Figure 1.--These Japanese Scouts in 1938 before World War II wear the traditional Scout hat. Notice the boy in the background wearing his school uniform with a Scout neckerchief. These Scouts were photgraphed by a visiting Hitler Youth boy. The NAZIs of course banned Scouting when they seized power in 1933. The Japnese militarists banned Scouting during World War II. The caption read, "Jong Japan in uniform". (The book is a Dutch translation.) That meant, "Young Japan in uniform." Apparently the author did not want to draw attention to the fact that the boys were Scouts--although the hats made it obvious. For information on the Hitler Youth boy who took the photograph, click on the image.

The Scout Movement reached Japan in 1913 only a few years after it was founded in England during 1907 by Lord Robert Baden-Powell. The Japanese National Association was organized in Japan during 1922. Japan has since had an active if small Boy Scout movement. A Japanese Scouter writes, "Since then, despite a short disruption during World War II, the Movement has steadily grown on the social, cultural and traditional soil of our country, and established an eminent place for itself in social education for young people." Scouting was still operating in 1938 in the years leading up to World War II. Scoting has been seen by some as part of the country's modernization process. By others it was seen as a Western asault on traditional Japanese values. I believe it was banned by the Japanese militarists during World War II, although I have no information on just when this action was taken. I also do not know if there was any natioanlist group like the Hitler Youth which replaced it. After the War, however, the Japese embraced Scouting as they did all things America. The national association was re-admitted as a full member of International Conference of the Scout Movement in 1950. Scouting is currently a popular activity, although Japanese boys do not have the same amount of spare time as American boys, especially boys in secondary school.

The 1910s

The Scout Movement reached Japan in 1913 only a few years after it was founded in England during 1907 by Lord Robert Baden-Powell. Scouting activities during the 1910s appear to have been the operations of isolated individual troops as there was not yet any national Scout association. We have very limited inforation on Japanese Scouting during the 1910s, but available images show them learning how to tie knots.

The 1920s

The Japanese National Association was organized in Japan during 1922--The Boy Scouts of Nippon (BSN). Japan has since had an active if small Boy Scout movement. A Japanese Scouter writes, "Since then, despite a short disruption during World War II, the Movement has steadily grown on the social, cultural and traditional soil of our country, and established an eminent place for itself in social education for young people."

The 1930s

Scouting was still operating in 1938 in the years leading up to World War II. Scoting has been seen by some as part of the country's modernization process. By others in increasingly natioalistic Japan, it was seen as a Western asault on traditional Japanese values.

The 1940s

I believe it was banned by the Japanese militarists during World War II, although I have no information on just when this action was taken. There was a nationalist youth movement in Japan. Itwas, however, nothing like the Hitler Youth movement in Axis partner Germany.

The 1950s

After the War, however, the Japese embraced Scouting as they did all things America. The national association was re-admitted as a full member of International Conference of the Scout Movement in 1950. Scouting is currently a popular activity, although Japanese boys do not have the same amount of spare time as American boys, especially boys in secondary school.

The 1960s

The 1970s

The Japanse BSN hosted Scoutings 13TH World Jamboree in 1971.

The 1980s

The BSN accepted girls in all sections of the program (1995), becoming a fully coed organization. The BSN reported a member ship of 244,827 (1998).

The 1990s