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Overview
Film was an important means by which the occupation authorities sought to reeducate the Japanese during the occupation. On September 22, 1945, the Civil Information and Education Section (CIE) summoned representatives from all of the Japanese film companies to convey their plans for the industry. The CIE established three core aims of the occupation: complete disarmament and remilitarization of the nation, encouragement of individual liberties and fundamental human rights, and directing Japan to contribute to world peace and safety. In October 1945, CIE demanded both pre-production and post-production censorship: film projects and scripts, translated into English by the film companies, were shown to CIE before production of films; completed films were also shown to CIE and censored by the Civil Censorship Detachment (CCD). This "double censorship" began officially in January 1946 and lasted until June 1949, when the Film Ethics Regulation Control Committee (Eirin) was created. CIE's post-production censorship continued until the end of the occupation in April 1952.

Encouraged and Forbidden Subjects
In November 1945, CIE announced a list of subjects about which the Japanese film industry was forbidden to make films. On September 22, 1945, the CIE suggested the following subjects and directions for films to representatives of the Japanese film industry:


 * 1) Showing Japanese in all walks of life cooperating to build a peaceful nation
 * 2) Dealing with the resettlement of Japanese soldiers into civilian life.
 * 3) Showing Japanese prisoners of war formerly in our hands being restored to favor the community.
 * 4) Demonstrating individual initiative and enterprise solving the postwar problems of Japan in industry, agriculture, and all phases of national life.
 * 5) Encouraging the peaceful and constructive organization of labor unions.
 * 6) Developing political consciousness and responsibility among the people.
 * 7) Approval of free discussion of political issues.
 * 8) Encouraging respect for the rights of men as individuals.
 * 9) Promoting tolerance and respect among all races and classes.
 * 10) Dramatizing figures in Japanese history who stood for freedom and representative government.

Civil censorship officials disliked Kabuki theater and the traditional values of loyalty and revenge they felt it embodied. More specifically, the CIE announced on November 19, 1945 the following thirteen themes that would be prohibited in films produced under the occupation:


 * 1) Films infused with militarism
 * 2) Films showing revenge as a legitimate motive
 * 3) Nationalistic films
 * 4) Chauvinistic and anti-foreign films
 * 5) Films distorting historical facts
 * 6) Films favoring racial or religious discrimination
 * 7) Films portraying feudal loyalty or contempt of life as desirable and honorable
 * 8) Films approving suicide either directly or indirectly
 * 9) Films dealing with or approving the subjugation or degradation of women
 * 10) Films depicting brutality, violence or evil as triumphant
 * 11) Anti-democratic films
 * 12) Films condoning the exploitation of children
 * 13) Films at variance with the spirit or letter of the Potsdam Declaration or any SCAP directive.

The Censors
There were both military and civilian film censors during the occupation. Military censors had final authority over whether or not a film could be shown to the Japanese public.

Examples of Censored Films