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( Militarism-Socialism in Showa Japan)
Japanese Militarism-Socialism, sometimes also referred to as "Japanese right socialism", "Showa Nationalism" or Japanese fascism, refers to a political syncretism of Japanese right-wing political ideologies, developed over a period of time from the Meiji Restoration,[citation needed] and dominating Japanese politics during the first part of the Showa period (reign of the Emperor Hirohito). These ideas mixed Japanese nationalism and Japanese militarism ideas with "state socialism",[citation needed] and were proposed by a number of contemporary political philosophers and thinkers in Japan.[citation needed] The right wing movement in Japan can trace its origins to the disaffected samurai class, who lost their social status and privileges in the Meiji Restoration. Disgruntled samurai rose in a number of unsuccessful rebellions (including the Saga Rebellion, Satsuma Rebellion, etc) against the new order. When violent protest proved ineffective, many turned to political movements, both in terms of political parties and in militant secret societies. Politically, under the aegis of the Freedom and People's Rights Movement, the rightists campaigned for a Constitution, which would allow them to get elected into positions of power. Within the secret societies, such as the Genyosha and the Black Dragon Society, they formed paramilitary organizations which assisted the Imperial Japanese Army in the First Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War, while politically striving towards greater Japanese expansionism under the aegis of Pan-Asianism, which would give the military more of a role in Japanese politics and society. After World War I, the focus of many of these groups shifted to combating the perceived threat of communism, and groups such as the Kokusuikai arose to take direct and violent action against socialism and the labor movement. The military had a strong influence on Japanese society from the Meiji Restoration. Almost all leaders in Japanese society during the Meiji period (whether in the military, politics or business) were ex-samurai or descendants of samurai, and shared a common set of values and outlooks. The early Meiji government viewed Japan as threatened by western imperialism, and one of the prime motivations for the Fukoku Kyohei policy was to strengthen Japan's economic and industrial foundations, so that a strong military could be built to defend Japan against outside powers.
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