Imperial Japan banned passengers wearing chima skirts from boarding trains, escalating its campaign against traditional Korean garments in May 1945

In May 1945, as the war situation worsened, the Japanese colonial authorities in Korea tightened their grip on everyday life in increasingly petty and invasive ways. One striking example was the enforcement of strict wartime attire regulations. As shown in this May 14, 1945 article, colonial authorities began banning travelers from boarding trains if they were not wearing “proper” air-raid clothing, which explicitly targeted traditional Korean garments—especially the flowing chima skirts worn by Korean women.

On May 9, 1945, Keijō Nippō published a photo of the feet of Korean women wearing chima, shaming them by calling such clothing “a suicidal act.” The article warned that the skirts could easily catch fire from incendiary bombs or become soaked with water and render the wearer unable to function in a wartime emergency. The piece concluded by declaring that such a sight was inappropriate for May 8, which was Imperial Rescript Day (Taishō Hōtai-bi).

Imperial Rescript Day was a commemorative day established in 1942 during the Pacific War to boost morale across the Japanese Empire. It replaced the earlier “Asia Promotion Service Day” and designated the 8th of every month as a day for rallying national resolve to complete the war effort. On this day, subjects across the empire were expected to participate in rituals such as reading the imperial war proclamation, offering victory prayers at shrines and temples, and displaying Japanese flags at home.

Apparently, many Koreans mistakenly believed that these harsh clothing inspections applied only on Imperial Rescript Day. This would explain why the number of attire violations dropped sharply on the 8th, only to spike again afterwards. 

The requirement to undergo humiliating attire checks at train stations—particularly the targeting of traditional Korean dress—would have understandably outraged many. In a time of total war, when morale should have been preserved, this kind of petty colonial micromanagement only deepened alienation and anger among the colonized.

Documenting examples like this is important. They show how colonial oppression extended into the minutiae of daily life, even into how people dressed. Far from merely logistical wartime policies, these measures were ideological tools meant to erase Korean identity, impose Japanese norms, and discipline the population into obedience. Remembering and analyzing these acts of everyday repression is not just about historical interest—it is about confronting the full spectrum of colonial violence, including the psychological and cultural forms that often go unacknowledged.

[Translations]

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) May 14, 1945

"Prohibited Attire for Boarding Trains"
Many in the Intellectual Class are Caught — One Hundred People Per Day
Sunday Special Inspection Report

Since the fourth of this month, enemy aircraft have launched continuous attacks over the seas of southern Korea. On the twelfth, six enemy flying boats penetrated the region, launching attacks on ships. The Korean peninsula is now effectively a battlefield. It is not out of the question that these enemy planes may escalate from attacks on ships to indiscriminate bombing of cities.

So, how prepared is the Korean peninsula to face this threat? Regrettably, it cannot yet be said that we are in a full wartime posture.

To take a simple example — the air-raid attire of travelers. Despite repeated warnings to the point of exhaustion, a significant number still do not wear maki-kyahan (leg wrappings), or drag long Korean-style garments that sweep the ground. Not a few have even been denied boarding by station staff. It is especially disgraceful when even members of the educated class, who should be setting an example, nonchalantly fail to wear the proper leg wrappings.

To establish a travel posture suitable for decisive battle, the Seoul Regional Bureau has, since the first of this month, prohibited boarding to travelers not in air-raid attire. From the first to the tenth at Seoul Station, 230 travelers were denied boarding.

Here is the breakdown of the numbers of passengers who were denied boarding:

• • Day 1: 12

• • Day 2: 8

• • Day 3: 32

• • Day 4: 26

• • Day 5: 36

• • Day 6: 48

• • Day 7: 39

• • Day 8: 2

• • Day 9: 6

• • Day 10: 21

The eighth was Imperial Rescript Day, so air-raid attire was strictly observed, with only two violations.

The highest number of refusals was on the sixth, with 48 people barred from boarding. If the general mindset is that "air-raid attire is only necessary on Rescript Days," that is a grave mistake. Enemy aircraft can appear at any time. If one can wear air-raid attire on a Rescript Day, one can certainly do so on other days.

Although unfamiliarity might be an excuse in the beginning, under normal circumstances the number of boarding denials should gradually decrease. However, judging from these numbers, there has been no reduction at all — rather, starting from the third, the number has increased, revealing a general indifference toward air-raid readiness.

Of course, the station staff are not eager to refuse boarding. If travelers are properly attired, that is enough. Station personnel issue warnings before the ticket gate to travelers who are not dressed properly. Only those who ignore these warnings are refused boarding as a last resort.

Each day, more than 100 travelers are warned, and at peak times, the number exceeds 200.

