Converted Korean 'ideological criminals' (a.k.a. independence activists) at 'Yamato Cram School' tearfully apologize for fighting against Imperial Japan and are spellbound as Governor Koiso explains in propaganda speech that the greatest significance of life is hidden in Japanese mythology (1943)

This is my translation and transcription of a news article from Keijo Nippo, a propaganda newspaper and mouthpiece of the government of Japan-colonized Korea. This has never been republished or translated before, to the best of my knowledge.

This article covers Governor Koiso's inspection visit to Yamato Cram School (대화숙/大和塾), or a brainwashing center to 'convert' Korean 'ideological criminals' (a.k.a. anti-colonial nationalists or independence activists) into Imperial collaborators. The topic of Korean thought crimes and converts (tenkōsha) is relatively well-researched in academia. Thought Crime: Ideology and State Power in Interwar Japan by Max M. Ward is a good book on this topic, and chapter 5 is available online as a free PDF. 

There is also an excellent paper written by Hong Jongwook of Seoul National University entitled "The Thought Control Policy and the Yamato-juku in Colonial Korea", but unfortunately this paper is only available in Japanese.

Japan-colonized Korea could be described as a dictatorship of the Governor-General, who was appointed by the central government in Tokyo, under one party rule by the late 1930's. Within very broad constraints, they had almost unlimited power in Korea to do whatever they wanted. Governor Koiso tended to be more narcissistic than most of his predecessors, and he loved to splash the newspapers with his propaganda speeches and writings, and also articles, including this one, covering his inspection visits and work activities. He is notable for putting young Korean girls into internment camps to turn into 'true Japanese' mothers, with the idea that this would have a multiplier effect as these Korean girls become mothers who raise Japanese children. But immediate wartime needs apparently turned this project into a more practical wartime work force program. 

The sign on the left says "内鮮一體" or 'Japanese-Korean Unification', and the sign on the right says "京城大和塾" or "Gyeongseong Yamato Cram School", with Gyeongseong being the old name for Seoul.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) September 17, 1943

Live by the Mythology

The Governor-General Visits Yamato Cram School and Delivers a Prolonged Address

At 2:30 p.m. on the afternoon of the 16th, Governor-General Koiso, accompanied by his secretary, Mr. Kobayashi, suddenly appeared at Yamato Cram School in Takezoe-chō (present-day Chungjeong-ro), Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, and walked into the reception room to the amazement of everyone. Upon hearing the news of Governor-General Koiso's visit, Probation Office Director Mr. Nagasaki hastily returned to the school and was asked by the Governor about the general situation at Yamato Cram School. He was particularly interested in the current state of thought of the converts, and when the director described the indignation felt by the converts toward the unconditional surrender of the Italian government under Badoglio and the converts' pledge of loyalty to Imperial Japan, the Governor General's tense expression showed a nod of agreement. Then, Director Nagasaki led them to a classroom where the converts had gathered non-Japanese speakers in the neighborhood from the unemployment job center to teach them Japanese, and then they went to the auditorium. After seeing the art club and returning to the reception room, the Governor- General responded to the students' requests and began to explain the profundity of Japanese studies, which are connected to mythology, by stating that 'learning is what it is because of the state'.

He began his speech by saying, 

"Man must contemplate things from various angles in order to spend his life in a meaningful way, or he will turn to science, philosophy, and religion to answer the cries of his soul. However, even though we live in a world where science is universal, we still feel that we are lacking something profound if we are confined to science alone. Even modern philosophy and religion, which delve deep into the spirit, are not enough as long as they remain within those limits. The place to go is history and tradition. But even here, the cry of the soul cannot be fully satisfied. The last place to go is mythology. It is easy for people to think that the significance of mythology is nothing, but they are mistaken.

It is in this mythology that the greatest and ultimate significance of life is hidden. When I was a division commander in Hiroshima, I once visited the Yamaguchi Boys' Prison. There, I saw a military drill review and was very impressed by the performance that was so magnificent that the specialist soldiers blushed, and I gathered the prisoners together and gave them a lesson. The words in each sentence that I spoke contained a tone of excitement, but there was someone who listened to everything I said with tears in his eyes, and I read his book. However, in order for a person to live, there must be a center. If we analogize this to the shape of a cone, when we look at it from the bottom with the apex at the top, the visible bottom is reality, and the invisible apex is mythology. The vertical line descending from the apex is the so-called center. No matter how many times you cut the sloping surface from the side, you will always reach the center. This center is noble and leads to the path of living the mythology. You are this center. When you live by the mythology, you can live with firm conviction, unmoved by anything". 

As the Governor-General spoke for about 20 minutes, the room was filled with deep emotion.

Mr. Moto Koyama, reflecting the deep emotion of the audience, spoke with tears in his eyes: 'In the past, we were sinners who drew our bows against Imperial Japan. Today, we have awakened to this fact, and we are firmly determined to compensate Imperial Japan using the arms and heads that we used to lay down our bows'. The Governor-General replied with a quiet, warm facial expression, 'Make sure you do it right', and tried to leave. The group apologetically asked, 'May we take a picture with you?' The Governor-General readily agreed, and the group took a picture in a friendly yet solemn atmosphere, and the Governor-General returned to his residence after 4:00 p.m. as the group looked on. (Photo: Governor Koiso leaving the school after being seen off by everyone.)

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-09-17

(End of Translation)

(Transcription)

1943年9月17年　京城日報

須らく神話に生きよ

総督・大和塾を訪れ諄々説く

十六日午後二時半小磯総督は小林秘書官を帯同京城西大門区竹添町大和塾にひょっこり姿を現し一同面喰う中を応接間に歩を運ぶ。小磯総督来塾の報に外出先から急遽帰塾した長崎保護観察所長から大和塾の全般的状況を具さに聴取。転向者の今日の思想状況には特に関心を持ち、所長が此度の伊バトリオ政権の無条件降状に対する転向者の憤振りと皇国に燃やす尽忠の誓いを述ぶれば総督の引き緊まった表情にもうなずきの色が見え、次いで長崎所長の案内により授産場から国語普及に転向者達が附近の国語未解者を集めて教育している教室に入り、講堂に巡って応用。美術部を見て応接室に帰った総督は塾生の切望に応じ、”学問は国家あっての学問である”と冒頭して神話に結ぶ日本学の深遠性を諄々と説き来り説き去るのだった。

『人間は自分の一生を有意義に過ごすために種々なる角度から熟考しなければならない。或いはその魂の叫びに科学、哲学、宗教に深索の歩みを入れるであろう。然し科学万能の世であるとは謂え、科学のみに立て籠もっては何かと深奥に物足りないものを覚えるのである。最も精神を掘り下げる現代哲学、宗教にあってもこの限界に止まる限り矢張り物足らない。そこから進み入るところは歴史であり、伝統である。然し此処でも十分に魂の叫びを満たしては呉れない。最後に行きつくところのものは神話なのである。神話の持つ意義をなんでもないように一般に思われ易いが、それは大間違いである。

この神話にこそ人生の最大なる究極の意義が秘められている。自分が広島の師団長をしていた時、山口少年刑務所に行ったことがある。そこで軍事教練閲兵等を見たが、専門の兵隊が赤面する程堂々たるもので自分は心から感激し、囚人を集めて訓辞したことがある。自分の言葉の一句一句にも自然感激の語調が含まれていたが、全部泣いて聴いていた或る人の書物を読んだ。ところが人が生きる上には何か中心がなければならない。これを円錐形に譬えれば頂点を上にして下から眺めた時、底面の見える處が現実で、見えない頂点が神話である。頂点から降した垂線が所謂この中心である。横の斜面をどんなに切って行っても中心に達する。この中心が尊いし神話に生きる道に通ずるものである。皆さんはこの中心である。神話に生きる時、何ものにも動じない固い信念に生き得るのである。』と約二十分間に亘って説けば室内は深い感激が森厳にこもる。

この一同感激を代表して小山元君が”過去に於いて私達は皇国に弓をひいた罪人であります。今日それに目醒めた私達は弓おいたこの腕と頭をもって皇国に報いることを堅く決意いたします”と声涙をもって真情を述ぶれば、総督も静かな温顔で”しっかりやってくれ”といい残して去らんとする。一同は名残り惜しげに”写真を一緒に撮らせて戴きませんか”と願い出れば総督も気易く引き受けて並び和やかな中にも厳粛な空気の中に写真に納まって同四時過ぎ一同の見送る中を官邸に引き上げた。【写真＝一同の見送りをうけて塾を出る小磯総督】

Imperial Japanese penal officials brag about brainwashing Korean 'ideological criminals' (a.k.a. independence activists) in 'Yamato cram schools' and converting them into enthusiastic collaborators willing to die shouting 'Banzai to the Emperor!' (Seoul 1943)

These are very interesting articles describing Korean 'ideological criminals', many of whom had upper class Yangban backgrounds, and how they were dealt with in the Imperial Japanese penal system in Korea during the colonial period. By 'ideological criminals', I suppose they mean Korean independence activists, who had to operate clandestinely and furtively inside Korea while trying to avoid getting caught by the ubiquitous Kenpeitai secret police. Many lived double lives, perhaps teaching Imperialist ideology as teachers during the day, but secretly supporting the resistance movement when no one was looking (see my previous post, which was entitled 'Japanese teacher in Japan-colonized Korea punished her Korean students for speaking Korean and imposed Imperial Way ideology on them during WWII...'). So, many Koreans were actually able to say the right words and do the right things to satisfy the Imperial Japanese colonial officials who monitored them to convince them that they were 'true Imperial Japanese people', when in fact it was all just an act and they were actually actively resisting the regime.

These articles mention the Korean Federation of National Power (国民総力朝鮮連盟, 국민총력조선연맹), which functioned as the one and only political party that you could belong to in totalitarian Japan-colonized Korea, spreading the regime's Imperial Way ideology across Korea and reinforcing Imperial rule over Korea.

The second article describes the Seongam Academy, which was an abusive orphanage that was actually kept open through the Park Chung-hee and Chun Doo-hwan periods until 1982. 

