In 1937, when the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out, the body of Mr. Okabe, a local correspondent for the Osaka Asahi Shimbun, was loaded onto a handcart. The Japanese military censored the photograph, labeling it “unapproved.”

　　In 1937, when the Sino-Japanese War broke out, the body of Mr. Okabe, a local correspondent for the Osaka Asahi Shimbun, was loaded onto a rickshaw. A note read, “The remains of Mr. Okabe of the Asahi Shimbun.” It was not the body of a Japanese soldier but that of a war correspondent who had been accompanying the troops. The body lay on the rickshaw, with a towel covering the head, which was face down.The body was partially obscured by the wheels, making it difficult to see the entire figure. The photo was taken by another war correspondent from a mourning angle. Without the note, the photo might have been mistaken for someone taking a nap on the cart. The Japanese military's photo censorship deemed it “unapproved.” 

　　The Censorship Division was part of the Imperial General Headquarters Press Bureau. It collaborated in suppressing free speech and took credit for its achievements. There were no designated censors. Photos were submitted to the Army Ministry, Navy Ministry (Imperial General Headquarters Censorship Department), or the Cabinet Information Bureau depending on their content. Even if a photo passed the Information Bureau's censorship and was approved for publication, it could still be rejected by the Army Press Department. This falls under the 14th category of “unapproved items.” Photos showing the “corpses” of soldiers, regardless of whether they were Japanese soldiers or Chinese enemy soldiers, were 100% unapproved.

　　Photographs of dead bodies on the battlefield were deemed “unapproved” as they were considered to incite demoralization and anti-war sentiment. Photographs of dead bodies were categorically ‘unapproved’ because there is no such thing as a “beautiful war.” By classifying them as “unapproved,” the war propaganda sought to present the war as if it were free of dead bodies.Photographs of the deceased were deemed “unacceptable” as they were believed to incite demoralization and anti-war sentiments. 

　　“However, articles regarding the cruelty of Chinese soldiers or Chinese people are permissible.” As a result, photographs of Japanese soldiers were rarely taken, while photographs of Chinese enemy soldiers were taken in large numbers despite the risk of being deemed “unacceptable.”Unless the prevailing atmosphere changes (such as the rise of anti-war sentiments or the popularity of erotic, grotesque, or sensational content), such photographs will never see the light of day. American military photographers documented the bodies of both enemy and ally soldiers. While the actual circumstances of their publication remain unclear, it is believed that such photographs were sometimes considered useful for boosting morale. Photographs of corpses have always posed ethical dilemmas for those who capture them. Those who do so must be prepared to accept all criticism.

日中戦争が勃発した1937年に、大阪朝日新聞社の現地特派員であった岡部さんの死体がリヤカーに乗せらていた。「大朝 岡部君の死骸」とメモがあった。日本軍兵士の死体ではなく、従軍していた特派員の新聞記者の死体写真であった。その死体はリヤカーの上に死体が横たわっていた。タオルうつ伏せの頭部にかぶせていた。車輪の陰にもなって、死体の全体像は見えない。同じ従軍記者が、悼む角度から撮影した写真である。メモがなければ、リヤカーの上であたかも昼寝していると思わせる写真である。日本軍の写真の検閲では「不許可」とされた。

  大本営報道部に検閲係がある。言論統制に加担して、功をきそった。検閲には、決った担当者がいなかった。写真は内容に合わせて陸軍省海軍省(大本営検閲部)や内閣情報局へと持参する。情報局の検閲をパスして発表されても、陸軍報道部からクレームをつけられた。

　不許可事項の14番目に当たる。 兵士の「死骸」が転がっている写真は、日本軍兵士や中国軍り敵兵問わず、100%不許可である。戦場の死者の死体を撮った写真は、戦意喪失、厭戦反戦気分を煽るものとして「不許可」となった。死体写真は、論外の「不許可」となるのは、綺麗な戦争というものはないからである。「不許可」にして、死体なきが如く綺麗事に見せるのが、戦争宣伝である。死者の姿を撮った写真は、戦意喪失、厭戦反戦気分を煽るものとして「不許可」となった。

　「但シ支那兵又ハ支那人ノ惨虐性ニ関スル記事ハ差支ナシ」から、日本軍の兵士の死体をほとんど撮らない、中国軍の敵兵の写真は、不許可を覚悟で、かなり多く撮影した。時代の空気がかわらなければ(反戦思想やエログロナンセンスの流行)、陽の目を見ることはない。アメリカ軍の従軍カメラマンは、敵味方なく戦死体を撮影する。発表の実態は不明だが、戦死体も、時に戦意昂揚に役立つと考えた。死体写真は、カメラを握るものも、その倫理を問われた。一切の批判を引き受けるだけの覚悟が必要である。