• • Day 1: 219

• • Day 2: 216

• • Day 3: 187

• • Day 4: 137

• • Day 5: 126

• • Day 6: 121

• • Day 7: 117

• • Day 8: 49

• • Day 9: 70

• • Day 10: 57

Without the station staff’s compassionate warnings, all these individuals would have been denied boarding outright.

It is utterly shameful that over 100 travelers each day, despite utilizing railways — regarded as weapons of war, must be reprimanded for improper air-raid attire under repeated air raids. Air-raid attire is not for anyone else — it is for the travelers’ own safety.

Travelers must take the current situation more seriously, and rather than wait to be told by station staff, they must proactively ensure proper air-raid attire.

What about the clothing of travelers arriving at Seoul Station? Unfortunately, their attire is just as inappropriate. They are not dressed for wartime travel. Although the emergency policy of “no boarding without air-raid attire” is not limited to Seoul Station but enforced throughout the entire jurisdiction of the regional transportation bureau, arriving passengers should have had their attire inspected at their departure stations.

The fact that their attire is in disarray upon arrival suggests that they shed their air-raid attire after boarding, as if thinking it is only necessary to get past boarding inspections.

This mindset must be corrected immediately. The station has announced that it will further tighten enforcement from now on.

Given the increasing severity of enemy bombing, this policy is entirely appropriate. Travelers themselves must take initiative in wearing proper air-raid clothing. Anyone wearing "unfit-for-battle attire" must be firmly excluded from our valuable wartime trains. Let us establish a decisive travel posture as soon as possible, prepared to face enemy planes at any time.

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) May 9, 1945

Can You Really Be Active Like This?

Do you really think your clothing is appropriate? Do you think you can withstand the enemy’s blind bombings dressed like that? Or is it that you do not own monpe workpants? How many times must we say that wearing chima is an act of suicide before you understand?

When incendiary bombs set your chima on fire, or when your chima becomes soaked with water, you will no longer be able to move, and you will be completely defeated.

Enemy planes may come soon—perhaps even tonight. Just because the weather has become pleasant, do not be foolish enough to think, “I will just try wearing this for a bit.” Get serious.

Even so, we still see girls strutting through the streets indulging in a sense of style, not wearing monpe, but rather sailor-style trousers—pants so fancy that even men do not wear them, once worn by revue girls. This too must stop.

If you must wear pants, tighten the hems. Also, we have seen men who are not wearing leg wrappings. That too must be corrected immediately.

The above are the unfit-for-battle appearances we observed on the Imperial Rescript Day on the 8th in a city that is under attack from frequent enemy air raids. [Photo caption: Could this be you?]

[Transcriptions]

京城日報 1945年5月14日

『乗車禁止の非服装』

多い指導層、一日に百名

日曜紙上査察

去る四日以来敵機は連日わが南鮮海面に来襲しつつある。十二日も敵飛行艇六機が南鮮海面に侵入。船舶に攻撃を加え来った半島もいまや戦場と化し敵機はいつ現在の船舶攻撃から都市の無差別爆撃に出ないとも限らないが、ところがこれに備ゆる半島の態勢はどうか。遺憾ながら、いまだ戦う態勢になりきっているとはない。

早い話が旅行者の防空服装一つをとりあげてみても、あれだけ口がすっぱくなるほど注意されながらいまだに巻脚絆をつけない者、すその長い鮮服をひきずっている者が相当数に上り、駅員から乗車を拒絶された旅行者も少なくない。殊に率先垂範すべき知識階級までが平然と脚絆をつけないでいるのはもっての外だ。

旅行の決戦態勢化を期する京城地方局では去る一日から防空服装以外の旅行者は乗車を禁止しているが、京城駅で一日から十日までに乗車禁止にあった旅行者は二百三十名に上っている。

内訳は初日の一日が十二名、二日が八名、三日が三十二名、四日が二十六名、五日が三十六名、六日が四十八名、七日が三十九名、八日が二名、九日が六名、十日が二十一名となっており、流石に八日は大詔奉戴日だけに防空服装が徹底していて禁止は僅か二名に過ぎない。

一番多いのは六日で実に四十八名が乗車を禁止されているが、一般が『防空服装は大詔奉戴日だけ』といった考えでいるとしたら大変な間違いだ。敵機はいつやって来ないとも限らないし、大詔奉戴日に防空服装が出来て他の日に出来ない筈もない。しかも最初は周知不十分ということも考えられ、本来なら漸次乗車禁止が減少する筈であるが、この数字からみると一向減少しておらず、反対に初日は少なく三日から増加している状態で、防空服装に対する一般の冷淡さをはっきりと窺うことが出来るのである。

無論、駅では乗車拒絶が本意ではない。旅行者の防空服装が整えばそれでよく、だからとくに改札前防空服装を整えていない旅行者には注意を与えており、乗車拒絶はそれでも聞かない不埒者に最後の切札として断行しているのである。