 (Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) September 10, 1943

Talking about Judicial Protection

Roundtable discussion organized by the head office of Keijo Nippo newspaper - Part 1

Training begins with the family

Lots of ideological criminals in the Yangban class

Speakers (in no particular order)

• Mr. Fukuzō Hayata, Director of the Legal Affairs Bureau of the Governor-General's Office
• Mr. Michiyoshi Masuda, President of Seoul Law School
• Major Nishida, Director of Seoul Naval War Office
• Mr. Norimitsu Ohno, Director of the Seoul Court of Inquiry
• Mr. Yūzō Nagasaki, Director of Seoul Probation Office
• Mr. Utarō Sakafuji, Administrative Officer of the Legal Affairs Bureau's Criminal Affairs Division
• Mr. Yasunori Miyazaki, Secretary of the Criminal Affairs Division, Bureau of Justice
• Mr. Shizuo Kojima, Director, Ideology Division, Korean Federation of National Power
• Mr. Shōichi Fujii, Seongam Academy
• Mr. Masataka Ōkubo, Director of Yasaka Youth Dōjō
• Keijo Nippo: Mr. Akio, Director of Editorial Department, Mine, Director of Social Affairs Department

To carry out the great will of Emperor Meiji who has long said, "If I have sin, reprove me, for the divine people of Amatsu are my own flesh and blood", and with determination not to let a single person fail in our 100 million strong force, a 'judicial protection campaign' has been launched in all of Korea on the 2nd of this month, and a "Judicial Protection Day" will be celebrated on the 13th. In anticipation of this day, the head office of this newspaper held a "Judicial Protection Roundtable Discussion" at the former Dutch consulate in Takezoe-chō (present-day Chungjeong-ro), Seoul on the second day of the month.

If society frowns on someone who has committed a crime in the past but makes a vow to be rehabilitated and re-enter society, what will happen to that person's resolve? That is not good. Let us give them a warm hand and encourage them mentally and materially, guiding and assisting them so that they will not commit crimes again, and they will be able to further progress to become useful members of the nation. We will also secure human resources and stabilize the lives of the people while waging decisive battles. The following is the voice of the leadership, who are deeply involved in the judicial protection project. Photo: Roundtable discussion

Mr. Akio, Director of Editorial Department: On September 13th and 14th, a 'judicial protection campaign' will be held in all of Korea under the auspices of the Korean Federation of National Power and the Korean Association for Judicial Protection. Today, we would like to hear your opinions on this campaign for the protection of justice. We would like to contribute to the advancement of the judicial protection services, which play an important role in strengthening human resources in wartime and ensuring public safety on the home front.

As the war becomes more serious and severe, the public tends to forget about the humble work of judicial protection services. There is an urgent need to increase production, which has human resources as its basic element. The importance of the judicial protection services, which contribute to the enhancement of human resources, is not yet well understood by the general public.

I have heard that the number of released prisoners on the Korean peninsula is increasing year by year. If these people are not accepted by society because they have served sentences, or if they commit crimes again because society gives them a cold treatment, their productivity will be hampered. If these people are warmly embraced, properly guided, rehabilitated, and allowed to fully demonstrate their abilities, we will not only see an upsurge in righteousness, but we will also be able to help strengthen our productive capacity.

Keijo Nippo Reporter: Mr. Akio the Editorial Director just mentioned this, but I would like to ask your opinion on this campaign in terms of so-called human resource development for the judicial protection service, securing public safety, and various other aspects.

Mr. Yūzō Nagasaki, Director of Seoul Probation Office: Human resources are the most fundamental factor in increasing our military strength. It is said that a person must be 18 years old before he can be useful, but most of the people who are eligible for judicial protection are young men who just need to have their crookedness corrected, so I believe that judicial protection is necessary especially in times of war because of its usefulness in terms of human resources.

Secondly, if police officers were to follow each and every ideological criminal during this war to secure public safety, 30,000 police officers would be needed, since there are 30,000 ideologically involved people in all of Korea. I think it would be a great job to judicially protect them and prevent even one of them from being pulled in by the police.

Thirdly, we should use these people for production. Since these ideological criminals (especially Korean ideological criminals) are all talk and no action, we at the probation office, through the Yamato Cram Schools, have been focusing our efforts in the area of supervised work programs, telling them that they should do whatever the state requires, without asking any reasons as to why.

Speaking of the results of putting the ideologically involved people in judicial protection and what the circumstances were like, it was in December 1936 that the probation office was set up. Up to that time, however, 10 to 20 percent of the ideologically involved people were re-offending after being released. But after the probation office was established, not even one out of every 50 people who were taken into custody had re-offended. Whereas previously the released offenders were taking passive stances in agreeing not to engage in ideological movements, now they have taken more active stances in not only agreeing not to engage in ideological movements, but also actively serving the state as Japanese people. I believe this is a victory for judicial protection.

Furthermore, in Korea, they have been promoting the Japanese language through the Yamato Cram Schools as the spearhead of Japanese-Korean unification. I confidently believe that they will surely go on to die shouting "Banzai to the Emperor!"

Keijo Nippo Reporter: So that means the people who are ideologically active are in the young age ranges.

Mr. Nagasaki: Well, from around the third year of junior high school. More than 60% of them are in the 20-years-old to 30-years-old age group.

Keijo Nippo Reporter: The question is how to guide these young people in the right direction, or in other words, how to make them into Imperial people...

Mr. Nagasaki: I think the key is first of all in the training of Korean families. For example, I have researched those who were involved in nationalist movements during their student days in Korea, and found that many of them were children of the old Joseon dynasty's Yangban class coming from substantial family backgrounds. They complain to their families that they could have had happier lives if had lived under the old Joseon dynasty. They hear these complaints and start to engage in these kinds of movements without even realizing it. The reason why the young people are involved in these kinds of movements is that they do not know the past and present of Korea and how they were oppressed by the rulers of the old Joseon dynasty. The other thing is to give hope to these Koreans by showing them what the situation of the world was like back then. Then, in my opinion, those who do well are to be really adored and pulled along. On the other hand, I think that those who do not do well will have to be thoroughly suppressed.

Mr. Satō, Director of Judicial Protection Division: According to the statistics from two to three days ago, the worst offenders in the preventive detention centers in Korea are between 30 and 40 years old, and two-thirds of them are in that age group. I guess that means they are the worst in terms of ideology.

Mr. Hayata, Director of the Legal Affairs Bureau: I recently heard that an offspring of an upper class family in Korea is now in prison for an ideological crime, but that man is actually not so bad. But, according to what he says, he says that he had to become like them because all the people who came in and out of his family home were all ideologically strange. Once you start getting interested in such things, you naturally get led into such a situation. That is why family is so important.

Keijo Nippo Reporter: What kinds of people gather at Yasaka Youth Dōjō?

Mr. Masataka Ōkubo: Recently, we have received about 10 juvenile offenders from the Juvenile Court, and before that, we had about 10 poor children in the Dōjō, but I have decided to give them a thorough patriotic nationalist education. From May, we have especially been encouraging morning visits to the Shinto shrine, and in the evenings, we have them worshiping their ancestors and reading the Heart Sutra, which they are also listening to in translation, and they seem to be getting better. Unfortunately, Korean children are very materialistic compared to Japanese children. There are currently two Japanese children mixed in with the Korean children. The Japanese children simply do their best to do as they are told. On the other hand, the Korean children seem to calculate how much money they can earn if they work outside for how long.

Keijo Nippo Reporter: Are there ideological criminals among them as well?

Mr. Ōkubo: At present, there are none, although they all have such tendencies.

Source: https://archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-09-10

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) September 11, 1943

Talking about Judicial Protection

Roundtable discussion organized by the head office of Keijo Nippo newspaper - Part 2

Give "light" to the way forward!

The age range when ideologies easily develop

Keijo Nippo Reporter: The children Seongam Island are not so much in the ideological phase, but rather in a pre-ideological phase.

Mr. Shōichi Fujii: Those children do not have such a will. They just want to eat as much as they can.

Keijo Nippo Reporter: I think that the operations on Seongam Island demonstrate that even those in the early stages of ideological development would be in trouble if they were left to their own devices.

Mr. Fujii: That's right. There are currently 250 children on Seongam Island. Of these, only about 60 were enrolled in elementary school, and the rest do not attend school. Therefore, since we have recently been working toward the regular use of the Japanese language, around 100 out of the 250 children can now understand the Japanese language, so now anyone who comes and speaks to them can at least be understood. Since they are all vagrant children, the entire staff was anxious and also curious about the nature of the children, but they were surprised to find that the quality of the children was very good. So out of the 250 children, up to 200 were normal children, and they were definitely not abnormal children. We could see that with proper guidance, they would be able to make a certain amount of progress. Most of them are normal children. Since these normal children have become this way because of their environment, we believe that these children will improve considerably if they are educated.

However, as I mentioned earlier, it is necessary to give them a guiding light. The children are anxious about how long they will be kept on the island and where they will be taken when they are taken away, and this may cause them to run away from the island.

Recently, one company has approached me to negotiate for a continuous supply of students. Recently, I have been thinking of continuously sending children to that company. When I told the children about this, they were very happy and said, "Teacher, we won't run away anymore".

Keijo Nippo Reporter: How much of the Greater East Asia War do these children have in their minds?

Mr. Fujii: We put up maps in each dormitory and explain the war using the newspaper almost every morning and evening.

Keijo Nippo Reporter: Mr. Masuda, could you tell us about the issue of teaching young students during their most important period of ideological development?

Mr. Masuda: According to a survey conducted by Mr. Itō, a prosecutor at the Prosecutor's Office, 40% of those with criminal records re-offend in a year. In other words, they are doing it again before six months have passed. Therefore, rather than just putting criminals in judicial protection, it is better to take a closer look at those who have just gotten out of prison. It would be more effective to take a closer look at those who have received probation. Still more effective would be to take a closer look at those who have received suspended indictments. This is what is said in general about those who receive judicial protection, and I think it is true. Speaking of prosecutions and trial sentences, in Korea, I think they should take this one step further and give greater recognition to the importance of judicial protection or public safety.

In the history of our rule over Korea, the Governor-General has always said that public safety comes first, even at meetings of the police chiefs. Recently, it seems to me that the government has gone so far as to put industry first. I think that while public safety and industry are important, I would like to see a little more serious consideration given to education, and they should cooperate with us more in this regard. Society's intellectuals criticize education and disparage educators. However, I would like them to think about the importance of education and be kind to educators.

