad sabotage on the part of the Chinese and used the incident as grounds to invade Manchuria. At this point, Japan and China were at a standstill, with neither country making any moves beyond their territory. When Japan faked the railroad sabotage, they blamed the Chinese for instigating and used this excuse to invade Manchuria. In reality, the Kwantung army, which had been

23 "Japan Gives Ultimatum to Germany." History.com. November 16, 2009. Accessed June 19, 2019. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/japan-gives-ultimatum-to-germany.

15 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 stationed there along with the dummy empire they set up (Manchukuo), had been planning to invade Manchuria for a long time. This attack was known as the Mukden Incident, named after the Manchurian city of Mukden, and is often considered a precursor to World War II.

Without the consent of the cabinet, the army led this assault, propping up Manchukuo. The army continued and took a part of northern China as well, leading to Japan having a strong hold over China. As the army became more of its own force, the cabinet at the time resigned. The cabinet that took its place actually sanctioned the Kwantung army, despite their previous actions of unrestrained aggression toward the Chinese.24 The League of Nations saw this incident and ultimately assigned blame on the Japanese side. However, this did not mean much to Japan as they had already withdrawn from the League of Nations at this point.

Japan escalated its invasion of China with the Marco Polo Bridge incident of 1937. Rising Japanese support for its encroachment into Manchuria emboldened Japanese forces, who crossed into Chinese territory from Japanese occupied Manchukuo in order to conduct military exercises. Chinese guards outside of the city of Wanping fired upon the Japanese troops, who had illegally entered Chinese territory, and the alarm was raised throughout the region of possible Japanese encroachment into China. When one Japanese soldier was found to be missing upon the unit’s return, a delegation of Japanese military commanders was sent to demand that the Chinese forces allow them to search the city. When this encroachment upon Chinese sovereignty was refused, both sides began to mobilize for conflict. The ensuing battle resulted in the town of Wanping being surrounded and the unit stationed at Marco Polo Bridge taking heavy losses, as well as the formal beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War.25 Not only did the incident result in the breakdown of negotiations and violation of the 1933 cease fire between the two nations, the incident, known as the 7 July Incident in China and Japan, marked the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War, and, in the opinion of many historians, the beginning of the Pacific Theatre of the Second World War. The conflict thus started would not be finished until Japanese defeat in 1945, and the resulting conflict

24 "Why Did Japan Choose War?" Why Did Japan Choose War? | AHA. Accessed June 21, 2019. https://www.historians.org/about-aha-and-membership/aha-history-and-archives/gi-roundtable-series/pamphlets/em- 15-what-shall-be-done-about-japan-after-victory-(1945)/why-did-japan-choose-war. 25 "The Rape of Nanking." History.com. February 09, 2010. Accessed July 17, 2019. https://www.history.com/this-day-in- history/the-rape-of-nanking.

16 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 between internal Chinese forces would finally conclude only in 1949, with the victory of the Chinese Communist Party of Mao Zedong over the Nationalist Party of Chiang Kai Shek at the end of the Chinese Civil War.26

Japan’s war and occupation of China is marred with horrific instances of war crimes, including forced starvation, mass murder, rape, and forced labor. Japanese troops senselessly and consistently abused Chinese civilians and treated the local population with contempt to such an incredible degree that the two nations have never fully reconciled the pain caused during the conflict. Among the atrocities was the 1938 Rape of Nanking, where the Kwantung army stormed the Chinese capital of Nanking, raping and massacring thousands in horrible acts of violence upon a civilian population. Japanese researchers and scientists employed chemical warfare from gas attacks to bubonic plague and other disease ridden fleas, dispersed by aircraft, causing epidemics which killed hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians. Wells and water supplies were poisoned, food supplies compromised, and disease utilized in a bizarre and horrific campaign of total war wherein all Chinese civilians were targets and objects of violence. While Japan set out to create a “Greater Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere” and imitate the colonial empires of Western states, it left behind a wake of destruction and resentment that fundamentally shook its international standing to a point wherein it has still not fully recovered.27

Outside of China, Japan also tried to expand in Asia with newfound confidence in its army and navy. Japan occupied Indochina in 1940 in order to block supplies to Chinese Nationalists, which led to the US freezing Japanese assets and placing oil embargos. While Japan was officially not at war against Western powers at this point, the turmoil of the Pacific theatre had already begun. The cabinet at the time, the Konoe cabinet, tried to go into negotiations with the US. These ended up failing and thus a new cabinet came into place, one which had no interest in negotiations. Thus “negotiations” continued, while at the same time, preparations for the attack on Pearl Harbor were being made.28

26 Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Marco Polo Bridge Incident." Encyclopædia Britannica. July 01, 2019. Accessed July 17, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/event/Marco-Polo-Bridge-Incident. 27 Bryant, Michael S. A World History of War Crimes: From Antiquity to the Present. London, UK: Bloomsbury Academic, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2016: 189-196. 28 Jansen, Marius B., and G. Cameron Hurst. "Japan." Encyclopædia Britannica. June 27, 2019. Accessed July 01, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan/World-War-II-and-defeat.