この注意を与える旅行者数をみると、これは毎日百名を下らず、多い時には実に二百名を越している。まず初日の一日が二百十九名、二日が二百十六名、三日が百八十七名、四日が百三十七名、五日が百二十六名、六日が百二十一名、七日が百十七名、八日が四十九名、九日が七十名、十日が五十七名であり、駅側のこの思いやりの注意がなければ毎日これだけの旅行者が乗車禁止になっているわけだ。

敵機連襲下に、しかも兵器といわれる鉄道を利用する旅行者が毎日百名以上も防空服装のことで駅員から注意されるのは恥辱も甚だしい。防空服装は誰のためでもない。旅行者自身のためであり、もっと真剣に時局を見つめ、寧ろ駅側からいわれる前に旅行者自ら進んで防空服装の徹底を期せねばならない。

一方京城駅に降りて来る旅行者の服装はどうか。これも乗車する旅行者と変わらず、まだまだ戦う服装になりきっていない。防空服装以外は乗車禁止の非常措置はひとり京城駅ばかりでなく、地方交通局管内全部にわたって断行されているのだし、降車客は発駅で乗車の際、一応服装を点検された筈であるが、それでいて降車の際の服装が乱れているのは旅行者が乗車してしまえば防空服装の必要なく、防空服装は乗車するためのものといった考えでいるからだ。

この考えは絶対切り換えねばならない。駅側では今後ますますこの取締を厳重にするといっている。

敵機の爆撃がいよいよ本格化しつつあるとき当然と措置であり、旅行者としても進んで防空服装を整えるよう心掛け、そして貴重な戦う列車からは断然『戦わざる服装』を締出し敵機いつでも来いの決戦旅行態勢を一日も速やかに確立することが望ましい。

京城日報 1945年5月9日

これで活動ができますか

貴女方の服装はそれでよいと思うのですか。それで敵の盲爆に戦い抜けるとでもお思いですか。それともモンペを持っていないのですか。チマのままでは自殺行為だと何度いえばわかるのです。焼夷弾でチマに火がついたとき、またはチマが水に濡れたときは活動が出来ず、あなた方は完全に負けるのです。

敵機は今に、いや今夜でも来るかも判らない季節が陽気になったから、ちょっと着て見ようなどという馬鹿気た心は起さないで真剣になりましょう。それなのにまたモンペでなくレビューガールが履いていた男も履けないセーラズボンにシャレ気分を満喫し街を闊歩する娘を見かけるが、これも止めましょう。ズボンなら裾をしぼりましょう。なお男も脚絆を着用しないのを見受けたが即刻改めましょう。以上敵機しきりに来襲する八日の奉戴日に戦う街で見受けた戦はない姿です。

【写真＝あなたの姿はここにないか】

Source: National Library of Korea, Digital Newspaper Archive

See Also:

Link 1 (1943 clothing regulations regarding chima dresses): https://tpjv86b.blogspot.com/2022/11/onerous-regulations-prescribing-long.html

Link 2 (1944 police detaining a woman in Hanbok dress): https://tpjv86b.blogspot.com/2024/12/korean-woman-in-hanbok-detained-by.html

Link 3 (1945 propaganda speech forbidding rings and chima dresses at work): https://tpjv86b.blogspot.com/2025/04/dont-wear-rings-or-chima-dresses-dont.html

Link 4 (April 1945 poster shaming Korean women for wearing chima skirts): https://tpjv86b.blogspot.com/2025/05/imperial-japan-called-korean-women-in.html

Imperial Japan called Korean women in chima dresses ‘the most filthy and ugly sight’ and shamed them with posters captioned ‘there are still women like these’ (April 1945)

In April 1945, with Imperial Japan losing the war, Imperial authorities turned their rage inward.

Captioned poster: "There are still women like these" (まだいる、こんな女性が)

Imperial authorities targeted Korean women for wearing traditional chima skirts instead of wartime monpe trousers. The Battle of Iwo Jima had just ended, and Battle of Okinawa was already well underway, so war tensions were very high. These two articles, published in the Keijo Nippo propaganda newspaper in Seoul under Imperial Japanese rule, scolded Korean women as selfish, vain, and unpatriotic, claiming that women in traditional chima dresses were “the most filthy and ugly sight” in the eyes of the public. 

[Translation]

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) April 21, 1945

You Cannot Protect This Nation Wearing a Chima Dress

What is this? Have you forgotten the enemy air raids, just strolling around idly?
There are still women like this.

◇ …Dragging their long chima hems, letting their skirts flutter in the spring breeze—how the number of high heels strutting through this city at war has grown! The long winter has passed, cherry buds are swelling on the trees, and now, with the arrival of spring, the slackening of wartime tension has begun to creep into people's hearts. Here and there, women can be seen on the streets who have forgotten their monpe workpants.