Recently, all of us principals of specialized schools from Korea attended a meeting of principals of specialized schools in mainland Japan, and it was reported that only about 2% of the students in mainland Japan are Korean. However, the percentage of the total number of ideological criminal incidents in mainland Japan in which Korean students are involved is said to be over 50 percent, even though the number of Korean students in mainland Japan is very small. And when we look at who uses the Korean language, we find that those who have gone to school in mainland Japan tend to use the Korean language more. What we need to consider is that young people are innocent, perceptive, and have a strong sense of justice, and that we might be able to help them with our guidance. Up until now, we have been policing with a public safety first policy, but I think that society in general needs to ensure that education is truly thorough. I also think about the following:

When we were young, the concept of the rise and fall of a nation did not resonate in our minds as strongly as it does today. In this respect, today's youth are blessed. Therefore, I think that it is not good for educators to think in the old-fashioned way, but rather, they must work together with their students, taking one step or even a thousand steps forward, with the intention of leading their students. Training is fine, but I think the most important part of training is education. The more the young people put in the effort when they are young, the more they will become great.

Those who commit ideological crimes among the youth due to ideological problems are rounded up, tried, put in jail, and placed on probation when they get out. The bad ones who are not agreeable are placed in preventive detention centers. This is fine, but why don't we put more effort into educating young people?

Keijo Nippo Reporter: We have just talked about the spirit of determination in battle or enthusiasm of the students and the youth. Mr. Kojima, what are your thoughts about ideological problems in general?

Mr. Kojima, Director, Ideology Division, Korean Federation of National Power: First of all, we believe that the purpose of judicial protection is to prevent the creation of ideological criminals in the first place. Therefore, the national movement focuses on the purification of society or the establishment of a direct and positive national faith. In dealing with ideologies, we have not been able to extend our reach into the realm of morality. Therefore, we must establish a faith that penetrates more deeply into our daily lives, and of course, we must establish a national faith centering on Shinto shrines that is thoroughly grounded in the true meaning of the national identity. The most important way for the national movement to respond to the demands of the times is to direct the so-called joyous power that gushes out from the soul of the individual to the most efficient means of increasing the war potential and, in particular, production.

In this regard, while there is a need to improve the labor system, the fundamental emphasis is on the establishment of a view of Imperial labor. In other words, the current situation is that we are trying to establish our ideology from two aspects: the establishment of national consciousness and the establishment of this view of Imperial labor. We hope to create a better social environment from these two aspects, just as the pure flow of water has the power to purify.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-09-11

(End of Translation)

Korean-language article about the abuses at Seongam Academy, which apparently continued operating until 1982:

https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/area/capital/973160.html

Japanese-language article about the abuses at Seongam Academy:

https://japan.hani.co.kr/arti/politics/38522.html

This center memorializes the victims of Seongam Academy:

http://www.santiagomorilla.com/index.php?/mural-works/watermarks/

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年9月10日

司法保護を語る

本社主催座談会1

先ず家庭から錬成

両班層に多い思想犯

語る人　（順序不同）

• 総督府法務局長　早田福蔵氏
• 京城法学専門校長　増田道義氏
• 京城海軍武官府　西田少佐
• 京城覆審法院部長　大野憲光氏
• 京城保護観察所長　長崎祐三氏
• 法務局行刑課事務官　坂藤宇太郎氏
• 同刑事課事務官　宮崎保典氏
• 朝鮮聯盟思想課長　小島倭夫氏
• 仙甘学園　藤井祥一氏
• 弥栄青少年道場長　大久保真敬氏
• 本社側：　秋尾編輯局長　嶺社会部長

長くも『罪あらば我をとがめよ。天津神民はわが身の生みし子なれば』と仰せられた明治天皇の大御心を奉体して、一億総力に一人の落伍者を出すまいと、去る二日から全鮮的に司法保護運動が開かれ、来る十三日”司法保護記念日”を迎えるが、本社ではこの日を控えて二日京城竹添町旧オランダ領事官に”司法保護座談会”を開いた。

過って罪を犯した者が更生を誓って再び社会に出ようとするとき、世がこれを白眼視したら、せっかくの決意はどうなるだろう。それではいけない。温かい手をさしのべ精神的に物質的に激励して、再び罪を犯すことなく更に進んで国家有用の材として活動し得るように輔導し援助しよう。そして決戦下、人的資源の確保と国民生活の安定をはかろう。以下は司法保護事業に縁故ふかき指導層が叫ぶその声である。【写真＝座談会】

秋尾編輯局長：九月十三日及び十四日の両日、国民総力朝鮮聯盟及び朝鮮司法保護協会の主催で、全鮮に亘り司法保護運動が展開されることとなって居ります。本日はこの運動に魁けまして各位の司法保護に関する御意見を拝聴！戦時下人的資源の増強と銃後治安確保の重宝を担う司法保護事業の躍進に資したいと思うのであります。

戦争が深刻苛烈になって参りますと、司法保護事業のような地味な仕事は兎に角世間から忘れられがちであります。又生産の増強が刻下の急務でありますが、その基本的要素となる人的資源の増強に寄与する司法保護事業の重要さも未だ一般に理解されていないのであります。

半島における釈放者の数は年々多数に上っていると聞いております。これ等の人達が刑余の身なるが故に世間に容れられず無為に過ごしたり世間の冷遇によって再び罪を犯すことになれば、それだけ生産力は阻害されることとなるのであります。これらの者を温かく抱擁し正しく導いて更生させ、その能力を十分に発揮せしむるならば、啻に道義の昂揚を見るに止まらず、それだけ生産力の増強に役立つことになると信じます。

本社側：今秋尾編輯局長よりの話もありましたが、司法保護事業の所謂人的資源の開発という面、治安の確保という面及びそれ以外の色々な角度からこの運動について御意見を伺いたく思います。

長崎京城保護観察所長：その人的資源が一番戦力増強の根本であります。これは人間が役立つのには十八にならぬと駄目だと言いますが、保護の対象者は大概青年連中の曲がったのを直すだけで人的資源に役立つ故に戦争中なればこそ司法保護が要ると思います。

その次は治安の確保という問題で戦争中若しも思想犯の一人一人に警察官が尾行したならば、全鮮で思想関係者だけでも三万おりますから三万の警察官が必要である。これを保護し、そうして一人でも警察に引っ張られないようにすることは大した仕事じゃないかと思います。

第三としては、これらの連中を生産方面に使って行く。之等思想犯というものは、殊に朝鮮の思想犯というのは口ばかりですから、我々保護観察所では大和塾を通じて理屈は抜きにして国家の要求する仕事は何でもやれということで授産の方面に力を注いで居ります。

思想関係者を保護した結果、どんな風な状況かと申せば保護観察所が出来ましたのは昭和十一年の十二月でしたが、その頃までは思想関係者が刑務所を出たならば一割乃至二割まで逆転して再び刑務所にはいるという状態であったのが、保護観察所が出来て保護すると五十人に一人も逆転向する者がないようになった。併し今までは思想運動をやらぬというだけの消極的なものであったのが、単に思想運動をやらぬのみならず進んで日本人として国家のために尽くすというようになって居ります。これは司法保護の勝利ではないかと思います。

しかも朝鮮では彼等は内鮮一体の急先鋒として大和塾を通じて国語普及をやっております。彼等も必ずや天皇陛下万歳を叫んで死んで行くだろう確信しております。

本社側：大体思想的な動きを見る年齢は若いわけですね。

長崎氏：まあ中学の三年頃からですね。二十から三十まで、これが六割以上でしょう。

本社側：その若い時代を如何にして堅実に導くか言い換えればどうして皇民化するかという問題について．．．

長崎氏：私は先ず朝鮮の家庭の錬成にあると思う。例えば朝鮮で学生時代に民族主義運動をやったような連中を調べたところが割合に相当の家柄の旧韓国時代の両班階層の子弟に多いらしい。それは家庭の中で旧韓国時代であったならば自分達はもっと幸福な生活が出来たというような不平をいう。それを知らず識らずの間に聞いておって、こんな運動をやるようになる。それから青年がそういう運動に走るのは、朝鮮の昔と現在のことを知らん、旧韓国時代に如何に彼等が統治者から圧迫されたかということをよく知らん。もう一つは世界の大勢がどんなだったか、これら半島人に希望を与えることです。それから私の考えでは、よくやる者は本当に可愛がって引っ張って行ってやる。その代わり、やらん者は徹底的に弾圧するというようにして行かなければならぬと思う。

佐藤保護課長：二、三日前の統計ですが、朝鮮の予防拘禁所にはいっている最も悪い連中を調べたところが、三十歳から四十歳迄が三分の二です。その辺が一番思想的に悪いということになるんでしょう。

早田法務局長：今の家庭が悪いということについて最近聞いた話ですが、朝鮮でも上流の家庭の子供が今思想犯で刑務所にはいっていますが、その男はそう悪くはないのです。ところが本人の云うところによれば、自分の家庭に出入りする者がみんな思想的に変なことをいう連中ばかりだったから、自分もそうならざるを得なかったというようなことを云っている。そういうように興味を持って自然そうなって来るのですね。だから家庭というものが大事ですね。

本社側：弥栄青少年道場にどんな風な人が集まっておりますか。

大久保真敏氏：最近少年審判所から犯罪少年を十名ばかり頂いておりまして、その前に貧困児を十名ばかり収容して居りますが、私の方は報国教育をみっちりやらすことにして、五月からは特に朝の神祠参拝などを奨励しまして、晩に祖先の崇拝並びに般若心経のようなものを読ませまして、特にそれを翻訳して聞かせておりますが、最近非常によくなったようです。ただ遺憾なことには半島の子供は内地の子供と較べて非常に物質的に長じて居りまして、現在二名の内地人の子供が混ざっておりますが、内地の子供はただ言われたままに一生懸命にやっております。ところが半島の子供は、すぐこれだけ外で働けばこれだけの収入があると打算するらしいのです。

