Japans postwar memories
... Nevertheless, the memories of what happened still persist. Although Japanese society desired to forget the traumatizing events of the war during postwar re-establishment, cultural productions often times reflected the loss and defeat. Yoshikuni Igarashi focuses the processes of struggles within postwar Japanese culture into a clear perspective in his book Bodies of Memory. ... Instead of refusal, Igarashi confirms that it is necessary for Japanese to embrace the traumatic memories and the past in order to come to terms with the nations aggression during the war. By using very interesting examples of some of Japan’s postwar cultural establishments “that have hitherto appeared nonsensical and trivial”, the author shows the deep sense of loss that culminated through and even motivated the productions of media (Igarashi 12). ... But the Japanese began to produce a new postwar identity, having survived the incredible defeat, by including the memories of loss and devastation in the productions of everyday culture. ... Traumatic memories of the past can never be suppressed in the lives of those who watched history unfold. ... Overall it can be seen that Japan’s struggle to deal with its’ traumatic memories of the war in postwar society was a struggle that ended with the Japanese coming to terms with their desire to forget by eventually understanding the effects of the loss. ... It is when this happens that Hara receives his memories with clear comprehension.