The Police In Occupation Japan: Control, Corruption and Resistance to Reform

The police force in Japan has frequently been idealized by Western commentators, who trace its origin to the American Occupation of Japan (1945-52) Police in Occupation Japanchallenges the assumptions that underlie these accounts, focusing on the problems that attended the reform of the Japanese police during the Occupation. Drawing on a wide range of primary sources, Christopher Aldous explores the extent to which America failed in its goal of "democratizing" the Japanese police force, arguing that deeply-rooted tradition, the pivotal importance of the black market, and America's decision to opt for an indirect Occupation led to resistance to reform. His study concludes with a consideration of the postwar legacy of the Occupation's police reform, and explores a number of recent controversies.