Japan, 1972 takes an early-seventies year as a vantage point for understanding how Japanese society came to terms with cultural change. Yoshikuni Igarashi examines a broad selection of popular film, television, manga, and other media, exposing the underpinnings of mass culture and investigating deeper anxieties over agency and masculinity.
Homecomings tells the story of late-returning Japanese soldiers and their struggle to adapt to a newly peaceful and prosperous society.
The book explores the complex relationship between Japan and the United States following World War II, highlighting Japan's struggle to reconcile its wartime experiences with a rapidly evolving national identity. Igarashi examines how societal forces attempted to suppress memories of loss and trauma, while popular culture emerged as a crucial medium for expressing these suppressed narratives. The author argues that cultural productions during the first twenty-five years postwar played a vital role in shaping Japan's understanding of its past and maintaining a sense of nationhood amidst devastation.