17 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 On December 7th, 1941, the Japanese launched a bombing attack on Pearl Harbor. It went successfully and came as a complete surprise to the US. Soon after, Japan took control of Burma, Singapore, and Manila. Japan was gaining confidence in their conquests further and further south in the Pacific, and had begun to promise victory to their citizens. However, right after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the US had been quickly building a fleet to rival Japan’s. The tide began to turn after the Battle of Midway in June of 1942 and the Battle for Guadalcanal Island in February of 1943. These were both defeats for the Japanese navy, and Japan was now on the defensive. The Japanese navy felt that the war was lost, especially after the fall of the cabinet at the time, but they still attempted to keep the war going. Firebombing ravaged every major city in Japan except the old capital of Kyoto. The bombings took an extreme turn in August of 1945, when the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing an estimated 200,000 people by the end of the year. A few days after that, the Soviet Union’s army marched into Manchuria, defeating the Japanese army stationed there and effectively ending Japanese occupation of China. Soon after, once it was realized that a naval blockade was crippling the import of resources, the emperor finally surrendered.29 In the end, the war effort was a negative for Japan, as the country lost all its holdings from conquest, tons of supplies, and many lives. With Japan in a vulnerable state, the Allied Forces occupied Japan with the goal of reconstruction.

Occupation and Reconstruction

The Allied Forces occupied Japan with the goal of demilitarizing the army, stabilizing the economy, sorting out the political situation in Japan (democratization), and reforming the education system. The operation was carried out by many countries but led almost entirely by the United States. General Douglas MacArthur was known as the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP)

29 Ibid

18 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 and was in charge of the reconstruction project in Japan. Unlike other occupations, the Japanese government was still able to operate and rule its own country during this time.

A primary concern was the destruction of the violent militaristic nationalism that had so controlled Japan. Trials were held and former officers were banned from holding office again. Furthermore, Emperor Hirohito was reduced to a figurehead for the country; all his dictatorial power was stripped. Instead, more power was given to the parliament. Furthermore, in order to decentralize the god-like following of the emperor, nationalist organizations were disbanded and state Shintoism was abolished. As far as demilitarizing arms, all non-defensive arms were removed from the country and most of the standing Japanese military was dismantled.30

For economic reforms, SCAP introduced land reform policies and broke up large Japanese business conglomerates called Zaibatsu. The land reforms consisted of taking land from powerful landowners and selling it back to tenant farmers at a favorable price. This allowed the large tenant farmer population to own their own land, leading to a more capitalist economy. The addition of subsidies and fixed agriculture prices led to success for these farmers which increased the consumer base dramatically. This was in an effort to create a more capitalist economy. The Zaibatsu houses themselves were not dissolved, but the Zaibatsu holding companies (which were much like monopolies) were taken apart. The government also passed laws that would make it impossible for monopolies to form again. Unfortunately, by 1947 and 1948, there was an economic crisis in Japan, mostly due to the lack of raw materials for industrial goods. This became a problem for the US, since it meant that the failing economy was turning toward the rising threat of communism. Thus, SCAP tried to combat the economic crisis by introducing tax reforms and trying to reduce inflation. Eventually this was solved, as the UN utilized Japan as a supply depot for the Korean War. This was a much-needed boost in international standing for Japan and also led to SCAP purging all communist leaders from public office.31

30 "Occupation and Reconstruction of Japan, 1945–52." Office of the Historian. Accessed June 26, 2019. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/japan-reconstruction. 31 Jansen, Marius B., and G. Cameron Hurst. "Japan." Encyclopædia Britannica. June 27, 2019. Accessed July 01, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan/World-War-II-and-defeat.

19 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 In 1947, the Fundamental Law of Education was passed. This law granted academic freedom, coeducation, and increased compulsory education. SCAP believed that education was the key to increasing the efficiency of democracy. SCAP also helped introduce universities and schools with entrance exams, which would allow students to progress more without specializing. This was different from the prewar education system, where students would specialize from a very early age. Because of this new education system, the number of schools and graduating students increased dramatically.32

In regards to political reforms, a new constitution was put in place, which was based off the progressive reforms from the Meiji constitution. This constitution was targeted to give more power to the people. It took power away from the emperor, as previously mentioned, and also implemented a proper judicial system and a House of Representatives, which was elected by both men and women. The most important thing that the Allies looked for was to suppress communism as much as possible.33 Nevertheless, this was not as easy as it seemed. When the Allies began the occupation of Japan, they released all communist and anti-war intellectuals from imprisonment in an effort to push for intellectual freedom. This was a popular move, but perhaps misunderstood by the public. Over time, especially in universities, Marxist and communist thought began to rise as Japan believed that these intellectuals were the guiding force for politics, put forward by their release from prison by the Allies. In reality, the Allies did not actually want to push for communism, they simply wanted to support intellectual freedom. The movement was not particularly strong in the beginning of the occupation, but as the economy deteriorated, communism became a more popular school of thought. Eventually, the SCAP removed all communist officials from government positions. However, the threat of communist professors in universities still remained. Universities could not be purged of professors in this way since it violated the aforementioned principle, which declared universities to be autonomous bodies with complete freedom of expression. The Allies did not want to make it seem like expression was suppressed, but at the same time, the United States amidst the Cold War would not stand for another country being lost to communism. Thus, in order to deal with the universities, the SCAP worked with the Civil Information and Education Section, or CIE. They created standards for hiring professors which ensured professors could not be considered “political

32 Ibid 33 Ibid

20 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 activists,” and also sent high authority CIE members to give speeches differentiating between communism and freedom of expression. With that, SCAP was able to suppress the growing threat of communism.34

Finally, in 1951, Japan and the US signed a treaty to end occupation. Japan had pulled out of most of its conquered territories, the economy was stable, education had increased, and the government was no longer headed by a dictator or a foreign power. Japan was finally on its own again.

