Korean staff at the newly liberated Keijo Nippo Newspaper published this editorial and illustration in December 1945 denouncing the atrocities of Japanese Imperialism and repudiating the myth of ‘Japanese-Korean Unification’

For my third post that I am making during my stay in Korea, I thought it would only be fitting to give voice to some long-forgotten Korean writers who have something crucial to say about their experiences under Imperial Japanese rule. I found their editorial and illustration in the old Japanese-language newspaper archives at the National Library of Korea.

The article I'm sharing today was published on December 8th, 1945 and written by the Korean employees of the Keijo Nippo newspaper. For those unfamiliar, Keijo Nippo had been the official propaganda newspaper under the Imperial Japanese colonial regime, which had dominated Korea from 1905 to 1945. In early November 1945, the Korean employees took over the newspaper from their Japanese bosses, transforming a tool of oppression into a platform for liberation.

Though short, this editorial serves as a strong indictment against the crimes, injustices, and inhumanities perpetrated by Imperial Japan. Accompanying the editorial is a drawing that vividly illustrates the suppression of free speech (言論弾圧), forced conscription (強制徴兵), forced student soldiers (強制学兵), forced labor (強制勤労), forced requisition (強制徴用), and contributions (供出) under Japanese Imperialism (日本帝国主義).

[Translation]

Keijo Nippo (Gyeongseong Ilbo) December 8, 1945

Commemorating the End of Japan's Imperial Rule on December 8th

The Korean Nation's 'Day of Bloodshed'

When we recall December 8th, we realize that, from that day on, our Korean compatriots were bound by the iron net of Japanese imperialism, and they shed their precious blood in the sky, sea, and fields, along with their countless pure souls. The more we think about it, the more painful the bloodshed becomes, making our teeth chatter and filling us with intense emotions.

The harsh reality that drove thirty million of our compatriots to the brink of death, while falsely promoting the idea of "Japanese-Korean Unification," has clearly unfolded before our eyes. Conscription, mobilization, labor, contributions, and requisitions — all were forced upon us.

Countless many compatriots who left their fathers and were separated from their siblings and spouses have buried their angry wave of deep resentment in the lands of the Asian continent. They must now be quietly celebrating this great liberation and nation-building.

Four years have passed since the beginning of Japan's imperial invasion of the East and the Pacific War! Today, we observe December 8th at the very location where liberation occurred precisely on that day [on August 15th]! This day is one of historical significance, a day of cheers from thirty million people. Four years of hardship and endurance! How did we manage to live through all of this? We had mouths but were restrained from practicing freedom of speech, and we endured unbearable exploitation and oppression. Look at this record of blood, endured with hardships and bitterness, inflicted upon us by Japanese imperialism since that day on December 8th.

 

[Transcription]

京城日報 1945年12月8日

12月8日は日本の断末幕

朝鮮民族「流血の日」

想い起こせば、あの日十二月八日、あれから朝鮮同胞は日本帝国主義の鉄鋼網に縛られて尊い血を空に海に野に無限の純魂と共に流されたのである。ああ想えば想うほどくやしい流血であった。歯根もふるえ、熱腸九廻の思いをする。

内鮮一体という偽装の看板を高く掲げて三千万わが同胞を死の彼岸へ追い込んだ痛烈なる現実がわれわれの眼前にはつきりと展開されたではないか。徴兵も徴兵の出陣も勤労、供出、徴用すべてが強制でないものはかなかった。

父親の膝下を離れ、兄弟妻子に離別した幾多の同胞が大陸の地に怒濤の波に千秋の怨恨を埋めて、いま静かにこの大なる解放建国を祝うに違いない。

日本帝政の東洋侵略への末幕大東亜戦争から満四年！きょうこの日がちょうどその日であった解放の處に迎える十二月八日！この日は世紀的感激が燃えたつ三千万の歓呼の日である。困苦忍耐の四年！われわれはどんなにして生きて来たのか。口あれど言論の自由を拘束され酷使と圧迫に堪え難きものがあった。あの日！あの十二月八日からの日本帝政に加えられた臥薪嘗胆の血の記録を見よ。

Edit: The very last line of the transcription was corrected to あの十二月八日からの日本帝政に加えられた臥薪嘗胆の血の記録を見よ。This is to be translated as, "Look at the record of blood, endured with hardships and bitterness, inflicted upon us by the Imperial Japanese regime since December 8th."

Dehumanization in Colonial Korea, 1943: Branding Koreans as 'just objects' for 'not understanding the blessings of Imperial Japan' and labeling them as 'hypocrites who are outwardly obedient, but inwardly rebellious in their hearts'

I'm posting here today to share a rather unsettling article from colonial Korea in 1943. It is timely, as this article was published almost exactly 80 years ago on June 19th, 1943. This piece details the activities of a Korean collaborator teacher named Mr. Ōhara. His actions during this dark period of history serve as a chilling reminder of the extent of Imperial Japanese indoctrination and control.

The article depicts Mr. Ōhara endeavoring to brainwash a group of young Korean girls at a textile factory, imposing upon them Imperial Japanese propaganda. The girls, some as young as 12 and 13 years old, were forced to speak only Japanese, identify as Japanese people, and pledge their loyalty to Imperial Japan.

Something peculiar and unsettling about this article is the warning it includes about "面従腹背" (menjū fukuhai), or hypocrisy. It's a term that portrays people as being outwardly obedient, but inwardly rebellious. The usage of this phrase betrays an intrinsic distrust towards the Korean people and their loyalties, a skepticism that ultimately proved justified with the jubilation expressed by most Koreans upon Imperial Japan's defeat in August 1945.

