Korean writers in the 'Korean Literary Association' became puppet voices for Imperial Japan, praising the 1942 switch from Korean to Japanese language in Korean literature and declaring, 'Korea has come to share the mission of transmitting the spirit and culture of Japan to all regions of Asia'

Thus far, we've seen how Koreans of various walks of life, including comfort women and 'model Korean families' who mainly spoke Japanese at home, have been quoted in the colonial newspaper obsequiously praising Imperial Japan while denigrating their own Korean identities, essentially becoming puppet voices for the colonial regime. In many of these cases, it is doubtful that their words, which often repeat formulaic propaganda stock phrases typical of the era, reflected their actual opinions. I believe it's reasonable to assume that, oftentimes, various forms of pressure were applied on the Koreans to say the right things. After all, we've seen how 'ideological criminals' have been placed into re-education camps under 'judicial protection', and their family members detained and interrogated. In this post, I am examining the Korean Literary Association (조선문인협회/朝鮮文人協會), which was another puppet voicebox for the colonial regime, and reading the words of three of its members: Yu Jin-oh (유진오/兪鎮午, 1906~1987), Choi Jae-seo (최재서/崔載瑞, 1908~1964), and Lee Seok-hoon (이석훈/李石薫, 1907~?).

The Korean Literary Association was founded in 1939 to nurture Korean writers to serve the colonial regime. The association encompassed both ethnic Korean writers who wrote in Korean and Japanese and ethnic Japanese writers who were residents of Korea and wrote in Japanese, and the works of both groups were considered to be 'Korean literature', regardless of how different their cultures and perspectives may have been. In this way, Korean literature of this era became heavily politicized to serve the political interests of Imperial Japan. The association published a literary periodical that was published in both Japanese and Korean, but by May 1942, the Korean language edition was discontinued in the name of 'Imperialization' and 'Japanese-Korean unification'.

In the postwar era, the three members' lives took very different courses. Yu Jin-oh became one the early drafters of the South Korean Constitution, worked as a legal scholar and as a prominent conservative politician in South Korea for many years until his death in 1987. Choi Jae-seo continued his academic activities teaching English literature at South Korean universities until his death in 1964. Lee Seok-hoon was arrested by the North Korean People's Army at the outbreak of the Korean War in July 1950, and his whereabouts are unknown to this day.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) August 27, 1943

The Second Day of the Greater East Asia Literature Convention

Koreans Speak Out with Dignity and Determination

Mr. Tsuda and Three Others Take Active Roles

[Tokyo Telephone Report] On the second day of the Greater East Asia Literature Conference held at the Greater East Asia Hall on August 26, Yu Jin-oh (유진오/兪鎮午) and Choi Jae-seo (최재서/崔載瑞), representing the Korean peninsula, delivered remarks on "The Establishment of the Idea of Wartime Literature" and "The Conscription System and the Literary Movement in Korea," respectively, revealing the positions and goals of Korean literature within Greater East Asian literature. Tsuda Tsuyoshi proposed that "all literary figures of Greater East Asia rise up", which made a great impression in the entire hall. Of the 24 speakers who gave speeches on this day, the three who hailed from Korea emphasized the holy mission and firm determination of the Korean peninsula to complete the Greater East Asia War and to build the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere through literature, and they expounded extensively on the fact that the Korean Literary Association has an extremely important role in the wartime literary movement to unite the various regions of Greater East Asia in the decisive war, and they made this point fully understood by the representatives of each region. The following is a summary of the three speakers' remarks:

Mr. Yu Jin-oh (유진오/兪鎮午): The Greater East Asia War has entered the decisive battle phase, so those on the front lines and those on the home front must unite as one to concentrate on the goal of destroying the enemy. Those of us in charge of cultural affairs must clarify our mindset. That is, we must clarify how we position our mindset in order to fight against the concept of "selfishness" that forms the basis of the British-American school of thought that has dominated the world for many years. We must beat down that concept of "selfishness" and rise up to the great spirit of "harmony" that is the original spirit of East Asia that has been preserved in its purest form and developed to the highest degree in Japan. There is no literature or culture apart from winning this war. Literary supremacism (literature for literature's sake) is only a British-American idea. I believe that the goal of wartime literature should be to win the war.

I am convinced that, in ancient times, Korea embraced the culture of the Asian continent as its own, and at the same time functioned as a cross-bridge, so to speak, in transmitting the culture of the Asian continent to mainland Japan. With Korea now a part of Imperial Japan, there has been a role reversal, and Korea has come to share the mission of transmitting the spirit and culture of Japan to all regions of Asia. My conviction stems from the conscription system that went into effect in August of this year, and it is no exaggeration to say that the problems between Korea and Japan have come to an end with the implementation of the conscription system. It is a great pleasure for me to be able to inform people in the various regions of Greater East Asia of the recent renewal and reactivation of the cultural movement in Korea, which was precipitated by the implementation of the conscription system.

Mr. Choi Jae-seo (최재서/崔載瑞): It was groundbreaking that the Korean literary world, which had been relatively strongly influenced by European literature, decided to break with the liberal literary world at the outbreak of the Greater East Asia War and embrace the Japanese worldview. However, it should be appreciated that the realization of the conscription system deeply contributed to this development. The first effect of the implementation of the conscription system was that Korean-language literature, which was historically written in Hangul, has been converted into Japanese-language literature. The second effect was a decisive change in the worldviews and attitudes toward life of the individual writers. I call this the grasping of the concept of one's own ancestral nation. Previously, the Korean intellectual class fundamentally lacked something, as if the wheels were missing from the axle. Because of this, the Korean intellectuals were unable to unleash the passion welled up in in the depths of their souls to move forward in a holistic manner. The implementation of the conscription system has made them come to the realization that they have to defend their own country with their own intellects and their own lives, and the idea of one's own ancestral nation sprang up in the hearts of the Korean literary intellectuals.

Korean literature is no longer a narrow literature based only on Korea. It can be clearly said that Korean literature is now a literature for the 100 million people of Imperial Japan who have established a space for the 27 million people in the Korean-language sphere, and also for the billion people of Asia.

Mr. Tsuyoshi Tsuda: As the Greater East Asia War enters its decisive phase, the cultural movement must also become systematized into a wartime system, and become strategized to push forward to destroy the United States and Britain. It is time for all cultural people of Asia to rise up to the occasion this autumn. We must establish a cultural organization with long lasting structures and methods throughout East Asia, but for the time being, I propose the following plan:

1. 1. On the Day of the Imperial Rescript on December 8th, literary writers from each region should hold a writers' convention in their respective regions. I would like each region to send representatives to each other in an effort to raise wartime consciousness. For example, we should ask for Korea, Manchuria, and North China to send representatives to each other, and it would also be a good idea to have the Japan Literary Association send representatives too.

1. 1. The periodical to be published after December 8 will include an editorial issue and a commemorative issue, which will contain wartime literature and expound on knowledge on how to the defeat the United States and Britain.

Mr. Kikuchi Hiroshi, the chairman, spoke in favor of Mr. Tsuda's proposal.

