I'm writing something from the perspective of a member of the Volunteer Fighting Corps, and I'm wondering what she could be doing before the Americans show up. It needs to be unskilled work, suitable for someone not particularly strong, and ideally done in a group (so I can do dialogue and all those other important English-y things). Currently I'm thinking searchlight operator, or maybe rolling bandages. What other options are there?
Of the other options I've considered, nursing or factory work both seem too important to pull people away from so they can be cannon fodder, as well as requiring some level of skill. Cooking again requires skill and would mean more talking to soldiers than fellow Volunteers, so that's probably out. Acting as a runner or water/ammunition bearer again seem too important to sacrifice, and are slightly lonely jobs, which isn't what I'm going for. Firefighting would be perfect, but that seems like you'd need some strength for it and I think the remnants of the Yokusan Sonendan did most of it anyway. Stretcher-bearing again requires strength, and wasn't much of a thing in the Japanese army from what I've read. Manning an anti-aircraft gun is a very combative role (which I don't want initially) and I feel like the crews of those would probably just shoot at incoming Americans rather than charging them with bamboo spears. Finally, radar operation in WW2 Japan was... not a thing. Other than that, I can't really think of anything. What have I missed?
Before I answer your question, to give a little background for other readers, the Volunteer Fighting Corps (Rikumin Gyuutai) was a "volunteer" militia along the lines of the Volksturm of Nazi Germany. It encompassed men and women, and their roles were primarily in combat support although they were also trained to use weapons. However, a lack of military equipment meant some detachments were armed with things like swords and bamboo spears... which would be of questionable use in mechanized warfare.
The Rikumin Gyuutai were also responsible for things like entrenchment and digging in as well as raw labor necessary for military facilities in the area. To give an example, Kyushu, the envisioned area of the American invasion, is a volcanic island with many cliffs and rough areas that landing forces would need to overcome. The labor parties of the Rikumin Gyuutai would dig not only defenses like foxholes, trenches, and pillboxes, but would also work on the terrain to make it impassable to tanks and mechanized support, depriving the landing forces of armored support. They also helped construct forts, including in caves and the inland mountains of Kyushu, which would be extremely difficult to take with a ground assault. The work crews were also used to clear out wreckage and debris from US air raids, such as on Japanese facilities like airfields and static defenses as well as local infrastructure.