Why read Faking Liberties?

Book cover of Faking Liberties: Religious Freedom in American-Occupied Japan

Book description

Religious freedom is a founding tenet of the United States, and it has frequently been used to justify policies towards other nations. Such was the case in 1945 when Americans occupied Japan following World War II. Though the Japanese constitution had guaranteed freedom of religion since 1889, the United States…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Faking Liberties as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Lauren Turek

Author

In this absolutely fascinating read, Thomas deftly explodes the myth that the United States brought religious freedom to Japan during the post-World War II occupation. The first part of the book explores pre-war notions of religious freedom in both countries and the second part looks at the various misunderstandings that ensued as the United States sought to impose its conception of religious freedom on Japan. Thomas offers a skilled reading of religious culture in both countries and ably explains the outcomes of U.S. occupation policies.

From Lauren's list on the history of religion in U.S. foreign relations.