Richard J. Smethurst
The Creation of the Imperial Military Reserve Association in Japan The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 30, No. 4 (Aug., 1971), pp. 815-828
"In 1910, a group of army officers led by Tanaka Giichi founded the Imperial Military Reserve Association in order to integrate Japanese society around military values. The founders, mostly proteges of Yamagata Aritomo, the chief Meiji period spokesman for unity to increase national wealth and power, established the organization in 1910 because the already existing unity was under attack. Labor organizations and the influx of morally degenerate and subversive Western ideas caused Tanaka to fear army-civilian alienation and national divisiveness. Thus, to achieve integration, the reserve association disseminated the "soldier's ethos," military ideals, such as obedience, frugality, bravery, cooperation, social stratification, anti-individualism, and diligence, all unified by a belief in a divine emperor, established branches in every community, 14,000 in all, and carried out activities which reinforced both the values and local social structure. The three million volunteer members, half of whom had no military experience, achieved their leaders' goals by performing public services and patriotic activities. They demonstrated to local residents the ethos in action and benefitted the community as well. By the 1930's, both the organization and the members had become the backbone of rural Japan.
This organization ... was not limited to ex-servicemen (half the membership had never served on active duty) ..."
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