Furthermore, the article cruelly dehumanizes Koreans who resisted the Imperial Japanese identity, terming them "just objects". This chilling rhetoric reflects the cold colonial attitude - those Koreans who resisted were no longer viewed as humans but as objects.

This article also has curious allegations that the Koreans were actually Japanese in ancient times. 'Japanese-Korean Unification' propaganda often contained such attempts to paint ancient Koreans as Japanese. In later propaganda in 1944, this 'ancient Koreans = Japanese' propaganda would develop into calling Koreans the descendants of Susanoo, the younger brother of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, the ancestor of the Japanese nation (see Governor-General Koiso's speech).

Mr. Ōhara, as portrayed in the article, is likely an ethnic Korean collaborator for Imperial Japan, with a narrative painting him as deeply influenced by his experiences at a teaching college in mainland Japan.

I must add a note about the ethics of posting such propaganda content. The intention behind sharing this distressing piece is not to sensationalize, but to bring to light a crucial part of history that is often buried or forgotten. It may be a controversial thing, but I believe that making such historical material accessible can help us grasp the scale of colonial injustices more clearly.

Regrettably, there is a dearth of English-language scholarship about the colonial period of Korean history, relative to the enormous wealth of primary source material that remains so poorly documented. As someone passionate about this topic, I aim to contribute to filling this knowledge gap, even if only a little, by posting these materials whenever I can. I believe this is crucial in providing a more nuanced understanding of Korea's past, as painful as it may be.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) June 19, 1943

"Shame on hypocrites who are outwardly obedient, but inwardly rebellious in their hearts!"

Young workers were moved by Mr. Takeo Katō's speech and bursting with patriotism

"We are Imperial Citizens!"

[Busan telephone report] Now that there are 25 million people in the Korean peninsula needing to integrate and become distinguished Japanese people among a nation of 100 million, there is a passionate young man who, along with many workers, fuels the fiery spirit of loyalty and dedication to work. This man is Mr. Keiichi Ōhara (32), who works as a labor affairs officer at the Busan Forestry Industry Company, Busan Factory in Jeonpo-ri, Busan. Invited to come to Korea by the Korean Federation of National Power, the visiting speakers, including the writer Mr. Takeo Katō, have sparked Mr. Ōhara's patriotism into a raging torrent. Specifically, during the Busan speech, Mr. Katō advocated the unification of Japan and Korea as follows.

"Just 25 million Koreans cannot survive on their own. They must absolutely be with Japan. If Koreans show loyalty with such calculating feelings, that is not to be appreciated. Although the word Imperialization is being shouted these days, I don't think Imperialization is the right word. The Koreans were Imperial people from the very beginning, but they subsequently became separated from Japan. Through annexation, they returned to the old ways. The sincerity of our Korean brethren must be pure loyalty that springs forth naturally. There is no other way to prove this feeling than through our mutual blood."

Although his voice was low, Mr. Ōhara was strongly struck by how patiently and clearly Mr. Katō delivered his arguments with sincerity. Then, Mr. Ōhara jotted down his pent-up, boiling feelings in a letter and sent it to Mr. Katō, who was staying in Seoul. In his letter, Mr. Ōhara pledged his earnest oath to patriotism, lamented that a minority of the Korean people still have not become awake, expressed his joy for being born in Imperial Japan, and described the mental preparation that each person on the home front should bear in the decisive battle. Reading this, Mr. Katō said, "I am very happy to have found such a friend of passionate sympathies here. This is a great harvest from my coming to Korea," he said with satisfaction. Thus, a passionate bond was formed between Mr. Katō and Mr. Ōhara, which was superior to any teacher-student relationship. Now, let's take a look at Ōhara's life, which is "always on the battlefield":

When visiting the Busan factory of the forestry industry, you see that 140 to 150 working women (even though they are called working women, many are 12 or 13 years old) are working happily in front of their thread winding machines. These little female warriors are all daughters from poor families, and of course, they have not received schooling, but they speak excellent Japanese and live as Imperial people, attending one hour of lecture during lunch break everyday.

Original caption: Actual educational scene of Mr. Ōhara instructing the fighting girls at their workplace 

Leader Ōhara's warm thoughtfulness as a company executive has borne fruit today. After touring the factory, he said, "I used to be an elementary school teacher, but due to family circumstances and connections, I have been involved in this factory for two years". He continued to speak of his firm belief in the spirit of service at work as follows.

"These children (referring to the workers) are also among the 100 million of Imperial Japan. Those who cannot live life centered on the Japanese language will not possibly be able to understand the concept of the National Body. If you are a National Person and do not understand the blessings of Imperial Japan, then you are just an object. I was deeply moved by Mr. Katō's speech the other day. Although my power is weak, I want to improve the qualities of those children as Japanese people as much as possible. They are sincerely united in their one-hour lesson each day. The method of education starts with Volume 1 of the reader and generally progresses to Volume 4 in a year. Through activities such as various ceremonies, military songs, sending and receiving brave soldiers who are dispatched, I let them learn what kind of situation our nation is facing now. While I was studying at Seoul Teachers School, I learned the true, beautiful virtues of the people of mainland Japan from the communal life in the dormitory, but I cannot help but feel uncomfortable when I think that there are still many Korean compatriots who dare to have dark feelings of hypocrites who are outwardly obedient, but inwardly rebellious in their hearts, without coming into contact with these beautiful virtues. My words may be a little exaggerated, but if I can serve the Imperial Movement somewhat through my current field of work, I am happy to become a cornerstone and devote my life to this cause."

