Title: Revision of the regulations on the PX in the field
Date: September 21, 1937
File: The Grand Records of the Ministry of Army (RikugunshoDainikki), Collection A (Kou-juu), 1937
Annotated by: Hye-in Han, Ph.D. Researcher, Asia Peace and History Institute
Image link: http://wam-peace.org/ianfu-koubunsho/pdf/M-PDF/J_001.pdf
ANNOTATION
This is an excerpt from the Collection A (Permanently preserved documents Vol. A of 1937) from the Grand Records of the Ministry of the Army (RikugunshoDainikki).
It is a revision of the regulations on the PX in the field, enacted in 1904, in accordance with the Army Ordinance no. 48 on September 29, 1937. Attached to this document is an explanation for the revision, including the reasons and purposes of the revision, and comparisons between the new and the existing provisions. The reasons for the revision are as follows: 1. Name change of the unit that will install the PX in the field, 2. Items for the PX in the field are to be filled by the supply agency, 3. Military supplies may be used temporarily to supplement PX in the field, 4. Increase in the quantity and kinds of supplies for the PX in the field, and 5. To clarify the relationship between regulations for the PX in the field and other regulations.
An additional provision in the Article. 1 specifies that “Comfort facilities may be established at the PX in the field if necessary, in addition to what has previously been provided.” This provision enabled installation of comfort stations at the PX in the field. Further, the Article 6 provides that the contractors for the PX in the field are to be treated as Civilians Attached To The Military, which allowed the comfort station operators to have the status of Civilians Attached To The Military. In sum, this document proves that the comfort stations were part of the military supply system, established by the Japanese military.
Details:
Reasons for revising the regulations of the PX in the field
Explanations for the revision (including purposes of the revision and comparison between the old and new provisions)
Revised provisions
Attachments:
- Group tickets, September 21: Ministry of the Army, Accounting Department, Clothing and Provisions Division 🡪 3rd Division of the General Staff
- Group tickets, September 18: Ministry of the Army, Accounting Department, Clothing and Provisions Division 🡪 Military Division
- Group tickets, September 18: Ministry of the Army, Accounting Department, Clothing and Provisions Division 🡪 Security Division
- Group tickets, September 18: Ministry of the Army, Accounting Department, Clothing and Provisions Division 🡪 Military Affairs Division, Defense Division
- Group tickets, September 18: Ministry of the Army, Accounting Department, Clothing and Provisions Division 🡪 Assistant Division
- Group tickets, September 18: Ministry of the Army, Accounting Department, Clothing and Provisions Division 🡪 Medical Affairs Division
Sources:
WAM Collection (J_001)
Japan Center for Asian Historical Records, C01001469500
#establishment #PX_in_the_field #field_canteen #supply #regulations
QUESTIONS FOR STUDENTS
Explain the following words to your students before asking them to read the annotation:
- PX in the field: a place on a military base where meals or snacks are served to the people who work there.
- contractor: a person or company that undertakes a contract to provide materials or labor to perform a service or do a job.
After reading the annotation, please answer the following questions:
1. What kind of document is this?
2. What's the title of the document?
3. Who wrote it?
4. Who's the audience of the document?
5. What year was it created? What year was it revised?
6. What was the historical context in East Asia during the time?
7. What are the five reasons for the revision, according to the document?
8. What is the additional provision in Article 1? How does it relate to the establishment of the comfort stations?
9. What is Article 6? What does it provide regarding the contracts of PX in the field?
10. Why did this revised military document give the contractors (or comfort station operators) of PX in the field the status of civilians attached to the military?
11. The Japanese government has been claiming that it bears no legal or official responsibility for the "comfort women" victims. Based on this document, do you think the claim is defendable? Why or why not?
12. How does the establishment of comfort stations fit into the larger context of the Japanese military's activities during this time period?
13. What additional questions do you have for this document?
14. Where/How can you find the answers?
*Questions for Students section was designed by Jing Williams, Associate Professor of Social Studies Education at University of South Dakota.