Comments on: Photos of Japan, 1951 http://www.froginawell.net/japan/2006/12/photos-of-japan-1951/ The Japan History Group Blog Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:08:31 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: mike http://www.froginawell.net/japan/2006/12/photos-of-japan-1951/comment-page-1/#comment-172462 mike Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:27:46 +0000 http://www.froginawell.net/japan/2006/12/photos-of-japan-1951/#comment-172462 Hi There Regarding the last photo? And your comment: “Jap Pearl Diver (Fresh out of the water) 1951,” and positively glows with the unequal sexual politics of the Occupation era. The usual binaries seem to be present here: the male, conquering West; the female, passive East; and the dry, clean professional man and the wet, sexually alluring woman. Sometimes a photo is just what it is. A young american posing with a woman doing an unusual job, in a far off place. Doing something the folks at home would never beleive. I have a few similar photos, they are what they are nothing more. Maybe I should burn them so the next generations won't use them to make a political statement. Hi There

Regarding the last photo? And your comment: “Jap Pearl Diver (Fresh out of the water) 1951,” and positively glows with the unequal sexual politics of the Occupation era. The usual binaries seem to be present here: the male, conquering West; the female, passive East; and the dry, clean professional man and the wet, sexually alluring woman.

Sometimes a photo is just what it is. A young american posing with a woman doing an unusual job, in a far off place. Doing something the folks at home would never beleive. I have a few similar photos, they are what they are nothing more. Maybe I should burn them so the next generations won’t use them to make a political statement.

]]> By: Morgan Pitelka http://www.froginawell.net/japan/2006/12/photos-of-japan-1951/comment-page-1/#comment-92268 Morgan Pitelka Fri, 09 Nov 2007 21:00:42 +0000 http://www.froginawell.net/japan/2006/12/photos-of-japan-1951/#comment-92268 OK - reading too much is a charge I can live with. But I think it is worth noting that 1) Calling the structural relationship between Japanese women and American soldiers during the American Occupation unequal is not really particularly controversial. Of course power relations between individuals are more complicated; I'm just commenting on what I saw when I looked at the photo. Also, water is an old metaphor for sex in Japan, which is part of what has made the pearl divers sexual objects in many historical contexts. 2) I didn't call the children in the photograph "beggars" as you imply. As I clearly explained in the explanatory text, the photographer (an American soldier) labeled the photo "Beggars chased by M.P.s" - so the term was not a result of me seeing what I want, but of the language used by the producer of these images. Cheers. OK – reading too much is a charge I can live with. But I think it is worth noting that 1) Calling the structural relationship between Japanese women and American soldiers during the American Occupation unequal is not really particularly controversial. Of course power relations between individuals are more complicated; I’m just commenting on what I saw when I looked at the photo. Also, water is an old metaphor for sex in Japan, which is part of what has made the pearl divers sexual objects in many historical contexts.
2) I didn’t call the children in the photograph “beggars” as you imply. As I clearly explained in the explanatory text, the photographer (an American soldier) labeled the photo “Beggars chased by M.P.s” – so the term was not a result of me seeing what I want, but of the language used by the producer of these images. Cheers.

]]> By: Crash http://www.froginawell.net/japan/2006/12/photos-of-japan-1951/comment-page-1/#comment-92246 Crash Fri, 09 Nov 2007 18:39:17 +0000 http://www.froginawell.net/japan/2006/12/photos-of-japan-1951/#comment-92246 Nice photos, but are we reading a bit too much into them? "The usual binaries seem to be present here: the male, conquering West; the female, passive East; and the dry, clean professional man and the wet, sexually alluring woman." Really? How about we try to think about what was in the heads of the actual participants. Westerners sees aspect of Japanese culture for the first time, decides to take a photo. And the beggars picture...well, only two people are "running" and those are the children. If I was a poor youngster constantly seeing well-heeled foriegners walking around my neighborhood--who probably enjoy the attentions of the children...well, I might look for a quick handout. Children at that age do not have the same concept of pride that adults do. If they see a chance to get something free, they probably just asked...hence, the term beggars, and maybe someone got tired of it and "chased them" into the frame of this shot. Look long enough and you'll see whatever you want. Nice photos, but are we reading a bit too much into them? “The usual binaries seem to be present here: the male, conquering West; the female, passive East; and the dry, clean professional man and the wet, sexually alluring woman.” Really? How about we try to think about what was in the heads of the actual participants. Westerners sees aspect of Japanese culture for the first time, decides to take a photo. And the beggars picture…well, only two people are “running” and those are the children. If I was a poor youngster constantly seeing well-heeled foriegners walking around my neighborhood–who probably enjoy the attentions of the children…well, I might look for a quick handout. Children at that age do not have the same concept of pride that adults do. If they see a chance to get something free, they probably just asked…hence, the term beggars, and maybe someone got tired of it and “chased them” into the frame of this shot. Look long enough and you’ll see whatever you want.

]]> By: James http://www.froginawell.net/japan/2006/12/photos-of-japan-1951/comment-page-1/#comment-38166 James Wed, 13 Dec 2006 04:28:25 +0000 http://www.froginawell.net/japan/2006/12/photos-of-japan-1951/#comment-38166 Thanks for putting these up! I'm the grandson of Bob Cape (next to the pearl diver, and on the left in the bus picture). I'm glad to see that these are of such interest to you. Thanks for putting these up! I’m the grandson of Bob Cape (next to the pearl diver, and on the left in the bus picture). I’m glad to see that these are of such interest to you.

]]> By: Morgan Pitelka http://www.froginawell.net/japan/2006/12/photos-of-japan-1951/comment-page-1/#comment-37551 Morgan Pitelka Fri, 08 Dec 2006 03:40:17 +0000 http://www.froginawell.net/japan/2006/12/photos-of-japan-1951/#comment-37551 Actually, a friend convinced me to try out Ecto, blogging software that does a nice job of embedding thumbnails that link to larger images, so I've reposted this using Ecto and the results are nice. Actually, a friend convinced me to try out Ecto, blogging software that does a nice job of embedding thumbnails that link to larger images, so I’ve reposted this using Ecto and the results are nice.

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