Surviving the Past Collectively:

Reconsidering the Notion of Agency through the Case of Japanese Repatriates from Manchuria

Abstract

One of the significant challenges in examining gender polarization resulting from military invasion or occupation is how best to describe the experiences of sexual violence victims. While understanding self, subject, and agency has become a key focus in the research on wartime sexual violence in Japan, little attention has been given to the limitations of the modern Western framing of agency. This study aims to reconsider agency in the context of global gender studies by focusing on the Japanese women members of the Settler Community of Manchuria and Mongolia (Manmou Kaitaku Dan) who were compelled to engage in “sexual entertainment” for Soviet soldiers in post-war Manchuria.

The paper first provides three frameworks for the self, subject, and agency of the victims, namely, “the framework of glorifying suicide,” “the framework of sexual slavery,” and “the framework that identifies agency from the practices of victimized women.” The next section illustrates an overview of the history of the Kurokawa Settler Community and its migration from Gifu prefecture to Manchuria, followed by the defeat of Japan in World War II, when when its members lost their position as the ruling settlers and became exposed to attacks from Chinese and Soviet soldiers. The third section depicts the post-war experiences of these women, by focusing on three areas: (1) the establishment of the “Otome’s Monument,” (2) the enduring bond among the women, and (3) guest talks offered by the women at the Manmo Kaitaku Peace Memorial Hall in Nagano prefecture. In the final section, the paper suggests that their presentations of self, subject, and agency should be viewed as collaborative and relational in nature.