◇ …Do these women really think that, dressed like that, they can protect themselves from enemy bombings, protect their homes, and protect their cities? These women dragging their long chima hems have children who go off to school wearing gallant monpe and kyahan leg wraps. These women wearing skirts, whose footsteps echo in the streets in high heels, have brothers who are throwing their lives into battle in factories and on the front lines. Surely these women have not forgotten about that?

◇ …And yet, are these women the only ones allowed to dress like this? Even they cannot say that they do not have enough thread to alter a skirt or chima dress into monpe workpants. If they are clinging to outdated lifestyle habits, then those are the habits of a defeated people. If there are any people who believe that chima dresses and skirts symbolize feminine beauty, then they are gravely mistaken. The people walking the streets see their appearance as the most shameful and unsightly thing, and they look upon them with eyes of reproach.

◇ …It may be April, when spring flowers bloom, but right now, as the decisive battle that will determine the fate of the Japanese people begins, we are living in an autumn of resolve, with all 100 million ready to fall like cherry blossoms in a special attack. Skirts and chima dresses not altered into monpe workpants should be stored away with your evacuation clothing. Let us prepare for the enemy planes that may come even tomorrow, and demonstrate the spirit of the Yamato Nadeshiko in monpe workpants that will not hinder our movement. [Photo: Observations from within Seoul on the 20th during defense drills]

Original caption: Observations from within Seoul on the 20th during defense drills

If You Let Your Guard Down, It Will Cost You!

Secretary-General Kurashige of the Patriotic Women’s Association Issues a Warning About Chima Dresses

During the defense drills held on the 20th, the unsightly sight of women in chima drew widespread scorn. Secretary-General Kurashige of the Patriotic Women’s Association’s Korean Headquarters, issued the following call to awaken women regarding proper air defense attire:

“Because the air raids in Osaka temporarily eased, people became completely careless and stopped wearing monpe. The damage caused by the air raids that struck during this lapse was severe. This is a classic example of what happens when there is no mental discipline.

We Korean women must not repeat this mistake. We must begin with the simple act of wearing monpe pants and throw ourselves into a wartime way of life.

I cannot stop urging the women supporting the home front to awaken!”

[Transcription]

京城日報 1945年4月21日

チマでは護れぬ
何事ぞ、敵襲忘れてノタリノタリ
まだいる、こんな女性が

◇．．．裾長にチマを引き、春風にスカートをなぶらせて戦う街をゆくハイヒールの何と殖えたことであろうか。永かった冬も去り桜の枝頭もふくらむ春とともに戦う人の心の間隙に喰いこむ緊張のゆるみからモンペを忘れた女性が街々に散見される。

◇．．．いったい貴女はそれで敵の爆撃から身を護り、家を都市を護り抜けると思っているのでしょうか。チマの裾を引いた貴女の子供は巻脚絆にモンペの凛々しい姿で学校へ通っている。スカートにハイヒールの音も高く街を闊歩する貴女の兄さんや弟たちは工場で戦場で生命を投げ出して戦っていることをよもや忘れてる訳ではないでしょう。

◇．．．それなのに貴女だけがその姿でよいのでしょうか。スカートやチマをモンペに直す位の糸がないとはいくら貴女でもいえますまい。もしも生活の習慣に固執されるのだったら、それは敗戦国民の習慣です。万一チマやスカートが女性美を象徴するものだと思ってる人があったら大間違い。街ゆく人々は貴女達の姿を最も穢れた醜いものとして非難の眼で見ているのですぞ。

◇．．．花開く春四月だが、いまや日本民族の興亡を決する大決戦は咲く花とともに桜花と散らん一億特攻の決意に生きる秋なのです。モンペに直さぬチマやスカート類は疎開衣料のなかに入れて、さあ明日にも来る敵機に備え、活動に支障のないモンペ姿に大和撫子の心意気を示そうではありませんか。

【写真＝防衛演習の二十日府内所見】

油断するな
倉茂日婦総長
チマに警告

防衛演習の二十日、見苦しいチマ姿が一般の顰蹙をかった。日婦朝鮮本部倉茂事務総長はこの日婦人の防空服装に次の如く覚醒を促した。

大阪で一時空襲がゆるやかになったため、すっかり油断してモンペを着なくなった。この時に乗じて受けた空襲の被害は大きかったという。これは心のひきしまりがない時の好例だが、われわれ半島女性はこの轍を踏まないように簡単なモンペ着用から始めて戦う生活に奮闘せねばならない。銃後女性の覚醒を促してやまない。

Source: National Library of Korea, Digital Newspaper Archive

See Also:

Link 1 (1943 clothing regulations regarding chima dresses): https://tpjv86b.blogspot.com/2022/11/onerous-regulations-prescribing-long.html