Post-Occupation Japan

In the 1950s, after occupation, Japan experienced significant changes in its economy, politics, and international relations. A lot of this change was prompted by the actions taken during reconstruction and occupation.

The land reforms came into effect and farmers prospered, even more so with the help of mechanization. The increased agricultural and economic output was matched with engineered steady population growth and not a population boom. The population was kept steady through legalization of abortion in 1948 and the encouragement of family planning. The steady population growth was beneficial because it prevented further food shortages and unemployment. However, the limited population, paired with economic growth, led to labor shortages, especially in urban areas. As a result, more and more farmers moved to cities. 35

Politics during occupation had been mostly dry. There were several short-lived cabinets during occupation that never truly had power. Afterwards, the previously dominant right wing was starting to lose footing to the communist party of Japan. This was short-lived since the SCAP eventually purged the remaining members of that party from office. Now what remained were many smaller groups who all looked for power in this new and thriving Japan. In 1955, the right and left wings of the socialist movement merged to create the Japanese Socialist Party or JSP. In response, the

34 Kumano, Ruriko. "Anticommunism and Academic Freedom: Walter C. Eells and the “Red Purge” in Occupied Japan." History of Education Quarterly 50, no. 4 (November 2010): 513-37. doi:10.1111/j.1748-5959.2010.00292.x. 35 Jansen, Marius B., and G. Cameron Hurst. "Japan." Encyclopædia Britannica. June 27, 2019. Accessed July 01, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan/World-War-II-and-defeat.

21 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 conservative party (liberals and democrats) formed the Liberal-Democratic Party or LDP. This two party political scene would continue for some time. The JSP wanted to strictly abide by the newly placed constitution, and targeted the intellectuals and working class, focusing on urban development. On the other hand, the LDP wanted to bring Japan back to its previously held world dominance, trying to attain large scale economic boosts, catering to mostly the rural farmers and some members of the bureaucracy.36

After its return to the international community, or perhaps in order to make its return, Japan made several treatises and pacts which sorted reparations and territories with individual countries including Myanmar, the Soviet Union, Korea, and China. Japan’s pact with China in 1952 improved its relationship with them, despite a rocky past. Within a few years, China was Japan’s biggest trade partner.37 Vitally, Japan joined the United Nations in 1956, becoming the 69th member in December of that year, and in doing so stepped back onto the international stage of diplomacy it abandoned in 1931.38 The stage, then, was set for the birth of a new Japan.

36 Ibid 37 Ibid 38 "Japan Profile - Timeline." BBC News. April 26, 2019. Accessed June 26, 2019. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia- pacific-15219730.

22 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 Statement of the Problem

Economy and Industry in Japan

From 1955-1960 Japan has averaged a 10% growth in its economy every year. This is due to a multitude of reasons, including mechanization in farms, land reform policies, and increasing industrial centers. Earlier this year, Japan introduced the Income Doubling Plan of 1960. This gives the government the responsibility of retaining proper education including vocational training. It also forces companies to factor in consumers more. It is uncertain how this increase in consumerism will exactly impact Japan in the future, but for now, it is giving Western culture a heavy influence on Japanese culture.39

Japan’s industries were also beginning to prosper and in 1959, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MITI) put out a policy which made these industries focus on high quality goods for foreign and domestic use. This made companies implement many quality control methods and shifted the focus toward high quality, sustainable products. What this means is that Japan now needs trade partners from around the world to buy these high quality products and provide more raw resources in return. Japan is open to the world economy once again.40

Increasing Urbanization

The Japanese is an ever-developing and ever-changing machine. Increasing globalization has meant the replacement of the desperate search for raw materials with a quest for innovation and the pursuit of progress. The biggest shift occurring in Japan’s modern economy is the increased focus on urban life. More and more people from rural regions of Japan are relocating to cities, creating entirely new conditions for the economy of Japan. With fewer workers in the countryside, Japan’s farms have turned to automation, and the power of research and industry is combined to create ever newer and more efficient methods of farming and agriculture. More and more universities are

39 Notehelfer, Fred G., and Shigeki Hijino. “History.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., November 14, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan/History. 40 Jansen, Marius B., and G. Cameron Hurst. "Japan." Encyclopædia Britannica. June 27, 2019. Accessed July 01, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan/World-War-II-and-defeat.

23 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 opening, and with each year sees larger and larger classes of students ready to tackle the fields of technology and innovation.41

Such a massive shift towards cities and urban areas has left the countryside with a surplus of empty houses, and the cities with not enough housing to go around. In some cities, there simply is not enough land to go around, and so developers are forced to build up, creating soaring apartment buildings with high prices and ever smaller units. As wages rise with education levels, so too does the cost of living, as people must spend more and more to maintain the same quality of living in crowded city environments. Because of the incredible cost of living in cities and the need for more housing, cities begin to expand outward from their traditional boundaries, and urban sprawl necessitates the building of new infrastructure focused on being able to get commuters to work.42

Given the incredible opportunities afforded by the city, from shopping centers to movie theatres and cultural outlets, the ever increasing educated classes move en masse to the cities, as they offer unparalleled levels of wealth compared to the rural farming existence. While housing is expensive, wages are higher, and rural communities throughout the latter half of the 20th century empty with their younger generations attracted to the flashing lights of Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and many others.