His speech becomes even hotter, and the enthusiastic spirit of the one who puts things into practice resonated strongly in his words. Eventually, the noon siren rang. The factory girls who came out from the work place offered silent prayers all at once. After a while, their lunch break ritual began. After Mr. Ōhara left for the education room, Mr. Yūhachi Katō, the factory manager, also said, "He is a very enthusiastic man. You can entrust him with everything. The workers' desire to learn the Japanese language is beyond our imagination, and there has been no turnover of female workers since this system was established. Their performance has increased so much that the company executives are telling us to follow the example of the Busan factory in Korea."

At that time, the factory's three teachings, "It is also a battlefield here!", "Follow Admiral Yamamoto's Example!", and "If this hand relaxes, then its fighting power will also relax!" could be heard overflowing from the windows full of spirit by the girls chanting and repeating them every day at the end of their lessons. Behold the brave appearance of these lovely, fighting girls! They are also becoming a force which will cooperate in the construction of Greater East Asia. [Photo = Actual educational scene of Mr. Ōhara instructing the fighting girls at their workplace (censored by Busan Fortress Command)]

(Transcription)

京城日報 1943年6月19日

恥じよ"面従腹背"

加藤武雄氏の講演に感動、迸る青年工員の愛国心

我等は皇民だ

【釜山電話】今こそ半島二千五百万が立派な日本人として一億の中に融け込まねばならぬと多数工員と共に烈々たる尽忠奉公の精神を燃えたたせ、職場に敢闘する熱血男子がある。それは釜山府田浦里森林産業会社、釜山工場に労務人事係として働く大原敬一君（三二）で、さきに国民総力朝鮮聯盟の招聘によって来鮮した作家、加藤武雄氏以下の講演行脚を機会に大原君の抱く愛国の熱情には遂に奔流となって堰を切った。即ち一行の釜山講演の際、加藤氏が説いた内鮮一体論。

「二千五百万だけじゃ生きてゆけない。矢張り日本と一緒でなければ駄目だ。こういった打算な気持ちで尽くす忠義なら有難くないが、また近頃皇民化が叫ばれている。皇民化ではない。もともと皇民であったのだが、途中一寸別れていただけで併合によって古に復ったのだ。朝鮮同胞の赤誠は自然に湧き出る純粋な忠魂でなければいかん。この気持ちはお互いの血液を以て証明するより外にない。」

声は低いが真情を吐露して諄々語る加藤氏の論旨に大原君は強く打たれた。そして間もなく同君は鬱勃として沸き立つ自分の気持ちを一文に綴り、滞城中の加藤氏へ送った。文面には我が身の生い立ちから皇国日本に生を享けた歓喜、半島人にして未だに目覚めぬ少数の一部があるのを歎じ、決戦下銃後の一人一人が負担すべき心構え等、切切と愛国の至誠を誓っており、これを読んだ加藤氏は、「僕はここにこんな一人の熾烈な共感共志の友を得たことはこの上なく嬉しい。こんどの来鮮での大いなる収穫である」とさも満足げに語った。かくして加藤氏と大原君との間には忽ち師弟の関係にも勝る熾烈なる心の契りが結ばれたのであるが、さて大原君の実践する"常在戦場"生活とは？

森林産業釜山工場を訪ねると、撚糸業を営む同工場には百四、五十名の工女さん（工女といっても十二、三歳の少女が多い）達が繰糸機の前で嬉々として働いていた。この小さな女戦士は皆貧しい家庭の子女で、学校教育など勿論受けて居ないが、一日一時間昼休みを利用しての講習で立派な国語を話し皇民の生活をなしている。

一人の指導者大原氏の熱を会社重役の温かい思いやりが期せずして今日の実を結んだのだ。工場を一巡した後、同君に聞けば、「僕はもと国民学校の教員でしたが、家庭の事情と縁あって二年前からここの工場に厄介になっています」と前置きして職域奉公の貫く堅き信念を語り続ける。

「あの子供（工員を指す）らも一億の一人です。国語生活が出来ない者に国体観念など解る筈がありません。国民にして若し皇国日本の有難さが解らないとすれば、それは単なる物体に等しい。僕は先日加藤先生の講演にいたく感動を覚えました。微力ではありますが、あの子供達にいくらかでも日本人としての資質を向上してやりたいと思っています。一日一時間の学課にみんなは心から一心になっています。教育の方法としては読本の巻一から始めて一年間に大体巻四まで進める。その他いろいろの儀式や軍歌、出征勇士の歓送迎等、実際を通じて国家が今どんな場面に直面しているかを話して聞かせます。僕は京城師範に在学中、寄宿舎の共同生活に於いて内地人の真実の美点を習得しましたが、多くの半島人の同胞の中にはまだまだこの美点に触れることなく敢えて"面従腹背"の暗い気持ちで居るのがありやしないか、思うだに不快です。言葉は少し大袈裟ですが、僕の現在の職域を通じて皇民運動に多少なりと尽くすことが出来たら喜んで礎石となり一命を捧げていいと決心しています。」