Link 2 (1944 police detaining a woman in Hanbok dress): https://tpjv86b.blogspot.com/2024/12/korean-woman-in-hanbok-detained-by.html

Link 3 (1945 propaganda speech forbidding rings and chima dresses at work): https://tpjv86b.blogspot.com/2025/04/dont-wear-rings-or-chima-dresses-dont.html

Don't wear rings or chima dresses! Don't believe the Allied leaflets! Imperial Japan's desperate attempts to control Koreans by late February 1945

The following two news articles were printed adjacent to each other in the February 22, 1945 issue of Keijo Nippo, the main national newspaper of colonial Korea and the official propaganda organ of the Imperial Japanese colonial regime which ruled Korea with an iron fist from 1905 to 1945. Just a few months away from the end of World War II, the war situation was getting very desperate for Imperial Japan, and it shows in these two articles.

The first article warns Koreans not to believe the Japanese and Korean language messages that were disseminated in Allied leaflets that were dropped over Korea in early 1945. From the language of the warning, you can feel the anger and indignation, the sense of violation that the colonial regime must have felt at the Allies penetrating the information bubble that the regime had so painstakingly maintained to keep the Korean populace in a state of ignorance. Regime officials must have known very well that one of the keys to remaining in power was to carefully control the flow of information to the masses, something that totalitarian governments with their modern censorship regimes today are very keenly aware of. 

The second article admonishes working Korean women for wearing rings on their hands and wearing traditional chima dresses, and reminding them to buy war savings bonds using their meager wages to finance the war effort. This seems to highlight the tone deafness of the regime. In a war situation when improving morale would seem to be the top priority, the regime instead focuses on harassing working women with petty rules that only belittle the colonial subjects and bolster the ego of the rulers.

[Translation]

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijō Nippo) February 22, 1945

Enemy Documents Scattered from the Sky
Clever Distortion of Facts Written in Japanese and Korean
By Professor Tozawa (Keijō Imperial University)

Already, the enemy has conducted malicious propaganda by various means and through numerous media. We must anticipate that the enemy, taking advantage of current developments in the war situation which only happen to be favorable for their side for now, will redouble their propaganda efforts by dropping leaflets and similar materials over Korea from aircraft.

The content of such propaganda will, in the end, amount to nothing more than distortions and fabrications of true facts. However, the methods and techniques employed will be highly skillful.

Among the documents dropped by enemy aircraft, there will likely be various types. For example, newspapers written in skillful Japanese or Korean may be scattered. At first glance, these newspapers might appear to report the war situation candidly and to attempt extremely impartial commentary on the course of the war. Thus, people might believe that these are newspapers that faithfully convey the truth. However, in reality, enemy propaganda will be skillfully woven into them.

People who are poorly informed about the situation of the war and domestic and foreign affairs, and whose fighting spirit is lacking, upon reading such materials, might be very likely to mistakenly believe that our side will soon collapse completely both militarily and economically, and that the enemy side will achieve complete victory.

In this manner, the enemy seeks to demoralize our fighting spirit and to cast us into a situation as miserable, if not more miserable, than that of the Italians, who, after begging for peace from the anti-Axis forces, ended up suffering unbearable hardship.

Furthermore, the enemy will seek to create a rift between the government and military of our country and the general populace. They will downplay the inseparable interests binding Japan and Korea and make many false promises to Koreans in a convincing manner, thereby attempting to divide the Japanese and Koreans and to bring about internal collapse of our nation.

Moreover, there are recent instances where the enemy, clearly aware that they were dealing with Koreans, dared to treat them with extreme cruelty. In addition, it is a well-known fact among knowledgeable Koreans that Americans and British have traditionally harbored deep contempt for Koreans.

It is also conceivable that the enemy will forge newspapers or magazines trusted by civilians in our country, skillfully insert propaganda into them, and scatter them. Alternatively, they might fabricate claims that their malicious propaganda content consists of parts redacted from Japanese magazines due to government censorship. It is also possible that they will falsely claim that their materials reveal the contents of confidential documents or letters that they have seized.

The enemy may also use falsified photographs and deceptive statistics. The methods and techniques available for enemy propaganda are extremely diverse, and there is no space here to enumerate them all.

Thus, the materials scattered will not be limited to leaflets; there will be many other forms as well, and even the leaflets will vary greatly in content. In short, although the content of the propaganda will merely be distorted or fabricated facts, because the techniques and methods used are so skillful, there is a considerable risk that many people will be deceived and act rashly.

There is a danger that those who see such scattered documents will spread groundless rumors. Therefore, if the authorities obtain documents dropped by enemy aircraft, they must promptly make their contents public to expose the enemy's plot and prevent the people from having any misunderstandings.

When individuals obtain documents dropped from enemy aircraft, they must deliver them to the police without delay. By doing so, the police will gain valuable intelligence materials.

