Leader of the Japanese women's suffrage movement before the war, and serving for 25 years postwar as a five-term member of Japan's House of Councillors, upper house of the Diet, Fusae Ichikawa (1893-1981) left a unique imprint on the women's movement. This is the online edition of a vast collection of primary resources found at the Ichikawa Center for Women and Governance that were personally protected by Ichikawa even during the darkest days of the war; an outstanding batch of materials painting a vivid picture of the movement and of Japanese women, from the prewar years and Ichikawa's founding of the New Women's Association with Raicho Hiratsuka in 1919, to the postwar Women's League for New Japan (est. 1945). Indispensable to any study of women's history, gender history, and wider modern history.

Part 1: League for the Realization of Women's Suffrage and Women's Suffrage League of Japan resources
Material from the headquarters of the organization founded in 1924 as the League for the Realization of Women's Suffrage, then known from 1925 as the Women's Suffrage League of Japan, which played a central role in the Japanese women's suffrage movement. Includes office diaries, letters received, and material related to the National Meeting for Women's Suffrage, plus material from previous organizations such as the New Women's Association, Nihon Fujin Sanseiken Kyokai (Japan Women's Suffrage Association) and Fujin Sansei Domei (League for Women's Suffrage).

Part 2: Women's Suffrage League of Japan resources
In addition to central committee reports and records, and materials from general assemblies, this part is composed of material from the various committees of the Women's Suffrage League of Japan, such as the political education committee, Diet committee, and members' committee. Also includes a wealth of material from local branches in Tokyo, Akita, Aichi, Kyoto, Kanazawa and elsewhere.

Part 3: Fusen and Josei Tembo resources, Fujin Jikyoku Kenkyukai and Fujin Mondai Kenkyusho resources
Material related to the Women's Suffrage League of Japan periodical launched in 1927 as Fusen, becoming Josei Tembo (Women's Perspective) in 1936, plus documents from the Fujin Jikyoku Kenkyukai (Study Group on the Condition of Women) and Fujin Mondai Kenkyusho (Institute for Research on Women's Issues) that formed the nucleus of Ichikawa's activities following dissolution of the Women's Suffrage League of Japan. Also includes material from the Women's Committee on Postwar Policy formed immediately after the war, and the Women's League for New Japan established with Ichikawa as chairperson.

Part 4: Resources from general women's groups and organizations, resources grouped thematically (1)
Material from various women's groups such as the All-Kansai Women's Federation, Japan Christian Women's Organization, Japan Federation of Women's Organizations, and Dainippon Fujinkai (Greater Japan Women's Association), plus other groups and organizations such as the Tokyo office of the League of Nations, Tokyo office of the ILO, and Imperial Rule Assistance Association. Other records include documents concerning projects of the Patriotic Women's Association which provided support for the military, plus the National Spiritual Mobilization Movement, and the campaign to purge elections, grouped by theme.

Part 5: Resources grouped thematically (2), material related to Fusae Ichikawa
Material arranged by theme, in a continuation of Part 4. Contains a diverse range of resources, from materials providing a picture of life in wartime, for example dealing with the neighborhood associations, rationing etc., to those dealing with the issue of abolishing prostitution, the maternity protection movement, clothing, plus Tokyo municipal government and labor issues. Includes Ichikawa's journals, notebooks, memos, manuscripts/drafts, and material gathered on her travels in China and Taiwan.