語気はいよいよ熱を帯び、実践する者の気魄が言葉の中に強く響く。やがて正午のサイレンが鳴った。職場から出て来た女工さん達が一斉にその場で黙祷を捧げる。暫くして彼女らのお昼の日課がはじまった。大原君が教養室へ去ったあとで工場長の加藤勇八氏も、「実に熱心な男です。あれなら全部任せていい。工員らの国語を習いたいという意欲はわれわれの想像以上で、この制度を設けてから女工の移動がありませんね。それだけ業績も挙って本社の重役も朝鮮の釜山工場を見倣えといっている位です」と述懐した。

そのとき教養室の窓からは女工さん達の唱和する工場三訓、「ここも戦場だ」、「山本元帥に続け」、「この手弛めば戦力弛む」が元気一ぱいな声で窓から溢れて来る。学課の終わりに毎日繰り返される職場の固き誓いである、可憐な少女達の闘う健気な姿。これも大東亜建設へ協力する戦力となるのだ【写真＝大原君と職場に働く少女戦士の教養実況（釜山要司検閲済み）】

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-06-19

The Korean people were allegedly liars, slackers, quitters, and thieves, but Governor-General Koiso offered them a chance to redeem themselves and become honorable by submitting to Amaterasu and the Emperor, and awaken as true Japanese people to fulfill divine destiny in final part of 1944 speech

This is the third and final part of Governor-General Koiso's February 1944 intensely religious address to the entire Korean nation, which was prominently displayed on the front page of Keijo Nippo, the most widely distributed and read newspaper in all of Korea at the time. In the first part of the address, he described all Koreans as descendants of the Shinto god Susanoo-no-mikoto, the younger brother of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, but as he wrapped up his address in this final part, Koiso insulted the Korean people by calling them liars, slackers, quitters, and thieves, placing blame on the legacy of the corrupt Yi Dynasty. He then offered the Korean people a chance to redeem themselves and become honorable people by submitting themselves to the goddess Amaterasu and her descendant, the Japanese Emperor. In other words, he appealed to the Korean people to awaken as true Japanese people to fulfill divinely ordained destiny, so that they could "recognize their own true essence". It was a rather strange and dubious way to appeal to all Koreans to rally behind Imperial Japan in the middle of a desperate war against the U.S. and Britain.

You may notice how Koiso singled out Marxist philosophy for criticism, then claimed that Shinto philosophy also discusses the dichotomy between the material and the spiritual through the divine edict of the mirror (spiritual things) and the ears of rice (material things). This way of drawing parallels between foreign philosophies and Shinto philosophy is nothing new. It is very much in line with the rhetorical devices of Kokugaku, which was a Japanese nativist academic movement which sought to rid Japan of foreign ideas and influences and return Japan to the supposed purity of its ancient roots, of which Master Imaizumi's ideas arguably had the strongest influence on Koiso. Such parallels would be noted to then emphasize the differences and argue for the superiority of Shinto thought over foreign thought. Koiso's explicit mention of Marxism in this address may have been an implicit acknowledgement of the appeal that Marxism had for large sections of Korean society.

What is also strange about this address are the phrases in Mandarin Chinese and Russian that Koiso used to stereotype them as apathetic peoples. February 1944 was only about a year and a half away from the end of the war in August 1945, with Imperial Japanese forces suffering defeat after defeat, so perhaps Koiso's worries about Soviet Russia, China, United States, and Britain were reflected in the countries and peoples that he mentioned. 

Koiso displayed a photo of himself along with a rough draft of his speech in the February 16, 1944 issue of Keijo Nippo, but the photographed rough draft actually comes from this part of the speech, in which he mentions Marxism and its alleged shortcomings compared to Shintoism.

This article is full of references to lots of religious terminology from the Shinto religion, so I've added plenty of links to Wikipedia pages and other resources for further reading.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) February 19, 1944

Thorough adherence to the true meaning of the National Body brings inevitable victory!

(Transcript of Governor-General Koiso's Speech) [3]

Correct the self that appears in your mirror!

An Imperial Edict of Profound Significance

Earlier, I mentioned that, in addition to the divine edict concerning himorogi (divine trees) and iwasaka (rock cairns), there are two divine edicts concerning the mirror and the ears of rice. One divine edict says, "Amaterasu, holding a treasured mirror in her hand, gave it to Ame-no-oshihomimi and looked at him saying, 'My child, look into this treasured mirror as if you were looking at me. We shall share the same bed and the same room, so that it may serve as a mirror of worship'". The other divine edict says, "I shall take the ears of rice that I grew in the heavens in the fields of Yuniwa, and bestow them upon my children".

Those were the divine decrees about the mirror and the ears of rice. The first decree basically says, "I will give you this mirror. Think of this mirror as me, Amaterasu, and keep it with you in the same bed and in the same room". In other words, the divine edict tells you to always be with Amaterasu and worship her whether you are asleep or awake.

Since we are with the Goddess, everything we say, do, and think must be done in the presence of the Goddess. This is the expression of the godlike spirit which is embodied as a clear mirror, which is in contrast to the ears of rice, which represent material things.

In particular, the fact that the mirror was given to him to represent the Goddess is of profound significance. Please excuse me for explaining this to you as if I were speaking to elementary school children, but please stand in front of the mirror. Everything from your mind to your complexion will be reflected in the mirror. If you are worried about yourself, you will see your worries reflected in the mirror. If your button is undone, it will be reflected in the mirror as it should be.

However, the mirror will not say, "Hey you, Koiso! What's with your clothes? Isn't your button undone?" Rather, the reflection of Koiso in the mirror does some self-reflection on his own, and realizes that the button is something that needs to be fastened, so he fastens his button. The mirror does not say anything.