Greater East Asia Literature Prize

First Prize Winner Announced Today

Contestants for the first Greater East Asia Literature Prize, which is awarded to writers in the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere for their magnificent works, are being carefully screened by the Screening Committee, but since no works were officially selected for the first prize and the Southern Co-prosperity Sphere was not selected due to the screening deadline, several authors from mainland Japan, Manchuria, and the Republic of China were secondarily selected. The names of the winners and their works will be officially announced at the Greater East Asia Literature Conference in the afternoon of August 27.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-08-27

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) September 19, 1942

Ideological Warfare and Propaganda Warfare

By Maki Hiroshi [translator's note: his Korean name was Lee Seok-hoon (이석훈/李石薫)]

Maki Hiroshi, also known as Lee Seok-hoon

If we can sum up the essence of modern times, we can describe it as a war of ideology, simply because victory by force of arms does not necessarily mean true ultimate victory. Germany's defeat in World War I is a perfect example of this. As General Ludendorff said in his autobiography, "Germany's defeat in the World War was not my own fault, but rather the fault of the socialist fools". The socialist defeatism and anti-war ideology on the home front ultimately brought victory by military force to naught. In particular, the Greater East Asia War was, from its very inception, a struggle between the worldviews of two sides: that is, an ideological struggle between the New Order and the Old Order. It is difficult to say that the war will be completed simply by driving the United States and Britain out of the East Asian landmass, because the war is not fought for the sake of obtaining oil from the Dutch East Indies or rubber from Malaysia. Our war will not be over until we first thoroughly exterminate the British-American mentality that is nestled in the brains of 100 million people, and also cleanse out every last drop of the British-American mindset that permeates all the peoples of Asia.

I do not know whether the Japanese, who are more patriotic than any other people in the world, are praising the Japanese spirit with the same fervor and organization as the Americans and the British praise democracy, or whether they are even developing this for ideological warfare. For example, in the United States, leading scholars and writers have spent many years praising and promoting democracy. The influence of these efforts has been so great that even the ignorant masses are willing to give up their lives in defense of democracy.

The East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere includes many peoples, and in order to make these different peoples truly regard Japan as their ally, we must not stop at mere temporary propaganda efforts. Rather, we must give them something that will deeply penetrate them ideologically. Propaganda warfare is the rudimentary stage of ideological warfare, and is of course important in its own right, but unless it is backed up by the truth, it may even backfire in some cases. Ideological warfare is long lasting propaganda based on the truth, and those of us involved in writing are keenly aware of our great responsibility in this regard. (The writer is the executive secretary of the Korean Literary Association)

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1942-09-19

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年8月27日

大東亜文学者大会の二日目

堂々・決意述ぶ半島

津田氏ら三氏活躍

【東京電話】二十六日大東亜会館で開催の大東亜文学者大会二日目に於いて半島を代表して兪鎮午氏は『決戦文学の理念確立について』、崔載瑞氏は『徴兵制と朝鮮に於ける文学運動』と題してそれぞれ発言を行い、大東亜文学に於ける半島文学の立場とその目標を明かにし、津田剛氏また『大東亜文学者総蹶起』に関する提案をなし全議場に多大の感銘を与えたが、この日の発言者二十四名中朝鮮は実に三名を占める活躍ぶりで文学を通ずる大東亜戦争完遂、大東亜共栄圏建設に対する半島の聖なる使命と確固たる決意を強調し、大東亜諸地域を打って一丸とする決戦文学運動において朝鮮文学会が極めて重要なる役割を持つことを遺憾なく闡明し、且つ各地域代表にこの点を充分に徹底せしめた。三氏の発言内容は次の通り。

兪鎮午：大東亜戦争は愈愈決戦段階に入ったが、前線銃後一体となって敵撃滅に濾過しなければならんこの際、われわれ文化部面を担当するものは心の持ち方、即ち精神の置き方を明確にせねばならんが、永年全世界を風靡した米英流思想の根底をなす『我』と闘い、これを叩き伏せて東洋本来の偉大なる『和』の精神、一口にいえばわが日本に於ける最も純粋なる形に於いて保持され、且つ最高度にまで発展せしめられたる東洋の道義の精神に立ち揚がらねばならない。この戦争に勝つことを離れて文学も文化もない。文学至上主義の如きは米英流の思想に過ぎない。決戦文学の目標は戦に勝つという一点にあると思う。

朝鮮は古来大陸文化を自己のものとなすと同時に内地に伝える、いわば橋梁のような役割を果して来たのであるが、今や逆に皇国日本の一翼として日本の精神および文化をアジアの全地域に伝える使命を一端を担うに至ったと確信する。この確信は実に本年八月から実施された徴兵制に由来するもので、既往の内鮮間の問題は徴兵制実施を以て終止符が打たれたというも過言でない。最近朝鮮の文化運動が徴兵制を転機として頗る清新活発の様相を呈して来たことを各地域の方々にお伝え出来ることは自分としても大いに喜びとするところである。

崔載瑞氏：比較的強きヨーロッパ文学の影響の下にあった朝鮮文学が大東亜戦争勃発と同時に自由主義文学との決裂を決意し、日本的世界観に立ち這入ったことは当然のこととはいえ、画期的な事柄であった。しかしこれにも増して深刻なる影響を与えたものは、なんといっても徴兵制の実現である。徴兵制が与えた第一の影響は歴史を有する諺文で書かれた諺文文学が国語文学ヘ転換せんとしつつあることで、その第二は個々の作家の世界観、人生態度に決定的の変化を及ぼしたいということである。自分はこれを祖国観念の把握と呼んでいる。従来朝鮮の智識階級は根本的になにかが欠けていた。いわば車の軸が抜けていたために腹の底からこみ上げて来る情熱を以て全人格的の前進が出来ないといった状態であったが、徴兵実施により自己の智と命を以て国土を防衛するということが現実の事実として現れ、朝鮮の文学者の胸に湧然として祖国観念が湧き上がって来たのである。

朝鮮の文学は最早朝鮮のみを基礎とする狭い文学ではない。これは二千七百万の諺文圏を整えた一億国民のための否、アジア民族十億のための文学であるとはっきり申し上げることが出来る。

津田剛氏：大東亜戦争の決戦段階に臨んで文化運動も決戦体制化し、これを戦略化して米英撃滅に邁進しなければならん。アジアの全文化人は一人残らず蹶起すべき秋である。本来ならば、全東亜を通じて恒久的組織と方法とを持つ文化団体を樹立せねばらんが、差し当たっての方策として自分は次の案を提案したい。

一、来る十二月八日の大詔奉戴日は各地域の文学作家は各地域毎に作家大会を開催。各地域相互に代表者を派遣して戦時意識の昂揚に努めるようにしたい。例えば朝鮮に於いては満州、華北などよりも代表者の派遣を求めるが如き方法を取るもので、日本文学報国会より参加代表を派遣するものも又一案であろう。