The practice of disseminating propaganda documents by means of airplanes or balloon devices was already employed during the First World War. Although as a propaganda method it is an old one, the techniques used have become very skillful. There is thus a risk that, among our Korean compatriots, unexpected misunderstandings may spread across the Korean peninsula due to being misled by this type of propaganda.

It is for this reason that I have hurriedly set down these preliminary observations here.

Be Ashamed of the Rings on Your Fingers!
March 1945 Action Items in Response to the Battlefield

The arrogant enemy, the Americans, have finally sunk their venomous fangs into our inner defensive line at Iwo Jima and are plotting a landing invasion of the mainland. Their mobile forces have been dispatched into our coastal waters. In this true state of decisive battle, the 3,500,000 residents of [Gyeonggi] Province must likewise confront the decisive battle with decisive battle attire, achieve savings targets, and endeavor to expand the production of timber, which occupies the throne of strategic materials. Accordingly, the Korean Federation of National Power, Gyeonggi Provincial Branch, has set forth the following action items for March:

◇ There is no need for rings on working hands. Work in Monpe workpants).
When the war first began, we all cautioned each other against wearing flashy clothing and adornments. However, as time has passed, it seems that complacency has crept into people's hearts. Recently, a considerable number of women can be seen wearing rings again, or reverting to wearing Chima. The war is no longer as it was in its early stages. It has now reached a true life-or-death brink — whether we survive or perish, whether we win or lose.
This is a time when women must work just as hard as men. There is no need for rings on working hands. The Chima is not the attire of a working woman.

◇ Let us splendidly accomplish our savings targets.
There is no longer any need to explain the necessity of savings.
Let us endure hardship, bear with inconvenience, and, without any argument, verify once again whether each household has achieved their assigned savings target.
If it has not yet been fulfilled, then we must, by any means necessary, achieve it within this March.

◇ Having felled trees, we must plant trees.
Since the war began, the demand for timber has sharply increased — directly for weapons, as well as for construction materials, fuelwood, and charcoal.
From now on, many more trees will be cut down.
However, if we continue cutting without planting, we will face grave consequences.
We will lack essential materials for the manufacture of aircraft and various weapons, for producing gas charcoal, and for sustaining the daily life of the people.
This would create serious problems for national defense and public security.
Therefore, let us urgently and quickly plant many trees that will become useful in a short time.

[Transcription]

京城日報 1945年2月22日

空からの敵の文書撒布
巧みに事実を歪曲
国語や諺文など使用せん
戸沢城大教授

既に敵側からは種々の媒体を通して様々な方法で悪辣な宣伝が行われているが、敵はたまたま戦局の有利な此際に、飛行機からビラ等を朝鮮にも撒布して宣伝に一層力を入れるものと予想しなければならない。その宣伝の内容は結局は真の事実の歪曲や捏造に過ぎないが、その手段や方法はなかなか巧みなものであろう。

敵機から撒布される文書にも様々なものがあろう。或は巧な国語や諺文の新聞が撒布され、それは一見如何にも率直に戦局を報道したり極めて公正に戦局に関する解説を試みたりしてあって、これこそすべて真実を伝える新聞だと思われるが、実は巧に其中に敵のための宣伝が織込んであって戦争その他内外の情勢に暗く抗戦の意気の足らぬ人々がこれを読むと、如何にも自国側が近々の中に軍事上も経済上も全く崩壊し敵側が完全に勝利を得るものと誤信する虞が多分にある。かくの如くして敵は、我々の抗戦の意気を沮喪せしめ、かの反枢軸側に和を乞うて却って塗炭の苦を嘗めたイタリア人たちと同様な境遇、否、それよりも遥にみじめな境遇に我々を陥れようとする。かくの如くして敵は我国の官や軍と一般国民とを離間させたり、内鮮の密接不可離の利害関係を割に軽く評価して朝鮮人にまことしやかに多くの偽の約束をして内鮮人を離間させたりして、我国を内部から崩壊させようと努める。

而も昨今敵が明かに朝鮮人と知りながらこれに残酷極まることを敢てした事例があるし、従来米英人がひどく朝鮮人を軽蔑しておることは朝鮮の識者の明らかに知るところである。

或は敵は我国の民間に信用のある新聞とか雑誌などを偽造して、その中に巧に宣伝を盛ってこれを撒布することもあろう。或は、我国の雑誌等の中で当局が検閲のために削除した部分の内容だなどといって悪辣な宣伝内容を撒布することも考えられる。或は押収した機密文書や書簡等の内容だなどと偽って巧に偽の宣伝内容を伝えてくることもあろう。偽の写真を使ったり、ごまかしの統計を示すこともあろう。敵側の宣伝の手段や方法を考えると非常に多種多様であって一々茲に列挙する余裕がない。

