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IX.
RELIGION :
29.
73.
(1) General:
In
The state religion forms an important part of the 80-
cial structure in Japan. There seemed indications a short
while ago that the anchoukuo authorities were feeling their
way towards some form of state religion. In one case native
Christian pastors were asked if they were prepared to do
obeisance to the portrait of the Emperor of anchoukuo.
other cases foreign missionaries were asked their attitude
towards the shinto religion. At one town the principal of a
mission-run school was asked to take the boys to bow at the
local shinto shrine. At another the scholars were to attend
at a Confucian shrine. At the time of the foundation of the
state half-hearted efforts were made to revive Confucianism
as a religion and not merely a code of social ethics.
mperor of
74. There are obvious obstacles in the path of any advance
towards a state religion. The Emperor is a pathetic figure and
is not surrounded by the halo of sanctity with which tradition
has invested the mperor of Japan or the Chinese
pre-revolution days. A religion radiating from the person of
the Emperor is probably out of the questions. The Mongols, not
to mention the Japanese, would scarcely take kindly to Confu-
cianism as a state religion, and Shintoism, which is the state religion of Japan, could not logically be the state religion
of independent Manchoukuo.
75.
Up to a point the government is tolerant of all reli-
gions and there has not yet boen any systematic attempt to hinder missionary work. The danger line is reached when zeal-
ous local officials demand attendance at wholly or semi-
To the offici al religious functions in front of local shrines.
mind attendance may seen the acid test as to whether adherence
to the foreign religion is or is not compatible with loyalty
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