Influence of Western Culture

After the occupation of the US in Japan, Japanese culture was heavily influenced by Western and especially American culture, as thousands of American troops are either garrisoned in Japan or pass through on their way to other operations throughout the Pacific. American soldiers bring a love for baseball, American movies, music, and clothing to Japan which, when combined with the higher disposable income of the growing and educated middle classes, spurs a cultural shift towards consumerism, especially towards the new and exotic Western products. Department stores, shopping malls, movie theatres, coffee shops, and nightclubs are popping up across Japan as forms of entertainment for the growing and youthful urban population. These types of stores lead to Western fashion and Western food, such as soft drinks and fast food, becoming more common.

41 Ibid 42 Ibid

24 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 Media influence is also huge, including the presence of Western fashion and music including jazz, rock and roll, and more. The novelty of Western culture, clothing, music, and attitudes begins to change Japanese culture more and more.43

Before, one’s life was tied to their extended family: sons took on the jobs of their fathers and daughters were expected to fulfill the role of a housewife as their mothers had. But in this new Japan of universities and cities, the youth are more free, both in action and thought. The presence of universities and higher education creates situations in which children live away from home and are exposed to new ideas and traditions. The movement to urban centers means that young adults have easy access to everything, and increased income sees that they are able to shop at grocery stores and restaurants more than before, negating the necessary ties of rural communities together. The

43 Ibid

25 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 pace of life has become even faster with industrialization, fast food, and different forms of entertainment.44

Another huge development is the role of women in Japanese society. In pre-World War II Japan, women were restricted to being housewives or helping out in the farm from time to time. Unparalleled numbers of women are graduating from high schools and advancing into universities and colleges, where they are studying everything from business to science, and becoming active participants in the still very conservative Japanese workforce. While women still fulfill domestic duties in many families, an unprecedented number are going into the workforce, encouraged not only by Western conceptions of household life and feminism, but also by the economic incentive and necessity of urban life. Women born in the 1940s and 1950s leave home for job related reasons at an unprecedented rate, no longer staying in the houses of their youth until marriage, and instead traveling out, often to the big city, in search of economic and social advancement. Women, especially those from poorer families, were finally beginning to have the same ability for individual social advancement as their male counterparts, and increased education among couples increased the likelihood that following generations would also attend university or college level institutions, creating a continually more educated population.45 New innovations, from washing machines to restaurants have lessened the incredible burden of hours and hours of housework, and resulted in an increasing amount of leisure time for women in post-occupation Japan.46

The entire transition of the lifestyle was largely influenced by Western impact on education and consumerism, combined with the heavy focus on urban centers. To many, this seems like the shift that Japan needs, but some don’t agree. The older generation criticizes the youth for “moral decay” and expression of radical thoughts. The generational gap is larger than ever, and consistently expanding as every new innovation drives more Japanese youth into cities and new trades and industries, and away from the villages and occupations that their families had held for generations.47

44 Ibid 45 Fukuda, Setsuya. "Leaving the Parental Home in Post-war Japan: Demographic Changes, Stem-family Norms and the Transition to Adulthood." Demographic Research 20 (2009): 754-759. www.jstor.org/stable/26349334. 46 Ibid 47 Ibid

26 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 Japanese Student Unions

Japanese students represent the future, especially with the country’s new focus on education. However, many of these students have radicalized due to the exchange of free opinions and in response to residues of feudalism.48 While unionization can be a healthy force, the unions are starting to get more organized and have held multiple protests over the past few years.

The most prominent force is a league of Japanese students known as the Zengakuren. The Zengakuren is a group not specific to one university, but more like an organized movement throughout universities in Japan. It was founded in 1948 as a Marxist-Leftist organization, targeting progressive young adults who wanted changed as well as apathetic conservatives. It aligned itself with the Japanese Communist party, or JCP. However, when the Red Purge occurred, the Zengakuren disassociated itself to avoid purging, and instead took a stance of a more “pure” interpretation of Marxism. Whereas before, the Zengakuren movement bred politicians who fed directly into the government, it now acts as a completely student-organized operation (since 1958). Despite this, the hierarchical structure still exists along with a variety of internal factions like the Bund and the Marxist Student League (MSL). Some of these factions can become militant and could cause problems in the future, especially with their growing size and influence.49

48 Sunada, Ichiro. "The Thought and Behavior of Zengakuren: Trends in the Japanese Student Movement." Asian Survey 9, no. 6 (1969): 457-74. doi:10.1525/as.1969.9.6.01p0491g. 49 Ibid

27 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 Powers of the Committee

Overview of Powers and Structure

Spanning a large period of Japanese history, the committee will bridge the gap between individual administrations and engage with the problems of building a nation out of disorder. Delegates will be able to have both a front row seat as well as a hand in crafting the development of Japan, transcending the minutiae and middle management of government to focus on broader themes in recent Japanese history. Through a series of crises simulating real life events, the committee is tasked with answering the big picture questions that confound leaders everywhere, from how to rise sustainably and justly to how best to ensure the wellbeing and happiness of a population. The committee is formed out of heads of industry and political leaders, taking the form of a sort of “cabinet plus” in which all members have voting and speaking rights, and every delegate has a hand in committee decisions and directives. Thus, every delegate should be prepared to debate and discuss public policy and the committee’s reaction to any number of crises ranging from financial to natural.

