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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 March 2025
Introduction
Nippon Kaigi (NK, the “Japan Conference”) is Japan's largest and most powerful conservative right-wing organization, whose members include current Prime Minister Abe Shinzō and most of his Cabinet. This nationalist non-party political group was relatively unknown until recently. A surge in publication and media attention of late, however, has made this arcane society suddenly visible, particularly in regard to its influence on politics, nationalist agenda, and revisionist causes. Many recent publications associate Nippon Kaigi with Japan's rightward leaning trends: political climate, leadership, and a new current of nationalist sentiment. They report that NK agendas are essentially aligned with Abe's political ambitions and views, most notably constitutional revision. As the 2016 Upper House election results strengthened their ability to shape Japan's political agenda, Nippon Kaigi merits concern and scrutiny. NK adherents profess to promote Japan's prosperity and international prestige, to restore Japan's national pride and unify the country. These goals seem honorable and appealing to many Japanese. Nonetheless, since NK supporters are uncritical in their affirmation of the imperial past and suppression of civil liberties, they may achieve the opposite results. Herein lies their contradictions and paradoxes.
1 There are 16 NK members out of 20 cabinet ministers, as of September 3, 2016; here
2 Recently published books include: 1) Nippon Kaigi no Kenkyu by Sugano Tamotsu, 2) Nippon Kaigi no Zenbou by Tawara Yoshifumi, 3) Nippon Kaigi to Jinja Honchō by Narusawa Muneo (ed), 4) Nippon Kaigi by Yamazaki Masahiro, and 5) Nippon Kaigi no Shotai by Aoki Osamu.
3 See their site: here
4 Sugano, 2016; Yamazaki, 2016, pp. 66-67.
5 Yamazaki, 2016, p. 68.
6 Yamazaki, 2016, p. 28.
7 See here
8 See Sugano, 2016, pp. 30-31 and here
9 Sugano, 2016; Yamazaki 2016.
10 Some observers are dismissive of Nippon Kaigi describing it as devoid of outstanding talent and resources. (At the same time, they underline its influence on politics.) Sugano Tamotsu notes that NK is built on a handful of influential nationalists. For instance, joint representatives of Utsukushii Nihon no Kenpō o Tsukuru Kokumin no Kai (National Society to Create a Constitution for a Beautiful Japan) are Sakurai Yoshiko, Takubo Tadae, Miyoshi Tōru, etc. Sakurai and Takubo serve as representatives of the Japan Institute for National Fundamentals. Many officers of the affiliated organization overlap those of NK.
11 It made it compulsory to teach “love of country” as part of school curricula, and incorporate teaching guidelines about the national anthem and flag, moral virtues, respect for the emperor, mythology, national territories and waters, importance of the Self-Defense Forces, and so on. See Sugano, 2016.
12 Yamaguchi, Tomomi. 2016. “Nippon Kaigi no target no hitotsu wa kenpō 24jyō no kaiaku” in Nippon Kaigi to Jinja Honchō, Tokyo: Shukan kinyōbi, pp. 172-183.
