Vegetable rationing in 1943 Seoul was measly (~200 grams a day per person), monotonous (mostly bok choy and daikon radish), and controlled by Patriotic Groups, the local arm of the ruling party of Japan-colonized Korea - severe shortages of carrots, taro roots, yams, all sold on the black market

This article talks about vegetable shortages in Korea in December 1943, two years into an all-out war against the US. In response to widespread vegetable shortages and the proliferation of black markets, colonial authorities implemented a rationing system for vegetables, where vegetable supplies were funneled into a centralized distribution point, and then distributed to non-households (including restaurants) and households, where each person was allotted a measly vegetable ration of about 200 grams per day. The situation with eggs, meat, and fish was also dire. Not surprisingly, ordinary citizens were encouraged to grow their own food and forage for edible wild plants.

Patriotic Groups (local neighborhood cells) were in charge of vegetable rationing. The Korean Federation of National Power (国民総力朝鮮連盟, 국민총력조선연맹), the single ruling party of Japan-colonized Korea, organized these patriotic groups (愛国班, aikoku-han or aeguk-ban) to control the colonized population at the local level. Members of the cells would report each other for infractions, perhaps for breaking rules like speaking Korean in public. They would also organize 'patriotic' activities like worship rituals at Shinto shrines, mandatory Shinto prayer sessions twice a day, etc. Food rationing was often withheld when a cell member refused to participate in Shinto worship at shrines. Similar local cell organizations still exist in countries like Cuba and North Korea.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Daily (Keijo Nippo) December 18, 1943

Selfishness leading to rotting vegetables

Dry Storage in Preparation for Winter

Tomorrow's posture to win through to victory

A Focus on Eating Habits (2) (Vegetable Edition)

A pile of green onions at a central market in Seoul.

A considerable amount of daikon radishes and bok choy, which had arrived in considerable quantities during the fall and early winter for processing into pickles, has rotted away. This was due to the fact that the vegetable buying teams that were dispatched to the surrounding countryside in the fall brought in a larger quantity than expected, and the efforts by the Seoul government to collect the vegetables were betrayed by the individualistic behavior of the people of Seoul.

The fact that these bok choy and daikon radishes, which arrived at the central market everyday, were left to rot during wartime due to the lack of consumption by the consumers is an indication that it is impossible to simply sum up the situation by using the word "wasteful".

While there was a huge surplus of these vegetables, there were still households in need of more vegetables for pickling. With these contradictions in mind, the vegetable problem was dealt with by the Seoul Central Fruit and Vegetable Corporation, the receiving agency of the Seoul government under the Korean Fruit and Vegetable Storage Regulations, and in October all vegetables were put under a strong wartime distribution system.

The 560 newly designated vegetable retailers formed blocks for each town council. While maintaining close relations with their own town councils, they began centralized distribution of vegetables to the Patriotic Groups through the town councils.

However, when it came to rationing, the green vegetables were always the same: daikon radish and bok choy, with the occasional small amount of lotus roots and burdock roots. However, carrots, taro roots, and other special vegetables have all but disappeared from rations.

This has caused some controversy, and we asked Mr. Masaji Toya, president of Seoul Central Fruits and Vegetables Corporation, to explain the phenomenon of carrots, burdock roots, yams, and other vegetables making appearances in the public market, albeit being sold openly at horribly high black market prices.

He explained that the rationing of vegetables to retailers is allocated based on the population living in the district to which the retailers belong, so there is no need to worry about the rations being small because of the small number of retailers in certain districts. According to the Patriotic Groups, the vegetables are apparently being rationed equally by household. However, since rationing by the central market to the retailers is done based on population, it is appropriate for the town councils and Patriotic Groups to allocate rations based on the number of families, not based on the number of households.

The shortage of vegetables in general seems to be a problem, but the green vegetables shipments have been rationed at an allocation of 70% for households and 30% for non-home use, and we actually plan on reducing the allotment for non-home use even further. We know that the amount of carrots, burdock roots, tubers, and other vegetables that make it to the kitchens of ordinary people from the retailers is very small due to their very small shipments. But we would like you to endure some shortages with the intention of establishing a wartime lifestyle. We would like the people of Seoul to understand that most of the retailers in town are not selling in the free market, but rather putting all their effort into distributing the vegetables to the Patriotic Groups through the town councils.

It has been said that, the fact that there are special vegetables available at restaurants means that, if we had to distribute these especially scarce special vegetables to 1.2 million households, then the rations would not amount to as much as the tip of a pinky finger. However, if we had a clearly known supply amount of special vegetables along with a good prospect of distributing them to all households, even if it was a little bit, we would be able to distribute the special vegetables in a more orderly fashion. The fact that matsutake mushrooms, which were particularly scarce this fall, were all allocated to restaurant use may have been the cause of the misunderstanding.

In addition, the black market is considerable, and the fact that the market offers a wide range of products at high prices means that undesignated producers from the surrounding areas are appearing in the vicinity of the markets as smugglers, so we have no choice but to wait and see what the economic police authorities will do to crack down on this. The 22 public markets and department stores in Seoul have buffer zones where there is a free market of goods other than those rationed by the town councils. When a given vegetable shipment is small, then those vegetables are not rationed.

Since the introduction of controlled rationing, rations distributed by town councils have not been plentiful, but they have been adequate, and the fact that the vegetables are not distributed to general households is due to the small amount of vegetables arriving at the markets. The market strives to secure 50 to 70 momme (187.5 to 262.5 grams) of vegetables per person per day, and they are receiving close to this amount of vegetables, but there may be some shortages from this time through the winter season.

Regarding the rationing by the retailers to the town councils, when the vegetable shipment is small, free market sales are carried out after discussions with the town council. The first priority is to secure sufficient amounts of vegetables to avoid these free market sales, but shipments of vegetables to the market are getting smaller due to transportation problems and pricing issues.

We asked about the winter supplies of vegetables and future countermeasures….

The Seoul government seems to be working on a concrete plan for the frozen storage of vegetables, but we have no choice but to expect shipments of winter vegetables from producing areas and distribute them according to the amount of vegetables received. To cope with the annual shortage of vegetables from late December to around March, we would like to ask consumers to try to store dried vegetables, such as by splitting and drying daikon radishes which are plentiful in early fall, and storing bok choy tightly wrapped in newspaper sheets in a corner of the kitchen. The market is also doing its best to collect shipments as much as possible. In addition, when shipment amounts are very small, all free market sales will be suspended, and non-home use allocations will be reduced and redirected to general households instead.

Future measures include a registration system to connect traders and consumers, and having town councils take charge of all rationing. Retailers will be strengthened by having them assume full responsibility for rationing. We will carefully select retailers to ensure proper rationing. We are currently conducting a fact-finding survey of designated retailers, and we are readily taking action against those retailers who are of bad character in order to ensure that rationing is strictly enforced.

Regarding fruits, it seems that a few tangerines have been distributed recently for New Year's Day, and apples have been seen from time to time, but persimmons and other fruits have not been seen at all. Fruits are also distributed by designated retailers through the town councils in the same way as vegetables, but there is almost no supply at all. We will soon receive a considerable amount of apples, but we are trying to collect all the fruit that comes in, even if only a little, as rations for the town councils, so that we can give the fighting residents of Seoul a taste of the four seasons. [Photo: A pile of green onions that have just arrived.]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-12-18

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年12月18日

野菜腐らす「利己」　蔬菜篇

冬枯れに備え乾燥貯蔵

勝ち抜くあすの構え

食生活を衝く②

秋から初冬にかけて相当量入荷した漬物用大根、白菜が相当に腐った。これは秋に近郊へ押し出した野菜買出し部隊の自家搬入が思ったより大量だったことが原因し、集荷に努めた府の努力が府民の個人本位な行動に裏切られたといってもよい。

連日中央市場に入荷するこれら白菜、大根が需要者の不消化から戦時下に立ち腐りさせられたということは勿体ないの一言では遂げない或る示唆を含んでいる。

これら蔬菜がくさる程余った反面、まだまだ漬物用野菜が足りなくて困った家庭もあった。こうした矛盾を含んだ儘、蔬菜問題は朝鮮青果物貯蔵規制に基いて京城府の荷受機関は京城中央青果株式会社が実行することとなって、十月野菜類は一切決戦下の強力な配給機構に完備された。

かくして新たに指定された五百六十軒の蔬菜小売商は各町会毎にブロックを作り、所属町会と密接な関係を保ちながら町会を通じて愛国班へと一元的な配給へ乗り出した訳であるが、

さて配給となってみると廻ってくる青物はやはり大根や白菜等同じ物ばかりで時たま蓮根や牛蒡（ウマフブキ）がほんの少々配給されるが人参、里芋などから特殊の野菜はバッタリと影を断ち姿を見せないが、一度料理屋などに行けば松茸や其の他の青物がちゃんと出てくる。

そこでまた面白からぬ物議をかもす次第で一方公設市場などに行けば人参、牛蒡、山芋などの姿はあるが、恐ろしい位の闇値で公然と売りさばかれてゆくといった現象に対して京城中央青果株式会社社長戸谷正路氏の説明を求めた。

小売商への配給は所属する地区の居住人口を基準として配給量を割り当てているので、ある地区内に業者が少ないから配給も少ないという憂は無い。愛国班に依っては世帯毎に均一に割っている様だが市場から小売商への配給が人口でやっている以上町会、班の割り当ても世帯数でなく家族数で配給するのが適正である。

一般蔬菜の不足をかこっている様だが入荷した青物は家庭用七割、非家庭用三割の率で割り当て配給を行っているが、実際はまだ非家庭用を減少するつもりである。人参にしても牛蒡、芋類等の入荷は非常に少なく、小売商から一般のお台所へ入るのは微々たる量であることは解っているが、これなども戦時生活を確立する意味で多少の品不足は凌んで貰いたい。現在街の小売商はほとんどが自由販売は行わず町会を通じて愛国班配給に全力を挙げていることを府民はよく理解して頂きたい。

料理屋などに特殊野菜があると云うことは特に少量な入荷のこれら野菜を百二十万のお台所へ廻すことになったら、それこそ小指の先位も当らないという、はっきりとした入荷量、それも全家庭へ少しづつでも廻す見込みのついた特殊野菜なり、又順を追って配給も出来るが、今秋の如く特に少なかった松茸等は全部業務用に廻したのが誤解をまねく因となったのでしょう。

