Final answer:
Japanese community sense was fostered through the 'Kokutai' concept emphasizing national unity. Propaganda during WWII portrayed them negatively, but in response, Japanese Americans in internment camps created newspapers to maintain a sense of community.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sense of community among Japanese, particularly during times of external challenges, was fostered through various cultural, political, and social practices. Strongly influenced by the concept of the 'Kokutai,' which refers to the national community, the Japanese created a sense of unity and shared identity against Western influences which they sometimes resented. They achieved this by actively engaging in international diplomacy and trade, particularly with nations like the United States, but always with the primary goal of advancing their own imperialist ambitions. The leaders of Japan instilled a vision of becoming the dominant power in Asia, thus uniting their people behind a singular nationalistic purpose.
However, during the era of mounting tensions and eventual conflict that included World War II, Japan's sense of community and national identity was portrayed negatively by Western countries, particularly the United States. American wartime propaganda depicted the Japanese as barbaric and inhumane, starkly contrasting with how Japanese society viewed itself. In response to adversity, such as internment during World War II, Japanese Americans created newspapers while in internment camps, like the Heart Mountain Sentinel, to maintain a sense of community and document their struggles, thereby, rebuilding parts of the community that were torn apart by war.