二、十二月八日後の定期刊行物は編輯号、記念号を発行して戦う文学を掲載して米英撃滅の知識を闡明したい。

なお津田氏の提案に対して議長菊池寛氏より賛成意見の開陳があった。

大東亜文学賞

初の受賞者、きょう発表

【東京電話】大東亜共栄圏に在住する作家の雄渾なる作品に対して受賞される第一回大東亜文学賞は審査委員会の手によって慎重銓衡を進めているが、第一回分には正式受賞に該当する作品がなく、南方共栄圏は審査期日の関係その他で選に入りぬので結局日本、満州、中華民国三国の数名が次賞の形式で賞を受けることになった。なお第一回受賞者の氏名作品名は二十七日午後の大東亜文学者大会の席上正式発表される。

京城日報　1942年9月19日

思想戦と宣伝戦

牧洋

近代から煎じつめれば、思想戦であるということは、単に武力の勝利が真に最後の勝利を意味するものでないからである。第一次世界大戦におけるドイツの敗北は、この例の尤なるものであるが、彼のルーデンドルフ将軍もその自伝の中で『世界大戦にドイツが敗れたのは、余自身の責任であるというよりも、寧ろ社会主義者愚民のせいである』といっている如く、銃後における社会主義的な敗北主義並びに反戦思想によって、遂に武力の勝利を水泡に帰せしめたのであった。殊に今次の大東亜戦争は、そもそもの発端からして我と彼の世界観の争い、即ち、新秩序と旧秩序の思想的たたかいであるのだ。蘭印の石油ほしさに、マレーのゴムを得たさに戦ういくさでない故に、米英を東亜の天地から追い出しただけで、この戦争の有終の美をおさめたりとは云い難い。先ず一億国民の脳味噌の中に巣食っている米英を徹底的に駆逐し、更に全アジア民衆に侵透せる米英的思想をば、最後の一滴までも清掃せられざる限り、我々の戦いは終らぬのである。

私は寡聞にしてか、他の何れの民族よりも愛国的なる日本人が、米英人が民主主義を謳歌する如く熱烈に、且つ組織的に、日本精神を讃美し、且つこれを思想戦にまで展開しつつあるかどうかを知らない。例えば米国においては有数なる学者文人などが、長い年月を賭して民主主義の讃美と宣伝に努めている有様である。これらの影響はげに大きく無智なる大衆までが民主主義擁護の為には、一命を擲つことを名誉とするに至るのである。

東亜共栄圏には多数の民族が包括されるのであるが、これら異民族をして以て日本を真に盟主と仰がしめるには、単なる一時的の宣伝工作に止まることなく、思想的にまで深く食い込む何ものかを与えねばならぬ。宣伝戦は思想戦の初歩的段階であって、無論それ自身大切であるが、それが真実を裏づけとして伴わない限り、場合によっては逆効果をもたらす事すらあるのである。永久的なる真実の宣伝工作、これが思想戦であって、特に、我々文筆に携わる者、その責任の大なるを痛感する次第である。（筆者は朝鮮文人協会常任幹事）

Young female employees lining up to receive mandatory 'payroll savings booklets' to automatically deduct their wages to contribute to the Imperial Japanese war effort (Seoul, 1943)

The following is a photo of some young female employees at a company in Seoul lining up to receive some 'payroll savings booklets'. A portion of each employee's wages would be automatically deducted to contribute to a war fund as 'war savings' to support the Imperial Japanese military. The booklet would record how much was deducted towards the war effort. If this program worked similarly to mainland Japan, then the payroll contributions were mandatory, and there was no way for employees to voluntarily opt out of them.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) August 27, 1943

We will not want things until the war is won

Maidens burning with a fighting spirit to donate their payroll savings

The payroll savings booklets were handed to the maidens, one after the another. The fighting maidens disappeared from the office with the booklets in their hands, their cheeks blushing red with delight.

The submarine crew are conserving the air inside their submarines. Soldiers are sharing cups of water with their comrades-in-arms on battlefields covered with yellow dust. As long as the Imperial warriors continue to fight to the death in decisive battles this autumn, luxury is the enemy. Waste is also the enemy. The Korean Federation of National Power, Seoul Branch announced a set of ironclad rules for wartime life, which included a section on payroll savings (saving money by deducting from one's income).

Now, instead of buying silk socks, put the money into savings. Instead of buying a pint of beer, go buy some government bonds. The 1.2 million residents of Seoul are called upon to become a ball of fire to finish the Holy War and strive to surpass the 1.2 billion yen mark. [Photo: Payroll savings at a certain company]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-08-27 (page 4)

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年8月27日

欲しがりません、勝つまでは

天引き貯金に闘魂燃やす乙女達

天引き貯金帳が乙女の手に次から次へと渡される。通帳を手にした戦う乙女達は感激に両頬を紅潮させ、事務室から姿を消す。

潜水艦員は艦内の空気を節約し、黄塵万丈の戦野では一杯の水を戦友とわけあいながら、皇軍勇士が決戦死闘をつづけている秋、贅沢は敵だ。無駄も敵だ。生活を切り下げ貯蓄にはげみ、聖戦に勝ち抜こうと京城府聯盟ではさきに決戦生活の鉄則を発表し、その中、天引き貯蓄の一項目を設けている。

さあ、絹靴下のかわりに貯金だ。ビール一杯のかわりに国債だ。百二十万府民は聖戦完遂のために火の玉となって十二億円突破に邁進しよう。【写真＝某会社の天引き貯金】

Not content with merely banning U.S. and British jazz music, colonial authorities forced cafes, bars, and restaurants to throw out all phonograph records, and replaced the in-store background music with Imperial Japanese military songs and news propaganda blaring on the radio (Jongno, Seoul, 1943)

This is a story about a restaurant association in Jongno-gu, Seoul which not only banned American and British jazz music from its cafes, bars, and restaurants, but also banned all in-store music played on phonograph records and replaced it with Imperial Japanese military songs and Imperial Japanese military news propaganda. That would have certainly ruined the ambience of the restaurants and added yet another oppressive element to the miserable reality of living under Imperial Japanese colonial rule in wartime Korea.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) February 27, 1943

Phonograph records are to be wiped out!

Listen to military news broadcasts on the radio instead!

Jongno-gu: The New Way of Business to destroy the U.S. and Britain

Under the circumstances of the war, when the people on the home front were required to make a new resolve to destroy the enemy nations, they felt that playing enemy phonograph records in this day and age would be a shame on Japan. Therefore, the Jongno Japanese and Western Restaurants Association, located at 262 Gwancheol-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, decided to abolish the use of phonograph records for business use, and instead play Imperial Japanese military marches to herald the New Way of Business to destroy the U.S. and Britain.

On February 23, led by association president Nakano, 107 members of the association gathered at the association office. The association had previously banned the use of American and British jazz recordings in cafes, bars, and other eating establishments, but believing that playing phonograph records would only arouse the intoxication of customers and would not be of any benefit at all, they agreed to wipe out all phonograph records for business use. From now on, they would only play war reports and military songs on the radio, showing their strict self-restraint.