また市場の闇が相当あり、市場に行けば高くても品物が揃っているということは近郊から指定でない生産者がもぐりで市場周辺に姿を現しているので、これは経済警察当局の取締りを待つより他ないでしょう。府内二十二ヶ所の公設市場と各百貨店は緩衝地帯として町会配給以外の自由販売をやらしているが、これなども入荷量の少ない時は割り当てを行わない。

統制配給になってからは町会配給は潤沢とは云えないが、適度な配給は行われている訳で、結局一般家庭への出回りが少なくないと云うことは、当市場への入荷量が少ないことが原因するので、市場としては府民一人当り一日五十匁から七十匁の野菜は確保する様努め、またそれに近い量は這入って来てますが、之から冬期にかけては多少の欠乏は来するでしょう。

小売商の町会配給と云ってもやはり量の少ないものは町会と話し合いの上で自由販売を行っていますが、自由販売をせずにすむだけの量を確保することが第一ですが輸送問題、価格の関係などから市場への入荷は少しく減少しています。

其処で野菜の冬枯れと今後の対策を訊く．．．

府では蔬菜の冷凍貯蔵の具体案を進めている模様ですが、生産地の冬蔬菜の出荷に期待し、入荷量に応じて配給する外ないでしょう。十二月下旬から三月頃までにかけて野菜は毎年欠乏を来たしますが、それには消費者が秋口から多い大根は割り干しにし、白菜は新聞紙で堅く巻いて台所の隅にでも貯蔵する等、乾燥野菜の貯蔵に努めて貰い度い。市場としても極力集荷に全力を挙げている。また極端に入荷の少ない時は一切の自由販売は停止し、非家庭用を減少させて一般家庭へ振り向けます。

今後の対策といっても業者と消費者の結びつけ登録制、町会へ配給を全部担任させる。小売商を強化して配給の全面的責任を負わせる。小売商を厳選して配給の適正を図る等ですが、現在指定小売商の実態調査を行っていますが、気質の悪い業者はどしどし摘発して配給の厳正を期しつつあります。

果実は最近正月用蜜柑が少し配給されている様だし、リンゴなども時たま少しづつ姿を見せたが、柿その他の果実は全然姿を見せないが、どうなっているのですか？果実も蔬菜に準じて指定小売商から町会を通じて配給を行っていますが、ほとんど入荷が皆無といってよいでしょう。近くリンゴが相当量入りますが、少しでも入荷した果物は全部町会配給として戦う府民に四季の味わいだけは与えたいと集荷に努めています。【写真＝入荷したネギの山】

In November 1943, colonial authorities implemented a clumsy, inefficient fish rationing system in Seoul which led to large spoilage losses, a measly fish quota of less than 750 grams a day per person, angry complaints about irregular store hours, families were sometimes allotted poisonous fugu fish

This is my translation and transcription of a news article from Keijo Nippo, a propaganda newspaper and mouthpiece of the government of Japan-colonized Korea. It has never been republished or translated before, to the best of my knowledge. Ever since someone dumped these old newspaper issues in the Internet Archive last October, I have been slowly translating and posting select articles at various subreddits to share my findings with the wider community.

This article talks about fish shortages in Korea in December 1943, two years into an all-out war against the US. In response to widespread fish shortages and the proliferation of black markets, colonial authorities implemented a rationing system for seafood, where fish supplies were all supposed to be sold by fishermen to the colonial government at officially set prices, funneled into a centralized distribution point, and then distributed to non-households (including restaurants) and households, where each customer was allotted a measly fish quota of 750 grams per day.

However, the rationing system ran into problems as fish was very perishable, and supplies could often be irregular depending on the daily catch. Before rationing, fish was efficiently auctioned off at wholesale markets to middlemen who knew how much fish and what kinds of fish to buy. But, when the rationing system eliminated the middlemen, this prolonged the process of sorting and allocating the fish, since distribution was now done by workers who weren’t familiar with how much fish and what kinds of fish to pack, which led to increased spoilage, especially in the days before modern refrigeration. The ignorance of the workers also led to ridiculous situations were poisonous fugu fish were inadvertently shipped to households, which could have been fatal to the consumers, since very specialized training is needed for cooks to prepare fugu without leaving any fatally poisonous parts behind.

Further, fishermen as well as retailers were incentivized to bypass official channels and sell fish on the black market at higher prices, similarly to what happened in the Soviet command economy.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) December 17, 1943

What’s missing is preparedness (fresh fish edition)

Registration system for consumers and retailers being considered

Tomorrow’s posture to win through to victory

A Focus on Eating Habits (1)

In the autumn, as wartime food problems were being loudly voiced, we reflected on dietary habits in the second year of living victoriously fighting decisive battles, and we dealt with reports of supply shortages floating around in the city. We got to the bottom of the realities of the wartime dietary habits of the 1.2 million residents of Seoul dashing to implement a more robust wartime lifestyle as they prepared to welcome the spring of victory. We recorded the authorities’ preparations, the measures taken by vendors, and the voices of consumers in order to deepen our correct understanding and awareness of food rationing as we prepare for a renewed assault next year. The following is a valiant depiction of wartime dietary habits.

[Photo: Sorting fresh fish arriving at the city’s central market]

[Photo: Sorting fresh fish arriving at the city’s central market]

It has been a month since fish supplies were brought under central control to prevent the precious protein source of Seoul’s 1.2 million people’s from flowing into the black markets, which had been a major obstacle in improving the physical condition of city residents on the home front. The problem was supposed to have been completely resolved in this way…

However, the problem of fish shortages has since become a common complaint in the city, with people complaining about the inadequate distribution of fish, and busy housewives screaming about the irregular sales hours of retailers. Let us now figure out what the people of the city have to say about their fish supplies.

Due to the centralized control of incoming and outgoing shipments, all fish and shellfish entering the city of Seoul are now centrally collected. As a temporary measure until a new company is established, the Fresh Fish Department of the Seoul Central Wholesale Market has taken over as the receiving agency for the fish supplies of Seoul. The daily fish collected at the central market is divided by staff into two separate lines, one for household use and the other for non-household use, and then directly delivered to household kitchens. That was supposed to have completely eradicated the involvement of black markets.

We thought that there was no reason why there would be no fish supplies when they were supposed to be smoothly distributed, so we went to the Seoul Central Market. Just as the freight cars were entering the market, the staff was busy sorting the fish shipments, sweating in the slight chill of the cold air. They were busy breaking down piles of fish from here to there and making small piles one by one. Their work was very long and slow compared to the vigorous and quick fish auctions of the olden days, so much so that we wondered whether the fish was going to spoil. No wonder the small retailers were setting their sales hours later in the day. When we unthinkingly suggested to our tour guide Mr. Murata, the supervisor, “At this rate, all the fish will spoil in the summer,” he frankly affirmed, “That’s right”. Adding that he was taking measures to set up large distribution centers for each region, he also addressed the fish shortages as follows.

First of all, explaining the route of fish shipments from arrival to distribution in earlier times, fish supplies were previously purchased by middlemen and then placed in the hands of waiting small retailers, so they were processed quickly and sold to the public at regular times. In this sense, fish seemed to be available in comparatively abundant supplies, especially since suburbanites and residents of upscale neighborhoods were able to sit back and buy fish, albeit at high prices akin to black market rates, thanks to the presence of fish dealers.

Today, incoming fish and shellfish are divided into household use and non-household use, and the fish and shellfish are sorted by the staff without middlemen. For household use, since greater Seoul is divided into seven regions and further divided into 48 retailing districts, the market has to divide the incoming fish and shellfish into 48 shipments. At this time, even though it would be easy if the incoming fish had to simply be divided into 48 shipments, it is actually important to divide the incoming fish and shellfish into different varieties to account for differences in regional consumption patterns, so it takes time and effort to allocate the fish. Then each regional representative takes their respective shipments and distributes them to the small retailers in their retailing district to be sold.

This is why sales hours have become late or irregular, and fish is now mainly sold in the evening. Therefore, many housewives visit seafood stores and find that fish is always unavailable, because they always miss those late sales hours. In addition, some people blame the inappropriate allocation of fish on the fact that the fish middlemen have been abolished and the staff is now made up of people who are ignorant of the fish business. However, when multiple shipments of one fish species arrive, sometimes the fish is diverted to households, even if they were meant to be received by restaurants. In the initial days, a large quantity of fugu (toxic puffer fish) arrived in the market, so some of them were diverted to be sold for household use, and housewives in general had trouble cooking them, which was criticized, but it would be nice to be able to eat any kind of fish during wartime.

As he earnestly talked, I asked him the following question: “It seems that there are areas where fish is abundant and areas where fish is scarce, especially in the suburbs?”

The reason for this is that the allocation of fish shipments to the district representatives is made in consideration of past consumption patterns. There has been high fish consumption in the city center due to the rush of buyers from the suburbs, while the suburbs have mainly been serviced by fish dealers and a few fish retailers, so the fish market is concentrated in the city center. In fact, there are many more people from the suburbs than from the city who buy fish at the 22 markets and department stores in Seoul. However, if we immediately increase the fish quota for the suburbs, that may cause more fish to spoil. To address this issue, we plan to establish a registration system that will link consumers and retailers, which will then be used to distribute and ration the fish supplies.

Now that we had a better idea of how fish supplies were distributed, we asked him why they had decided on selling less than 200 momme (750 grams) of fish per customer at the small fish retailers. He replied that they were certain that 60% of the planned daily fish shipments of 45,000 kan (168,750 kg) arriving at the central market would be consumed by 200,000 households in Seoul, and they came up with this number by dividing the daily fish shipment weight by the number of households. Since fish and shellfish are living organisms that change depending on the fishing conditions in the area where they are shipped, supplies are sometimes very low and often uneven, so consumers should be well aware of this point.

We are hearing that some small retailers are diverting fish supplies to restaurants, and some stores are even avoiding paying duties. The quantities of each fish variety arriving that day are supposed to be clearly posted at the store, so inspectors from the market are doing patrols and rescinding retail permits from fraudulent vendors without delay. In addition, there is a law that allows for special delivery of fish directly from the market to volunteer soldiers and conscripts who need to receive one fish to celebrate their departure for military service, as long as they bring a certificate from the town council through the head of the patriotic group. The Seoul government is taking all possible measures to secure fish for household use.

