Department of History, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, WI 53141-2000, USA.
Int J Drug Policy. 2013 May;24(3):238-43. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2012.12.001. Epub 2013 Jan 23.
This qualitative historical policy analysis explores Japan's early postwar market for hiropon (methamphetamine/meth) and the impact of its anti-hiropon campaigns. The paper traces the origins of medical methamphetamine production in prewar Japan; known at that time by its former brand-name, 'Philopon' (pronounced hiropon), and argues that the anti-meth 'shock-horror' campaigns of the 1950s were exacerbated by long-simmering animosity toward non-Japanese residents - especially Koreans and Taiwanese.
Through an analysis of both English- and Japanese-language source materials, the paper explores the gritty, frightening themes of Japan's 1950s-era anti-meth propaganda campaigns and the parallel effort by police to arrest, prosecute, and deport members of the resident Korean and Taiwanese communities.
The author demonstrates that by incorporating a wider variety of contemporary Japanese-language sources such as news reports and anti-drug propaganda materials about the postwar hiropon trade, we may more fully appreciate the historic, underlying social tensions behind the swift and targeted public response.
The author concludes that Japan's postwar federal and municipal governments, together with police and media agencies, cultivated a sensational 'drug panic' designed both to dissuade citizens from using hiropon and to fuel a concerted police campaign against non-Japanese involved in the meth trade.
本定性历史政策分析探讨了日本战后早期海洛因（冰毒/甲基苯丙胺）市场及其反海洛因运动的影响。本文追溯了战前日本医用甲基苯丙胺生产的起源；当时它以前的品牌名称“Philopon”（发音为“hiropon”）为人所知，并认为 20 世纪 50 年代的反甲基苯丙胺“震惊恐怖”运动加剧了对非日本居民——尤其是韩国人和台湾人的长期仇恨。
通过对英语和日语资料的分析，本文探讨了日本 20 世纪 50 年代反甲基苯丙胺宣传运动的残酷、可怕主题，以及警方逮捕、起诉和驱逐居住在韩国和台湾社区成员的并行努力。
作者表明，通过纳入更广泛的当代日语资料，如关于战后海洛因交易的新闻报道和反毒宣传材料，我们可以更全面地了解快速、有针对性的公众反应背后的历史潜在社会紧张局势。
作者得出结论，日本战后的联邦和市政府与警察和媒体机构一起，制造了一场轰动的“毒品恐慌”，既旨在劝阻公民使用海洛因，又旨在推动一场针对参与甲基苯丙胺交易的非日本人的警察联合运动。