However, when we face the mirror, we reflect upon ourselves and correct what needs to be corrected. How truly profound it is that the mirror was given to us in the place of the Goddess in such a way! As I have just said, the mirror does not say anything. In other words, the mirror never makes excuses.

Recently, the wartime atmosphere of the world has become heavier, and the old system must not be allowed to prevail. Individualism, liberalism, and the capitalist economy are not acceptable. We are told that we must embrace totalitarianism, thought control, and a planned economy, but the gods do not take sides with any of these.

Everything is encompassed by the mirror, whether it be the free economy, controlled economy, individualism, or totalitarianism. Good or bad, right or wrong, beautiful or ugly, straight or curved, everything is encompassed. As I mentioned earlier with the example of Koiso reflected in the mirror, the mirror makes you reflect upon yourselves and discard the bad parts of yourselves in accordance with the times and the current environment. Eventually, only the good parts of yourselves will remain. It is the mirror and the Goddess who will guide you in this way. This is precisely what Susanoo-no-Mikoto and Amaterasu intended.

We do not spend our days only with trivial criticisms. When we see society from the viewpoint of encompassing everything, cutting off the bad parts, and keeping the good parts, it can be said that the structure of society today has many good parts, but there are also many parts in our ways of thinking that must be corrected. The other day, I talked about this with a student who came to see me regarding the issue of volunteer enlistment, and I must say that young students are very innocent.

I didn't consider myself the ideal vessel to embody the mirror, but as I accepted the mirror into myself and spoke with sincerity, as if I myself had turned into a god or the mirror, the students listened attentively and were convinced. I believe that this lesson from the mirror is truly a great lesson.

The next divine edict, which follows this great lesson of spiritual culture, reads "I shall take the ears of rice that I grew in the heavens in the fields of Yuniwa, and bestow them upon my children". It is a divine edict that reveals the importance of the material substance, that the spiritual side alone is not enough. This is a divine edict which mandates that we must give eternal life to the magnificent divine spirit with the help of this material substance, the ears of rice from the fields of Yuniwa. That is, with the help of the substance of purity and innocence.

Marxism is based on a materialistic historical view of all things material, and while it is not absolute spiritual speculation, it is merely a derivative spiritual theory that starts from a materialistic view. And even though Marxism is a product of modern times, the principle of the mirror and the ears of rice was already established tens of thousands of years ago in the reigns of Amaterasu and Susanoo-no-Mikoto, and has been teaching and guiding our ancestors in every generation.

The last of the divine edicts is the divine edict of the immortality of the heavens and the earth. This is the conclusion that the destiny of the emperor and the heavens and the earth will be unlimited only when we stand on the ground of the oneness of the sovereign, the people, and the nation in accordance with the aforementioned divine edict concerning himorogi (divine trees) and iwasaka (rock cairns), pushing forward based on this spirit in accordance with the divine edict of the mirror and the ears of rice and adding thereon a splendid material substance. This divine edict is written at the beginning of the reading textbooks of the elementary schools. Therefore, there is no need to elaborate much further about this divine edict. Indeed, we Japanese and Koreans have been nurtured in such a spiritual atmosphere since ancient times.

However, history and tradition also have great power. There are many people here who are from the Korean peninsula, but Koreans, whether they are in mainland Japan, Manchuria, or Northern China, are not good people. They are quick to tell lies, lack a sense of responsibility, lack endurance, and are not ashamed of taking things that belong to others.

However, as to what has brought about such a situation, I believe that it is mainly due to the political system of the Yi Dynasty over the past 500 years. From the end of the Goryeo Dynasty, the 500 years of politics of the Yi Dynasty probably contributed to the deterioration of the pure and honorable state of the people.

The reason why a nation known for its noble Hwarang Corps of Silla, who were not inferior to the chivalrous people of Europe or the Bushidō warrior class of mainland Japan, began to tell lies and steal is because the general public was oppressed and exploited by the special class during the 500-year rule of the Yi Dynasty. Consequently, the public was forced to struggle to live one day at a time, finding any way to make ends meet, and even lies became a means to an end.

In China, there is a similar philosophy, which is eloquently illustrated by the phrase, "Méi fǎzi (没法子) [cannot help it]". The Slavic Russians use the term "nichevo (ничего) [nothing]" which also expresses the same tendency. If there are any defects in the Korean people that should be criticized, I am convinced that they are the result of the politics of the Yi Dynasty over the past 500 years, and that the true essence of the Korean people is honorable, rather than what I just described.

Since the beginning of the Meiji era, people in mainland Japan have been worshiping the West, forgetting the true essence of the fine Japanese people, thinking that anything Western is good, that good products are imported, and that Japanese products are synonymous with inferior goods. University professors were also oblivious to the true essence of Japan and lectured solely based on the thoughts of Westerners written in horizontal text. When students saw that their professors were well versed in Western studies, they would gladly attend their lectures in adoration and admiration. Over the past 60 to 70 years, there have been quite a number of Westerners even in mainland Japan who have disguised themselves as Japanese people.

In their colonial policies, the United States and Britain have exploited the colonized masses for their own enjoyment. Some Western-minded Japanese have thought of our governance of Korea as a similar to those colonial policies of the United States and Britain.

However, as I have said before, Japanese-Korean unification is the reductive coalescence of the same ethnic peoples who must necessarily and inevitably become one body, different in kind from the colonies of the United States and Britain.

