Media Censorship
Above the political and economic control SCAP had for the seven years following Japan’s surrender, SCAP also had strict control over all of the Japanese media, under the formation of the Civil Censorship Detachment of SCAP. The CCD eventually banned a total of 31 topics from all forms of media. These topics included:
- Criticism of SCAP (individuals and the organization).
- All Allied countries.
- Criticism of Allied policy pre-and post-war.
- Any form of imperial propaganda.
- Defense of war criminals.
- Praise of “undemocratic” forms of government, though praise of SCAP itself was permitted.
- The atomic bomb.
- Black market activities.
- Open discussion of allied diplomatic relations (Soviet Union–United States relations).
Although some of the CCD censorship laws considerably relaxed towards the end of SCAP, some topics, like the atomic bomb, were taboo until 1952 at the end of the occupation.
Read more about this topic: Supreme Commander For The Allied Powers
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