本社側：思想犯罪者もおりますか。

大久保氏：現在のところ、おりませんが、多少皆そうした傾向はもって居ります。

京城日報　1943年9月11日

司法保護を語る

本社主催座談会2

前途に”光”を与えよ

感じ易い思想発生期の年頃

本社側：仙甘島は思想というより、その前期あたりでしょうね。

藤井祥一氏：あの子供達はそういう意志はありませんね。みんな腹一杯食えばいいという連中ばかりです。

本社側：やはり思想前期の者でも、その儘放って置いたら大変なことになるというところに仙甘島の事業もあると思うのですが。

藤井氏：そうです。仙甘島には現在二百五十名。その中で国民学校に通学しておった者が約六十名で、あとは全部不就学の子供ばかりです。したがって国語を解する者も二百五十名中百人内外で最近国語常用を目指して起っておりますので、今は誰方が来られても聞くことは誰でも出来ます。それから浮浪児ばかりですから、一体どういう性質を持っているということが職員全体の不安であり、半面興味でもあったのですが、質が非常にいいのにびっくりしました。ですから二百五十名の中で、先ず二百名位までは普通の子供であって、決して異常児ではない。適当な指導さえ与えれば、ある程度の進展は十分に遂げられるものだという見透しがついております。殆どが普通児であります。普通児が環境からそういう風になったのでありますから、この種の子供は教育すれば相当よくなるものと思われます。

ただ先程もお話が出ましたように、光明を与えるという点が必要です。子供は俺達は一体何時までここに置かれるのだろう、出されるときは何処に出されるのだろう、かという不安の念を持っているために島を逃げ出すような気持ちも起って来るのであります。

最近非常に都合のいいことに、某会社から連続的に生徒を呉れないかという交渉を持ちかけて来ましたのです。最近その会社にあたって続々出そうと思っております。この話を薄々子供に話しましたところが、非常に喜びまして『先生もう逃げません』というようなことを言っております。

本社側：そんな子供達は大東亜戦争というものをどれ位心に持っているのですか。

藤井氏：各寮に地図を掲げて殆ど朝晩新聞によって説明してやりますし、また朝会などで戦争認識をうんと注ぎこんでおりますが、勝たなければならないということはみんな考えているようです。

本社側：そこで一番重要時期である思想発生期に於ける青年学生の教学という問題について増田先生一つ。

増田法専校長：検事局におられた伊藤検事さんの調査に依ると一年に犯罪前科者の四十％が再犯を犯している。つまり半年経たぬ中にまたやっているということになる。それでただ犯罪人を保護するよりも刑務所から出たての者をよく見た方がよい。それよりもまだ効き目のよいのは執行猶予を受けた者。それよりも有効なのは起訴猶予を受けた者。こういうように一般保護の方で言われているのですが、成程そうだと思います。更にこれは検事と裁判行刑、保護になるわけですが、もう一歩進めて保護が大事である、或いは治安が大事であるということを朝鮮でもう少し認識してもらいたいのです。

従来の朝鮮の統治の歴史を見ると治安第一ということを警察署長会議でも総督から言われる。或いは最近では産業第一であるというところまで進んで来ているように思う。私は治安も産業も大事であるが、もう少し教育というものを真面目に考えて我々と協力してもらいたいと思う。世の中の識者は教育を批判したり教育者を軽蔑したりする。けれども、教育の大事なことを考えて教育者に対し親身になってもらいたい。

先般内地の専門学校長会議に我々朝鮮の専門学校長が全部参りましたが、その時の話では内地に居る朝鮮人学生はその二パーセント位しかない。ところが、その少ない朝鮮の学生が内地の思想事件において、どの位の数を占めているかというと五十パーセントを超えているそうです。朝鮮の方はどういう状態かというと非常に少ない。それから朝鮮語を使う状態を調べて見ると、これも内地の学校に行っておった連中に多い。我々が考えなければならないことは若い者は純真で鋭敏で正義感が強いから我々の導きようでどうにでもなるものではないかということで、今まで治安第一主義で取り締まりに主眼を置いていたが、教育の真の徹底を社会全般がはからねばならぬと思うのです。それと共に思うことは、

我々の若い時には国家の興亡というものが今日の青年ほど頭にピンと響かなかった。其の点今の青年は恵まれている。したがって教育者も昔流儀の考えでおったのでは駄目なんで、生徒と一緒に一歩でも千歩でも飛び出して生徒を引っ張ってやるというような気持ちでやって行かなければならんのじゃないかと思う。錬成ということも結構ですが、錬成の中で最も本筋なものは教育ではないかと思う。青年は柔らかい時に気合を入れれば入れただけ立派になる。

青年の中で思想問題で思想犯を冒した連中は検挙して裁判をして刑務所に入れて出たら保護観察に附す。そうして工合の悪い奴は予防拘禁所に入れる。これも結構ですが、何故もっと若い青少年の教育に力を入れて呉れないのか。

本社側：今学生層とか青少年に対する決戦気魄というか、熱意というようなことについてお話しがありましたが、一般の思想問題については小島さんどうぞ。

小島朝鮮聯盟思想課長：先ず思想犯人を造らないことが司法保護だと考えます。そこで国民運動は社会の浄化運動或いは直接積極的な国民信仰確立というような点に重点を置きます。どうも思想などを取り扱いますのに、その限界を道徳的なところまで拡げ得られないというような處がありますので、もう少し生活に食い入った信仰、勿論国体の本義に透徹して神社を中心とするところの国民信仰の確立にすべての基準を置いて、これが確立には個人の魂を錬成し、その魂から迸り出ずるところの所謂歓喜の力を最も効率あらしむるように、これを戦力増強就中生産の増強に向けることが国民運動として最も大切な時局の要請に応ずる途ではないかと思います。

その点に関しましては勤労制度の改善ということもありますが、根本として皇国勤労観の確立ということに、その重点を置いております。即ち国民意識の確立とこの皇国勤労観の確立の二つの面から思想の確立をはかっているのが現状です。その清らかな流れが浄化力を持っているように、この二つの方面からよりよき社会環境を造り出したいと念願しております。

Amid severe wartime food shortages in 1943, propaganda article notes that Korean laborers are not coming to work in the cities due to hunger, but suggests hunger can be a productivity booster if workers get used to it, and full stomachs are not necessary for proper nutrition

 

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) July 26, 1943

Discussing Wartime Nutritional Foods

Roundtable discussion hosted by the head office of the newspaper

Full stomachs and proper nutrition are separate things

Alaska pollock in Korea is world-class

Ms. Aiko Sue: Chenopodium album var. centrorubrum and other vegetables have a non-habitual taste when made into a paste. Stems of sweet potato also go well with miso sauce.

Mr. Kawaguchi: Once you plant Jerusalem artichoke, you grow so much that you cannot pick them all, and I am thinking of growing it in places like the hwajeon (traditional slash-and-burn farm fields) in Korea. Nowadays there is no glucose to make injectable solution, so this is used to make injectable solution instead.

Keijo Nippo Reporter: Ms. Ihara, what kinds of wild plants do the people of Korea eat?

Ms. Ihara: I don't remember the names of all of them, but in Korea, it is said that as long as they are eaten before the Iris Festival on May 5, they are not poisonous. However, it is uneconomical for city people to go to the countryside every time to pick wild plants, so you can use pumpkin leaves, bean leaves, sesame leaves, etc., which you have been growing in your small one-tsubo (3.3 square meters) garden plots. A sesame paste of tomato leaves would be a good idea.

Mr. Nishihara: It would be interesting to use not only grass leaves but also leaves of trees, such as leaves of Aralia elata and Acacia trees, in powder form.

Mr. Takagi: There are seven hundred and eight kinds of edible grasses, half of which are actually eaten by the people of Korea. Also, the roots have starch, which is also of nutritional value.

Dr. Hirokawa: We must always be careful in our eating habits, because it is a very dangerous idea to think that a full stomach is enough.

Ms. Mina Inoue: It seems that nowadays, people are trying to find ways to increase the amount of rice imported from outside of Japan. In other words, it seems that increasing the amount of rice is interpreted as meaning that more nutrients can be obtained, but I don't think we can rest easy just because the children's stomachs are full due to the increased weight of the rice that they eat. I think we should show in concrete terms that, if they eat certain kinds of food, they will be well nourished even if they are hungry.

Dr. Hirokawa: That is why we should educate people that the situation now does not amount to a famine.

Mr. Kawaguchi: As a matter of fact, free laborers are not coming to the cities these days because they are hungry.

Dr. Hirokawa: According to an experiment conducted in Kitakyushu, the lack of sufficient food caused a temporary drop in work efficiency, but once the workers became used to the lack of sufficient food, their work performance became much better than before, and no one fell asleep or yawned during work.

Ms. Mina Inoue: I think we should clearly show them the results of such experiments. Then the leaders can make strong policy decisions and the general public will be reassured.

Dr. Hirokawa: The prevailing concept that has been around for thousands of years has been that, if you are hungry, you cannot work.

Mr. Kawaguchi: As a matter of fact, children definitely need snacks. Recently, I have been thinking that it would be better to make some myself. Plant sunflower seeds in a small one-tsubo garden. If you can produce ten stalks of sunflowers, you can get about 2 shō (about 3.6 liters) of sunflower seeds. I think it would be better if we roast the sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds and let the children eat them, instead of leaving them as food for the Chinese. It is impossible not to let the children eat snacks between meals.

Ms. Mina Inoue: There are many vegetables available today, and I would like you to show them not only dried vegetable techniques but also various storage methods in newspapers and other media.

Ms. Fusa Ihara: Dried vegetables are very necessary. But I think now is not the right time. The best time is in the fall. If you carelessly do it now, they will rot and get moldy.

Keijo Nippo Reporter: What kinds of vegetables should be dried?

Ms. Mina Inoue: Spinach, radish, pumpkin, etc. In China, cucumber is also dried.

Mr. Kawaguchi: Pumpkins from Korea would be good to dry out.

Dr. Hirokawa: Bottle gourds are also good to dry out.

Mr. Kawaguchi: Japanese people have been blessed with ample food supplies for a long time, so they have not had to think about such things.

Mr. Nishihara: I think it is important to dry and store vegetables in terms of vitamins. Last year, I examined the vitamin levels of the children at elementary schools, and found that there was an enormous difference in the vitamin deficiency levels between the children in Japan proper and those in Korea. The Korean children had no vitamin C deficiency, whereas the Japanese children had vitamin C deficiency especially in the winter, when there were no vegetables to eat. I think this is because Koreans eat a lot of pickled vegetables even in the winter.

