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May 16, 2011

[SSJ: 6664] Re: A silver lining in the crisis: Volunteerism, smarter building and open debate

From: Earl H. Kinmonth
Date: 2011/05/16

On 2011/05/06 12:23, SSJ-Forum Moderator wrote:
> From: Daniel Aldrich (daniel.aldrich@gmail.com)
> Date: 2011/05/06
>
> POINT OF VIEW / SPECIAL TO THE ASAHI SHIMBUN 5/5/2012
>
> Daniel P. Aldrich
>
>
> Despite nightmarish memories of this immense tragedy
and troublesome
> developments on the international front, there was a
lasting positive
> effect from the Kanto Earthquake: Across Tokyo,
neighbors joined
> together in neighborhood associations, called
"chonaikai," which
> served not only to organize communal efforts but to
act as "links" and
> "bridges" to authorities in city and the national
governments. These
> chonaikai remain an important part of communal life
all across Japan
> today.

It is my understanding that chonaikai are more conventionally associated with the (Second) Sino-Japanese War and were formalized in 1940 as part of the Taisei Yokusan Kai (aka IRAA, Imperial Rule Assistance Association). The tonari-gumi (neighborhood) groups were also formalized and promoted as part of the Taisei Yokusan Kai. Had the chonaikai originated with the Kanto Earthquake it is unlikely that they would be found throughout Japan today. Their ubiquity is much more likely to be an artifact of central government promotion as part of the war effort than it is something related to the very localized Kanto Earthquake.

EHK

Approved by ssjmod at 12:23 PM