Vol. 7, Issue 1, Part F (2025)

The conclusion of World War II marked a pivotal shift in Japan’s political, social, and literary history. In its aftermath, a group of writers emerged later termed the “Postwar School” who consciously rejected traditional aesthetics and moral frameworks. Influenced by Marxist thought and wartime experiences, they made war a central theme in their literary output. Their works conveyed existential anxiety, moral ambiguity, and a deep interrogation of national identity and war guilt. Kindai Bungaku (Modern Literature) served as their primary theoretical platform.

 This paper is divided into two main sections: Chinese and Japanese scholarship. Chinese researchers, especially from the 1980s to early 2000s, focused on the movement’s formation, decline, aesthetic features, and ideological content. A dominant view holds that while the literature critiqued militarism, it also promoted “anti-defeat” and “Japan-as-victim” narratives, potentially evading responsibility for wartime aggression. Since the 21^st century, focus has shifted to micro-level analyses, especially of figures like Hironaka Noma and Yukio Mishima, though gaps remain.

Japanese scholarship initially questioned the movement’s value, but later acknowledged its historical importance. Current studies emphasize wartime responsibility, yet overlook lesser-known writers. Their marginalization, despite their literary and historical significance, warrants renewed academic attention.