かくて撒布されるものはビラに限らず、其他に色々あるし、ビラにも様々の内容が盛られる。要するに宣伝内容は真の事実の歪曲されたものが捏造の事実であるが、宣伝の手段や方法がなかなか巧なために、これに乗ぜられて軽挙盲動する人々が案外多くなる虞がある。かかる撒布文書を見た者が流言蜚語を放つ憂がある。されば当局は敵機からの撒布文書を手に入れたら速に事情の許す限りその内容を公表して敵の謀略宣伝を発き、以て人民の誤解を防がねばならない。敵機からの撒布文書を手に入れたら人々は一刻も早く官憲に之を届けるべきである。それによって官憲は幾多の好資料を得るわけである。

飛行機、気球仕掛等によって宣伝文書を撤布することは既に第一次世界大戦の折に行われたことで、宣伝としては古いものであるが、その手法になかなか巧なものがあるから、朝鮮同胞の中にこの種の宣伝にのせられて意外の誤解がこの半島にひろまる虞もある。そこで取急ぎ茲に所見の一端を述次第である。

恥じよ、その手の指環
戦場に応える三月の実践事項

驕敵米は遂に内防線の硫黄島に毒牙をかけて本土上陸の野望を企図し我が近海に機動部隊を繰り出して来た。この真の決戦下我が三百五十万道民も決戦に臨んで決戦服装に徹し貯蓄目標を達成すると共に戦略物資の玉座を占める木材増産のため樹木の増殖に努めましょうと道聯盟では三月の実践事項として次の事項を掲げた。

◇働く手に指輪はいらぬ。モンペ姿で働こう。戦争が始った当時はお互いに戒め合って派手な服装か装身具を身につけなかったのに日がたつにつれて心に弛みが出来たのか、近頃は指輪をはめている婦人、チマに逆戻りした婦人が相当多く見受けられるようになった。戦争はそのはじめの頃と違って文字通り乗るか反るか、勝つか負けるかの瀬戸際に立っている。婦人も男同様うんと働かねばならぬ時、働く手には指輪もいらぬ。チマは働く婦人の服装ではない。

◇貯蓄目標を立派に果たそう。今更貯蓄の必要を説く要もあるまい。苦しさに耐え窮屈さを辛抱してお互い理窟抜きで各自の家に割当てられた目標額の貯金が出来ているかいま一度調べ、出来ていなければこの三月中に是が非でも果たすようにしよう。

◇伐ったからには樹を植えよう。戦争が始まって以来木材は直接兵器として戦いは用材と薪、木炭としてその需要は増々激増して来た。今後も多くの樹木が伐採されるが植立もせずこの儘にして置いては飛行機を初めとしていろいろな兵器の資材や瓦斯用木炭の原料や国民生活を維持する上に必要な薪炭材等にこと欠き国防上或は保安上に由々しいこともなる。この際速急に早く役立つ樹を多く植えよう。

Source: National Library of Korea, Digital Newspaper Archive

Korean Woman in Hanbok Detained by Imperial Police in 1944 Seoul for Wearing the "Wrong" Clothing in Violation of Wartime Attire Regulations

This photo, published by the colonial regime in 1944, captures a police encounter of a Korean woman with members of the Jongno General Uprising Committee's Youth Division during an air raid drill. The woman was accused of violating strict wartime attire regulations imposed by the Imperial Japanese authorities in Korea. These regulations were part of a broader effort to militarize civilian life and enforce a standardized "battle-ready" appearance among the population.

The Youth Division was an extension of the Jongno General Uprising Committee, which operated under the supervision of the Imperial police in Seoul. It was composed of younger members of local patriotic groups, or neighborhood cells, which the police routinely interacted with within their precincts. These groups often convened meetings to discuss loyalty to the empire and were tasked with parapolice activities, such as night patrols and enforcement of wartime regulations.

In this case, the police likely mobilized members of these neighborhood cells to patrol the streets of Jongno district and inspect the clothing of passersby. The Youth Division members, equipped with megaphones, stationed themselves at busy intersections and scrutinized the attire of pedestrians. Violators were detained, admonished publicly, and often photographed or reported to serve as a warning to others.

The woman in the photo was reportedly detained in Kōgane 4-Chōme (present-day Euljiro-4-ga) for wearing a chima dress that did not comply with the August 31 and September 22, 1943 regulations outlined in the Keijo Nippo. These regulations required chima dresses to meet specific wartime standards:

• Style: Chima dresses had to adopt a tubular design instead of the traditional flared shape.
• Sleeves: Sleeves needed to be narrow and short.
• Fasteners: String fasteners were prohibited and had to be replaced with buttons.