Goals

The committee is faced with a crossroads in Japanese history, especially relating to its fundamental identity. This committee begins after occupation, after military rule, and after the control of monarchs, and provides a fresh look at how a state might not only build democracy, but establish which ideals it holds important. You will be tasked with helping to define the culture of the nation, blending tradition with modernity and the ever-forward march of technological advancement. The ultimate goal is to provide an experience of balancing international relations and foreign pressure, domestic politics, and economic advancement simultaneously, always understanding the far reaching impacts of crises and solutions to help create modern Japan.

On Format and Crisis

This is a standard continuous crisis committee, so delegate actions will be split into front room and back room communication. The front room is the place for debate and discourse on crises and solutions, and the back room is for individual scheming and the usage of portfolio powers to advance

28 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 personal objectives through the writing of notes. These two rooms will operate in tandem, with front room directives back room notes creating and causing crises that will then be reenacted and announced to the committee in the front room. Successful delegates will not only be able to speak eloquently in the front room and be able to write policy directives that address the variety of crises presented, but also be able to further their own personal ambitions through back room notes.

29 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 Character Biographies

Honda Soichiro, CEO of Honda Motor Company

Honda is the founder of a powerful motor company, developing motorbikes for both the racetrack and for the masses. His new bike, the Cub, revolutionized transit in Asia, allowing for the well built and affordable motorbike priced at an accessible for people yearning for motorized transportation. The incredible success of this new production motorbike, with sales outpacing the production capacity of Honda facilities, has led to incredible prosperity and power for the Honda Motor Company, and Honda has begun expanding his business beyond Japan, setting up branches throughout Asia, and even a new office in the United States. Honda Soichiro wishes to see the Japanese economy continue to grow and further his business interests at home and abroad.

Tobe Hachiru, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry

Tobe Hachiru has an especially important role in this new era of Japan. With Japan engaging in heavy trade and requiring many raw resources to advance industry, Hachiru is in a prime position as he responsible for the many laws regulating businesses and monopolies. Hachiru also has particular jurisdiction over many of the ports in the large cities due to his heavy involvement in monitoring Japanese trade. When he’s not busy dealing with complaints about pirates, Hachiru does his best to meet labourers working in the ports. He has developed a certain kinship with the labourers, and he hopes to represent their vital interests to the Cabinet.

Sawa Katsuro, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Katsuro Sawa had always felt a passion for exploration. From a young age, he was glued to newsreels and radio broadcast about the world outside of his small village near Osaka. On weekends, he would travel to the great port of Osaka itself, just to marvel at the massive ships that would steam into harbor, laden with goods and produce from around the world. He would spend hours in his room or at the library, fascinated by travel diaries and books about faraway lands, dreaming about walking through the crowded streets of Manhattan or Moscow, seeing the palaces of London or the warehouses of Chicago. Sawa attended the University of Tokyo, where he studied history and international relations, and dreamed of a career in the diplomatic service, working in an embassy of

30 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 his homeland within the capital of the places he had read so much about. His first posting was to London - finally he wandered through Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus - but it was not for long, as Japan recalled its diplomats at the outset of the Second World War. Sawa languished at home before once again returning to London as Ambassador - a position he left in order to become the Minister of Foreign Affairs, a position he holds with great pleasure. As Minister of Foreign Affairs, he looks forward to overseeing Japan’s integration with the global community. He wants to forge closer ties with any potential economic partners.

Omura Masa, Minister of Justice

Omura Masa has had a checkered life. Born the son of a fisherman in the south of Japan, he distinguished himself both in the classroom and on the track. He earned a scholarship to the University of Tokyo, where he studied jurisprudence and history, eventually graduating near the top of his class, and competing in multiple track events and marathons when he wasn’t in the library. After graduation, Omura easily passed the bar exam for the Tokyo area, and began work as a Procurator, with aims to eventually become a judge. He never forgot his humble origins, however, and consistently worked not only to better himself, but also to ensure that the basic tenets of due process and equality under the law were rightfully extended to all. These qualifications, as well as his unending wish to serve in the public interest led him to be chosen as the Minister of Justice in 1960, a position he holds with pride. He is commonly seen as a bulwark against corruption, taking the initiative in rooting out any trouble at first instinct.

Murani Yoshihiro, Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications

Murani grew up the wealthy son of landowners in Hokkaido, and from a young age, he was fascinated by the radio that played at school. When his family eventually purchased one, for they were a certain luxury during his childhood, the young Yoshihiro would sit and listen with rapt attention to the broadcasts and reports of the news and current events. This fascination with communications and the power of words led Yoshihiro to pursue a degree in literature, and he served as President of the Foreign Affairs Society on campus. Eventually, he graduated and worked at a multitude of newspapers and radio stations popping up around Japan, where he gained an appreciation for those who made sure that communication was capable throughout the rapidly

31 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 industrializing country. He joined the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and has been there ever since, eventually becoming the appointed Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, a position that he serves with pride. He has contacts at a vast array of Japanese telecommunications networks and a personal expertise in generating public interest in stories. It is without a doubt that Yoshihiro has potential to be a vital asset to this Japanese government.

