A British-led occupation of postwar Japan — Bruships 147: Naval History Questions & Book Boxes Getting… at 2:59:32

A British-led occupation of postwar Japan

A British-led occupation of Japan would probably resemble the American settlement because both powers pursued similar goals with similar tools, though Britain was more accustomed to monarchy.

Question

What would Britain do differently if it led the occupation of postwar Japan?

Short answer

Probably less than expected; Britain might handle the emperor more matter-of-factly, but its goals and governing tools would be broadly similar to America's.

Notes

British and Commonwealth forces participated in the historical occupation, so this counterfactual changes leadership and scale more than the available institutions. British officials might be less personally impressed by the emperor because they routinely dealt with royal systems. They would still pursue many of the same strategic and administrative goals as the Americans. The occupation policy would probably remain broadly comparable despite differences in political style.