This means that the nightly music that used to play on phonograph records on the backstreets of Jongno-gu will disappear, and the fighting national people will be called upon to show self-restraint by the military news broadcasts lauding the brilliant results of the Imperial Army's great battles.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-02-27 (page 3)

 

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年2月27日

レコードは一掃

代りにラジオで戦況ニュース

鐘路：米英撃滅へ新商道

決戦下、敵国潰滅に銃後国民の新たなる覚悟が要望されているとき、適性流のレコードをいまなお使用することは日本の恥だと京城貫鉄町二六二鐘路和洋食組合では営業用のレコード使用を断然廃止して米英撃滅の新商道に総進軍を奏でた。

従来カフェーやバーその他飲食店では米英のジャズ音盤の使用を禁止して来たが、レコードをならすのは、ただ客の酔興を呼び起こすほかは無益だと中野組合長の音頭取りで去る二十三日、管内の百七組合員が同事務所に集合。営業用のレコード一掃を申合せ、今後はラジオによる戦報または軍歌などだけを吹奏することになり、厳然たる自粛ぶりを示した。

これで鐘路の裏町から毎夜流れ出ていたレコード演奏が消え、赫々たる皇軍の大戦果が戦う国民の自粛をよびかけることになったのである。

This Japanese teacher devoted a decade of his life going door to door preaching "You Koreans and we Japanese are brothers, so dedicating yourselves to the Imperial nation is the only way!" the Koreans initially hated him, but eventually came to welcome him with respect, allegedly (Shimonoseki, 1943)

The following propaganda article profiles one Japanese teacher in Shimonoseki who took it upon himself to organize Korean residents into neighborhood associations (Tonarigumi) to continue the indoctrination and brainwashing into the Imperial Way that they were undergoing under the Patriotic Groups (JP: aikoku-han, KR: aeguk-ban, 愛國班) in Korea.

Teacher Yoshioka with his Korean students

The neighborhood associations (Tonarigumi) in mainland Japan and the Patriotic Groups in Korea were similar, in that both were responsible for allocating rationed goods, fire fighting, public health, snitching on 'ideological criminals', and civil defense, but the latter was more focused on Imperializing the Koreans into true Japanese people. As we see in this article, the Tonarigumi for Koreans were modeled after Patriotic Groups to focus on enforcing State Shinto worship, improving Japanese language skills, and instilling Imperial Japanese patriotism.

Shimonoseki, a port city in Kyushu, Japan which served as a gateway to Korea, had segregated Korean neighborhoods during the colonial period. Major companies, such as construction, mining, and logistics firms, hired Korean workers to do the most undesirable work, back-breaking work lifting heavy loads. There was forced recruitment of Korean workers directly from Korea, especially for sensitive military projects, like the Kanmon Tunnel, fortresses, and airports, since the long-term Korean residents of Shimonoseki were considered to be unreliable. Korean workers lived in substandard company housing without running water in undesirable areas, such as in areas close to pig manure lagoons. The Korean neighborhoods were organized into Kyōwa-kai, which were neighborhood associations under police control. The Japanese police put the bosses of the housing complexes and brothels in charge of the Kyōwa-kai, and these collaborator bosses reported directly to the Special Higher Police, which established a heavy presence in these Korean neighborhoods through police booths and brutal detention centers. The collaborator bosses acted like the mafia and treated the residents like slaves, especially if they were escapees from forced labor camps elsewhere in mainland Japan.

[The above information comes from the first-hand accounts of a first-generation Zainichi Korean resident of Shimonoseki, Gang Hae-su (강해수/姜海洙) whose testimony given in 2002 is published in Japanese in Chosyu-Journal, an anti-militarist, pro-worker newspaper in Japan.]

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) February 27, 1943

Ten Years of Efforts Dedicated to the Imperialization of the Koreans

A beautiful story from Shimonoseki about a teacher

[Shimonoseki telephone report] A moving, beautiful story is told about an elementary school teacher and a group of Koreans living in mainland Japan who are looking forward to the day of honor that is about to come, just before the joyous implementation of wartime conscription.

The main subject of the story is Mr. Ken'ichi Yoshioka (35), a teacher at Enoura National School in Deshimatsu town, Hikoshima district, Shimonoseki city, and the Koreans living in the same town who have always admired him. The population of Hikoshima district has increased rapidly over the past decade with the establishment of factories and the frequent arrival and departure of ships. In particular, the dramatic increase in the number of Korean residents has led to the sudden formation of a settlement, and more than half of the children at Enoura National School are Koreans.

Here, differences in customs and inadequate language skills have caused some misunderstandings. Every time this happened, the young teacher Yoshioka pondered deeply, "Are things really alright this way?" It was November 1933 when he decided to take action, not content with just standing by and doing nothing. From then on, Yoshioka visited the Korean settlement day and night. Going door to door, he told them, "You Koreans and we Japanese are brothers, so dedicating yourselves to the Imperial nation is the only way!"

But there were initially many difficulties, and the Koreans hated him and refused to engage with him. However, by the end of the first year, the Koreans began to welcome him with respect. In this way, the Kōjō-kai was established in the settlement to provide neighborhood support, ahead of the establishment of the Kyōwa-kai. The Kōjō-kai holds regular meetings several times a month, similar to today's neighborhood association (Tonarigumi) meetings, to emphasize respect for the gods and the ancestors, to improve Japanese language skills, to encourage frugality and work ethic, and to produce good citizens.

In the meantime, when the digging work for the Kanmon Tunnel began, industrial warriors arrived one after another from the Korean peninsula. The small settlement became a larger town, and ten neighborhood associations were formed. Twice a month, there was vocational training in resource conservation and waste collection. They performed heartfelt activities including war donations and contributions, comfort visits to frontline soldiers, and mutual savings bonds. They have also formed neighborhood associations for the children, and they are striving to become worthy Imperial subjects. All of this is the result of 10 years of efforts under Yoshioka's guidance. Now he and all the members of the neighborhood associations are determined to send out splendid young men from the neighborhood associations as "humble shields protecting His Majesty the Emperor". [Photo: Yoshioka instructing Korean children at a regular meeting = censored by Shimonoseki Fortress Command Center]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-02-27

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年2月27日

半島人皇民化に捧ぐ十年間の努力

訓導繞る下関の佳話

【下関電話】決戦下よろこびの徴兵制実施を目前に控えて国民学校一訓導と内地在住半島人の一団とがやがて来るその光栄の日を待ちわびているという感激美談がある。

下関市彦島地区弟子待町居住、江之浦国民学校訓導吉岡憲一氏（三五）と氏を敬慕して已まない同町在住半島人達がその話題の主である。彦島は僅々十年急激に工場設置や船舶出入りの頻繁につれて人口も増加し、殊に半島人の激増は忽ち一部落を形成するに至り、江之浦国民学校もその半数以上は半島人児童という有様となった。

そこにはお互いの習慣の相違や言葉の不充分から何やかの行き違いが出て来る。その度毎に若い吉岡訓導は”これでよいのか”と深く考え込み、じっとして見逃すことが出来なくて起ち上ったのだ。それは昭和八年十一月。それからの吉岡訓導は日毎夜半島人部落を歴訪：「君達も俺達と同じ同胞だ。皇国の為に尽くす道は唯一つだよ」と一戸一戸を説いて廻るのだった。