In short, the consumers are trying to eat a little more than their neighbors by buying up fish supplies at retailer A and then moving onto retailer B, which is the cause of supply shortages and disruptions to the rationing system. Therefore, Mr. Senda, Director of the General Affairs Department of Seoul, exhorts the fighting people of Seoul to reflect more on their own dietary habits, which are more than adequate, before lodging complaints about irregularities in fish distribution.

Rabbit Hunting by Yongsan Middle School (Sosa)

At 7:00 a.m. on December 16th, all the students of Yongsan Middle School in Seoul gathered in front of Sosa Station to hunt for rabbits in the mountains behind the [illegible] areas.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-12-17

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年12月17日

不足なのは心構え　鮮魚篇

消費者と小売の登録制も考慮

勝ち抜くあすの構え

食生活を衝く（１）

決戦下の食糧問題が声を大に叫ばれる秋、戦捷に暮れる決戦第二年の食生活を省みて街に漂う物不足の声を克服。完勝の春を迎えて更に強靭な戦時生活の実践に驀進する百二十万府民へ戦う食生活の実態を衝き、食品配給に対する正しい認識と理解を深めて新たなる年への突撃態勢を整えんがため、当局の構え、業者の措置、消費者の声を収録する。これは戦う食生活の逞しい姿態である。【写真＝市央場に入荷した鮮魚の荷分け】

お魚が統制になって一ヶ月経った百二十万府民の大切な蛋白源が闇から闇に流れ去って銃後府民の体位向上に大きな支障を来たしていた悩みもここに一掃された筈であったが．．．

その後、やっぱりお魚が無いの声は街に溢れ、分荷の不適正が鳴らされ、小売商の不規則な販売時間に多忙な主婦は悲鳴を挙げているのが現状だ。ではお魚に対する街の声を一つ一つ解明してゆこう。

出荷入荷の統制によって京城の街に這入る魚介類が一元的集荷になり、京城府の荷受機関は新会社設立までの臨時的措置として京城中央卸売市場の鮮魚部が代行し、この中央市場に集荷する日々のお魚は係員の手によって家庭用、非家庭用の二本に截然と分けられ、それぞれ分荷され、家庭のお台所へと一直線に行き、ここに一切の闇は完全に駆逐された訳である。

かくして円滑に出回るべきお魚が無い筈は無いと京城中央市場を訪れてみる。恰度貨車の入った後でうすら寒い寒気の中で係員は汗だくで分荷に忙しい。山と積まれたお魚をあちらこちらから崩しては小さな山を一つ一つつくってゆく。昔日の威勢良く迅速な競売から見ると実に悠長至極で生物の魚が腐って仕舞いはせぬかと心配になる位だ。これで小売商人の販売時間がおそくなる原因も頷ける。思わず案内の村田監督係長に、”この調子では夏場は全部腐りますな”と問うと、”そうですよ”と率直に肯定し、地区的に大分荷場を設置する対策を講じていますと前提してお魚不足の声に対する弁を述べた。

先ず入荷から分荷までの経路を説明すると、従来仲買人によって買い付けが行われ、待ちかまえていた小売商の手に入ったので処理も早く、一般への販売時間も一定していた訳で、また行商人の存在から闇の高値ではあったが郊外の高級住宅者などは坐してお魚も買えた訳ですし、こんな点から比較的潤沢に出回っていた様に見えたのですね。

現在では入荷した魚介は家庭用、非家庭用に分け、仲買人を廃した係員の手によって分荷されていますが、家庭用は大京城を先ず七つに分け、更に小売販売地区を四十八に分けているため、市場としては入荷した魚介を四十八に分荷するのです。この時ただ四十八に分けるのは容易ですが、消費面を地域的に考慮して入荷魚介の品種分けが大切ですから、これの按配に手間取り、地区代表者が待ち帰ってそれぞれの小売商に割り当て市販される。

時間も不定期になったりおそくなったりして主に夕方の売り出しになる訳です。ですから主婦の方は魚屋の店頭を覗いてお魚がいつも無いというのは、この販売時間をいつも外す人が多いのでは無いでしょうか。また分荷の不適正なのは仲買人を廃止してお魚に無智な係員が当る故という非難もありますが、多重に一種の魚が入荷した際は、それが料理屋向けの物であっても家庭用に流すこともあります。当初河豚が大量に入荷したため家庭用として流し、一般主婦をして料理に困却し非難されたこともありましたが、戦時下どんな魚でも食べるようにして貰い度いものです。

熱心に語る氏に次の質問を放つ。「地域的に潤沢に出回る所とさっぱり姿を見せない地域、殊に郊外は出回りが悪いようだが？」

それは地区代表者への分荷割当が従来の実績を考慮してなされているためで、都心は郊外からの買出し部隊の殺到で消費実績が多く、郊外は主に行商人が占めていたため、小売商も少なく、事実出回りは都心に集中している現状で、府内の二十二ヶ所の市場、百貨店へは郊外からの買出し人の方が多いでしょう。だからといって直ちに郊外へ割当量を増してもむしろ魚を腐らせる恐れもありますし、この点に就いては対策として近く消費者と小売商を登録制によって結びつけ、それによって配給割当をしてゆく方針です。

これで、ほぼお魚の出回り状態も一応解ったが、小売商の一客当り二百匁以下という理由を訊ねると、中央市場に入る一日のお魚の計画数量四万五千貫の六割を確実性として、それを府内二十万世帯に割っての消費計画と解った。魚介は、とにかく生物で出荷地の漁労状態によって変化しますから、入荷の非常に少ない時もあり、入荷のムラも多くこの点は消費者も充分心得ていて貰い度いという声を後に、今度は府当局に小売商人の問題を問う。

情実から料理屋方面へ流している小売商や、抱合わせをやっている店もあると聞くが、其の日の入荷品種数量は、はっきりと店頭に掲示することになっており、市場から検査員も巡回しているが、不正業者はどしどし指定を取り消してゆく方法である。又志願兵や応召者の入営などに際し首途を祝う魚一匹なくてはと愛国班長を通じて町会の証明さえ持参すれば直接市場から特配する法もあり、家庭用へのお魚確保には府としても万全を期している。

要するに消費者が人より少しでも余計に食べようとして、甲の小売商から乙の小売商へと買い漁りをすることが結局物の不足を来し、配給も紊す原因であるから、戦う府民はより一層出回り不順に不平をこぼす前に一応足りている自分達の食生活を省みて欲しい、とは京城府千田総務部長の弁である。

龍中の兎狩り　【素砂】

京城龍山中学校では十六日午前七時を期し素砂駅前に全校生千余名を集合。戍応、？里一帯の裏山に兎狩りを実施した。

By December 1943, poultry was unavailable anywhere in Seoul, eggs were supposed to be priority-rationed to hospitalized war veterans and people with doctors' certificates (pregnant women and nursing mothers), but ordinary Koreans had to buy eggs on the black market at 30 sen (about $6 USD today) each

This article talks about the egg and poultry shortage that was rampant in Korea in December 1943, two years into an all-out war against the US. Eggs were all supposed to be sold by farmers to the colonial government at officially set prices, funneled into a centralized distribution point, and then distributed to stores and hospitals. Hospitals and war veteran patients had priority, followed by anyone who had doctors' certificates, who presumably included pregnant women and nursing mothers.

However, this rationing system apparently had problems, as farmers as well as retailers were incentivized to bypass official channels and sell eggs on the black market at higher prices, similarly to what happened in the Soviet command economy. 

Black market retailers charged 30 sen per egg (about $6 USD in 2022), and consumers could only buy two or three eggs at a time. Each morning edition of the Keijo Nippo of 1942 was priced at 6 sen. Today, each morning edition of Asahi Shimbun is priced at 160 yen. Using this conversion, 30 sen would be worth 800 yen today, which would be worth US $5.93 today.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) December 24, 1943

Tomorrow's posture to win through to victory

A Focus on Eating Habits (6)

Meat and Eggs

Eggs are luxury items!

Regulation demanded to reserve eggs for the sick

The distribution of meat, which is a fatty food and a source of caloric supply for the fighting residents of Seoul, has been going well so far, providing 50 momme (187.5 grams) for a family of up to four, 100 momme (375 grams) for a family of up to nine, and 10 momme (37.5 grams) for each additional family member for a family of 10 or more, according to the rotational purchase coupons for meat for household use. However, unregulated poultry has disappeared from Seoul due to officially set prices as well as issues with feed.　When supplies do not appear in the market, we may immediately imagine chicken being siphoned off or sold on the black market, but in fact, there is absolutely no poultry arriving at the Gyeonggi Provincial Livestock Products Sales Association at the moment.

In addition to poultry shortages, there is also a shortage of eggs, which have been kept away from the kitchens of the people of Seoul. Milk and eggs, the most essential source of nutrition for the sick, are not available in Seoul at all, but unlike the situation with poultry, the quantity of eggs received has been gradually improving in 1942 and 1943 since the lowest quantity of eggs was reached in 1941, and the egg supply is showing a steady increase.

Believing that egg supplies are at their lowest level ever, many consumers have already given up on eggs, thinking that they are the most difficult product to obtain. As for the actual situation with egg shipments, most of the eggs laid by poultry farmers in the province are delivered smoothly to Seoul because feed, which is the lifeblood of poultry farmers, is distributed through Gyeonggi Province, and the poultry farmers are forced to provide eggs in exchange for the feed.

The quantity of eggs laid has been significantly reduced due to the decline in the quality and quantity of feed, and the quantity of eggs received this year has dropped to about 30% of the peak level in 1940, when eggs were the most abundant in Seoul. Although 30% sounds like a good figure, the number of eggs that flowed into Seoul without passing through the Gyeonggi Provincial Egg Association at that time was almost double the number of eggs that passed through the Gyeonggi Provincial Egg Association and flowed into Seoul, so the actual figure is about 10% of the peak level in 1940.