Viewing things in this way, the Japanese people who have licked the dregs of Western thought will also be enlightened, and both the Japanese and the Koreans must surely recognize their own true essence, so that Japan as a whole can truly become pure and uncluttered, a nation of one hundred million people united with one mind. [The insert photo shows a small mirror excavated in Nangnang-gun].

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1944-02-19

(Transcription)

京城日報　1944年2月19日

国体本義に徹せる必勝不敗

小磯総督　講話速記　【三】

鏡に映る我を是正

意義深遠なる神勅

先程、神籬磐境の神勅の外に、もう二つの神勅があると申しましたが、第二番の神勅は鏡と稲穂の神勅であります。これを簡単に申しますれば、『天照大神、手に宝鏡を持ちたまいて天忍穂耳尊に授けて視きて曰く、吾が児、此の宝鏡を視まさむこと、当に吾を視るが如くすべし。與に床を同じくし、殿を共にして以て斎鏡と為すべし』又勅して曰く、『高天原に御す斎庭の穂を以て亦吾が児に御せまつるべし』

これが鏡と稲穂の神勅であります。其の初めの方は、お前にここにある鏡をやる。これを私即ち天照大神と思って之と同床共殿、即ち寝ても醒めても一緒におれ、詰まり天照大神と常に一緒におって大神を斎い奉れということであります。

神様と一緒におるのですから、総て言うこと、為すこと、考えること悉く神の境地に於いてなされねばならないということです。それは軈て明鏡、神の如き精神ということを言い現わされたものであり、後の穂即ち物質と対照しての精神であります。

殊に神の代わりとして鏡をお渡しになったという所に非常に深遠な意義があると拝察致します。皆さんに対し国民学校の子供に話をするようなことを申しましては済みませんが、鏡の前に立って御覧なさい。こっちの心から顔色まで総てあけすけに鏡に映って行きます。若し自分に心配でもあると心配そうな色がありありと鏡に映って行きます。はめておくべき釦が外れておりますと、その通り鏡に映ります。

而も鏡は『小磯、きさま、その服装は何だ。釦が外れておるではないか』とは言いません。言いませんが、鏡に映った小磯自らは、この釦というものは、はめて置くべきものであると、自分で反省をして釦をはめます。鏡は何とも言いません。

けれども鏡に向った我々は自ら反省して直すべき所を直して行きます。そういうような風に神の代わりに鏡をお授けになったことは、何と真に深遠ではありますまいか。鏡は今申しました通り何とも言いませぬ。即ち決して言い訳け致しませぬ。

近頃、世の中は戦時風景が濃厚になって来たものですから、旧体制であってはならない。個人主義、自由主義、資本主義経済であってはならぬ。宜しく全体主義、統制思想、計画経済でなければならないとやかましく言われておりますが、神は少しも好き嫌いは致しませぬ。

自由経済でも統制経済でも個人主義でも全体主義でも何でも総て之を包容します。善悪正邪、美醜曲直、一切を挙げて包容し、包容した挙句がどうなるかと申しますと、先刻小磯が鏡に映った時のことを申しました通り、包容せられたものをして自ら反省して悪い所を切り捨てて行かせます。時に応じ環境に処し、いい所だけが残って行きます。そういうように導くのが鏡であり、神であります。素戔嗚尊並びに天照大神の思召しというものは正にここにあるのです。

詰まらない批判などばかりに日を暮らすということはやらない。一切を包容して悪い所を切り落とさせ、いい所をとって行くというような点から見ると、現在の社会組織なども大分改めていい所もあり、お互いに考えておる根性の中でも大分是正して行かねばならぬ部分が沢山あると考えられるのであります。先日、学徒志願の問題に関連し来訪した学徒にも此の話を致しましたが、矢張り若き学徒は純真であります。

私は元より鏡の器ではないのですが、受け売りながら誠心をこめ、神様か鏡になったような気持ちで話しましたが、純真なる学生は能く傾聴もして呉れ又能く納得もしてくれました。この鏡の訓えというものは、実に偉大な訓えだと思うのであります。

この偉大なる精神文化の教訓である勅の次に来る『高天原に御す斎庭の穂を以て、亦吾が児に御せまつるべし』という勅は物質の重要性を御示しになったのでありまして、精神だけではまだ十分ではない。この物質、斎庭の穂即ち清浄無垢なる物質を以て立派な神の如き精神に悠久なる生命を与えて行かねばならぬという勅であります。

マルキシズムは物質万能唯物史観に立脚し、精神思索元より絶無とは申しませぬが、物質論から出発した派生的精神論に過ぎませぬ。而かもマルキシズムの如きは近代の所産なるに拘わらず、斎鏡斎庭の原理は無慮数万年前天照大神、素戔嗚尊の御世に、既に創造確立せられ、世々我々の祖先を教え導かれていたのであります。

最後は天壌無窮の神勅でありますが、先に申しました神籬磐境の神勅に依って君民君国不二一体の境地に立脚し、斎鏡斎穂の神勅に依り精神を基調とし、これに立派な物質を加えて邁進する時に初めて天壌と倶に皇運は無窮であるという結論が、天壌無窮の神勅でありまして国民学校等の読本の冒頭にも書いてありますから、本神勅に就いては多く申し上ぐる必要はありますまい。兎も角も我々内鮮人は古くから此様な精神的雰囲気の間に育成されて来た筈なのであります。

