The Homefront

Neighborhood associations had long been important in Japanese society. Such associations consisted of at least five households that were collectively responsible for preventing crime and collecting taxes. The Japanese government lacked the means to control its subjects through direct supervision and was not confident that its citizens would fully comply with wartime directives. Neighborhood associations seemed a way to reach all of Japanese society. Membership became compulsory, and activities were formalized. Such activities included ration distribution, air raid defense, volunteer labor, and savings drives. The system was effective because even the people willing to cheat the government did not want to cheat their neighbors.

In August 1937, Japan launched the National Spiritual Mobilization Campaign. The goal of this campaign was to bring together the many already existing independent political organizations such as the Patriotic Women's Association and the National Women's Defense Association. Membership to these organizations eventually became compulsory. Activities included making care packages for soldiers on the front, campaigns intended to encourage frugality, and the sewing of stitch belts for soldiers to wear under their uniforms. The Campaign also organized huge rallies such as the "Crush America and Britain" rally (Dec. 10, 1941), the "Strengthening Air Defense Spirit" rally (Dec. 16, 1941), and the "Axis Pact Certain Victory Promotion" military rally (Dec. 22, 1941) (a rally celebrating the fall of Singapore is shown right). In 1938, the Economic Mobilization Law was put into place. It created a command economy in which bureaucrats placed quotas on industries, controlled profits, and oversaw the daily activities of major industries.

Perhaps what is most surprising about the Japanese homefront in WWII is that it was very similar to the American homefront. For example, the government introduced strict rationing on food, shoes, and other products; however, rations often arrived late or not at all, forcing many civilians into a life of petty crime in order to survive.

Japan also succeeded in mobilizing its women and children. Children were mobilized via the school system, which sent large numbers of schoolchildren to work but with very little productivity. Summer vacation was replaced by the "summer training period", devoted to voluntary labor. Women, along with men who were too old or weak to fight, were mobilized through the offer of good wages. More than 1 million under-employed rural civilians moved to urban factory jobs permanently due to the increased economic opportunities during the war.