It is likely that the detained woman’s dress violated these rules, either because the dress had the traditional flared shape or because she was still using string fasteners. Such police encounters were intended to enforce compliance and instill a sense of urgency and discipline among civilians.

[Translation]

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) August 9, 1944

How Compliant is Your Battle-Ready Attire?

The Jongno Uprising Committee Calls for Compliance

Eradicate Violators of Attire Regulations!

When it comes to wartime life marked by desperate air raids, vigilance begins with proper attire. Despite repeated and stern warnings from authorities via radio, newspapers, and street announcements, the situation in Seoul on the 8th—the Imperial Rescript Commemoration Day—was shocking. Violators of attire regulations flooded areas like Honmachi and Jongno, leaving officials speechless.

At the intersection of Kōgane 4-Chōme, during an air raid drill warning issued at 10 a.m., more than a hundred attire violators filled the streets within just 30 minutes. Traffic was temporarily halted, and they were admonished by Chief Warden Takekuma of the Honmachi Police Station, who sternly lectured them, "The enemy planes are drawing near overhead. Is your attire truly appropriate for this?"

There is now an urgent call for greater vigilance and proper attire maintenance among the general public. [Photo: Attire violator receiving a warning.]

To ensure every single Korean compatriot on is mobilized into combat readiness, the Jongno General Uprising Committee's Youth Division deployed 40 leaders across 15 police stations in high-traffic areas under the Jongno precinct on the morning of the 8th, starting at 7:30 a.m. They used microphones to loudly proclaim, "Air-raid attire is vital, and negligence is unacceptable!" stopping passersby in their tracks and leaving a deep impression. The key points of their lecture were as follows:

"At this decisive moment, upon which the rise or fall of the Imperial Nation depends, are you idly loafing about, consuming without contributing, avoiding conscription through scheming, or recklessly searching for nonessential goods? Have you become like [illegible] with [illegible], losing your soul to the darkness of such a life? ... [illegible] ... Gentlemen, ladies, what about your air-raid attire? Not wearing monpe or gaiters is not just a matter of formality. It is evidence of your lack of mental preparedness. If you recognize this as wrong, do not wait until tomorrow; correct it immediately, starting today."

Source 1: https://archive.org/details/kjnp-1944-08-09/page/n3/mode/1up

Source 2: 키워드 검색 - 신문 검색 - 대한민국 신문 아카이브

Note 1: Much of the text from the microphone lecture was illegible due to the way the high-quality scan from the National Library of Korea was cut off at the edge. But I believe the illegible portion also includes an accusation that the attire violators are profit-seeking scoundrels worshipping liberal capitalism. 

Note 2: The Imperial Rescript Commemoration Day (大詔奉戴日, Taishō Hōtai-bi) was a nationwide patriotic observance established in January 1942 as part of Japan's wartime mobilization efforts during the Pacific War (referred to in Japan as the Great East Asia War, 大東亜戦争). It was tied to the anniversary of the declaration of war against the United States and the United Kingdom, marked by the issuance of the Imperial Rescript on Declaration of War on December 8, 1941. To commemorate this event, the 8th of every month was designated as a day of reflection and mobilization for the war effort.

[Transcription]

京城日報 1944年8月9日

あなたの決戦服装は
鐘路蹶起委員会が呼かく
服装違反者を一掃

空襲必死の決戦生活はまず敏活な服装から。当局がラジオや新聞や街頭放送に口をすっぱくしての厳重な注意にもかかわらず八日大詔奉戴日の京城府内には本町といわず鐘路といわず服装違反者の氾濫ぶりに係官を唖然たらしめた。

訓練警報発令中の黄金町四丁目交叉点の午前十時から僅々三十分間に百余名の服装違反者が街頭にあふれ、一時通行停止を喰って『敵機は頭上に迫っている。きみ達の服装はそれでよいのか』と武隈本町署保安主任の厳重な説諭を受けた。一般府民の今一層の緊張と服装整備が要望されている。【写真＝注意をうける服装違反者】

半島同胞一人残らず戦闘配置につかしめるため、鐘路総蹶起委員会青年部では大詔奉戴日の八日午前七時半から鐘路署管内で交通の輻輳している地域の交番十五ヶ所に幹部四十名を動員。”防空服装は、闇は”とマイクを通じて絶叫、通行府民の足をとどめ、耳をそばたたせ多大の感銘を与えた講演要旨次の通り。

『皇国の興廃をかけた決戦に際しブラブラ遊んで徒食しながら徴用をのがれんとしてあくせくしたり、ないものを買い漁って足を[illegible]のように[illegible]闇の生活に魂を失ったものはありませんか。[illegible]男の方、女の方、あなたは防空服装はどうしましたか。モンペや脚絆をつけないことは形式の問題ではありません。あなたの心の緊張を失った証拠です。悪いと思ったら明日といわず今日直ちに直して下さい』

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】