Mishima Yukio's perception of the post-war state structure of Japan on the example of the essay “The Reasoning on the New Fascism”

The article is devoted to Mishima Yukio’s perception of the transformations of the Japanese state in the early postwar period. There are relatively few studies concerning the peculiarities of the writer's political views in historiography. Basically, the researchers turn to the analysis of the works created by him in the 1960s, when the writer turns to the far-right version of patriotism. In this period, Mishima begins to manifest himself in the political life of Japan. He meets with representatives of student movements who organize large-scale demonstrations in Tokyo, establishes and trains his own military-political organization “Shield Society” in 1968. For a comprehensive study of Mishima's early political views, the author chooses the essay “The Reasoning on the New Fascism” (1954). Mishima wrote the essay two years after the end of the occupation of Japan. The essay marked the beginning of political reflections of the writer. In the essay, the writer reflected on the phenomenon of Japanese fascism. Creative intelligentsia of this period actively participated in political discussions. Exponents of leftist ideas quickly gained popularity among the intelligentsia and the public. They resumed the political debate that had faded due to new censorship restrictions introduced under the American occupation, including that on the theme of fascism. In his essay, Mishima Yukio tries to refute the opinion of the Japanese Communists about the possibility of revival of fascist ideas in Japan. The essay “The Reasoning on the New Fascism” is a theoretical work and does not contain the political motives characteristic of the later activities of Mishima. Translation of the essay “The Reasoning on the New Fascism” into Russian language has been made by the author of this article.

post-war period in Japan, American occupation, Mishima Yukio, censorship, Japanese intelligentsia, Japanese writers, Japanese fascism

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