Japan, 1919-1949

The YWCA of the U.S.A. takes a special interest in the women of Japan and the YWCA of Japan by sending financial support, sending secretaries to Japan as trainers and advisors, and sponsoring Japanese YWCA members to visit the United States. While in the United States, the Japanese visitors observe local associations, attend conferences and may attend American universities. YWCA work in Japan aims to enable women to grow intellectually, spiritually, physically and mentally by providing opportunities and space for women to meet and advocating for women's rights and opportunity. As tensions between China and Japan rise, and later with the United States, concern about the threat of war grows. The YWCA of the U.S.A. continues to support Japanese women and advocates for peace. The correspondence and reports describe concern travel arrangements as well as providing narrative accounts of the work being done in Japan for women. Papers on Christian Ethics by Kiyo Takeda while she was studying in the United States concern the government of Japan, the rights of the people and the social structure in Japan. Other materials address employment for women, YWCA summer and training camps, the effect of international conflicts on the people of Japan and summaries of work in local YWCA of Japan associations.