89,049 views
25 votes
25 votes
Based on Imperial Japan in World War 2, would you consider that government to be fascist? Why or why not? Give evidence to support your answers.

User Pyb
by
3.0k points

2 Answers

28 votes
28 votes

Final answer:

Imperial Japan during World War 2 can be considered a fascist government due to its characteristics of authoritarianism, extreme nationalism, and suppression of opposition.

Step-by-step explanation:

Imperial Japan during World War 2 can be considered a fascist government. Fascism is a political ideology characterized by authoritarianism, extreme nationalism, and suppression of opposition. Imperial Japan exhibited these characteristics through its militaristic control, its expansionist policies, and its suppression of civil liberties.

The government ruling in the name of Japanese Emperor Hirohito shifted toward fascism after the invasion of Manchuria in 1931 and the establishment of the puppet state Manchukuo. This expansionist policy went hand-in-hand with an extreme form of nationalism and authoritarianism that allowed the military to wield significant power in Japan.

The ideology of the Japanese militarists resembled that of the Nazis in its racism and belief in the destiny of the Yamato people to dominate East Asia. The concept of the Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere, presented as a liberation movement, was in reality an imperialist endeavor to bring order and prosperity under Japanese rule. The Japanese government's denial or downplaying of actions of Japanese troops during the war may stem from a desire to preserve national pride and avoid moral responsibility for war crimes.

User Dharini
by
2.7k points
19 votes
19 votes

Answer:

At MacArthur's insistence, Emperor Hirohito remained on the imperial throne. The wartime cabinet was replaced with a cabinet acceptable to the Allies and committed to implementing the terms of the Potsdam Declaration, which among other things called for the country to become a parliamentary democracy.

User Meetpd
by
3.5k points