Keijo Nippo Reporter: How are the vitamins when the vegetables are dried out?

Mr. Nishihara: The amount of the vitamins is reduced by half, but it is still better than not taking them at all.

Keijo Nippo Reporter: Speaking of edible animals, other than fish, are there any other novel things that can be dried?

Mr. Takagi: Bee larva is a good example. If you boil them, steam them, dry them in the sun, and add salt, they will always last.

Keijo Nippo Reporter: How about silkworm pupa?

Mr. Takagi: Silkworm pupa have wonderful uses. They are used in a variety of products, including soy sauce, which has amino acids, and Aji-No-Moto. They are really popular. Silkworm pupa are easily cooked in oil and eaten. They have 40 to 50 percent fat content.

Mr. Kawaguchi: If the fish is bad, it is better to dry it. With dried fish, there is no need to worry. According to the results done by Mr. Nishihara, dried Alaska pollock has very good protein.

Mr. Takagi: There is a tendency to consider it to be inferior because of its low price.

Dr. Hirokawa: Dried Alaska pollock is a food that Korea should be proud of showing off to the world.

Mr. Kawaguchi: Recently, it has come to be used in households in Japan proper as well.

Dr. Hirokawa: Alaska pollock has a double advantage in that it can be frozen and then dried.

Panelists:

• Mr. Abe, Director of the Seoul Public Health Division
• Mr. Izumi, Professor of Seoul Imperial University
• Mr. Kawaguchi, Secretary General of the Korean Welfare Association
• Mr. Takagi, Engineer, Seoul Forestry Experiment Station
• Mr. Nishihara, Engineer, Seoul Public Health Laboratory
• Mr. Hirokawa, Professor, Seoul Medical College
• Ms. Mina Inoue
• Ms. Kei Ihara
• Ms. Fusa Ueda
• Ms. Aiko Su'e

(in Japanese kana order)

Keijo Nippo Head Office

• Aki [illegible]　Editorial Director
• [illegible] Director of Social Affairs Department

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-07-26

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年7月26日

戦時栄養食を語る

本社主催座談会

腹一杯と栄養は別

世界に誇る半島明太

須江氏：アカザなど、あえものに致しますと癖のない味をもっています。薩摩芋の茎も味噌のおつゆにはとてもよくうつります。

川口氏：菊芋など一回植えたら取っても取っても取り尽くせないもので、私はこれを朝鮮の火田というようなところで栽培したらどうかと思っています。いまは葡萄糖の注射液がないので、これでもって注射液が作られています。

本社側：伊原さん、朝鮮の人々はどんな野草を食べていますか。

伊原氏：その一々全部の名前は覚えていませんが、朝鮮では五月端午の節句以前の草ならば、なにを食べても毒にはならんといわれています。しかし、都会の人が一々田舎に摘草に出掛けるということは時間的にみて不経済なことですから、一坪園芸でおやりになっている南瓜の葉、豆の葉、胡麻の葉など御利用になれば結構と思います。トマトの葉の胡麻あえなどよいと思います。

西原氏：草の葉ばかりでなく木の葉、つまり山樬、あかしやの葉などを粉末にして利用することも面白いのです。

高木氏：食べられる草は七百八種類ありますが、そのうち半分を朝鮮の人は現に食べています。また根には澱粉があるので、これまた栄養価値のあるものですよ。

広川氏：我々はその食生活に於いて常に注意しなくてはならないことは、満腹したからそれでよいということは非常に危険な考え方だということです。

井上氏：いまは外米を如何にして増やすかということに腐心しているようです。いいかえますれば量を増やせば栄養も摂れるというように解釈されているようにみえますが、重が多くなって子供のお腹が一杯になったからといって決して安心は出来ないものと思います。こういうものを食べればお腹は空いても栄養は摂れているのだということをもった具体的に示していただきたいと思います。

広川氏：だから飢饉襲るるに足らずという教育をして行うべきです。

川口氏：実際問題として自由労働者など、このごろお腹がへって街に来ないというのですが―

広川氏：北九州でやった実験によると食物が不充分のため一時は能率が低下したが馴れたら却って今までよりずっとよくなり、途中で居眠りしたり欠伸をするような者もなくなったそうです。

井上氏：そういう実験の結果などをはっきりと示して貰いたいと思います。そうすれば指導者の方でも力強い方針を決めることが出来るし、一般も安心します。

広川氏：腹がへったら仕事が出来ぬというのは、何千年来の観念ですからね。

川口氏：実際問題として子供にお菓子はどうしても必要です。私は最近考えますには自分で造る方がいいと思う。向日葵の種を一坪園芸に植える。十本も出来れば二升位は取れる。それを炒って食べさせる又南瓜の種なども支那人の食べ物にしておかないで食べさせれば、いいと思う。間食させないということは到底出来ないことですから。

井上氏：今野菜が沢山出ていますが、乾燥野菜だけでなしに色々貯蔵方法を新聞などでお示し願いたいと思います。

伊原氏：乾燥野菜は非常に必要です。でも今は時期が悪いと思います。一番いいのは秋です。今はうっかりすると腐るし、黴がつきます。

本社側：どんなものを乾燥野菜にすればよいのですか。

井上氏：ホーレン草、大根、南瓜などです。支那では胡瓜も乾燥させます。

川口氏：朝鮮の南瓜でも乾燥して使うといいと思います。

広川氏：夕顔などもよろしいですね。

川口氏：日本人は昔から食物に恵まれているので、そういうことを考えていなかったのですね。

西原氏：野菜を乾燥して貯蔵することはビタミンの点からも大事だと思います。私は去年国民学校の子供について二、三ビタミンの状態を調べて見たが、内地側と半島側の子供の間にはビタミン不足状態の差は甚だしい。半島側の方はビタミンCの不足がないが、内地人側にあっては不足時季が恰度野菜のない冬でしたが、朝鮮では冬も漬物をどしどし食べるからそうした関係からだと思います。

本社側：乾燥さすとビタミンの状態は如何ですか。

西原氏：半分位にビタミンの価値は減じますが、それでもとらないよりよいのです。

本社側：動物の方面で、お魚以外に乾燥させる新しいものは―

高木氏：蜂の子などよろしいね。一ぺん煮て蒸してそれを日に干して食塩を入れておくといつもでも持ちます。

本社側：繭の蛹なんかどうですか。

高木氏：繭の蛹の用途は素晴らしいものです。アミノ酸の醤油、味の素をはじめ随分色々の方面に使われています。引っ張り凧ですよ。それから繭の蛹は簡単に油で、いためて食べています。脂肪分など四、五十パーセントありますよ。

川口氏：魚は悪いものは乾燥した方がいい。干物では心配ありません。西原さんのやった成績では明太魚の干物は非常に優れた蛋白があるのです。

高木氏：値段が安いので下等なものと考える傾向がありますね。

広川氏：乾燥明太魚は朝鮮が世界に誇るべき食物ですよ。

川口氏：近頃内地の家庭でも用いるようになりました。

広川氏：明太魚は冷凍してから乾燥しているところに二重のよさがあります。

語る人：

阿部　本府衛生課長

和泉　京城帝大教授

川口　朝鮮厚生協会幹事長

高木　本府林業試験所技師

西原　本府衛生試験所技手

広川　京城医専教授

井上ミナ　女史

伊原　圭　女史

上田フサ　女史

須江愛子　女史

（アイウエオ順）

本社側

秋　？　編輯局長

？　　　社会部長

Another part of a propaganda interview of Korean comfort women who returned from a whirlwind 1943 Japan tour visiting wounded Imperial Japanese soldiers, and one of the comfort women retired to "live life without shame as a sister and mother of splendid soldiers of the Korean peninsula"

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo　(Keijo Nippo) August 14, 1943

A chorus of sincerity in response to gratitude

Receiving encouragement from the heroes in white

Performing arts comfort team

Roundtable discussion and report following their return

Keijo Nippo reporter: It seems that you went to Tokyo after that. What was your impression of wartime Tokyo?

Gil Song-ja (길송자/吉松子): I was amazed at how well Tokyo regulated its city illumination. On the night we arrived, being country bumpkins, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into, and it was so dark that we wouldn't have known if our noses were being pinched. The seriousness of the air-raid drills touched our hearts so much that it made us ashamed of what we were doing. All the girls wore Monpe work pants, which were very different from those worn in Korea and more suitable for practical use. We really felt that we needed to wear them too. They were not the thin, flimsy Monpe work pants that we wear here in Korea, but they were made of simple cut fabric, and we really felt that our work pants had to be like that.

Park Sun-sil (박순실/朴淳實): We were overcome by the greatness of Japan proper and the mental strength of the people of Japan proper, as we were directly confronted by the natural scenery as well as by the men and women who lived there, who were far better people than we were. In Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyushu, we were treated like true sisters. Even the upper-class ladies were full of kindness through their humble words and mannerisms. We felt a beauty that we could never see on the Korean peninsula, and we learned about the strength of the children who grew up there. On the one hand, they are kind, but on the other hand, they are also very strong. We were deeply moved by the training activities of the women's associations and secondary school students, and we were deeply convinced that Japan had to be a strong country if they could do this so well. We strongly felt that Korean women should definitely learn from them.

Keijo Nippo reporter: You must have been deeply moved when you went to many hospitals for comfort visits.

Kim Wol (김월/金月): At every hospital, we would go around to greet seriously injured patients before the performances start. When we finished our greetings at the First Army Hospital, a soldier came to us and encouraged us saying, "I hear that conscription has finally been established on the Korean peninsula. Congratulations! We are relieved to hear that. Please do your best. We're counting on you, we're counting on you..." At that time, we became firmly determined to completely live out our lives strongly as military women.

Kim Jeon-wang (김전왕/金田旺): I believe it was at the Second Army Hospital that the Yomiuri newspaper photography team visited us. As usual, we were visiting patients in the hospital wards, and when we saw one of the patients smiling at us despite the pain of his serious injuries, we were all moved to tears and encouraged by his smile. A patient who could not get up said, "I'm fine, I'm fine," as he turned his head and waved his hand still lying on his back. We met Mr. Ōyama, who was a Korean volunteer soldier, and we were all sincerely happy to see that he was in such good spirits, not at all different from the soldiers of Japan proper. When we greeted Mr. Ōyama saying, "we will serve our nation rising up 25 million strong in the Korean peninsula", Mr. Ōyama's voice and body trembled as he responded with just one phrase, "I'm counting on you".

