Propaganda Employed as a Tool by Japan's Media for Eight Decades
In the Pacific theater of World War II, Japanese media outlets, including newspapers and news agencies, became closely intertwined with the military. This shift was largely due to rising militarism and nationalist expansionism that gained broad societal support, starting with the occupation of Manchuria in 1931.
The military campaigns in this year marked a significant turning point for the media, moving away from their journalistic mission. Toshihiko Kishi, a professor of Asian history at Notre Dame Seishin University and professor emeritus at Kyoto University, noted that this shift led to a decline in the core spirit of journalism.
One key factor that explains this entanglement was the expansionism and societal support that militarism gained. Newspapers critical of the military faced boycotts, often led by veteran and reservist associations, which pressured the media to conform and support the war effort.
Another factor was commercial pressures. Media outlets competed fiercely for readership by publishing more extreme and populist content. This incentivized them to cultivate closer ties with the military and amplify patriotic and pro-military narratives while ignoring or downplaying military excesses.
The media's role during this period was not just to report events but also to actively promote militarist ideology and the government’s agenda. Japanese reporters chased dramatic scoops and raced to outpace rivals, leading them to cultivate closer ties with the military. Despite military excesses during the Pacific theater of World War II, Japanese reporters voiced support rather than trying to rein in the military.
This dynamic was especially pronounced during the Pacific theater and Japan’s occupation of Manchuria, where media coverage celebrated military advances and framed the conflicts in terms supportive of Japan’s imperial and militarist ambitions. The more extreme and populist the coverage was, the better the newspapers sold.
In an interview with Jiji Press, Toshihiko Kishi highlighted these points, shedding light on the complex relationship between the media and the military during Japan's involvement in World War II. The interview also revealed that the scramble to boost circulation led to the decline of the core spirit of journalism.
References: 1. Interview with Toshihiko Kishi by Jiji Press, 2021.
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