Abstract:
The Patriotic Ladies' Association (PLA) ,I which operated in Japan
between 1901 and 1942, was one of the world's largest women's associations,
with about seven million members at its height. Although its main
purpose had been to use members' subscriptions and donations to fund
private pensions for the families and dependants of soldiers severely
wounded or killed in action, its benefits were gradually made available to
broader elements of civil society. This chapter analyzes its aims and activities
over the long term, provides it diversified picture of it, and questions
the implications of support given to military endeavors by women.