Yoo San-hong (유산홍/劉山紅): I think that happened at a hospital in Hiroshima. I remember a soldier wearing white who surprised me by suddenly calling out to me, "Sister...." He said to me with the same friendliness that one would show to one's siblings, "Even after you return to Korea, please do your utmost best for the nation. If I go back to the war zone, I will surely tell stories about your heartfelt comfort to my war comrades," whereupon I bowed my head.

Kim Geum-hong (김금홍/金錦紅): At the Red Cross Hospital in Tokyo, there was an isolation room where patients were not allowed to receive comfort during normal hours. The regulations did not allow it, but we were hoping that we could do it here as well for these patients. We asked them if we could give these people comfort visits. When we went to the hospital rooms, we found that all the windows in the hallways had been opened, and there were people lying on bed chairs and in wicker chairs looking out of the windows, and many nurses were lined up behind them.

It was a hot day in the courtyard, but we were about to leave after singing the Arirang chorus and the Patriotic March with all our hearts when we suddenly saw a brave warrior who could not even come to the window sill, borrowing a mirror from a nurse in the room and looking at our reflection. When we saw this, we were deeply moved. We had already said our goodbyes, but we felt that we could not leave just yet, so we asked the branch manager, "Excuse me, but please let us sing one more time", and then we sincerely sang the poem "Outside the city of Jinzhou".

Afterwards, everyone outside also sang the "Baektu Mountain Song" and various other songs before we returned home. We were truly moved by the words of the head nurse who later told the branch manager, "The soldiers are all grateful to you for singing with such sincerity. As we stood by and watched, we could understand why everyone sang so willingly even after the farewell greetings had already been made. I believe that ties between Japan proper and Korea will be strengthened when hard and fast principles are set aside, and our hearts are in contact with one other".

[Photo: The patriotic march sung by the comfort team at the Kokura Army Hospital, censored by the Shimonoseki Fortress Command Headquarters].

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-08-14

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) August 18, 1943

Here are the patriotic Kisaeng

Beautiful stories about the changes in the members of the performing arts comfort team

Dispatch from Keijo Nippo head office

Impressed by the fighting spirit in Japan proper

At the time, the head office of Keijo Nippo organized a "performing arts comfort team" composed of Korean kisaeng. The group visited army and navy hospitals in various parts of the country, offering heartfelt comfort to the brave warriors in white. One of the members, Ms. Yoshiko Kaneshiro (22), also named Ms. Kim Gang-seok (김강석/金剛石), a kisaeng of the Sanwa Kenban Agency at 107 Hunjeong-dong (훈정동/薫井洞), Jongno-gu, was deeply moved by the divine appearance of the fighting women of Japan proper who were working hard towards finishing the Holy War. She said, "I cannot stand still. I will become a serious woman on the war front and work hard for the sake of the nation". On August 17th, she reported to the Jongno Police Station and surrendered her four-and-a-half-year life as a 'red light' worker.

She submitted a notice of abandonment of the kisaeng trade, saying "Starting today, I will lead a serious life". At the same time, she deposited 100 yen in gold to the head office as consolation money for the Imperial military in commemoration of her giving up the kisaeng trade. She renewed her firm resolve to be an Imperial woman. Ms. Kaneshiro spoke of her joy at the beginning of her new life as follows [Photo: Ms. Kaneshiro].

"I have recently visited the wounded and sick soldiers of the Imperial Military in Japan proper through the arrangement of your company. I was shown the true image of the fighting Imperial Nation, and taught the attitude of an Imperial woman. As a Korean woman, I was able to learn a great deal. In this critical time when we have to eat or be eaten, I continued the trip saddened that we had to live smiling under the 'red light' as kisaeng putting on a face that would have been more appropriate for more normal times, not able to do a thing to help our nation. After returning home to Korea safely, I reconsidered my life and decided to part with my life as a kisaeng and become a respectable family woman, so that I could send out more robust and loyal soldiers of His Majesty from the Korean peninsula, and I have done the necessary paperwork today. From now on, I will keep this inspiration in mind with the determination to live my life without shame as a sister and mother of splendid soldiers of the Korean peninsula. This is a small amount of money, but it is a part of the cost of canceling the reception that was to have been held to commemorate my abandonment of the kisaeng trade, which had been made possible by the generosity of our guests. Please use this money for the sake of the wounded soldiers who were infinitely pleased with our humble Korean performances."

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-08-18

(End Translation)

Notes:

The above articles are about a "performing arts comfort team" of 14 Korean comfort women, or kisaeng, who went to Japan in July and August 1943 to sing, dance, and "comfort" wounded Imperial Japanese soldiers in Japan. 

Kisaeng were Korean female entertainers who sang, danced, played musical instruments and wrote poems to entertain upper-class men. In earlier times, their work did not necessarily always involve sexual service, but during Japanese colonial rule of Korea, they were more closely associated with sex work. By the 1940s, the vast majority were involved in prostitution. 

I previously posted three other posts on this blog about this comfort team under these titles:

1.    Korean comfort women in a "performing arts comfort team" embarked on whirlwind July-August 1943 Japan tour visiting wounded Imperial Japanese soldiers

2.    Korean comfort women interviewed after whirlwind 1943 Japan tour visiting wounded Imperial Japanese soldiers who 'showed us again and again with their bodies, not with their words, that Japan and Korea were to be unified as one' and 'we were often moved to tears because we did not feel worthy'

3.    1943 editorial calls for Korean language to be wiped out, says Korean comfort women were touched by the noble appearance and hearts of the Imperial Japanese soldiers, and the women offered heartfelt comfort in response as their chests filled with excitement, their sincere hearts touching each other

The August 14th article precedes the August 15th article which I translated earlier under the second previous post. The August 14th article seems like it continues from a previous article, which I have not been able to find so far.

The August 18th article is notable, in that it reveals a slight hint that at least one of the comfort woman was less than happy and even shameful about her line of work, as she announces her intention to retire to "live life without shame as a sister and mother of splendid soldiers of the Korean peninsula". The propaganda articles reveal a tension between the impulse to portray the comfort women's service as patriotic and honorable, and the contradictory impulse to portray the comfort women's work as shameful. The same contradictory impulses can still be seen among Japanese historical revisionists today who deny that comfort women were coerced and even applaud them for their 'service', but at the same time deny their suffering and flippantly dismiss them as willing prostitutes. The 1943 editorial (see above link number 3) attempts to reconcile these contradictory impulses by arguing that the comfort women's service was a sort of initiation rite to turn these comfort women into true Imperial Japanese women, and suggests that this 'initiation rite' could be used more widely to assimilate more Korean women into Imperial Japan.

The First Army Hospital refers to what is now the National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM) in Tokyo.

The Second Army Hospital, where the comfort team met Mr. Ōyama the Korean volunteer soldier, was in Hiroshima, and it was wiped out in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Today, there is a memorial to the former hospital at the landmark: 広島第二陸軍病院跡 (Google map link).

The poem "Outside the city of Jinzhou (金州城外)" (YouTube video of poem recitation: https://youtu.be/3_R2VkZhke0) is about the Battle of Nanshan which was fought between Japanese and Russian soldiers on the southern tip of Liaoning peninsula in 1904 during the Russo-Japanese War.

Baektu Mountain Song (白頭山節) (YouTube video of song: https://youtu.be/-p3H32BXcq4) refers to a Japanese folk song about Baektu Mountain which may be an adaptation of a Korean folk song. 

Kenban Agency (券番) refers to a management agency which manages the kisaeng and their performance fees. The Kenban agency for Kim Gang-seok was located at 107 Hunjeong-dong and is shown on this map of Seoul from 1933:

Today, the agency is gone, and the former location is now a part of Jongmyo Plaza Park.

(Transcriptions)

京城日報　1943年8月14日

感謝に応え真心の合唱

白衣の勇士から逆に激励受く

芸能慰問隊

帰還報告座談会

本社側：それから東京に廻られたようでしたが、戦時下に於ける東京をどんな風にお感じになりましたか。

吉松子：何と申しても灯火管制の行き届いているのには驚きました。着いた夜など田舎者の私共は勝手が知れませず鼻をつままれても分からぬ位でした。それから防空訓練の真剣さには胸をうたれる思いで私共のやっていましたことが今更恥ずかしいのです。女子はみんなモンペで、このモンペが半島のそれとはおよそ違った実用向きのものなんです。あれでなければいけないなとつくづく感じました。こっちで使うペラペラした薄いモンペ等ではなく、質素な切地で作ったものをはいていましたが、実際あれでなくてはならないと思いました。

朴淳實：自然の風物からも、そこに住まう男からも女からも、私共とは桁はずれに良く出来た人達をじかに見せつけられて内地の偉大さ、内地人の精神力に打ち負かされました。東京でも大阪でも九州でも全く真の姉妹のように扱って戴きました。上流婦人でも謙遜な言葉や物腰から親切心が溢れていて、半島では到底見ることの出来ない美しさを感じ此処に育つ児等の強さを知ることが出来ました。優しい反面にまだ非常に強くもあり、婦人団体や中等学生の錬成の様子を見まして、あれだけやれば日本は強い筈だと深く胸を打たれました。半島女性も是非学ばなければならぬとつくづく考えました。

本社側：沢山の病院を慰問して随分胸をうたれたこともおありでしょう。

金月：どこの病院でも慰問演芸開演前に重傷患者のために挨拶に廻るのです。第一陸軍病院で挨拶を終ると一人の兵隊さんが訪ねて下さいまして、『半島にも愈々徴兵制が布かれたそうですね。お目出度う。自分達もそれで安心した。しっかりやって下さい。頼みます、頼みます．．．』と逆に激励されました。この時には全く軍国の女性として強く生き抜かねば相済まないと堅く決意しました。

