“Air defense observation post.” Army Air Defense Drill propaganda postcard set, c. 1935.

See also:
“War tuba”, acoustic detection array, c. 1935.
“Anytime!!” Preparations for invasion, propaganda postcard, 1945.

“Civil defense organizations were first established as early as 1928 in the six large cities of Japan, and some air-raid drills were held at that time. The public response was apathetic [and subsequent] civil defense activity was practically neglected until 1937, when the National Air Defense Law was enacted.

“Air raid by airship.” Army Air Defense Drill, c. 1930.

“… Organization for civil defense in Japan was marked by a confusing overlapping of jurisdiction, and provided situations where an individual might be a member of several civil defense organizations at once.

“Although civil defense organizations were in the hands of civilians, the assumption upon which they were organized and trained was based on claims of the military leader. These men took the position that Japan would never be heavily attacked and should plan for light pin-point attacks on key industrial targets. Strong central control and adequate planning for heavy air attack would have improved the Japanese civil defense organization considerably.

“Civil defense training in Japan, although begun in 1928, suffered throughout the war because, as events unfolded, it was based on the false premise by the military of small-scale heavy explosive attacks.

“All training proved inadequate for the mass incendiary raids that developed during the Pacific War in the spring of 1945, a major factor in the collapse of civil defense organizations towards the end of the war.

– Impact of Air Attack in World War II: Selected Data for Civil Defense Planning, Federal Civil Defense Administration, Vol. II, 1953

“Together with War Dogs.” Army Air Defense Drill, c. 1930.