ところが歴史と伝統というものも却々偉大な力があります。ここには半島出身の方も多く居られますが、内地といわず、満州といわず、華北といわず、どうも朝鮮人という者は困る。直ぐ嘘をつく、責任感がない、持久力がない、動もすれば他人の物を取って恥じないということを申します。

併し素戔嗚尊から今迄三大神勅を奉じて来た筈の存在が、そういうことになっているというのは何が左様にしたかというと、私の信ずるところでは主として、李朝五百年の政治から然らしめたのであると思います。高麗の末期から李朝五百年の政治に依って純真な立派な存在が悪化したのでしょう。

新羅時代に於いては花郎道という欧羅巴に於ける騎士道、内地に於ける武士道に優っても譲らないという高潔剛健にして立派な存在が、なぜ嘘を言ったり、掻払いをやるようになったかというと、李朝五百年の統治に於いて一般大衆は特殊階級から圧迫、搾取の対象とされたがため、大衆は唯唯今日唯今を、一時を糊塗する為に努力せざるを得なくなり、嘘も方便ということになって来たのであります。

支那にも同じような思想があって、『没法子』という言葉が之を雄弁に物語って居ります。スラブロシア人が『ニチェオウ』という言葉を遣いますが、これも同じ傾向を表現して居ります。此の如く朝鮮同胞に若し批議すべき欠陥ありとせば、これは畢竟李朝五百年の政治が生んだものでありまして、本質は決して左様でなく立派なものであると確信するのであります。

内地人はどうかといえば、明治初年からなんでも西洋崇拝で本当の立派な日本人の本質を忘れ、西洋というとなんでも良いと思い、良い品物を舶来品、和製とは下等品の代名詞であるという風に考えられ、大学の諸先生も日本の本質を閑却して専ら西洋人の書いた横文字思想を基として教授し、之を習う学生も、あの先生は西洋学に通じていると見れば、喜んで之に憧憬し感服して聴講するという風に、この六、七十年間を経過して来たため、時とすれば日本人の皮を被っている西洋人が内地にも少なからず見られたものです。

又米国、英国が植民地政策をやる時にどういう主義を取ったかというと、彼等自らの享楽の為に植民地の一般大衆を搾取の対象としたのでありますが、西洋かぶれの日本人中朝鮮統治の方針を米英の植民地政策流に考えた向もあったでしょう。

然るに内鮮合体は前に申し述べた通り同一民族の還元合体てありまして、英米辺の植民地と其選を異にして、必然凛然一体になって行かなければならぬのであります。

斯く観じ来れば西洋思想の糟粕を甞めて来た内地人も亦翻然と悟りを拓き、此くして内地人も朝鮮人もともに自己の本質を確実に認識せねばならず、これに依って日本全体が真に純一無雑、一億一心ということを完成し得るのであります。【カットの写真は楽浪出土小鏡】

Buyeo, former capital of Baekje, was used by the colonial regime to showcase a Korean nation which 'remained completely faithful to Japan' and sent its sons to Japan for training in the 'Japanese spirit', and taught that the 2nd king of Silla was the reincarnation of the Shinto god Susanoo (1943)

These articles are the first two in a series of three educational articles published by the colonial regime to promote a heavily biased narrative of Japanese and Korean history from mythological times to the fall of the Kingdom of Baekje in 660 A.D., which the regime uses to justify its colonization of Korea. Beginning with a visit to the historical remains of Buyeo, the former capital of Baekje, they narrate the long history of intimate cultural, economic, and military exchanges between Ancient Japan and Baekje, and how Japanese military forces kept propping up Baekje for centuries until they were finally defeated by Silla and Tang Dynasty China in 660 A.D. Then the second article shifts into bizzare speculation about the alleged mythological ties between Ancient Japan and Silla: how the second king of Silla was allegedly the reincarnation of the Shinto god Susanoo, how the son of Susanoo allegedly landed at Soshimori in Silla and then settled in Woongjin, and how the great-great-grandson of Susanoo allegedly used three ropes to drag Silla into the realm of Izumo. Actually, the more mainstream interpretation of the story is that the three ropes were used to drag Shimane prefecture into the realm of Izumo. In 1944, Governor-General Koiso addressed the entire Korean nation alleging that the Korean mythological figure Dangun was Susanoo.

It goes without saying that you should take the historical narrative in these articles with a skeptical eye. However, it does provide an important insight into the version of Korean history that was imposed on the Korean people during the colonial era. The third article of the series, which I have yet to translate, shows how Korean school girls were immersed in this historical narrative during their field trip to Buyeo.

There are many references to both famous and obscure Japanese and Korean historical places and people, so I added plenty of links to Wikipedia articles and other resources for further reading. I tried to link to English language resources whenever possible, but often the only online resources were in Japanese or Korean, so some of the linked resources are only in those two languages.

The second article gave a correction to a typographical error in the first article, so I made the correction in the transcription and the translation accordingly. I also made other minor corrections to typographical errors in the articles where I spotted them, especially minor spelling errors in peoples' names and numbers.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) April 19, 1943

Describing the Holy Land of Buyeo (Part 1)

Cherry Blossoms abound where Baekje rose and fell

Know yourselves! This the historic site of Japanese-Korean Unification

Although the gods have not yet quieted down in Buyeo, worshipers who come to Buyeo these days feel an affinity to this holy place, because it is a solemn historic testament to Japanese-Korean Unification. From the reign of the 11th Emperor Suinin to the reign of the 38th Emperor Tenji, during a long period of 689 years from 29 B.C.E to 661 A.D., friendly relations between Japan and Baekje were consistently maintained without a single day of conflict between the two nations. At times, the two nations were bound by economic agreements and military alliances. They conducted mutual assistance through culture exchanges, which brought mutual prosperity to both nations. Baekje, as the younger brother, served Japan, the elder brother, and Baekje remained completely faithful to Japan, refusing until the very end of its existence to surrender to Tang Dynasty China. Baekje was supported by Japanese marine troops, and although the famous decisive Battle of Baekgang did not end in Japan's favor, Baekje refused to surrender to Tang Dynasty China even upon death. Thus, Buyeo, the site of the Baekje Royal Castle, was trampled upon by Tang Chinese forces, and the Royal Castle and many other buildings were reduced to ashes in the fires of the war.