然し人々はそこには幾多の困難があった。しかし一年目には今まで嫌って相手にもしなかった人々が尊敬をもって迎えてくれるようになった。そうして部落には協和会より一足先に隣保扶助の役割をなす『向上会』が出来た。向上会は毎月数回今の隣組常会に変わらぬ常会を開いて敬神崇祖の念を強調、正しき国語の熟達、貯蓄皆労と善き国民たらむと精進が続けられたのである。

一方、関門トンネル鑿掘工事着手となるや半島から続々と産業戦士が入りこんで来て、今では部落も町とかわり十組合の隣組合が出来、月二回資源愛護、廃品回収授産実習等を行って、その得たるところは、献納に、寄付に、前線勇士の慰問に、共同貯蓄と涙ぐましい活動を続け、なお子供隣組も出来て只管立派な皇国臣民になるのですと励んでいる。それらのすべてが吉岡訓導十年間の努力の結果であり、今その訓導と隣組合全員は、この組合からも”大君の醜の御楯”として立派な青年を送り出すのだと張切っている。【写真＝半島人子供常会を指導している吉岡訓導＝下関要塞司令部検閲済み】

80 years ago today, Korean women were making gloves for the Imperial Japanese Army at a factory run by Wakōkyōen, a nonprofit of the Japanese Jōdo Buddhist sect operating in Korea since 1893 and contracting with the colonial regime to rehouse, educate, and employ evicted Seoul slum residents

This is a photo of Korean girls and women manufacturing gloves at a factory in Gwansu-dong, Seoul exactly 80 years ago today.

They were former slum residents employed by Wakōkyōen (和光教園), a social welfare organization of the Jōdo Buddhist sect, which started its activities in Korea in 1893. It was one of two Japanese Buddhist social welfare organizations which were operating in Seoul during the colonial period, the other one being the Kōjōkaikan (向上会館) run by the Ōtani-ha Buddhist sect, which started its activities in Korea in 1878. When the Seoul government was clearing the slum areas of the city, these social welfare organizations were charged with rehousing them and giving them jobs and education. However, the main goal of these efforts was actually to push the slum residents out of sight in the name of 'beautifying' the city, rather than to improve their living standards. Therefore, the living standards of the former slum residents remained relatively poor. The public housing projects of the former slum residents were substandard and unsanitary with poor sewage systems.

Professor Nozomi Akizuki at the Institute for International Studies at Meiji Gakuin University wrote a well-researched Japanese-language blog page about this topic, in which he presents Japanese-language and Korean-language source materials from the colonial period to fill in the details. https://ameblo.jp/onepine/entry-12466055220.html

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) November 17, 1942

Military gloves which grip the five continents

◇… Five fingers grip the five continents. Gloves that protect the fingertips from the threat of cold weather are the spearhead of production expansion this winter. At the Wakōkyōen Knitting Factory in Gwansu-dong, Seoul, 50 female workers devote themselves all day long to the task of working on the knitting machines to produce military gloves.

◇… Clang, clang. Each time the machine shakes, the fingertips of black gloves and white gloves sprout out, and each worker produces 45 pairs of gloves a day, or 28,000 pairs a year, making a pile of snow-white gloves. A poster in the corner of the factory encourages workers to "be aware that this is work that was entrusted to you by the state". These gloves produce a revenue of 30,000 yen a year. These gloves are the warm friends of the winter production warriors. [Photo: Wakōkyōen's glove factory]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1942-11-17

(Transcription)

京城日報　1942年11月17日

五大洲を掴む軍手

◇．．．五指はもって五大洲を掴む。大事な指先を寒波の脅威から護る手袋は冬季生拡の尖兵だ。京城觀水町和教園編物工場では五十名の女工さんが終日編物機械と取っ組んで『軍手の生産』に余念がない。

◇．．．ガチャン、ガチャン．．．と機械が身ぶるいする度に白や黒の手袋の指先がニョキニョキと生れ出て一人一日四十五組、年間二万八千組が雪のように真っ白な手袋の山を築く。工場の隅には貼紙があって『国家から委託された仕事である自覚をもて』．．．と工場訓が激励している。年額三万円の手袋。これが冬の生産戦士の温かい友なのだ。【写真＝和光教園の手袋工場】

Korean schoolgirls standing in front of Seoul Whashin Department Store in 1943 as Korean women make some stitches in Shinto cloth amulets to be gifted to Imperial Japanese soldiers

In Imperial Japan, schoolgirls would stand around public places like department stores and hold white strips of cloth, and then female passersby would take turns making stitches with red thread on the cloth. Once one thousand different women have made knots or stitches on the cloth, then it becomes a Senninbari shinto amulet, a strip of cloth stitched a thousand times and given as Shinto amulets by the women to Imperial Japanese soldiers going away to war. The stitches may form patterns or images of flags, patriotic slogans, etc. 

This photo was taken in front of the Whashin Department Store, an old landmark of Jongno-dong which was eventually demolished in 1987. You can see a passerby in a Korean-style chima dress making a stitch or knot on a white strip of cloth that is held by a schoolgirl in Monpe work pants. 

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) November 13, 1943

Sending Senninbari Shinto amulets as parting gifts to clear the way for students marching off to battle

Students of women's colleges and girls' high schools in Seoul took to the streets to receive Senninnbari Shinto amulets as gifts of encouragement to the students marching off to battle. In the streets of Jongno-dong at Whashin Department Store, Mitsukoshi Department Store, Chojiya Department Store, and Honmachi-suji, beautiful whirlpools of people soon surrounded the maidens in school uniforms.

◇．．．Cotton cloth and threads were provided with the efforts of the Korean Federation of National Power. There was a woman in a Japanese kimono who poured her heart into stitching the amulets. She approached the students in a modest manner and asked them, "Are your brothers going off to war?" "Yes, the Korean students are all going off to war!" one student responded, looking at the knots on the amulet and bowing with gratitude, as if the woman had really sewn it for her brother.

