160906-0029 - Propaganda Postcard

Japanese propaganda postcard featuring a satirical caricature expressing the government’s concerns about the loss of society’s moral values, published sometime between March 1907 (Meiji 40) and March 1918 (Taisho 7).

The illustration shows an “automatic fly trap machine” (自動蝿取器) catching people enjoying themselves.

It warns that Japanese culture will go to ruin because of pleasure seeking, and specifically singles out “pleasure” (享楽) and “misleading culture” (誤れる文化).

Japanese text: あぶない あぶない 憬れて 酔うて 亡びゆく