Imperial Farmers Association
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The Japanese Imperial Farmers Association was an official government group, that was compulsory to join for all farmers, and an important tool to force the implementation of government farming policies. Another duty of the organization was to secure food supply to local markets and the military. During World War II, it supported drafts into the army and the war industry. The farmers association was one of the three pillars of pre-war Japanese establishment, the other two being the Imperial Way Faction, the political wing of the military, and the Gumbatsu, the industry supporters. It was dissolved by the occupation force after World War II.
The organization was led by Count Yoriyasu Arima,a radical political thinker,also Konoye friend. He was influenced by the theories of Max Stirner and Karl Marx as well as anarcho-syndicalism. He laid out his theories of a militarist-socialist state together with Fumio Goto, chief of "Showa Studies Society", during the term of Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoye. He was a political adviser during wartime and served as Minister of Agriculture after the war.
In last times of conflict,all membership calling for receiving first aid and weapons training for recruited in national defensive militia along Tonarigumi and other local nationalists organizations in eventually of enemy invasion.
Farmers, still the majority of the population, faced a grave situation in the 1930s, as they had to carry the highest tax burden. A farmer or landowner with an income of 5000 Yen had to pay 1,395 Yen in taxes, but city-dwellers hat to pay only 701 Yen. The average debt of a farmer amounted to 1000 Yen in 1937, for a total estimate of 6,000,000,000 Yens for the entire farming community. Additional common obligations added other 132,7 Yen per family.