◇．．．There were three working women who had apparently dropped by during their lunch break. As they took turns sewing and finished their stitches, all three of them stood upright and immobile, and then bowed politely to the Senninbari Shinto amulet that they had just stitched. They bowed silently, as if to say, "We wish you the best going off to war. We hope that you will perform many heroic deeds". The recipient of the stitches returned the bow with a gleam in her eyes. It was a very moving scene. [Photo: In front of Whashin Department Store]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-11-13

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年11月13日

晴の出陣に千人針の餞

学徒の出陣へ激励の千人針を餞しようと起ち上った京城府内の女専、高女学生生徒達は街頭に進出した。鐘路の和信、三越、丁子屋前、本町筋などでは制服の処女を囲んで忽ち美しい渦を巻く。

◇．．．総力聯盟の骨折りで綿布も糸も揃った。”あなたのお兄さんが出征なさるのですか”といい乍ら寄って来て虔しやかに、しかも心を籠めて縫う和服姿の奥さんがある。”ええ、半島学徒の総出陣ですわ”と、結び目を見ながら、女学生も本当にわが兄の為に縫って貰ったような感謝でお辞儀をする。

◇．．．お昼の時間に出て来たらしい三人づれの若い勤労女性、番を待って縫い終わると、三人が揃って直立不動の姿勢で、いま自分が結んだ千人針へ丁寧に最敬礼をした。よくぞ征って下さいます。どうぞ充分お手柄を立てて下さいとの心を無言のお辞儀に示したのである。縫ってもらった方も、眼にきらりと光るものを見せて礼を返す。感激の場面であった。【写真＝和信前にて】

Onerous regulations prescribing long lists of permissible and forbidden types of clothing were imposed on Koreans in 1943 to promote a 'minimalist lifestyle' of 'Japanese beauty and simplicity' in the name of wartime resource conservation

In September 1943, almost two years into waging war against the United States and Britain, facing extreme shortages in everything from food to clothing, Imperial Japan imposed some draconian clothing restrictions regulating what Koreans can and cannot wear, framing these regulations in the name of promoting a 'minimalist lifestyle' that would conserve resources and eventually win the war. Enforcement of the regulations was performed by the Korean Federation of National Power (国民総力朝鮮連盟, 국민총력조선연맹), which functioned as the one and only political party of Korea, and the patriotic groups (JP: aikoku-han, KR: aeguk-ban, 愛國班), which were the local level neighborhood cells of the political party. 

It was very difficult to translate all the clothing-specific terminology, so I did my best to add outside images and links to Wikipedia and other online resources to make sense of what was being referred to in these articles.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) September 22, 1943

The War Lifestyle Reader Series: Clothing

Men are to wear National Uniform Type B

Short sleeves and maru-obi for women are abolished

Modern warfare is a total war in which all domestic resources are concentrated on achieving the objectives of the war. Therefore, the national people on the home front are no different from the front-line combatants, and their daily lifestyle is literally a war lifestyle. This transformed form of war lifestyle, which cannot be governed by the peacetime assumptions of what a war lifestyle is supposed to be like, is not to be lived under the meager goal of 'stabilizing the lifestyles of the people'. Rather, it is to be lived under the goal of enduring the 'minimalist lifestyle', which is truly ruthless and merciless. The 'minimalist lifestyle' is a way of life in which food, clothing, and shelter, the three essential conditions for human existence, are reduced to the minimum. The last victors of modern warfare will be the people who can endure this simple lifestyle and succeed in waging this war, which is the great objective of the nation. This column is an attempt to describe this minimalist lifestyle from an economic perspective, and is entitled the 'War Lifestyle Reader'.

In order to win the Greater East Asia War, everything in the nation is being rapidly shifted to a decisive war-fighting posture, and the most urgent issue at hand is the complete simplification of food, clothing, and shelter, the largest elements of national life. Among these, the simplification of clothing was decided upon at a regular cabinet meeting held on June 4 this year with the "Outline for the Simplification of Wartime Clothing", and this was implemented in mainland Japan on August 10. Therefore, in order for Korea to follow suit, the Governor-General's Office issued a statement on August 22, clearly stating the policy to secure essential clothing and thoroughly conserve clothing materials. The main points were the following:

(1) Essential items necessary for the people's clothing are to be selected.

(2) Simplification is to be done without regard to mere hobbies, tastes, fashions, or business customs, as had been done in the past.

(3) Goals have been set to rationalize yarn consumption, improve quality, and rationalize production.

(4) In consideration of the difficulties in supplying materials and reconfiguring facilities, the best use shall be made of existing facilities as much as possible.

Before, there were 135 types of wide fabrics and several thousand types of narrow fabrics, but the standards were reorganized into 6 types of rayon fabrics, 13 types of mixed rayon fabrics, 64 types of silk fabrics, and 30 types of mixed silk fabrics, for a total of 113 types.

The Korean Textile Association, the Korean Federation of National Power, the Patriotic Women's Association of Korea, and other related organizations will soon play a central role in the "wartime clothing simplification campaign" to simplify the clothing of the people in all of Korea. The policies, guidelines, and outlines are the following:

▲Policy: Simplify the general clothing of the people, abolish luxury goods, raise morale, and improve the physical condition of the people while considering the special circumstances of Korea. Mental tension must be maintained to strengthen and renew the wartime lifestyle while not losing the sense of simplicity and beauty of the Japanese people, and clothing materials must be actively conserved in light of the current supply and demand situation for textile materials.

▲Guidelines:

1. In addition to greatly simplifying the types and standards of textiles, a designated production system will be implemented across the board to greatly minimize the production of high-end and non-urgent products.
2. In dyeing, the use of flamboyant colors shall be avoided, and color schemes shall be limited to plain colors of the highest quality.
3. In the tailoring of clothing, the amount of fiber shall be reduced as much as possible, while at the same time making it more active and hygienic.
4. Organizations shall avoid the establishment of new uniforms from now on, and take measures to utilize national uniforms or plain clothes (even in cases where uniforms have already been established, measures shall be taken to permit the wearing of non-regulation clothing, unless there are particular obstacles to this).
5. With regard to personal effects and other household articles, their types and standards shall be simplified as much as possible, and the manufacture of luxury and non-urgent items shall be prohibited.
6. The manufacturing of new clothing shall be suppressed, and the rehabilitation of whatever clothing is on hand shall be thoroughly promoted as much as possible, and the ceremonial dress for weddings, funerals, and other general ceremonies shall be simplified.

Guidelines for the Simplification of Clothing

I. The following points shall be taken into consideration with regard to fabrics

1. For the Kijaku type of silk fabrics, production shall be concentrated on products in demand by the masses as much as possible.
2. For narrow fabrics and fabrics for obi, widths and lengths shall be shortened to conform to those of mainland Japan, and the production of luxury and non-urgent products shall be prohibited.

II. Regarding dyeing, the use of ornate colors and patterns shall be abolished in favor of plain colors of high quality, and the number of colors shall be limited to three or less.