At present, all eggs entering Seoul are centrally collected at the Gyeonggi Provincial Livestock Products Sales Processing Station, and from there they are distributed to hospitals and small retailers, with about 30% of the incoming eggs given priority for distribution to hospitals, and the remainder given to the 65 small egg cooperative retailers and 65 small food retailers in Seoul. As for the method of sale:

The eggs are ordered to be preferentially distributed as hospital food to those who have doctors' certificates. The average quantity of eggs received per day is approximately 100 kan (375 kg) per day, of which the quantity for general consumers is estimated to be over 60 kan (225 kg). If 7 eggs weigh an average of 100 momme (375 grams), that means that an average of 3,600 eggs come into the hands of small retailers.

In reality, however, there are no eggs whatsoever in the market. Although eggs are not distributed daily to the 130 egg distributors in Seoul due to a decrease in the number of eggs received, they are distributed wholesale once or twice a week, so to sum it up, eggs are definitely being allocated to the small retailers.

When we asked one retailer in Hanazono-chō (now Yegwan-dong), Seoul, about the actual situation of eggs being sold as a rationed food, he replied,

"We usually receive egg deliveries of about 3 to 5 kan (11.25 to 18.75 kg) once a week in general. When the eggs arrive at the store, we post a notice at the storefront saying that we will start selling eggs on what day and from what time, and those who bring a doctor's certificate are given priority. We sell a maximum of two or three eggs per customer," he disclosed. The current black market price for eggs is around 30 sen per egg, and it is said that consumers will never receive eggs except on the black market. The current situation is that eggs are actually not being sold at general grocery stores. We asked Mr. Satō, manager of the Gyeonggi Provincial Livestock Products Sales Association, about the actual situation of eggs being sold on the black market.

He replied, "The eggs that are now being sold on the black market seem to be brought in by farmers who keep chickens in the surrounding areas and do not receive feed from the Gyeonggi Provincial Agricultural Association. We have no choice but to wait for the authorities to take control of this situation, but depending on how the problem is handled in earnest, we may see a slight turnaround in the egg collection situation. I have heard that some small egg retailers are actually siphoning eggs, but I do not know for sure. In view of the current situation as we fight decisive battles, if the general public would refrain from consuming eggs, and reserve them mainly for the sick, then there would be enough eggs to go to families with sick people who really need them, but it is up to the retailers to be aware of the situation and the consumers to be self-aware.

Since the use of eggs as a general foodstuff is truly a luxury under the current circumstances, some kind of appropriate regulation is desirable for families that desperately need eggs as a special food for the sick.

The current dietary situation of the people of Seoul is far more plentiful than those of the rest of the world on the home front, but in order to make use of eggs as a much more active supply source for the war effort, the righteousness of the small retailers and the self-awareness of the consumers are strongly desired, and together with the urgent measures taken by the authorities, an advancing marching song can be played to provide direction for dietary habits going into the third year of the war. (End of this section) 

[Photo: Meat retailers showing a plentiful supply]

A beautiful, beautiful story

Mr. Kiyohiro Ōhara, a chair manufacturer in the 54th patriotic group, 6th Ward, Jugyo-dong, Jung-gu, won 1,000 yen in the October lottery from a 2-yen bullet stamp that he bought at a regular meeting. Since he received extra money in November, he donated four red and white curtains to the town council and 15 cushions for the regular meeting to the patriotic group, and again won 100 yen in the November lottery. Now that he will receive extra money this month, he is asking the town councilor for his wisdom on what to donate this time, which is an enviable beautiful story.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-12-24

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年12月24日

勝ち抜くあすの構え

食生活を衝く（６）

肉類・鶏卵

鶏卵は贅沢品だ

病人用食の統制を望む

脂肪性食品として戦う府民の熱量補給源たる肉類の末端配給は家庭用肉類輪番購入票により家族数四人迄は五十匁、九人迄は百匁、十人以上は一人増す毎に十匁を加えて順調な出回りを見せているが、此処で統制外の鶏肉は公定価格並びに飼料の関係から府内にさっぱりと姿を見せない。出回りが悪いと一般では直ちに闇や横流れを想像するが事実京畿道畜産物販売組合に入荷する鶏肉は現在の所皆無と云った状態である。

なお鶏肉に関連して府民のお台所を遠のいているものに鶏卵がある。牛乳その他の病人食として最も不可欠な栄養補給源である鶏卵も全然府内に入荷がないのであろうが、これは鶏肉に反して従前通り、否昭和十六年度の鶏卵の最も払底した時を基に十七年度、本年度と入荷数量は漸次好転し、順調な集荷状況を示している。

最も払底していると思われ既に一般消費者間には鶏卵の入手は最も困難なものとして時は諦めている向も多い。鶏卵の実際の入荷状況を見ると、先ず養鶏家に取って生命というべき飼料が京畿道を通じて配給されているため、それと引替に卵の供出が強要される所から道内養鶏家に産せられる大半の卵を順調に京城に入荷する。

数量的に見れば飼料の品質低下、品薄から産卵高は著しく減少されていて、最も順調で府内に卵の氾濫していた昭和十五年を基準として本年度の入荷数量は約三割に落ちている。三割という量は数字的に見れば良い方であるが、当時は京畿道鶏卵組合を経ずに横から府内に流れていた卵が約倍近くあり、実際的にはやはり当時の一割位ということになる。

所で現在京城府内に入る鶏卵は総て京畿道畜産物販売斡旋所に一元的に集卵され、此処から病院その他小売商に廻されているが、先ず入荷した卵はその三割程度を病院用として優先的に配給され、残りを府内六十五軒の鶏卵組合小売商と同じく六十五軒の食料品小売商の手に渡されていて、販売方法に就いては、

病院用食品として医師の診断書持参者には、これ又優先的に配給する様指示されている。大体現在の所、一日百貫平均の入荷状況であるが、この内一般消費者用として出回る数量約六十貫強と見て百匁七個平均では三千六百個の卵が一般小売商の手に入っている訳である。

所で現実の出回り状況は皆無といって良い状況である。府内百三十軒の鶏卵配給業者へは入荷数量の減少から毎日配給は行われていないが、一週間一回乃至二回の卸配給は行われているので、要約すれば鶏卵は小売商迄は確実に割り当てられているのである。

そこで末端配給として鶏卵の販売実状を小売組合商である府内花園町の一商店に訊ねると、

「一大体一週一回約三貫から五貫程度の配給を受けますが、入荷した際は店頭に何日何時から卵の販売を致しますと掲示を行い売っており、医者の証明書を持参された方には優先的に渡しています。一客二個三個を限度として販売しておりますが」、と中開きをした。卵の闇相場は現在一個三十銭前後で消費者には闇以外絶対に渡らないといわれている現状で、一般食料品店では卵の販売の実際は見当たらない現状である。ここで京畿道畜産物販売斡旋所佐藤主事に闇に横行する鶏卵の実状を訊ねる。

『現在闇に流れているという卵は京畿道農会から飼料の配給を受けていない近郊の鶏を飼っている農家から持ち込まれるように思います。之は当局の取締りを待つより外は有りませんが、本格の問題如何では今少し集荷の状況も好転するのではないでしょうか。鶏卵小売商では卵は情実流しをしているとの声もききますが、はっきりしたことは解りません。決戦下の時局に鑑み、卵は主として病人用として一般の方々が卵の消費を手控えてくれるなら、病人を抱えた本当に卵の必要な家庭へは応分に出回る位の出荷状況ですが、小売商の自覚と消費者の自省とに俟つよりは外ありません』

一般食料品として卵の使用はこの時局下正に贅沢品である以上切実に卵を求める家庭の病人特別食として何等かの適宜な統制が望まれる。

現在京城府民の食生活は全世界の戦う銃後にくらべてはるかに潤沢な出回りを見せているが、これをより一層活きた戦力の補給源として活用するには小売商の道義と消費者の自覚が強く望まれる所であり、当局の応急なる措置と相俟って、明朗なる決戦第三年への食生活の進撃譜が奏でられるのである（この項終り）【写真＝潤沢な出回りを見せる肉類販売店】

美しい美しい話

中区舟橋町第六区第五十四愛国班の椅子製造業大原清弘さんは常会で買った二円の弾丸切手が十月の抽籤で千円に当籤。十一月に割増金を貰ったので、紅白の幔幕四張を町会へ、常会用の座布団十五枚を愛国班へ寄付したところ、十一月の抽籤で又々百円に当籤。今月割増金を貰うことになったので、こんどは何処へ何を寄付しようかと町総代に智恵を借りているとは羨ましいような美しい話。

Colonial authorities discussed how to reduce prenatal/infant mortality rates in the midst of severe 1943 wartime food shortages, declaring that the Korean children belong to Imperial Japan and not to the mother, who must raise them into future soldiers and leaders of the Co-prosperity Sphere

This is my translation and transcription of three news articles from Keijo Nippo, a propaganda newspaper and mouthpiece of the government of Japan-colonized Korea. They have never been republished or translated before, to the best of my knowledge. They provide a revealing glimpse into the desperate suffering of the nursing babies, infants, and mothers of Korea amid the tremendous stresses of World War II.

Over three days (three parts) in May 1943, the newspaper gathered together a panel of experts from the medical field, schools, social welfare departments, and the colonial government to discuss how to reduce prenatal and infant mortality rates. 

In the first part, they discussed ways to increase the population of Imperial Japan by reducing miscarriages, throwing around ideas like lowering the marriage age, prioritizing food rations for pregnant women, instituting maternal leave, promoting delivery in hospitals, and controlling tuberculosis.

In the second part, they discussed mothers and children suffering from food shortages (baby formula, eggs, dairy milk, fish, tofu, etc.), and prioritizing food rationing to expectant and nursing mothers with doctor's certificates, promoting breast milk, and teaching dental hygiene using salt or toothpaste to brush teeth, concluding with a declaration that infants are the property of the nation.

In the third part, more politically charged than the previous two parts, they discussed 'proper' child rearing practices and children's spiritual education, emphasizing that the mother should adopt a faithful devotion to all household as a form of devotion to the Emperor, that the 'previously prevailing individualistic and liberal attitude on children's education must be abandoned', and children must worship at the kamidana (small Shinto altar) every morning.

I have not done a thorough fact check of all the medical advice in these old articles, but needless to say that they should all be taken with a healthy dose of skepticism, as several pieces of advice already look pretty suspect first glance, especially their tips on raising children. 

