At the annual exhibitions of the American Artists’ Congress, Japanese artists presented still life and landscape paintings. Few works by artists other than Eitaro Ishigaki reflected their ideology. However, the Third Exhibition in 1939 was a particularly significant event that expressed the anti-war ideology of the Japanese people.

The Springfield Sunday Union and Republican wrote about the third annual exhibition:

“The portrayal of the Japanese as anti-fascist is a wonderful call to arms for the exhibition. As foreigners, the Japanese view of reality has always been against discrimination. Their progressive attitude is admirable”

(“Artists Congress’s Third Annual Show,” Springfield Sunday Union and Republican, Feb. 12, 1939).

In March 1939, the Fascist regime led by General Franco was established in Spain. At the third annual exhibition of the American Artists’ Congress held shortly after this, Japanese artists made a strong anti-war appeal by exhibiting works condemning the spread of fascism in Europe and Japanese militarism.