Taniguchi Mari, Minister of Health, Labor, and Welfare

Mari Taniguchi, MD, is unique in the cabinet, for she was not only educated in the United States, but also possesses a medical degree obtained from the University of Chicago in 1937. She returned to Japan at the start of the Second World War, with shortages of trained medical staff a constant presence. She helped staff several military hospitals on the main island, and was a quiet, yet constant opponent of violence and warfare, preferring instead to champion causes of prenatal health and immunization. After languishing in various health-related administrative positions, including medical commissioner in the Kansai region, she was chosen as the Minister of Health, Labor, and Welfare. She oversees the Japanese vaccination programs and emergency disease response infrastructure. She has also forged friendships with some union leaders in her official capacity.

Ban Unkei, Executive Director of NHK

Ban Unkei, named after a famous sculptor of Japanese antiquity, has been extremely effective during his stewardship of NHK, Japan’s first and largest broadcasting company. It is under his guidance that NHK has grown from a government radio station into a listener-supported multimedia powerhouse, expanding into television and radio relays across the country. Ban’s leadership has facilitated a surge of growth in numbers of stations, and NHK radio can now be heard in every household in all of Japan, with NHK’s television wing following closely behind as TVs become ever more popular. He is a skilled orator and has friends across the Japanese entertainment world. Though he has spent his entire life in Tokyo, Ban Unkei is well on his way to becoming a global name.

32 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 Ohashi Naoki, Minister of State for the Environment

Naturally, Ohashi Naoki is a tree hugger and loves the environment. Surprisingly, he is very afraid of large trees. Alas, that does not stop him protecting the environment in Japan. In an era when industry is growing at a rapid pace, Naoki is trying his best to keep natural parks in check. Naoki was raised a hunter, but now looks over all the natural parks in Japan, making sure that overhunting and deforestation do not ravage the country. He has adopted a strict vegetarian diet and is the strongest voice against big industry expanding into Japan’s beautiful wilderness. He commands a powerful government agency that includes headquarters in every city in the country, water-treatment plants, and recycling centers.

Matsuno Raizo, Director-General of the Defense Agency

Matsuno has always had an interest in the defense of his country. Though he missed direct service in the Second World War, as he was attending the Naval Accounting School, he has every mark of a naval officer, from his impeccable dress to his formal language and stiff posture. He served as the

33 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 Director-General of the Prime Minister’s office in 1958, and has become well acquainted with both the political process and the military’s role in the new Japanese state. Matsuno remains good friends with his classmates at the Naval Accounting School, many of whom now operate in positions of authority across multiple Japanese maritime industries. He wishes to see Japan defended against foreign threats and is skeptical of many of the American influences on Japanese life.

Nakatomi Kin, Minister of Finance

Nakatomi had always dreamed of becoming a banker. From a young age, he memorized balance sheets and dreamed about one day walking the floor of the great stock exchanges of London or New York, shouting out trades and becoming a member of that great institution of international finance. With this zeal in mind, he studied Economics and Finance at Waseda University in Tokyo, staying on after his undergraduate degree to complete both a masters and a doctorate in the field of economics, with a dissertation relating to the great Dutch Tulip Mania of 1637 and its lasting impacts on modern day conceptions of trust in financial institutions. After working his way up through the levels of a Tokyo investment firm, he was tapped to become the Minister of Finance, a position he exercises with pride. As Minister of Finance, he oversees government investments both at home and abroad. He wants to see Japan’s economy rival that of even the most powerful nations and will stop at nothing to see that achieved. His extensive efforts to gain connections have left Nakatomi Kim with friends at major banks in Japan and the rest of the world.

Asano Tatsuya, Minister of Culture

A man of supreme culture, Asano has always thought of himself as a member of Japan’s burgeoning literati. After studying English and Japanese classical literature at Waseda University, Asano moved to France and studied the great classics of Western literature - as well as music - at the Sorbonne, eventually earning a doctorate at the storied institution before returning to Japan to teach classics and literature to an ever larger cadre of pupils at Waseda University. When asked to serve as Minister of Culture, Asano first responded with a thoughtful critique of government policy concerning the arts and culture, and had to be persuaded to finally accept the position, provided that he be allowed free reign to promote Japan as a capital of culture - both traditional and avant-garde. He is friends with all of Tokyo’s most famous actors and actresses and has used some of his personal funds to purchase a

34 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 small theater in the city. He hosts regular book clubs with some of the sharpest minds in Japan, though their feelings towards him are reportedly mixed.

Naito Takayuki, Minister of Education, Science, and Technology

Are you a scientist in need of funding? Well then Takayuki is the man that you need to go through. He was determined to get a PhD in biochemistry, but he quickly realized he was more of a people person and did not want to spend the rest of his life in a lab. Thus, he became a lecturer at the University of Tokyo, teaching Chemistry and Physics. He worked his way up while doing more personal projects, eventually becoming head of the department. However, the collegiate lifestyle simply wasn’t for him. He wanted to do something bigger. With this in mind, he applied to be Minister of Education, Science, and Technology. He was selected for the job as the only truly qualified applicant. At this position, Takayuki oversees the natural science labs in Japan making sure that nothing is occurring without his knowledge. Furthermore he is the head of all boards of education in the country. While he himself has no control over any of the schools, he can strongly encourage what is being taught as well as what cannot be taught. He trusts his connections in academia like family and can count on them to help him advance his personal agenda.