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) May 1, 1943

Child Protection Roundtable Discussion (Sponsored by the newspaper head office) (Part 1 of 3)

Give birth to 100 million more people!

Pregnant women are not comfortable with queuing up to buy things

Participants:

• Dr. Hata (Department of Gynecology, Seoul University)
• Dr. Amano (Department of Law and Literature, Seoul University)
• Dr. Hironaka (Department of Pediatrics, Seoul Medical Center)
• Dr. Yao (Seoul Dental College)
• Ms. Su'e Aiko (Green Banner League)
• Ms. Yajima Seiko (Seoul Friends Association)
• Ms. Kim Jin-jeong (김진정/金珎禎) (Patriotic Women's Association, Korea Headquarters)
• Ms. Dr. Tomura Kimiko (Medical doctor)
• Ms. Choi Yang-yo (최양요/崔良窯) (Gyeonggi Girls' High School)
• Mr. Nagai (Director of Social Affairs Division, Governor-General's Office)
• Mr. Iwasa (Social Affairs Division, Governor-General's Office)
• Mr. Ōtsuka (Director of the Korean Social Work Association)
• Mr. Kojima (Director, Welfare Department, Korean Federation of National Power)
• Mr. Jeong (Director of the Editorial Bureau for Mainichi Shimbun)
• Mr. Hong (Director of Social Affairs Department of Mainichi Shimbun)
• Mr. Mine (Director of Social Affairs Department, Keijo Nippo Head Office), Mr. Suzuki, (Director of Business Department, Keijo Nippo Head Office), and Mr. Kagawa (Reporter, Keijo Nippo Head Office)

This year, too, from the 1st to the 10th, the People's Health Campaign will be held simultaneously in all of Korea. The Korean Social Work Association, in cooperation with the Korean Federation of National Power and the Social Work Associations of the provinces, will launch the "Child Protection Campaign". To spearhead the campaign, the Keijo Nippo head office held a "Child Protection Roundtable Discussion" as follows, inviting authoritative figures from various fields on the issues of nursing babies, infants, and women.

Mr. Nagai: For ten days from May 1, the Healthy People Movement will be conducted through various organizations, and the results of the Healthy People/Healthy Troops Movement have been spectacularly achieved with the collective consensus of 100 million people fighting a decisive battle. This month, we would like to hear your opinions from all of you about protecting children. The moderator is Dr. Amano. Dr. Amano, your thoughts?

Dr. Amano: The situation of the Greater East Asia War is becoming increasingly serious, and we need to think more deeply about childbirth and child rearing. The first and foremost issue is to give birth to many strong children. Since this is the only way, I believe that providing guidance on how to protect pregnant and nursing mothers is the first issue to be considered when discussing wartime life. Let's start with Dr. Hata.

Dr. Hata: During the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Greater East Asia War, a large number of people were mobilized to the front lines, and in order to replenish this number, it is necessary to greatly increase the number of people behind the front lines. The reason why ancient Greece and Egypt were in such a state in the past is because of their excessive culture and misplaced population growth. What about the people of Japan? Japan is surrounded by the following countries. Across the Pacific Ocean is the United States with a population of 130 million. To the west is the Soviet Union, with a population of 170 million and the world's highest population growth rate. China has 400 million people. In order to establish an East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere in the midst of such a situation, Japan must further increase its population.

In January 1941, the government established the Outline for the Establishment of Population Policy, which stated that Japan must produce 100 million people by 1960, and that each family should have at least five children. In Japan, however, the birth rate was 36.2 per 1,000 in 1920, 30.6 per 1,000 in 1937, and 26.7 per 1,000 in 1938, but as a result of the cooperation of the government, doctors, and others, the rate has gradually improved. The situation has been improved by the people's awareness and the improvement of various institutions to prevent deaths, increase births, and prevent the transmission of tuberculosis to nursing babies and infants.

The age of marriage is being advanced to three years earlier within the next ten years, and in mainland Japan, the lending of marriage and childbirth funds is being discussed, and various facilities are being established to ensure healthy childbirths. According to an announcement by the Japan Gynecological Society in 1940, a survey of fetal deaths, assuming that the total number of conceptions in a year was 2 million, showed that there were 86,000 spontaneous abortions in the third month of pregnancy, which is four times the total number of births in Kyoto in a year, and over 50,000 stillbirths in the tenth month of pregnancy, which is the total number of births in Kyoto and Nagoya in a year. That means that 280,000 people are being lost between the first and tenth months of pregnancy, which is quite astonishing.

The high number of premature births, especially before delivery, is especially thought-provoking. We should use our efforts to prevent premature births, educate mothers about motherhood, and ensure the mental and physical health of mothers. In a nutshell, there is no other way to feed pregnant and nursing mothers than to prioritize them over healthier people by giving them more food rations.

Miscarriages can be caused by excessive labor, sexually transmitted diseases, endometritis, or a deficiency of progestin or vitamins, so it is essential to seek professional medical care at an early stage. Early treatment is essential to avoid miscarriage and to ensure a safe delivery.

Dr. Amano: Now that we have discussed the issue of overwork among women, I would like to hear your thoughts about this.

Dr. Hata: Statistics show that more than 50% of working women have irregular menstruation, and this is particularly high in printing factories, where 30% of pregnancies end in miscarriages. Of the 70% of pregnancies which end in delivery, 20% of the babies die due to weakness, which is a very serious problem, and it is necessary to protect working women and professional women. In mainland Japan, there are mandatory resting periods to provide adequate rest, and I think this is something that should be considered in the near future in Korea as well.

Dr. Amano: I guess shopping queues are not good for pregnant women these days.

Dr. Hata: They are not good at all. In mainland Japan, it seems that pregnant women are given priority in the distribution of food rations, and people are willing to give up their rights to each other in the queue.

Dr. Amano: Is it because of the lack of manpower? Something must be done about this. 

Dr. Hata: The winter months are worse than the summer months, and there have been cases of miscarriages due to the passage of several hours.

Dr. Amano: If women are in the workforce for a long period of time　as the war drags on, they will enter a wider range of men's professions. If employers do not pay enough attention to their health in consideration of their employment, they may miscarry after pregnancy, or die soon after birth. What is the situation in mainland Japan?

Dr. Hata: As a result of the January 1941 regulations, mandatory rest and dormitory facilities seem to be going relatively well.

Dr. Tomura: At any rate, housewives nowadays bear an excessive burden in terms of air defense, patriotic organization events, and other household chores. There is a lot to consider about pregnancy and child rearing after delivery. I believe there is room for further investigation into the relationship between food and nutrition.

Ms. Kim: I always think about professional women. Some of them have miscarriages because they push themselves too hard before giving birth, and some of them fall into unexpected serious conditions due to lack of medical care after childbirth, partly because they cannot receive adequate treatment at hospitals. Because the family's finances do not allow it, these failures are repeated, and precious human resources are lost.

Dr. Amano: In case of air raids, there is also the problem of how to treat pregnant women. How would you deal with such limitations?

Dr. Hata: I believe that it is better to evacuate the pregnant women until the seventh month, but not after that. The high rate of deliveries that take place at home instead of in hospitals is also a problem that should be given considerable thought. The number of deaths due to unexpected accidents and abnormal pregnancies during childbirth is over 100,000. At hospitals, the fetal death rate due to unexpected accidents is 0.6%, whereas it is 1.2% at home. At hospitals, the rate of breech births is 15%, whereas it is 30% at home. The rate of death is high due to inadequate treatment for neonatal asphyxia. Therefore, it is important that abnormal pregnancies be handled in hospitals and maternity hospitals as much as possible, from the standpoint of increasing the population. For this purpose, we need to build more maternity hospitals and other facilities that allow hospitalization at low cost. Otherwise, we will not be able to fully achieve our goal. 

[Photo: Roundtable discussion]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-05-01

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) May 2, 1943

Child Protection Roundtable Discussion (Sponsored by the newspaper head office) (Part 2 of 3)

Strong children come from healthy mothers

Weaning indigestion is frightening

Dr. Amano: What are your opinions on the protection of nursing babies and infants? What about artificial nutrition? What about the current food supply? Dr. Hironaka, your thoughts on this?

Dr. Hironaka: The infant mortality rate is high, especially for newborns. The death rate is particularly high for infants who are weak at birth, have weak vitality, or are born prematurely, so this has a close relationship with obstetrics and gynecology. As mentioned earlier, the nutritional condition of the pregnant woman is closely connected to vitamins and hormones, as well as genetics. You can say that, if the mother is strong, the child is also strong. Various postnatal disorders can be prevented to a great extent by the mother being attentive.

The main factor in preventing illness in infants is how to feed them, and formula feeding has a higher morbidity rate than breast milk. The first step is to feed the mother's milk. However, recently the use of formula feeding has increased dramatically. I don't know if it's because of the shortage of the mother's milk, but the use of powdered and blended milk substitutes has increased. Moreover, there is a shortage of these substitutes these days, which is a serious problem from a national perspective, and infants' food should be given more consideration than that of adults.

In addition, there seems to be a shortage of pacifiers, which also needs to be considered. Secondly, there is a high mortality rate among infants during the weaning period after they grow bigger. This is due to the way food is fed, and should be considered more seriously than the problem of artificial nutrition. Eating at this age is truly difficult. They easily have diarrhea. In addition, mothers are suffering from the lack of eggs, small fish, tofu, and other foods. If babies overdo it and suffer from indigestion, they can hardly survive these days. Even if they do survive, the effects will be felt later on when they are older. I would like you to consider this and give sufficient thought to the distribution of food rations.

Dr. Amano: It is very difficult to raise children these days, isn't it?

Mr. Nagai: It seems that there are no eggs or tofu. Milk, curd, and powdered milk are also limited these days because of the shortage, but we issue tickets in the cities, towns, and townships to those who need them who have a doctor's certificate, so please apply for them without delay. In addition, cotton cloths for expectant and nursing mothers are also preferentially distributed to those with a doctor's certificate.

Ms. Su'e: Speaking of breast milk, when my first child was born, I had a lot of breast milk, but with my second child, I was a little emotionally upset, so I had no breast milk at all. Perhaps there is a relationship with food and emotions?

