STATE SHINTO
(1868-1945)
- In 1868 after the Meiji Restoration Fukko shinto became the dominate state ideology. Priests were made state employees and the Ministry of Religion regulated all rituals under the new system dubbed “State-Shinto.” These policies affected prominent shrines such as Yasukuni-jinja while most folk Shinto practices continued unchallenged.(8)
- In accordance
with kokugaku thought, the Emperor was seen as a divine ruler. Kokugaku
thought stressed
the study of Japanese classical works as a
way to keep Japan’s identity pure and unfettered by Buddhism
and Chinese thought. The main ideological stance of kokugaku
supporters was
that Japan and the Japanese people constitute a “distinctive
national entity (kokutai) marked by spontaneity, natural goodness
and innate divinity.” (8)
- In 1932
the Ministry of Education ruled that Shinto shrines were “non-religious
establishments for fostering patriotism” (7) making them
important centers for promoting and glorifying Japan’s militarist
government during the 1930’s.
- After World War II State Shinto was publicly denounced by Emperor Hirohito in accordance with the new Japanese constitution requiring the separation of church and state. All practices that had previously been governed by the Emperor became the private religion of the imperial family. Today Shrine-Shinto is what remains in the wake of State-Shinto.
- The Allied
powers ordered Japan to remove the "militaristic and ultra-nationalistic
elements" of Shintoism and the state, returning Shintoism back
to a religion, rather than a government practice. The ideology of
kokugaku was destroyed by The Directive for the Disestablishment
of State Shinto as
seen below:
"Militaristic and ultra nationalistic ideology, as used in this directive, embraces those teachings, beliefs, and theories which advocate or justify a mission on the part of Japan to extend its rule over other nations and people by reason of:
(1) The doctrine that the emperor of Japan is superior to the heads of other states because of ancestry, descent, or special origin.
(2)The doctrine that the people of Japan are Superious to the people of other lands because of ancestry, descent, or special origin.
(3) The doctrine that the islands of Japan are superior to other lands because of divine or special origin." (15)