金田旺：読売の写真班が来られたのは確か第二陸軍病院だったでしょうね。例によって病棟に患者さんをお見舞いしたら重傷の痛みをこらえて苦しい中からニッコリ笑って応えて下さったのには一同感極まって泣き、逆に激励されました。起てない人が『元気だ、元気だ』と云って仰向いた儘手を振って見せました。此処で半島志願兵出身の大山さんに会いましたが、内地の兵士とちっとも変わりなく、元気な御様子に一同心から嬉しく『半島二千五百万民は総起ちとなって御国の為に奉公致します』と挨拶すれば大山さんは只一言『頼みます』と声も体もふるわせていられました。

劉山紅：あれは広島の病院でしたかしら。白衣の兵隊さんから『姉さん．．．』と突然呼び懸けられたのには面喰いました。『朝鮮に帰られても御国の為にウンと頑張って下さいよ。皆さんの真心籠る慰問の話は自分が再び戦地へ行ったら必ず戦友へ語って聞かせますよ』と兄妹同様の親しさで呼び懸けて下さるのです。私は頭が下りました。

金錦紅：東京の赤十字病院では平素慰問を受けられない隔離病室がありました。規則では許されないが、ここでもやって貰えたらというお話です。私共はこういう人達にこそ慰問をさせて戴きたいとお願いしました。病室へ行って見ますと廊下の窓の戸を全部外して寝椅子に横っている人、籐椅子によっている人達が窓から顔を出して居られ、その後の方には沢山の看護婦さんが並んで居られました。

この中庭で私共は暑い日でしたが並んでアリランの合唱と愛国行進曲を心から歌って帰ろうとしますと、ふと私共の眼に映ったのは窓辺にも出て来られない勇士の方が部屋の中で看護婦さんから鏡を借りまして、私達の姿を写しているのです。私達はこれを見るとハット胸を打たれたのです。もうお別れの挨拶の済んだ後でしたが、どうしてもこの儘帰れないという気持ちになりまして、支社長さんに『すみませんが是非もう一度だけ歌わして下さい』といって『金州城外』の詩吟を真心こめて吟詠しました。

それから外の皆さんも白頭山節やその外色々歌って帰りましたが、後で支社長さんに『ほんとに真心から歌って戴いた事を兵隊さんは皆感謝しています。私共も傍らで見ていまして、もう挨拶が済んだ後にも拘わらず皆さんが進んで歌って呉れた心持がよく分かります。むずかしい理屈よりお互いの心と心の触れ合う時に内地と朝鮮とが固く結ばれるのだと思います』と婦長さんが申されたそうですが、私達はあの時ほんとうに心に打たれるものがあったのです。

【写真＝小倉陸軍病院における慰問隊の愛国行進曲合唱＝下関要塞司令部検閲済み】

京城日報　1943年8月18日

ここに愛国妓生あり

芸能慰問隊員の転向美談

本社派遣

戦う内地に感激

さきに本社では半島妓生からなる”芸能慰問隊”を組織。内地各地の陸海軍病院に白衣の勇士を心から慰問。予想以上の好評を博してこのほど帰鮮したが、隊員のうち三和券番妓生鐘路区薫井町一〇七金剛石こと金城淑子（二二）さんは内地慰問中、戦う内地婦人達の聖戦完遂に向かって逞しく働いている聖なる姿に痛く心を打たれ、”わたしもじっとしてはおられない。真面目な銃後の女性となって御国のため一生懸命働きます”と過去四年有半の紅灯生活をかなぐり捨てて、十七日鐘路署に出頭。

”きょうからわたしも真面目な生活を営みます”と芸妓廃業届を提出する一方、妓生廃業を記念して金百円を本社へ皇軍慰問金として寄託。皇国女性の固き覚悟を新たにした。金城さんは新しい生活の門出の喜びを次のように語る【写真＝金城さん】

『私はこのたび貴社の御計りで内地の皇軍傷病兵の慰問を行いました。私は戦う皇国の真姿を見せていただき、そして皇国婦女の態度を教えられ、半島女性としてこのうえもない勉強をさせていただきました。喰うか喰われるかといわれるこの重大な時局に私達は何一つ御国のため役立つこともなく、却って非時局的な面で妓生なるが故に紅灯の下に笑いながら暮さねばならないことを一人悲しみながら旅を続けたのでございます。無事に帰鮮致しまして、自分の生活を考えなおし、私共の半島から、より逞しい、より忠良な陛下の兵隊を送り出すため妓生生活と別れて立派な家族婦人に帰ることを決心し、今日その手続きをとりました。今後はこのたび感激を肝に銘じて天晴れ半島出身兵士の姉としてまた母として恥ずかしくない生活を営む覚悟でございます。誠にこれは些少ですが、妓生廃業に際しまして皆さんからの因襲で行われていました廃業披露宴会を取り止めた費用の一部でございます。私共は拙い半島演芸を限りなく御喜び下さった傷痍軍人のために御処理願います』

This Korean father made sure his family and employees exclusively spoke Japanese, he ran a store supplying residences of Imperial Japanese Army officers in Yongsan, said he got triggered seeing 'bold gentleman types speaking to each other enthusiastically in Korean' inside the trains (Seoul 1942)

 

Photo: Ikeyoshi family: Tokuji (41) and his wife Sachiko (31). L-to-R: daughter Masako (10), sons Fumio (8), Masao (6), Toshio (3).

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) May 20, 1942

Japanese-Korean unification starts with the Japanese language

Store employees also 'speak Japanese exclusively'

No need to call us a 'Japanese-speaking family'

Mr. Tokuji Ikeyoshi tells his story

"Please don't call us regular Japanese speakers - that's such a stuffy phrase. All our store employees are using the Japanese language as you can see here. Ha, ha, ha!"

The word "regular Japanese speaker" sounded especially funny to Mr. Ikeyoshi. Indeed, Mr. Ikeyoshi's use of the Japanese language is literally not only regular, but also exclusive. Mr. Tokuji Ikeyoshi (41) has run his business selling food supplies, miscellaneous goods, rice, grains, firewood, and coal on 11 Hangang-daero for 10 years. Thanks to his persistence in speaking Japanese, he has been able to gain people's trust, and he has been exclusively entrusted with supplying the living quarters of Imperial Japanese Army officers.

He is an "expert in the Japanese language". Even his children speak Japanese at home, and they make a happy family. Mr. Ikeyoshi learned Japanese from the time he was 7 or 8 years old. By the time he was 11, he had already begun a full-fledged life speaking the Japanese language, and he went to work for Shiozawa Shop within the grounds of the Imperial Japanese Army base.

"... so I have been speaking Japanese regularly for the past 30 years", said Mr. Ikeyoshi. The lifestyle of Mr. Ikeyoshi's family does not differ at all from Japanese families. He has four children with his wife Sachiko (31): Masako (10), the eldest daughter, who attends Hyochang National School; Fumio (8), the eldest son, who attends Yongsan National School; Masao (6), the second son; and Toshio (3), the third son. Of course, since their marriage, they have been involved in raising all of their children thoroughly in the Japanese language.

It does not stop with the children. The store employees are not allowed to speak Korean at all, not only when greeting customers, but also in their conversations with each other. That is why it feels very good listening to the store employees when they speak.

The way they speak Japanese so fluently and without hesitation, it is hard to believe that they are Koreans. They are so fluent in Japanese that even the regular customers are inclined to doubt that they are Korean. 

On the other hand, those who speak lots of dialect are shameless wretches. "In the trains, I often see these bold gentleman types speaking to each other enthusiastically in Korean. Every time I see them, I wonder if it is really OK for them to be this way", said Mr. Ikeyoshi, who has become a true Imperial Japanese person, as he tilted his head and looked at the reporter intently. [Photo: Mr. Ikeyoshi's family]

(End of translation)

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1942-05-20

The Ikeyoshi family ran their business at 11 Hangang-daero (otherwise known as the 11th Area), which was right inside the grounds of the Imperial Japanese Army's military base and very close to the Governor-General's mansion and the command center of the Imperial Army. Today, this area is associated with the Yongsan Garrison of the United States military, as well as the Ministry of National Defense of South Korea, which is near the new office of President Yoon.

Below is a 1933 map of Seoul of 11 Hangang-daero compared to a Google map from today.

(Transcription)

京城日報　1942年5月20日

内鮮一体は『国語』から

店員も”国語専用”

常用家庭などいわないで呉れ

池吉徳治さん語る

「今更国語常用だなんて四角張ったことを言わないで下さいよ。御覧の通り店員達もみんなこの通り国語でやってるんですからね。ハッ、ハッ、ハッ」

国語常用だなど池吉さんにとっては殊更らしくて可笑しな話だった。ことほど左様に池吉さんの国語常用ぶりは文字通りの常用であり専用だ。”国語常用の家”池吉徳治さん（四一）は漢江通一一に食糧雑貨米穀薪炭商を営み十年来、国語をもって押し通し、お陰で信用も出来、専ら陸軍官舎の御用を承っている。

”国語玄人”である。家庭も子供に至るまで国語で話し、楽しい団欒ぶりだ。池吉さんは七、八歳の幼い頃から国語を習い、十一歳の時には既に本格的な国語生活に入り、陸軍構内の塩沢商店に奉公に上がったのだ。

「．．．ですから私の国語常用はもう三十年も前からのことなんです」という池吉さんの家庭は生活様式だって総て内地人と変わりはなく、佐千子夫人（三一）との間に長女政子ちゃん（一〇）＝考昌国民学校＝長男文男君（八つ）＝龍山国民学校＝二男正男ちゃん（六つ）三男利夫ちゃん（三つ）の四人の子供があるが、勿論結婚以来子供たちの育成には一から十まで国語で押し通した。

育児方面ばかりではない。店の奉公人達もお客さんの応待は勿論のこと、お互いの会話にも一切朝鮮語は使わせない。だから店員諸君の話し振りを聞いていると、実に気持ちがいい。

よどみなくスラスラ話し合っている姿はどうみても半島の人とは思われない。得意の人々も疑いたくなる位の流暢さで、方言を多く使うなどかえって顔負けのていたらくだ。

「堂々たる紳士タイプの方が電車の中などで盛んに朝鮮語で話し合っておられるのをよく見かけるんですが、その度に、あれでよいのかと思うのですよー」　心から皇民になり切っている池吉さんは、首を傾けて記者の顔をじっと窺っていた。【写真＝池吉さんの一家】

As food shortages deepened in Korea by 1943, Imperial propagandists encouraged Koreans to eat wild grasses as meat substitutes, which they insisted were nutritionally comparable to meat, and follow food quack Horace Fletcher's advice to chew food 30 times to make up for the lack of food quantity

 

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) July 18, 1943

The way to solve the food problem

Wild grasses are also nutritious

They can become a staple food with just a little ingenuity

By Taiji Toyoyama, lecturer at Sookmyung Women's College

To build a life fighting decisive battles, we depend on the ingenuity of the housewife. Even food problems can be solved in a moment by making the most of everything and devising ways to use what we have. Weeds growing in the mountains and fields can be a great substitute for staple foods. What kinds of wild edible weeds are there? What are these wild edible plants like, and how should they be prepared to be eaten? We ask nutritionist and lecturer at Sookmyung Women's College, Mr. Taiji Toyoyama.