Dr. Hata: At least half of the time, it has a great deal to do with mental effects. Also, when there is a shortage of breast milk, we try to give them dairy milk, but even then there may only be three gō (0.54 liters) or five gō (0.90 liters) of dairy milk to give them, the milk shipment may only come at 9 or 10, around 4 in the afternoon, or never. We are troubled by this, but we would like to get this done right somehow. There is also no bread, potato starch, etc. I would like to make a loud appeal on these points from the standpoint of child protection.

Dr. Amano: How is the growth of the fetus affected by meals?

Dr. Hata: According to last year's statistics, there does not seem to be much of a relationship. Even if you look at the pregnant women in the lower classes, there is no significant effect on the fetus.

Dr. Amano: Insufficient nutrition of the mother and fetus and inadequate food for the infant cause many difficulties, but what about the teeth of the mother and child? Dr. Yao, please go ahead.

Dr. Yao: In Germany, children born after the last World War had bad teeth due to the extreme shortage of food supplies, and this is a problem that we have to think carefully about. Since tooth decay causes various diseases and causes a high mortality rate, if the distribution system is not smooth like nowadays, this result will appear in a few years, even if this problem does not appear now. Then this would mean that Japan will be following in the footsteps of Germany, and we will need to conduct good research into how these problems will manifest themselves in the future. Baby teeth grow from six months to two years of age, and permanent teeth grow from six to eight years of age. Many people think that it does not matter how many decayed baby teeth there are, but this is a serious mistake. When baby teeth have cavities, the permanent teeth that come in later are weakened, causing irregular dentition. This can also lead to the inability to take in sufficient nutrition in the future. Therefore, in order to have healthy permanent teeth, it is important to take good care of the baby teeth.

Pregnant women should also take care to nourish their children and ensure that they have healthy teeth. As Dr. Hironaka mentioned earlier, breastfeeding is better than artificial nutrition, and this is also true from the standpoint of dentistry. This is why rubber nipples for artificial feeding are not a good idea. When a nursing baby feeds on breast milk, it makes a sweaty effort and the mouth and neck become filled with blood, which stimulates the development of the cervical bone, and the baby grows smoothly. In this sense, breastfeeding is the best.

Dr. Amano: I see. That means that baby teeth are not to be treated as a trivial matter.

Dr. Yao: That's right. There is no better way to treat cavities in baby teeth than to treat them as soon as possible. If it is in the early stages of decay, it can be filled with cement, and the cost will be lower. As for the cost, as I mentioned earlier, there are many cases where the costs for pregnant and nursing mothers do not go so well due to hospitalization. The other day, I went back to my hometown (Okayama) for a short while, and there, the prefectural government provides health insurance and hospitalization at a very low cost. For example, when my father was hospitalized, the hospitalization fee was 50 yen and the food cost was 1.20 yen, so the hospital services were much appreciated and used by the villagers. I would like to see this expanded in Korea as well. Next to the basic prevention of cavities, if you follow the second preventive method of using a toothbrush to remove food debris, you can be sure that you will never get a cavity. However, it is necessary to use the toothbrush in the correct way. You must use the brush in the "vertical" position. It is a big mistake to say that you should brush in the morning but not at night, because doing it at night before going to bed is the most effective way to prevent cavities.

Dr. Tomura: What is the difference between using salt and using toothpaste?

Dr. Yao: There is not much of a difference.

Dr. Amano: What about the education of young children at Seoul Friends Association?

Ms. Yajima: Yes, we have a group called "Friends Association" for children who will go to the National School (elementary school) next year (Tuesday group) and those who will be 5 or 6 years old (Wednesday group). The children attend once a week at Mr. Kojima's home. We also put a lot of effort into teaching them how to brush their teeth. At five or six years of age, children like to show themselves off to other people, so we take advantage of this psychology to have them do things together, so that it becomes a great encouragement for them. 

Dr. Amano: Ms. Choi, you seem to have raised many excellent children in spite of your busy schedule. Do you have any special methods to share?

Ms. Choi: In spite of my busy work at school (as a teacher), all three of my children have grown up to be strong and healthy. I am very careful when raising babies, but I think the most important thing is to feed them milk at the right time from the very beginning. Since it would inconvenience me at work when they sleep during the day and remain awake during the night, I asked my nanny to not let them sleep during the day as much as possible, to enforce the habit of sleeping well at night. I think that a well-regulated lifestyle is the special method for preventing illness.

Dr. Hironaka: That is a very good story.

Dr. Amano: So-called well-educated women do not always raise strong, good children, and there are a few examples of women who are not so well-educated but have done a great job of raising good children to bear the fruit of child protection. What kind of mother is considered a good mother? Dr. Hironaka, your thoughts?

Dr. Hironaka: In other words, children grow up well because they are raised well, and there are many women who do not understand this point very well. [laughter]

Mr. Nagai: There are also women who are self-centered in the way they soothe their babies. [laughter]

Ms. Kim: Since the mortality rate is high in Korea, I wish there were more nursing baby and infant care centers. I would like to see university hospitals and medical centers, including Asahi Medical Center, Japan Red Cross Hospital, and other hospitals, provide facilities for nursing babies and infants for thorough prevention and treatment, as well as attached maternity hospitals. The rise and fall of a nation depend on its infants, and even if they are born from the mother's bosom, they are not the property of the individual, but rather they are the property of the nation.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-05-02

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) May 3, 1943

Child Protection Roundtable Discussion (Sponsored by the newspaper head office) (Part 3 of 3)

Mothers, be strict with your children

Children should not be shy or timid

Mr. Iwasa: The Governor-General's Office has been distributing a child-rearing calendar since January of this year. It is extremely detailed so that even first-time mothers can understand tips for pregnant women, childbirth and child-rearing methods by month, early treatment for illness, etc.

Ms. Su'e: Every Tuesday, the Green Banner League holds a nursing baby and infant counseling session at Chōjiya Japanese restaurant, and it has been a success every time. As of December, a total of 554 children have been examined. The number of consultations was 306: 110 consultations on breastfeeding, 18 consultations on artificial nutrition, and 177 consultations on weaning. In addition to distributing this infant calendar, we are researching how to prepare food for weaning, how to use clothes, how to make underwear, and so on, since there are supply shortages.

Ms. Yajima: How to spend the winter season is also a major issue, and we are collecting statistics among our members on whether it is better to use a warm ondol room or a stove because of the fuel shortages. Among active measures, infant exercises are also good, and I think it is also good for mothers to help their children do these exercises.

Mr. Ōtsuka: Last year we held a "Mother and Child Exhibition" for one week and it was packed, and this year we will hold it again with different content at the Ikueikai Educational Society. This year, we will hold a new lecture on childcare, and on the 7th, there will be a lecture by Dr. Izumi from Seoul University, and a movie night at the Seoul Citizens Hall.

Dr. Amano: Now I would like to turn to the issue of spiritual education for children.

Mr. Mine (Director of Social Affairs Department): Today, the issue of nursing babies and infants must be considered not only from the perspective of humanity, but also from the perspective of the nation - that is, the nation as a whole. Children up to the age of six should not be spoiled, selfish, shy, or depressed. The child demanded by the nation must be a strong, cheerful child who is able to grow and develop. I believe that there is such a thing as a small child with beautiful behavior and a lovely heart. If not, it is the mother's fault. It can be said that the environment around them made them that way. For example, a child who breaks a shōji (paper sliding door) is a result of the mother's slovenliness. A child who is shy around others is also not healthy.

Dr. Amano: As you just said, a mother's attitude is certainly important. They are the children of the nation, so they need to be trained.

Ms. Su'e: A mother's faithful devotion to all household chores, from morning to night, means that she is dedicated to His Majesty. I believe that the Japanese way of discipline is to bow down to His Majesty's side.

Dr. Amano: I believe that there is a certain way to discipline children who are shy or timid, who will be of no use as the future leaders of the co-prosperity sphere. How do you deal with this at Seoul Friends Association?

Ms. Yajima: At Seoul Friends Association, we are often told that we do not scold our children enough, but our principle is that we want the children to notice us.

Dr. Amano: I believe that the previously prevailing individualistic and liberal attitude on children's education must be abandoned in favor of a more holistic and nationalistic approach. What kinds of opinions do Korean people have on this?

Ms. Kim: I have heard from women's groups from the provinces that, ever since the announcement of the conscription order, the basic ideas held by Korean children have completely changed, they have discovered a sense of purpose that they can become great soldiers of the Imperial Japanese military, and they are very happy about it. I would like to see the children thoroughly imbued with a sense of mission at this time.

Dr. Amano: Then there is the problem of children's toys. Due to the scarcity of materials, we seem to be seeing some very poor quality toys. What kind of toys do you recommend, Dr. Hironaka?

Dr. Hironaka: First of all, they should be injury-proof. Poor quality paint is also dangerous. Educational toys are also important.

Ms. Su'e: As for how to give toys to children, I think that if you give toys to children on a day of national significance, such as the Tenchō's Festival (the Emperor's Birthday) or New Year's Day, they will be more inclined to cherish the toys. There is a custom of giving toys as mere souvenirs, but I think this is the worst thing you can do.

Mr. Hong: I would like to see some kind of control over this practice, because inferior toys are made by merchants for their own profit. They cost two or three yen and break immediately. The psychological impact on a child's mind is so serious that I have decided not to buy such toys for the past several years.

Mr. Mine: I am glad to see that there is more ingenuity and structure in the world of children, as the little ones at my place have been cleverly combining building blocks and the Chinese Checkers board to play games consistent with the times, such as pretending to sink U.S. warships.

Ms. Yajima: If you put colored paper on an empty box or a honeycomb box, it can be used as a doll house or as a train, and it is very useful.

Ms. Choi: Recently at my house, we have stopped using dolls, and my children are holding pillows and calling them their babies. [laughter]

Ms. Kim: I hope there will be an institute for research and guidance on child psychology. There have been many cases where children have become delinquents because they were not given proper guidance. I hope that the Governor-General's Office will consider setting up an institute for this kind of psychological guidance in addition to the awards for excellent children.

Dr. Amano: In order to raise children to be physically strong and mentally strong, I think we should put more soul into their spiritual education. What is the best way to infuse strong spirituality into children?