Sugiyama Michi, Head of Japan National Railways

The world is industrializing and Sugiyama Michi is at the forefront. Michi is responsible for all government controlled railways, including upkeep, construction, and planning. Michi hates cars. That is precisely why he plans on continuing to build more railways. Michi was trained as an engineer and is this is very involved in the innovation of new technology relating to trains. As he often says about the state of the future: “Trains, Trains, Trains”. He leads a group that is among the most advanced railway companies in the world. He has amassed a small fortune in this position and has been brought in by the government to help plan future infrastructure developments on federal scale.

Masumi Hirota , CEO Hitachi Limited

Heavy industry has always been a passion of Masumi Hirota’s, from the time when he was a little boy growing up in Ibaraki Prefecture. His father, an employee at the then small Hitachi company used to

35 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 take him to work, and young Masumi became fascinated by the intricate and grand metal presses, the thrum of the machine shop, and the quiet confidence of the metal workers fitting together the pieces of Hitachi’s first product - a small induction motor used for copper mining. After graduation from Kyushu University, Hirota went back to work at the firm where his father had been a machinist, this time ditching the workman’s clothes for a suit and tie as first a draughtsman, and then rising his way up through the ranks of Hitachi’s business structure to serve as CEO, a position he takes immensely seriously. He runs a company that produces everything from electronics to construction equipment to refrigerators. He recently oversaw the establishment of Hitachi America in 1959 and hopes to continue to grow his business.

Okino Mutsohito, CEO Toshiba Corporation

Okino Mutsohito had dreamed of a career at sea, plying the waters with cargo or fish, having grown up next to the ocean in a small town in the South of the main island of Japan. Unfortunately, the war changed all of that, with Okino’s apprenticeship being cut short due to the drafting of all able-bodied seamen. Not content to let that stop him, the young Okino decided to focus himself on another talent - entrepreneurship. His savvy spirit quickly landed him a coveted spot at Kyushu University studying engineering as well as business, deciding to utilize both his people skills and mathematical abilities to his advantage. He was hired straight out of college at Toshiba’s research and development department, and rose through the ranks due to a combination of a persistent work ethic and a certain way with people. He now leads a vast and diversified company that makes everything from electronics to air conditioners. He is, as one might expect, extremely wealthy, and he has gained a reputation as a high roller. He owns five Lamborghini sports cars and one of the largest private yachts in the world. Okino Mutsuhito has made it big in Japan and wants to grow his business even more.

Tengan Kioshi, CEO Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Tengan Kioshi is at the head of Mitsubishi, an old company that is now branching out into different fields. Kioshi began working under a blacksmith at the tender age of 4. Since his parents would often ignore him, this Blacksmith, Shaun, ended up becoming the father figure in Kioshi’s life. Kioshi opened up his own smithy when he was older but when business became tough, he decided to take a

36 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 risk and open up a foundry. He applied his blacksmith skills to a much larger scale in this foundry which ended up becoming the largest foundry in Japan. Kioshi made a deal with Mitsubishi, selling the foundry to them but also giving Kioshi an executive position. When the spot for CEO of Mitsubishi opened up, it was clear that Kioshi was the best option. While originally owning foundries and metalworking factories, Mitsubishi has begun to expand into the automobile and aircraft industries under Kioshi’s wing. Current Kioshi is only working with prototypes of newer products but still has a soft spot in his heart for the original craft of metalworking. He is extremely wealthy, extremely resourceful, and extremely well liked by anyone who meets him.

Hoga Jaben, CEO Sony Corporation

When someone thinks of futuristic and cutting edge, Sony, and its CEO, Hoga Jaben come to mind. Sony’s new products are coming into the homes of more Japanese citizens every minute, with the tape recorder, television set, radio, and others as their top sellers this year. Jaben was never top of his class. In fact, Jaben was never even in the top half of his graduating class in terms of grades. Nevertheless, Jaben fought through these years learning about whatever he could along the way. He learned to modify radios and even build his own, indicating he was much smarter than his poor grades would seem to indicate. Jaben never specialized in any one field, but after taking easy business classes throughout college, he considered himself a business pro. Starting out as a sales rep for Sony, Jaben quickly rose the ranks and became the Chief of Osaka Operations before being appointed CEO, when the company was in a down period. Since then, Jaben has become intimately involved in both the cutting edge field of electronics innovation as well as the business practices required to get ahead. He is loved by the employees of Sony and has made it his life’s mission to continue producing the coolest technology that he can dream up.

Takeo Miki, Politician

Takeo Miki always wanted to be a big shot, signing up for every single politics related club that was available. He has always been very outspoken about his ideas, but, a skilled orator, he greatly enjoys crushing his opponents in debates. With such an energetic and imposing personality, it seems somewhat strange that he enjoys meditating in his free time. After running for and winning local office, Miki decided that he needed a bigger stage. Thus he built a platform and tried to work his way

37 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 up to the Diet of Japan. His platform was mostly liberal and was centered around being against corruption. He was wildly successful with a small but devout faction of political followers who support his views and actions in the government. Miki now represents his faction and is essential to policy development in Japan, serving as one of the most outspoken members of the Diet. He’s built a large hall in the middle of Tokyo for meetings among his faction and often opens this to any citizen in order to hear their feedback and learn about his platform. In his free time, Miki enjoys gardening, where he treats every single one of his trees and shrubs like one of his children, often sparking jealousy from his son and daughter. Miki also loves talking to his old friends, most of whom are from his days studying to be a lawyer in Meiji University and University of Southern California.

