일본여성문학자의 ‘문예위문’과 전쟁책임

Abstract

This study investigated Japanese literary women who came to collaborate in ‘literary consolation’ more actively as ‘Kagayaku Society’ was renamed as ‘Kagayaku Unit’ in 1939 and published The Collection of Literary Works for Consolation. First, they attempted to build up a system in which once an occupied territory or colony was acquired with ‘military victory’ by men, they would construct a new continent with ‘literary maneuvering’ by women. Kagayaku Unit was given its mission as the matrix of a new culture. Second, ‘consolation’ and ‘comfort’ have been recognized as women’s activities since the Sino-Japanese War, but with the Second Sino-Japanese War as a momentum, in particular, as the title of a ‘national policy’ was given to Kagayaku Unit’s activity, it came to be characterized by the combination of ‘following the army’ with ‘comfort’ and ‘consolation.’ Third, the literary women fancied themselves as psychological ‘comfort women’ by actively taking part in war collaboration with literary consolation and consolation literature. It was observed that ‘Kagayaku Unit’ provided a momentum for the continued war by taking in charge of sustaining and supporting men’s war in the rear. In this sense, it is difficult for Kagayaku Unit’s literary consolation activity to avoid war responsibilities.