How should we deal with children not only in national school education, but also at home? For example, we should lead a disciplined life by worshiping at the kamidana altar every morning, or we should naturally reflect this into our children by showing the strict attitude of parents who do not allow their spirit to be disturbed. If parents themselves maintain a winning attitude and strong spirit, their children will naturally follow them. According to the conventional school survey statistics in Japan, children from families that are financially very well off do not perform that well in school, while those from middle-class or lower-class families are actually more likely to produce upright individuals. I believe this is the result of parents who were not able to live up to their own expectations in their own lives, so they reflect a strict mentality onto their own children, wanting their children to live up to the parents' own expectations, and this propels their children forward. I think we have run out of time, so we will close this discussion.  =End=

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-05-03

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年5月1日

児童愛護座談会　本社主催　（上）

生み出せあと一億

妊婦に障ります”行列買い”

出席者：

秦博士（城大婦人科）

天野博士（城大法文学部）

弘中博士（京城医専小児科）

矢尾博士（京城歯科医専）

須江愛子女史（緑旗聯盟）

矢島セイ子女史（京城友の会）

金珎禎女史（日婦朝鮮本部）

戸村金子女史（女医）

崔良窯女史（京畿高女）

永井総督府社会課長

岩佐同圏

大塚朝鮮社会事業協会主事

児島朝鮮聯盟厚生部理事

鄭毎新編輯局長

洪同社会部長

本社側：嶺社会部長、鈴木事業部長、香川記者

今年も一日から十日まで全鮮一斉に健民運動が実施される。朝鮮社会事業協会では聯盟及び道社会事業協会と協力『児童愛護運動』を展開するが、本社では愛護運動の先鞭をつけ、乳幼児婦人問題の各界権威者の参集をもとめ、次のように『児童愛護座談会』を催した。

永井：五月一日から十日間に亘って健民運動が各機関を通じて実施され、決戦下一億国民の総意を盛って華々しい健民健兵の実が挙げられますが、本月はここに児童愛護について皆さんから御意見を拝聴いたしたく思います。司会は天野先生どうぞ。

天野博士：大東亜戦争の様相も漸時深刻になって例えば出産育児の方面でも間々深く考えなければならないと思います。何といっても先決問題は丈夫な子を沢山産む。これしかないのでして妊産婦の保護指導こそは戦時生活を語る上に最初の問題になると思います。先ず秦先生から。

秦博士：支那事変、大東亜戦を通じて前線には大量に動員をみており、これが補充を図るためには銃後に於いてはウンと人口増殖を図らねばなりません。昔ギリシャやエジプトが何故ああいう状態になったかといえば、行き過ぎた文化から人口増殖を誤った處に原因しています。では日本の人々はどうなっているか。それは太平洋の彼方には一億三千万の人口を有するアメリカがあり、西には一億七千万の人口を有し、人口増殖率世界一というソ連あり、支那四億という国々に囲繞されている。その真っ只中にあって日本は東亜共栄圏を確立するためには人口の増殖は一段と要請されなければならない。

昭和十六年一月政府の定めた人口政策確立要綱によって昭和三十五年までに一億の人口を作らねばならないし、一家族に五人以上の子女を持つようとのお達示です。ところが我が国では大正九年千人に付き三六・二人の出生率が昭和十二年には千人に対し三〇・六人、同十三年に千人に対し二六・七人という数字を示したが、政府と医者その他が協力した結果、現在では漸時良好となっています。死亡を防ぎ出産を増やし、乳幼児の結核伝染を防ぐ等民衆の自覚と諸機関の充実で面目を一新しています。

結婚年齢も十年以内に三年は早めさせる目標で進んでおり、内地では結婚資金、出産資金貸与の方法も講ぜられて、健康な出産を望む諸施設が設けられている。昭和十五年、日本婦人科学会の発表によると、一年受胎総数を二百万として胎児死亡数を調査したところ、妊娠三月での自然流産が八万六千人で、これは京都市の一年間の総出産数の四倍に相当し、妊娠十月の死産が五万余りで、これは京都市、名古屋市の一年の総出産数に相当する。妊娠一月から十月までの間に二十八万人失われることとなり、今更驚くべきものがあります。

特に出産前の早産の数の多いことは考えさせられるが、早産の予防、母性の教育に意を用い、母性の精神的肉体的の健全を計るべきです。妊産婦の食事を簡単に話すと丈夫な人を制して妊産婦に先に多く配給する以外にはない。

流産の原因には過度の労働や花柳病、内膜炎によるもの、黄体ホルモン、ビタミンの欠乏によるものなどもあり、早期に専門医の治療を受けることが肝要です。初期なれば流産しないで無事分娩まで導くことが出来ます。

天野博士：只今婦人の過労の問題が出ましたが、之について一つ。

秦博士：統計では職業婦人には月経不順が多く五〇％以上であり、印刷工場には特に多く、妊娠しても三〇％は流産するという統計が出ております。生れた七〇％の中二〇％が弱質のため死亡するといった状況で相当考えさせられる問題であり、労働婦人や職業婦人を愛護する必要があります。内地では充分な休養を与えるためには強制休養等もあり、朝鮮でも早晩考えられていい事だと思います。

天野博士：昨今買い物行列は妊婦などにもいけないでしょうね。

秦博士：全くよくないです。内地では妊婦には優先的に配給するとか行列の中でお互いが譲り合う事が巧く行っているようですが。

天野博士：人手が足りないためからでしょうか。何とかせねばならないことですね。

秦博士：夏分よりとくに冬期が悪く、数時間経った為に流産した例もあります。

天野博士：長期戦に亘るといきおい、職業婦人が男子の分野に進出する領域も広くなるわけですから、就職に当っても使用者の側で考慮して健康に充分注意せぬと妊娠しても流産したり、折角生れても直ぐ死亡するといったことになるのではありませんか。内地の方ではどうしていますか。

秦博士：昭和十六年一月の規定が設けられた結果、強制休養や寄宿舎の設備等割に良く行っているようです。

戸村女史：兎に角、昨今は家庭にあっても防空関係、愛国班行事その他家事一切主婦の負担は過重で、妊娠中も出産後の育児についても考えさせられることは多く、食べ物と栄養の関係に就いても何とか考究の余地があるように思います。

金女史：私は職業婦人について常に思うんですが、妊娠してお産の前に無理をしたため流産したり、出産後の養生不足から思わぬ重態に陥る者もあり、病院での治療が充分に受けられぬためもあるようです。家庭の経済が許さぬため、かかる失敗を繰り返して尊い人的資源を失います。

天野博士：空襲の場合、妊婦をどう処置するかといった問題もあり、その限度についておよそ如何に扱うかですが。

秦博士：七月位までは非難させた方がよいが、それ以後の者は非難させぬ方が良いと思います。それからお産が病院で出来ず自宅でやる率の多いことも相当考えさせられる問題で、分娩の際、突発事故や異常妊娠による死亡約十万以上にのぼり、突発事故による胎児死亡は病院では〇・六％、自宅では倍の一・二％、逆児分娩では病院分娩一五％自宅では倍の三〇％であります。之は仮死の手当不充分なため死亡する率が高いのであります。それで異常妊娠は出来るだけ病院や産院でなされることは人口増殖の立前から重要なことと思います。そのためには産院などを多く建て廉い費用で入院出来る設備がほしいものです。でないと目的が充分達せられません。【写真＝座談会】

京城日報　1943年5月2日

児童愛護座談会　本社後援　（中）

強い子は健母から

恐ろしいのは離乳期の消化不良

天野博士：乳幼児の育成保護について御意見をどうぞ。それに関連して人工栄養はどうか。現在の食糧はどうか、等に就いて弘中先生に一つ。

弘中博士：乳児時代は死亡率が高いんですが特に生れたてが高い。生れ乍らに体が弱いとか、生活力が微弱であるとか、早産児等がとくに死ぬわけで、これには産婦人科との関係が深い。妊婦の栄養の状態とか先程のお話にもありましたビタミン、ホルモンの関係とか、遺伝的関係も特に深いわけです。母が丈夫なら先ず大体子も丈夫といってよい。生後の色々な障害は母親の注意一つで相当防げるものと思います。

乳児の病気を防ぐには主に食物の与え方一つで人口補乳は母乳に比べると罹病率が高い。先ず母の乳を飲ませることです。處が近頃は人口栄養が非常に増えた。母乳の不足からか知らぬが代用粉乳、煉乳が多い。しかも昨今はこの代用品も品不足で国家的な見地から由々しき問題で、乳児の食物については大人の食物以上に考慮を払うべきです。

それから最近は『乳首』の品不足をみているようですが、これについても一考を要します。次に乳児が大きくなって離乳期の幼児の死亡率が高い。これは食物の『与え方』に依るもので、人工栄養の問題以上に深刻に考えて戴きたい。この頃の食事は真に難しい。すぐ腹をこわす。それに昨今は卵、魫、豆腐などがなくてお母さん方も苦しんでいます。無理をして消化不良を起こすと、この頃は殆ど助からぬ。助かっても後々大きくなってから影響が大きい。この辺を考慮し配給関係についても充分考えてほしいものです。

天野博士：成程昨今では子供を育てるのも大変ですね。

永井氏：卵、豆腐は無いようですね。牛乳や、煉乳、粉乳も昨今は品不足だから制限はしていますが、府邑面で切符を出し医者の証明で是非入要な向には町会を経て配給していますから手落なく申請して下さい。その他妊産婦用の綿布の如きも証明書で優先的に配給しています。

須江女史：母乳の話ですが、私は上の子が生れた際は乳も多かったんですが、次の時ちょっとした動揺を受けたらさっぱり出なくなった経験がございますが、食べ物や気分の関係があるんじゃないでしょうか。

秦博士：少なくとも半分位は精神作用が大いに影響します。また母乳不足の時牛乳を飲ませようとしても昨今は三合か五合、それも九時や十時に来たり午後四時頃届けたり、或いは全く無かったり等で弱ってるんですが、これは何とかキチンとやって貰いたいものです。それにパン、片栗等も無い。これらの点児童愛護の建前から声を大にして訴えたいのです。