Kakuei Tanaka, Politician

A classic example of a rich figure who once started in poverty. Tanaka started out as a dairy farmer, a profession that is not very common in Japan. Even though his father was very enthusiastic, Tanaka did not want to pursue dairy farming. Instead he wanted to build this country up from the ground. He never got any actual secondary schooling, but he still managed to teach himself civil engineering by spending a lot of time in the local libraries. Tanaka got involved in multiple minor construction projects along the countryside, building up his knowledge (and his resume). Soon enough, Tanaka was working for the government: designing and leading construction on government projects including housing, bridges, and even public buildings. This role landed him in the Diet when the Diet was expanding, and thus, he now gets a say in policy as well. He still continues his many construction projects but also now gets a heavy hand in regulating construction and zoning laws throughout the country. Regardless, Tanaka never forgot his roots and still claims: “Building a bridge is no different than raising a cow”.

Takeo Fukuda, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries

Fukuda is a prominent politician who has his hands in everything from finance to foreign affairs, but his main passion lies in fisheries. He was always terrible at the traditional methods of fishing, despite trying to learn from his parents who were both fishermen. Instead, Fukuda enjoyed tending to his own fish in a small pond in his backyard in Kobe. Fukuda began opening fisheries when he came of age, wanting other people to taste his home grown fish. When the government reached out to

38 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 partner with his fisheries, he was ecstatic as he got massive grants to open up industrial-sized fisheries. As the current Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Fukuda plays an especially large role in having jurisdiction over all the publicly owned fisheries in Japan. Fukuda also is responsible for putting regulations for private fisheries. While he is also involved in publicly owned agriculture and forested land, these are areas of limited government jurisdiction due to the limited amounts of accessible public arable and forested terrain.

Masayoshi Ohira, Politician

Despite seeming like any other politician who is associated with the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan, Masayoshi Ohira is definitely of a different breed. As a child, he was dead-set on following in the footsteps of his parents and becoming a renowned doctor. After spending fifteen years as a skilled surgeon in the nation’s top hospitals in Tokyo, he saw that the only way he could help people around the country was by entering politics. His natural instinct and intelligence garnered him great respect among other LDP members, Ohira quickly rose to the top, eventually earning a seat on the diet. Now, Ohira does his best to get more funding for hospitals and serves as the link between the medical sector of Japan and the government. He enjoys widespread support across much of Japan’s Kyushu Island, where his brother Shinzo began a national youth movement supporting LDP and Masayoshi Ohira.

Masayoshi Ito, Politician

After graduating from the faculty of law of Tokyo Imperial University, Ito entered the Ministry of Forestry and Agriculture, beginning a long and eventful career in that office, serving both at home and abroad to protect Japan’s natural resources, as well as assist in their utilization for a brighter future. After a career as a civil servant, Ito decided to become involved in elected politics, winning a seat in the House of Representatives as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party from Fukushima’s second district. He immediately put his old civil service connections to work in the creation of legislation and policies on a wide range of topics, from water usage policies to content controls for public media. He has become the public face for encouraging greater legislative transparency, endearing him to the people across the country. His family also plays a major role in overseeing the Japan Sumo Association.

39 Cabinet of Japan, 1960 | MUNUC 32 Zenko Suzuki, Politician

Zenko Suzuki was born the third son of a renowned Kyoto jeweler. In the chaos of the Second World War, his parents elected to send him to Switzerland for middle and high school. He returned home after the war where he followed in his mother’s footsteps and became a jeweler while attending Tokyo University of the Fisheries. After graduation, Suzuki threw himself into politics. He quickly rose through the ranks of the Liberal Party, and eventually helped its merger with the Liberal Democratic Party in 1955, solidifying himself as a powerbroker of Japanese parliamentary politics. There are rumors that he will be chosen as the Minister of Health, or even to one of the other cabinet positions sometime in the 1960s, and it is easy to see why - he graduated top of his class in university and had offers from some of the best medical schools in the world to continue his research in epidemiology and public health. Suzuki represents the well established and entrenched center-right politicians that populate much of the national Diet. He is close friends with many of his colleagues who represent the new generation of Japanese leadership. He is a frequent guest on many Japanese radio shows and is especially popular among young professionals in major cities.

Yoshinaga Shigeru, Ambassador to the UN

Shigeru Yoshinaga, Japan’s Ambassador to the United Nations, knows a thing or two about international relations. Having graduated top of his class in political science at the University of Tokyo, he went on to earn both a masters and a doctoral degree in the same subject at Oxford University, where he was in Balliol College. If that was not enough, he returned to serve as a tenured professor of International Relations at his alma mater, and was beloved by his students for his dedication to teaching and strange obsession with American Doo-Wop music. He was summoned out of his tenured position by the government to serve as Japan’s ambassador to the United Nations after Japan joined the international body in 1956, and it is a position he holds with zeal. He has spent the past few years building up connections with powerful people around the globe. Though some argue that Yoshinaga has spent too much time focused on the world and too little time focused on Japan, he would say that Japan needs to become closer with the global community.

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