전시하 후생성의 국민체력동원과 메이지신궁대회

Mobilizing National Health of the Ministry of Welfare and the Meiji Jingu Athletic Competition in the Wartime Period

This paper analyzes the only pre-war comprehensive athletic competition, Meiji jingu Athletic Competition which was held from 1924 to 1943. The competition commemorated the completion of Meiji Jingu by the proposal of the Ministry of the Home Affairs. As Japan engaged in a total war, the state began to mobilize its people and, thus, the fitness of the citizens was regarded as the fundamental elements for waging war. The Ministry of Welfare of Japan was newly established to carry out various policies related to maintaining of the high level of national fitness. It was in this context that the host of Meiji Jingu Athletic Competition was changed to the Ministry of Welfare. The main participants of the competition included young men, soldiers, students and women who would experience war directly and indirectly and regionally, it included the Joseon, Taiwan and Manchukoku. In terms of the decisions on the sports categories and operations, new categories of sports were added from the 10th competition. For example, the sports designed to enhance the basic fitness, the learning combat skills were held. Furthermore, Japan’s traditional martial art, such as Kendo and Judo were considered crucial in cultivating the spirit of Japan based on loyalty and filial piety. In this respect, I argue that the Meiji Jingu Athletic Competition was the event-like policy aimed at enhancing the national health for the purpose of fight a total war in the Asia-Pacific.