Zengakuren Students I,

1960

The Zengakuren—short for Zen-Nihon Gakusei Jichikai Sōrengō, which translates to the All-Japan League of Student Self-Government—was founded in 1948. In the wake of World War II, a number of leftwing Japanese student factions revolted against the Japanese Communist Party, protesting the establishment’s political strategies. During the 1960s, the anarchic activities of Zengakuren organizations—in particular their protests against the United States’ invasion of Vietnam—led to the cancellation of President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s visit to Japan and paved the way for the resignation of the Japanese Prime Minister. In the photographs here, Ishiguro captures the violence that erupted during these demonstrations. Although the images were taken more than fifty years ago, the Zengakuren is still actively pursuing social change.