Right: National Uniform Type B, Left: National Uniform Type A

III. The following guidelines shall be applied to the tailoring of clothing for both men and women.

1. Men's clothes: (a) The ceremonial clothes and activewear of adults (21 years of age and over) shall be based on the National Uniform Type B, and newly tailored suits shall be prohibited (b) New home clothes shall not be made at all, and they shall be limited to the tanzen kimono in the winter and military clothes (yukata) in the summer (c) For Korean-style clothes, sleeveless vests shall be abolished, and the string fasteners of upper and lower garments shall be replaced with buttons (d) The activewear for young men (including secondary, vocational, and college students from 14 to 20 years of age) shall be made in the same way as that of adult men 21 years of age and older (e) The home clothes of young men shall be replaced with activewear, and all new tailoring shall be of the National Uniform Type B (f) The home clothes of school children (from 7 to 13 years of age) shall be replaced with school children's uniforms, and the uniforms shall not be particularly limited to a certain type (g) Infants (6 years old and under) shall be dressed in infants' clothes. (h) Newly tailored cloaks shall be single-breasted and have a stand-up collar.
2. Women's clothes: (a) Ceremonial clothes shall not be newly manufactured. For celebratory and somber occasions, an insignia shall be applied to turn the clothes into ceremonial clothes (b) Japanese-style clothing shall be tailored with short sleeves, and standard women's clothing (Western-style type 1, Western-style type 2, and activewear)   shall be worn as much as possible (c) For Korean-style clothes, all string fasteners shall be replaced with buttons, and chima dresses shall be tubular (d) For young women's activewear, blouses, skirts, and one-piece dresses shall be worn in the summer, and jumpsuits and skirts in the winter (e) For adults and young women, standard women's clothing (Japanese-style type 2) and Monpe work pants shall be the main type of home clothes (f) Nagajuban kimono underwear and other ready-made kimono items should be abolished as much as possible (g) Maru-obi and fukuro-obi shall be abolished, and the use of Nagoya-obi, katagawa-obi, and hitoe-obi shall be with shorter widths and lengths (h) Embroidery and shibori dyeing on lapels shall be discontinued (i) Schoolgirl uniforms shall not be particularly limited to a certain type, and the removal of decorative parts shall be in accordance with the standard women's clothing as far as possible (j) The clothing of school children and infants shall be in accordance with those for male school children and male infants.

Left to right: woman in jumpsuit, woman in tubular-style chima dress, woman in Monpe workpants, man in National Uniform Type B

Women's activewear

 Japanese-style Type 2

Western-style type 1

Western-style type 2

IV. Others

1. Dress shirts shall be with single cuffs.
2. The manufacture of new neckties shall be prohibited.
3. Underwear shall be mainly made of woven fabrics for summer wear, and mainly made of knit yarn for winter wear.
4. Socks shall be plain in color and short in length.
5. New hats shall be military hats.
6. Summer gloves shall be discontinued for both men and women.
7. Women's hats shall be abolished.
8. Socks for female students shall be short socks in the summer.
9. Underwear shall be simplified in their varieties and standards, and the chemise shall be abolished.

As described above, both men and women are required by the national government to thoroughly simplify their clothing. Originally, humanity was born naked, and they used to wear grass and leaves over parts of their bodies, but as human culture improved, they began to wear clothes covering all parts of their bodies. Subsequently, people have come to compete over flamboyant fashion trends. However, in a time of war, it is unacceptable to wear clothing that merely satisfies one's vanity. This is why there are calls for the simplification of wartime clothing, but in practicing such simplification, it is necessary to change to wartime clothing suitable for Japan the fighting nation without losing the Japanese sense of simplicity and beauty.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-09-22

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) August 31, 1943

Farewell to the old chima dress! Go with the new tubular style of the chima dress!

"Chima dress which is inappropriate for fighting decisive battles"

Let's cut off the long sleeves of Japanese-style clothes. Of course, the chima dress of Korean-style clothes will also be changed to a tubular style. The meeting of the Patriotic Women's Association held at the Seoul Citizens Hall on August 30 had a serious tone. It is no longer the time to walk around wearing a long chima dress, holding it in one hand and waving it around. We Korean women are strongly determined to stand firm. We will save the long string fasteners that hang down from our chests and replace them with buttons, and we will donate the string towards the war effort, gathering all our strength to stop the United States and Britain from attacking us. Such is the powerful initiative of the Patriotic Women's Association. [The inserted image is that of a chima dress which is not appropriate for fighting decisive battles]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-08-31

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) October 17, 1943

Which is more appropriate as activewear? Let's get dressed for battle!

The "change of clothes for battle" started with the national uniform for men, followed by widespread calls for improved clothing for women, with 'Genroku sleeves' for men and 'tubular-style chima dresses' for Korean women being seen at home and on the streets. It is encouraging to see the 'Genroku sleeves' for men and 'tubular-style chima dresses' for Korean women in homes and on the streets, but there are still people wearing old 'fashionable clothes' or uniforms which are inappropriate for fighting decisive battles. Is this the right thing to do? On the front lines, bloody battles are being fought over and over again. In order to march forward on the road to victory, everyone must be deployed into a battle posture in "fighting clothes".

The Gyeonggi-do Branch of the Patriotic Women's Association included the question, "Are you wearing battle clothes?" in its October circular, and circulated it to all patriotic groups to encourage women to reflect and get inspired. However, some households began to mistakenly believe that Monpe work pants are to be worn only for special occasions, and others began to buy new, fashionable clothes spending more than 100 yen per piece. These battle clothes are the only daily activewear that should be worn.

Monpe work pants

Non-active type Kimono

Which of these two pictures show old clothes which must be remade as much as possible into true activewear? Let us all march forward, wearing our Monpe work pants as battle clothes, to destroy the United States and Britain! [Photos: the top photo shows an active type of Monpe work pants; the bottom photo shows old-style clothes of a non-active type]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-10-17

Credit to むかしの装い http://blog.livedoor.jp/mukashi_no/archives/35803975.html

 

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年9月22日

戦争生活読本：衣の巻

男子は国民服乙号

婦人は短袂、丸帯廃止

現代戦は国内の凡ゆる事物を一切合財挙げて戦争目的完遂に集中する総力戦である。だから銃後国民と雖も、前線の戦闘員と何ら異なるところなく、その日常生活は文字通りの戦争生活であり、従って生活様式も戦争生活という平時の常識をもっては到底律することのできぬ相貌を持つこの変貌した戦争生活は、曾ての『国民生活の安定』などというような微温的な目標の下に営まれるものでなしに、真に無慈悲仮借なき『最低生活』に耐えることにある。『最低生活』とは人類生存における三大不可欠条件たる衣食住をとことんまで引き下げた生活様式と云うのであり、この簡素な生活をものともせず克く耐え、国家の大目的たる戦争を成功せしめ得る民族こそ現代戦の最後勝利者である。そこでこの最低生活を経済的観点から述べんとするのが本欄の試みであり、題して『戦争生活読本』という。

大東亜戦争を勝ち抜くために、国家のあらゆるものが急速に決戦態制へ切り替えられつつあり、就中国民生活の最大要素をなす衣食住の徹底的簡素化が当面緊急の問題としてとりあげられて来た。そのうち、衣生活の簡素化については本年六月四日の定例閣議に於いて『戦時衣生活簡素化実施要綱』を決定し、内地は八月十日より実施した。よって朝鮮もこれに順応するため八月二十二日総督府当局談を発表し、必需衣料品を確保すると共に衣料資材の徹底的節約を図る旨の方針を明かにした。その要点は

一、国民衣生活に必要欠ぐからざるものを選定したこと

二、従来の如く単なる趣味、嗜好流行及び商習慣に捉われることなく単純化したこと

三、原糸消費の合理化、品質の向上並びに生産の合理化を目標としたこと

四、資材の補給難、設備の改造難等を考慮し、出来得る限り現有設備の活用を期したこと

などで、規格も従来は広幅織物百三十五種、小幅織物数千種であったものが人絹織物六種、人絹交織物十三種、絹織物六十四種、絹交織物三十種、合計百十三種に整理されたのである。