天野博士：食事による胎児の発育状態は。

秦博士：昨年度の統計をみましても余り関係はないようです。下層階級の妊婦についてみても胎児に大して影響はないのです。

天野博士：母胎の栄養不充分とか幼児の食物不充分とかで色色と困難が伴いますが、産婦や子供の歯はどんなものでしょうか。矢尾先生どうぞ。

矢尾博士：独逸では前大戦後極端な物資不足から生れた子供の歯が悪かったのですが、これは我々としても相当考えさせられる問題だと思います。虫歯から色々な病気を引き起こし死亡率も高いものですから、昨今のように配給機構が不円滑ですと今は現れなくても数年後にこの結果が現れると、すると日本も独逸の轍を踏むことになるので、どういう状態で現れるかということをよく研究しなくてはなりません。乳歯は生後六ヶ月から二年まで生え永久歯は六歳から八歳までに生えるのですが、世間一般には乳歯の虫歯はいくらあっても構わんと考える向が多いのですが、これは大変な間違いで、乳歯がムシばまれると後に生える永久歯が弱くなり、不整歯列等の原因ともなり、将来充分な栄養も摂れぬ結果となります。ですから健康な永久歯を得るためには乳歯を大切にすることです。

又子供の為に妊婦は栄養を摂って健康な歯を作ることに心掛くべきで、このように前以て準備することが大切で後からではもう遅い。人工栄養より母乳によって育てよ、とは先程弘中先生からもお話がありましたが、歯科の方からもそれが言えるのでして、母体から乳を吸います為、努力を払い、頸の力を増してくる。人工栄養の際のゴムの乳首などは、こんな意味からむしろ良くありません。乳児の授乳の際は汗ばむ程の努力を払い、口や頸に充血しますが、これが刺激となって頸骨が発達し、順調に生え揃うわけです。そんな意味で先ず母乳が一番ですね。

天野博士：はあ、そうすると乳歯ぐらいと仲々馬鹿にならぬものですね。

矢尾博士：そうです。乳歯の虫歯は早く治療するに越したことはありません。ムシバの初期であればセメントで埋める程度で結構ですし、費用も安く上がるわけです。費用の点ですが、先程からお話に出ました妊産婦の問題でも入院の為に巧く行かぬ場合が多いんじゃないですか。先日郷里（岡山）へちょっと帰りましたが、向こうでは県の斡旋で健康保健が行き届いていて非常に安い費用で入院出来る。一例をあげると、私の父が入院の際入院料五十銭、食費一円二十銭といった具合で村人からも非常に喜ばれ、利用されているが、これは朝鮮にも拡めて貰いたいと思います。それからムシバの根本的予防についで、次に歯ブラシを使ってカスを除くこの第二の予防法を励行すれば絶対ムシバにならぬといってよいでしょう。もっとも之れには『正しいブラシの使い方』が必要になって来るんです。『タテ』に使うんですね。それから朝はやるが夜は面倒臭いというのは大へんな間違いで、夜寝る前にやるのが予防上効果が一番挙るわけです。

戸村女史：塩と歯磨き粉の相違はどんなものでしょう？

矢尾博士：大した違いはありません。

天野博士：では幼児の教育については『友の会』では？

矢島女史：はい、友の会幼児生活団というので火曜組来年国民学校に上る者、水曜組五、六歳で毎週一回児島さん宅で開いています。歯磨きの講習にも特別に力を入れていまして、五、六歳の子供の頃は他人へ見せびらかしの心理が働くので、これを利用して大勢でやりますと大へん励みになるのでございます。

天野博士：崔先生、あなたは多忙な中によく優秀な子さんを沢山お育てのようですが、何か秘訣でもお有りでしょうか。

崔女史：学校の仕事の多忙な中にもお蔭様で三人の子供はみな丈夫に育ちました。乳飲児を育てますには人一倍気を使いますが、何より初めから時間を正確に授乳することだと思いました。私の仕事の上からも昼寝て夜寝ないのは困りますので子守さんに頼んで極力昼は寝かさないよう夜はぐっすり寝る習慣をつけました。規則的な生活が病気させぬ秘訣のように思います。

弘中博士：本当に結構なお話ですね。

天野博士：いわゆる教養ある婦人必ずしも丈夫な良い子を育てず、そうでない婦人でも立派に児童愛護の実を挙げている実例も少ないのですが、どういう母が一体よい母ということになりましょうかね、弘中先生．．．

弘中博士：つまり子供はよく育てるからよく育つのであって、物分かりの悪い婦人も随分多いです（笑声）

永井氏：自分本位のあやし方をする婦人もありましてね（笑声）

金女史：朝鮮は死亡率が高いのですから、乳幼児の相談所の如きものはも少し沢山あって欲しいですね。大学病院、医専、旭医専、日赤その他に施療乳児院といったものを設けて戴いて予防や治療を徹底して戴き附設産院等も欲しいですね。国家の興亡は幼児からであり、母の懐から生れるものであっても幼児は各人のものでなく、国家のものであります。

京城日報　1943年5月3日

児童愛護座談会　本社後援　（下）

母よ子に厳しかれ

人みしり、物おじはよくない

岩佐氏：総督府では今年の一月から育児暦を配布しています。妊婦の心得や出産と月別育児法、疾病の早期手当等初めての母親でも分かるように詳細を極めています。

須江女史：毎週火曜丁子屋で開かれます緑旗聯盟主催の乳幼児相談所は回を重ねる毎に盛会です。十二月までに総計五百五十四名の子供の診察に応じました。相談件数は三〇六件、母乳について一一〇件、人工栄養について一八件、離乳期について一七七件でした。この乳児暦を配布するほか、資材難の折柄離乳期の食物の作り方、着物の利用法、肌着の作り方等種々研究しています。

矢島女史：冬季をどう過ごすかということも相当大きな問題ですし、燃料の関係から温突部屋とストーブとどちらが良いかなど会員間で統計をとっています。積極的には乳児体操なども良く、母親が助けてやらせることもよいと思います。

大塚氏：昨年は週間中『母と子の展覧会』を開いて満員でしたが、今年も育英会で内容を変えて開催致します。今年は育児講演会を新たに開き七日には府民館で城大泉先生の講演会と映画の夕が催されます。

天野博士：それでは子供の精神教育をどうするかという問題に入って戴きたいと思います。

嶺社会部長：今日では乳幼児の問題は唯単に人類的な立場からでなく、国家に通ずるもの、即ち国家的立場からすべてが考えられなくてはなりません。六歳位までの子供でも甘えたり我が儘だったり、人見しりしたり、沈鬱な子だったりではならない。国家が要求する子供は飽くまで明るく伸び伸びとした強い子でなければなりません。小さい子供で美しい動作、愛らしい心持の子供というものが存在するとおもいます。そうでない子供は結局母親が悪い。周囲の環境がそうさせたと云えると思います。例えば障子を破る子など母親がだらしないことに原因します。人みしりする子なども健全ではありませんね。

天野博士：只今の話のように母親の態度これは確かに重要ですね。国家の子供ですから錬成も必要です。

須江女史：母親は朝から晩までの家事一切を忠実に尽くすことが即ち大君に捧げまつることです。大君の辺にひれふす心が日本的躾だと思います。

天野博士：人みしりしたり物おじする様な子供は将来共栄圏の指導者として物の役に立たない子供の躾方には何とか要領があると思うんですが、友の会ではどんな風に？

矢島女史：友の会幼児生活団ではよく叱らな過ぎるといわれるんですが、私共では子供に気が付いて貰いたいのが主義です。

天野博士：子供の教育に当って個人主義的、自由主義的な従来の態度を一擲して全体的なるもの国家的なものに是正されなければならないと思いますが、この点半島の方の御意見はどんなものでしょうか。

金女史：地方からの婦人見学団なんかの話を聞いてみましても、徴兵令施行発表以来、半島児童の根本観念もすっかり変わって来て、自分達も立派な皇軍兵士になれるんだという目的意識を発見して喜び勇んでいるように聞いていますが、この際徹底的に児童の使命を吹き込んで貰いたいと思うんです。

天野博士：それから子供の玩具の問題がありますね。資材の少ない関係から随分粗悪なものを見受けるようです。どんな玩具が良いか、弘中さん一つ。

弘中博士：先ず怪我せぬようなもの。塗料の粗悪なものも危険です。教育的であること等が挙げられます。

須江女史：玩具の与え方なんですが、天長節とかお正月とか国家的な意義ある日に意味を含めて与えるようにすれば子供達は大事にする気になると思います。ちょっとした手土産風に持って行って与える風習があるが、あれば一番いけないことだと思います。

洪氏：粗悪玩具は商人が利益のために勝手に作るからでして、何とか統制して貰いたいものです。二、三円も出して直ぐ壊れて了う。これでは子供に満足感を与えた次の瞬間には失望を与えることとなり、その心理的に与える影響は由々しきものがあり、私などここ数年間買わぬことにしています。

嶺社会部長：私の處の小さい子供は積み木とダイアモンドゲームとを巧に組み合わせて米軍艦撃沈等の時局遊びを工夫していますが、子供の世界にも工夫や構成がなされることは喜ばしいことと思います。

矢島女子：空箱や蜜蜂箱に色紙を貼って使用すればママゴト遊びや汽車になったり随分重宝に使えます。

崔女史：宅では近頃人形を止めてマクラを赤ちゃんだと抱いています。（笑声）

金氏：児童心理の研究指導機関もあって欲しいと思います。幼児指導を過った為長じて不良化した事例も多いので、優良児童表彰の半面こういった心理の指導機関も総督府で考慮してほしいものです。

天野博士：子供は肉体的にも強いし精神的にもどこかしっかりした気魄のある者に育てるには精神教育に一段と魂を入れるべきだと思います。強い精神力を吹き込むには一体どうすればよいか。

国民学校教育においては勿論一般家庭においてもどんな風に扱うべきか。これについては例えば毎朝神棚を礼拝して規律正しい生活を送るとか、精神を乱すことを許さぬ親の厳格な態度を示すことによって自然に子供に反映させるとかですね。親自身が勝ち抜く態度と強い気魄を堅持すれば自然子供はついてゆくと思います。従来の日本の学校調査統計によってみても家庭の経済力の豊かな家の子供は成績が余り芳しくなく、中流又は下層家庭から返ってしっかりした者が出ている。これは親は自分の希望に及びつかなかったから、せめて子供には追いつついて貰いたいと云う精神の厳しさが子供に反映して常に後押しする結果だと思います。では時間も参りましたから、この辺で閉会致します。＝終＝