Between the State and the People: Civil Society Organizations in Interwar Japan

This article provides an overview of civil society organizations as a venue for investigating the politics, culture, and society of interwar Japan. Whereas extant scholarship on the Japanese government and certain notable individuals from the period is diverse and sophisticated, there is a lacuna in attention on unofficial organizations beyond specific types like labor unions. Yet during the moment of liberalization in the 1920s and early 1930s, many Japanese took advantage of the relative freedom of association to found or participate in voluntary organizations with few governmental ties or concrete agendas. Moreover, these groups used the measured latitude in expression to engage in public discussions through hosting lectures and publishing the talks as pamphlets. This essay introduces the most influential of the associations and calls attention to their publications as underutilized sources. By scrutinizing these organizations, historians can contribute to a more nuanced analysis of interwar Japan and elaborate the relations between the governing and the governed.