The Latent Process Regarding Organized Body Donation for Medical Research and Education: Focusing on Morality and Emotion in Agricultural Promotion in Aichi

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to clarify how the historical background and social relations affected the establishment of body-donating organizations for medical research and education in post-war Japan. In particular, we discuss the latent process of the movement and the states of emotions. This study will focus on Furoukai, one of the body-donating organizations. Furoukai was established in 1962 by the network of Tokunouka, who were engaged in the promotion of agriculture in Aichi Prefecture, to offer memorial services to the victims of postwar regional development. At that time, Tokunouka associated body donation with the morality proposed by agricultural fundamentalist Nobuyoshi Yamazaki. Accordingly, this mentality contributed towards the spread of kentai (body donation).