We must win the war, no matter how much suffering we must endure, but to win this war, we must also have a strong and indomitable physical strength. There are many things that have the greatest impact on physical strength, but we must first consider the food problem. The general public is saying that food is very scarce today, but is it really? It is true that, from the point of view of the people's stomachs, food seems to be scarce, but I must say that we should be thankful that both the rich and the lower classes are able to eat the same way nowadays due to the rationing system. The mere thought of having less food in the world makes us feel hungry and insecure to a certain extent, which is a selfish thing.

How will this affect our health? We must carefully examine our lives and reflect on what measures we should take to deal with this. In fact, our lives have not yet reached the point where we are ready to fight decisive battles, and we are still living wasteful lives.

First of all, we wash rice too much, and this wastes important nutrients. Many housewives are generally indifferent to this and do not find it strange, and many are still doing it. What is regrettable is that when we cook rice, we sometimes turn up the heat too high, causing us to rinse away the starchy solution and throw away important nutrients by the slightest carelessness.

Chewing is the first step in the digestive process. Chewing is the first stage of digestion, so it is natural that we digest more when we chew well. We usually swallow food after a few chews without chewing enough, but this is not the way to obtain proper nutrition.

Horace Fletcher saved one-fifth of his food by chewing 72 times. We need to chew more than 30 times to make up for the lack of nutrition in quantity. This will solve the problem of quantity with a little attention on our part, but we must also think about the problem of food quality.

Some city dwellers complain about the lack of beef, but 80% of the Korean population lives without eating meat. Most of them are farmers, but if there is anyone complaining about the lack of meat in this emergency, he or she should consider the farmers who are living without eating meat at all. What then, do these farmers eat?

They mainly eat green vegetables. Chestnuts, barley, miso, and greens are their staple foods throughout the year. Among the greens are wild grasses that city dwellers throw away without a second thought. In fact, these wild grasses have become a meat substitute for the farmers. When we look at the nutritional situation of these people, it is at least comparable to that of city dwellers.

City dwellers have conventionally used green vegetables in hot pots, mixed stir-fries, or as main dishes. However, these greens do not necessarily have to be eaten with rice. They can also be used as an appropriate staple food or substitute food due to the shortage of grains.

There are many ways to use wild grasses as a staple food, but I would like to tell the public that "boiled vegetable dumplings" can be eaten as an excellent staple food. With this little ingenuity, wild grasses can be eaten as a staple food at least once a day. Boiled vegetable dumplings can also be found in the cities and suburbs these days.

Edible wild grasses such as Chenopodium album var. centrorubrum, Amaranthus tricolor, Portulaca oleracea, Commelina communis, and Plantago asiatica are gathered, boiled, soaked in water for about 30 minutes, drained, and chopped into small pieces. Mix in an appropriate amount of condiments such as green onions, chili peppers, sesame seeds, salt, pepper, cooking oil, etc. Then, measure out grain flour amounting to one-fifth of the size of the mixture, add half of the flour into the mixture, roll the mixture into small dumplings, then dip the dumplings into the remaining flour and put them into boiling water. Take out the dumplings when they float to the surface in the boiling water. If soy sauce is added to the dumplings, they make fine boiled vegetable dumplings.

Various other wild grasses can be used to make staple and substitute foods, but the most important thing is for housewives to be willing to gather wild grasses, cook them in creative ways, and make them into staple foods.

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) July 18, 1943

Eat wild grasses too

Wild grasses cooking class at Sookmyung Women's College

To encourage housewives to be more creative and creative in their kitchens, the Seoul city government, in cooperation with the Seoul Branch of the Patriotic Women's Association, held a "cooking class for wild edible grasses" at the auditorium of Sookmyung Women's College at 2 p.m. on July 17th. Under the guidance of Mr. Taiji Toyoyama, a lecturer and nutritionist at Sookmyung Women's College, 250 executives of the Patriotic Women's Association cooked wild edible grasses. After everyone enjoyed the dishes that they had prepared by the end of their class, and having become more aware of the future uses of wild grasses, the event ended at 4 p.m.

[Photo: Wild grasses cooking class].

(End of Translation)

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-07-18

On a personal note, as a Japanese person, this article reminded me of my grandparents' experiences in mainland Japan during World War II. They also went through severe food shortages and learned what kinds of wild plants were edible. Later on, I met some Chinese friends who experienced the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, and they showed me their deep knowledge of edible wild plants. I find it sad that North Koreans still forage for edible wild plants to survive.

Although Horace Fletcher was an American, the Imperial Japanese regime adopted his quack chewing ideas as their own and spread them throughout Imperial Japan. Educated in the Imperial Japanese educational system, my grandparents also believed that chewing food long enough would extract more nutrition, so I remember them emphasizing the importance of proper chewing, which my parents also parroted.

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年7月18日

食糧問題をこうして解決

野草も栄養満点

工夫一つで主食になる

淑明女専講師：豊山泰次氏談

決戦生活の建設は主婦の創意工夫一つである。食糧問題も総てを活かして使う工夫をすれば忽ち解決出来るのだ。山野に生い茂る名もない雑草が立派な主食代用食ともなる。この野生食用草はどんなものであろうか。またどう調理すればよいか淑明女専栄養学担当講師豊山泰次氏に聞いてみる。

戦争には如何なる困苦を偲んでも勝ち抜かねばならぬが、それにはどうしても強靭不屈の体力が要請される。その体力造成に最も影響するものは色々あるが、先ず食糧問題について考えねばならぬ。一般は今日食糧が非常に少ないと洩らしているが、果して少ないであろうか。尤も腹の工合から見れば少ないようであるが、今は配給制によって金持ちも下層階級も等しく食べて行かれることは有難いことと言わねばならぬ。食糧が少ないような気がしただけ腹加減にひもじさを減じ、或る程度の不安にかられるまことに人間は勝手なものだ。

これが健康の上に及ぼす影響はどんなであろうか。又これに対する対策はどうあるべきか我々の生活をよく検討し、反省せねばならぬ。実際我々の生活が未だ決戦生活とまで行かず、多く無駄な生活をしている。

第一に米を洗うにしても余りにとぎすぎて大切な栄養分を擦り減らす。こういうことは一般に無関心で、これを不思議とも感ぜず、未だに行っている主婦が多数である。全く惜しいことは、まだ米を炊くとき火を強くし過ぎて、おねばを流し大切な栄養をちょっとの不注意で捨ててしまうことがある。

食物を食べるにしても、よく咀嚼するのとしないのとは栄養上から見て大分違う。咀嚼は消化の第一段階であるから、よく噛むと消化されるのは自然である。とかく我々は嚙まないで二三度位で呑み込むが、これでは栄養がとれる筈がない。

フレッチャーは七十二回噛むことにより、食糧の五分の一を節約したという。我々も三十回以上は咀嚼して量的に不足していたところを栄養で取り戻す必要がある。これで量的問題は我々の僅かな注意で解決することが出来るが、食糧の質の問題に就いて考えねばならぬ。

今では牛肉が無いと言って都会人は不平を洩らしている者もあるようだが、朝鮮人口のうち八割が肉食なしで生活している。これらの殆どは農民であるが、この非常時に肉不足などで不満をいう者があったとしたら、全然肉食せずに生活している農民達を考えるべきだ。ではこちらの農民は一体何を食べて生活しているであろうか。

主として青物を食べている。栗、麦、味噌、青物を年中主食物にしているが、この青物の中では都会人が捨てて顧みない山野草がある。実はこの山野草が農民達の肉の代用食ともなっている。これらの人達の栄養状態を考えて見ると、少なくとも都会人に比して遜色はない。

従来青物というと、都会人はお汁の実にしたり、和物にしたり、お菜として用いているが、この青物は何も御飯に付属して食べなくても穀物不足の折柄主食、代用食としてもよいのだ。

これに就いて色々と工夫されているが、”菜円湯”というものを立派な主食物として食べ得るものであることを公にしたい。それに要する山野草は少しの工夫で立派に主食として一日一食だけでもとり得る菜円湯に就いては近ごろ都会での郊外でも到るところに見受けられるが、

食用とされる野草アカザ、ヒユ、スベリヒユ、ツユ草、オウバコ等を採取して来て、これをゆでたのち三十分位水にひたし、取り出して水をすっかり切って細かに刻み、これに薬味としてねぎ、唐辛、胡麻、塩、胡椒、食用油などを適度に取り交ぜて、その後原料の五分の一の穀粉を半分だけ交ぜ、小さく団子に円めて、これを粉につけ煮え立った湯に入れて浮かんだ時取り出す。これに醤油の汁を用うれば立派な菜円湯となるのである。

他の色々と野草を用いて主食、代用食を作ることが出来るが、主婦がすすんで野草を採取し、創意工夫の上、料理して主食とする心掛けが最も肝要である。

京城日報　1943年7月18日

野草も食べる

淑専で野草調理講習

決戦生活には、なによりも台所を預かる主婦達の創意工夫が大切だと京城府では日婦京城府支部と共同主催で”野生食用草調理講習会”を十七日午後二時から、淑明女専講堂で開催。同校栄養学担当講師豊山泰次氏指導のもとに日婦幹部二百五十名は野生食用草の調理を行い、一同は最後に調理した料理に舌鼓をうって今後の野草利用の認識を昂めて同四時終了した。

【写真＝野草調理講習会】