13 In an interview (in Japanese), Kabashima Yuzō talked about the NK's history and more: See here
14 See here
15 See McNeill, David: here
16 See Kato, Norihiro. 2015. Sengo Nyūmon. Tokyo: Chikuma shinsho.
17 Kato. 2015. Sengo Nyūmon. pp. 514-515.
18 Field, Norma. 1993. In the Realm of a Dying Emperor. New York: Vintage Books, pp. 201-202.
19 See Muto, Ichiyo: here
20 See McCormack, Gavan: here
21 See Kabashima's video: here
22 See Nozaki, Yoshiko and Mark Selden: here
23 Hashimoto, Akiko. 2015. The Long Defeat. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 5.
24 See Kato, Norihiro: here
25 Kato, Norihiro. 2015. Sengo Nyūmon. Tokyo: Chikuma Shobō, p. 433.
26 Yamazaki, 2016, p. 89.
27 See Yoshida, Reiji: here
28 Sugano, 2016; Yamazaki 2016.
29 See Sugano, 2016, Yamazaki, 2016, here and here.
30 Sugano, 2016, p. 85.
31 See Sugano, 2016, p. 52, p. 62, and his interview: here as well as here
32 Sugano, 2016, Yamazaki, 2016.
33 See Sugano, 2016.
34 Shimazono, Susumu and Yamazaki Masahiro. “Nippon Kaigi to Shūkyō Nationalism” in Kotoba, summer 2016, p. 139.
35 Around 30 minutes in the video here
36 See here
37 See here
38 The Rescript requested that people as “loyal subjects” of “Our Emperor” should be “filial to your parents,” “as husbands and wives be harmonious,” and “furthermore, advance the public good and promote common interests; always respect the Constitution and observe the law; should emergency arise, offer yourselves courageously to the State; and thus guard and maintain the prosperity of Our Imperial Throne coeval with heaven and earth.” See here
39 See the June 1998 issue of Nippon no ibuki, p. 11, which was quoted by Yamazaki, 2016, pp. 139-140 here.
40 McNeill, David: here
41 Shimazono, Susumu and Yamazaki Masahiro. “Nippon Kaigi to Shūkyō Nationalism” in Kotoba, summer 2016, pp. 142-143. Yamazaki, 2016, pp. 72-74.
42 Its founder was former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Ishida Kazuto. See Yamazaki, 2016.
43 Dower, John. 1993. Japan in War and Peace. New York: New Press, p. 2.
44 Kataoka, Nobuyuki. 2016. “Jinja no nottori jiken” in Nippon Kaigi to Jinja Honchō, Tokyo: Shukan kinyōbi, p. 141.
45 See the list created by Yamazaki Masahiro: here
46 Such groups include Yasukuni Shrine, Ise Shrine, Reiyūkai (霊友会 Spiritual-Friendship Association), Sūkyō Mahikari (崇教真光), Makuya of Christ (キリストの幕屋), Gedatsu-kai (解脱会), The Institute of Moralogy (モラロジー研究所), Rinri Kenkyūshō (倫理研究所, Institute for Ethics or Ethics Study Group), and the like.
47 See here
48 Dower, John. 1999. Embracing Defeat. New York: New Press, p. 307.
49 Shimazono, Susumu. 2016. “Jinja to kokka no kankeiwa dō henka shitaka” in Nippon Kaigi to Jinja Honchō, Tokyo: Shukan kinyōbi, p. 121.
50 Yamazaki, 2016, p. 127.
51 Dower, John. 1999. War Without Mercy. New York: Pantheon Books, p. 24.
52 See here
53 Yamazaki, 2016, pp. 164-165.
54 Muto, Ichiyo: here
55 See Bix, Herbert P.: here
56 See my working paper: here
57 For example, political scandal over Renhō's dual citizenship: See Murai, Shusuke: here
58 For instance, Yasukuni pilgrimage, tour to Ise Shrine on the occasion of the G7 in 2016.
59 Sugano, 2016.
60 Miyazaki, Reiichi. 2014. “Kenpō 9 jo to shūdanteki jieiken wa ryōritsu dekinai,” Sekai, August. Tokyo: Iwanami shoten, pp. 148-154.
61 See Magosaki's interview by Iwakami Yasumi: here; Magosaki Ukeru and John Junkerman, Japan's Collective Self-Defense and American Strategic Policy: Everything Starts from the US-Japan Alliance here
62 See McCormack, Gavan: here; Recently, for example, large SDF transport helicopters have been carrying construction equipment into the planned site of the U.S. military helipad in Takae, Okinawa. See here
63 See Slavin, Erik: here
64 See Dower, John: here
65 See Editorial: here
66 See here
67 See here
68 See here
69 See here
70 See here
71 Dower, John. Embracing Defeat. p. 381.
72 See Lawrence Repeta's work on the LDP draft consitution: here
73 See the Japanese videos: here and here 1) Inada Tomomi: “I think that such politics placing the people's life first is wrong.” 2) Former Minister of Justice, Nagase Jinen: “The people's sovereignty, basic human rights, and pacifism — these three are the postwar regime itself imposed by MacArthur on Japan, therefore we have to get rid of them to make the constitution on our own.” Their brazen remarks make clear their disinterest in achieving social improvement and prosperity for the public.
74 Sen, Amartya. 2005. “Principal Voices,” in TIME magazine, November 21, p. 13.
75 See here
76 Sen, Amartya. 2009. The Idea of Justice. Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, p. 228.
77 See here
78 See McCormack, Gavan: here
79 Yamaguchi, Tomomi. 2016. “Nippon Kaigi no target no hitotsu wa kenpō 24jyō no kaiaku” in Nippon Kaigi to Jinja Honchō, Tokyo: Shukan kinyōbi, pp. 172-183.
80 See Osawa, Mari. 2011. Social Security in Contemporary Japan. New York: Routledge / University of Tokyo Series
81 Higuchi's interview by Iwakami Yasumi: See here
82 For example, see Fukushima Mizuho's work on marriage and family.
83 Aoki, Mizuho: See here
84 See here
85 See here
86 See: here
87 See here
88 McCormack, Gavan: See here
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