この衣生活簡素化実践については近く朝鮮織物協会をはじめ国民総力朝鮮聯盟、日婦朝鮮本部その他関係団体が中心となって全鮮的に”戦時衣生活簡素化運動”を展開することになっているが、その方針、要綱、要領は左の通りである。

▲方針：国民一般衣料を簡素化して奢侈高級品を廃し、朝鮮の特殊事情を考慮し士気の昂揚、体位の向上をはかり、日本人的な簡素美を失わず、戦時生活の強化刷新と精神的緊張を持たしむると共に現下繊維資材の需給関係にかんがみ積極的に衣料資材の節約を図るものとす。

▲要綱：１、織物に就いてはその種類、規格を極度に単純化するは勿論、全面的な指定生産制を実施することに依り高級品及び不要不急品の生産を極力圧縮すること

２、染色に就いては努めて華美を避け質実清楚を旨とし、配色等を限定するの措置を講ずること

３、衣服の仕立てに就いては繊維量を極力節約すると共に活動的、衛生的たらしむること

４、諸団体に於いて今後新たに制服等を制定するを避けしめ国民服又は平常服を活用する方途を講ずること（既に制服等の定める場合と雖も特に支障なき限り制規以外の服装の着用をも認むるよう措置すること）

５、見廻品その他家庭用品に就いては、その種類及び規格を極力単純化し高級品並びに不要不急品の製造を禁止すること

６、衣料の新調を抑制すると共に極力有合わせ品の更生活用の徹底をはかると共に婚礼、葬儀その他一般儀礼の場合における儀装の簡素化をはかること

衣生活簡素化実施要領

一、織物に就いては左の点につき考慮する

１、着尺用絹織物については極力大衆需要品に生産を集中せしむること

２、小幅織物、帯地等は内地に順応し幅及び長さを短縮するのほか高級品及び不要不急品の生産を禁止すること

二、染色に就いては華美な色彩、柄模様を廃止して高尚清楚とし染色の色数に就いては三色以下に限定すること

三、衣服の仕立てに就いては男女とも左の要領に依らしむること

１、男子衣料（イ）大人（二十一歳以上）の式服、活動衣は国民服乙号型を原則とし脊広の新規仕立てを禁止すること（ロ）家庭着は努めて新調を見合わせ、冬は袷丹前、夏は軍衣（浴衣）程度に止めること（ハ）鮮服はチョッキを廃し上衣、周衣の紐はボタンに改むること（ニ）青年（十四歳以上二十歳迄中等、専門、大学生を含む）の活動衣は大人に準ずること（ホ）青年の家庭衣は各活動衣をもって之に代らしむること、新規仕立ては総て国民服乙号型とすること（ヘ）学童（七歳以上十三歳迄）の家庭着は学童服をもって代らしめ制服を限定せざること（ト）幼児（六歳以下）は幼児服とすること（チ）外套の新規仕立ては立襟、片前とすること（リ）袷オーバー、レインコート等は新規仕立てを禁ずること

２、女子衣料（イ）式服は新調せず慶弔には徽章を応用して式服に代えること（ロ）和装の仕立てについては短袂に依らしむる如く措置することとし、極力婦人標準服（甲型一部式、甲型二部式、活動衣）とすること（ハ）鮮服は各紐類をボタンに替え、チマは筒型となすこと（ニ）青年の活動衣は夏はブラウスとスカート、ワンピースとし、冬はジャンパーとスカートとすること（ホ）大人、青年の家庭着は婦人標準服（乙型二部式）及びモンペを主とすること（ヘ）長襦袢その他和装既成品はできるだけ廃止すること（ト）帯は丸帯袋帯を廃止し、名古屋帯、片側帯、単重帯とし、幅及び用尺を短くすること（チ）半襟の刺繍、絞りを廃止すること（リ）女学生の制服は限定せざると共に、その装飾的部分の除去については可及的婦人標準服に依らしむること（ヌ）学童、幼児の衣服は男衣服料に準ずること

四、その他

１、ワイシャツはカッター（シングルカフス）とする

２、ネクタイの新調、製造を禁止する

３、肌着類の夏物は布帛製品を主とし、冬物はメリアス製品を主とする

４、靴下は色無地とし、その長さを短くする

５、帽子の新調は戦闘帽とする

６、夏手袋は男女共に廃止する

７、女子の帽子は廃止する

８、女学生の靴下は夏期に於いては短靴下とする

９、肌着類は品種、規格を単純化しシュミーズは廃止する

以上のように男女とも徹底した衣生活の簡素化を国家的に要請されているのである。元来人類は裸で生れ出るのであり、そのかみは局部に草葉を纏まっていたものが文化の向上につれて全身に衣服を着用するようになった。そして更に華美流行を競うようになったのであるが、決戦下にあっては見栄を満足させるに過ぎぬような衣生活は到底許されぬのである。さればこそ戦時衣生活の簡素化が叫ばれるのであるが、その実践に当っては飽くまで日本的な簡素美を失わずに戦う日本にふさわしい戦時衣服に改めるべきであろう。

 

京城日報　1943年8月31日

チマと別れ、筒型で行け

和服の長袖を断ちましょう、は勿論朝鮮服の『チマ』も今度筒型に改められることになりました。三十日府民館で行われた日婦打合せ会は何れも真剣です。長いチマをひらりひらりと片手に抱いて歩く時代ではない。われら断じて起つと半島婦人の決意は固い。胸に垂れる長紐も節約してボタンに替え何れも献納して米英撃ちて止まむの総力をここに結集する、力強い日婦の新発足です【挿絵は非決戦型のチマ】

 

京城日報　1943年10月17日

どちらが活動的ですか？さあ決戦服で行きましょう

”決戦への衣替え”は先ず男子の国民服から踏み出し、その後をついで女子の服装改善が広く叫ばれ、家庭や街に”元禄袖”に半島婦人の”筒型”チマが見受けられて来たのは頼もしいが、未だに旧態依然たる”おしゃれ服装”若しくは非決戦服を身にまといしゃなりしゃなりとしている人がいる。これでよいだろうか。前線ではいま血みどろの決戦を繰り返している。勝ち抜く道を一路邁進するには皆が”戦う衣”で戦闘配置につかねばならないのだ。

そこで日婦京畿道支部では”貴女の服装は決戦衣ですか”と十月の回覧板にこれを入れこみ、各愛国班に廻し婦人方の反省と奮起を促したが、各家庭ではモンペを特殊な場合にのみ着るものとまちがった考え方をする人や、一着で百円以上も出しておそろしくおしゃれな物を新調する人が現れて来たが、これは唯日常の活動服として着用せねばならぬ。

この写真のどちらが真に活動的に出来る限り古着を活かして作りなおすか。さあ一人残らずモンペの決戦服で米英撃滅へ進軍しましょう【写真＝（上）活動的なモンペ服（下）不活動的な旧服装】