Today, only the Baekje Pagoda standing in the southern suburbs of Buyeo and a monument left by Tang Chinese General Liu Renyuan (劉仁願) remain as testament to what happened nearly 1,400 years ago. The many historical artifacts buried in the ground remind us of the good governance of the Baekje kings, and remind travelers of a great city that once thrived with a population of 700,000 people. Standing on Naghwaam Rock (낙화암, 落花巖), where 3,000 beautiful women of the royal court threw themselves off the cliff in defense of their purity on the last day of the existence of Baekje, one can feel a sense of melancholy.

Original caption: Baekje Pagoda, inscribed with a calligraphic inscription left by a Tang Chinese general who was proud of his victory over Baekje.

Original caption: The monument has an inscription from the invasion of Baekje, written by the Tang Chinese General Liu Renyuan.

There is a story of a fierce battle fought by Gyebaek (계백, 階伯), a general of Baekje who killed his wife and children before deployment to steel himself with a determination to die in battle, fought against 30,000 Tang Chinese troops with only 3,000 men, and died while personally protecting his sovereign. This story is quite similar to those told about the generals of Iki Island and Tsushima who defended Japan during the Mongol Invasions of 1274 and 1281. What is even more impressive are the ruins of the military storehouse. The large amount of rice, barley, and soybeans that Emperor Tenji had sent to Baekje as aid in the relief efforts were burnt in a tragic military fire, and the charred grains are still being gathered today in their original shapes by village children picking wild grass. As a reporter, as I went to this place, gazed at the mountains, and stared at the flowing waters of Baekmagang river (백마강, 白馬江), I saw powerful traces of Japanese-Korean unification, which speak of a history that lasted for more than a millenium.

Original caption: Female students are collecting rice and beans from the ruins of the military storehouse at the fortress on Mount Buso (부소산, 扶蘇山).

During the reign of the 32nd Emperor Sushun, three Japanese maidens went to Baekje to study. When we see the ruins of Goransa Temple (고란사, 皐蘭寺), where the Japanese maidens trained under the Buddhist monks of Baekje, we can also imagine the richness of the exchanges between Japan and Korea.

In 1939, a dedication ceremony was performed for the newly constructed Buyeo Jingu Shrine, in which the four deities were used as pillars to deepen the bonds of Japanese-Korean Unification into this place for the first time. The 25 million people of the Korean peninsula were overjoyed, and the musical score of their precious labor was played under the sun in the clouds of the sacred mountain of Buso (부소산, 扶蘇山). Construction in the holy city is now underway in Chungnam with a total area of 13,380,000 pyeong (4423 hectares), centering on the inner park of 220,000 pyeong (73 hectares) and the outer park of 80,000 pyeong (65 hectares).

In place of the Baekmagang River, which used to be the only trade route in the past, four railway lines, including the local railway line, crisscross the holy city, and a new waterworks project has been completed to direct the water from the Baekmagang River. The remains of a statue of Buddha, which had forlornly lain underground for more than 1,000 years, have been excavated by the honoring committee. These remains have given new meaning to the restoration project for the old capital, and they will be used to ensure the life of the people for tens of thousands of years to come as they exchange smiles with the divine realm of Mount Buso (부소산, 扶蘇山) day and night. Thus, the construction of Buyeo Jingu Shrine proceeded, revealing the achievements of the more than 1,000 years of the joining together of the two peoples.

There used to be a stone monument that Baekje had erected for the Korean people to defend against Tang Dynasty China, to prepare for the invasion of Goguryeo by the Manchu peoples, and to resist the tyranny of Silla. Although that monument has now been reduced to an empty pile of rubble, the people who have consistently carried on the legacy of Baekje have continued to see Japan as their ally, and many migrated to Japan after the collapse of their nation. Their descendants, who include those of Dr. Wani (왕인, 王仁), settled in Naniwa and various other places in Japan and mixed with the blood of the 80 million people of the Japanese nation, living by the ideals of the founding of the Japanese nation since the descent of Amaterasu's grandson Ninigi-no-Mikoto from Heaven to Ashihara-no-Nakatsukuni (Tenson kōrin), and serving the Emperor in righteousness. Who would doubt the fact that, among the 80 million people of mainland Japan, many descendants of the Baekje people have been nurtured? It may be more beneficial for the 25 million people who were born on the Korean peninsula to carefully examine this history of more than 1,000 years, rather than to call out for the Imperial Way again and again.

Even if we explore the historical changes over the past thousand plus years in the two peoples who once crisscrossed the narrow Genkai Sea in small boats, sending assistance to one another, there is no room for revisions in the solemn historical record of the two peoples' interactions. The conscious union of the two peoples, who attacked their enemies together, shared each other's food, and shared their cultures with each other, has been further strengthened by the construction of the Buyeo Jingu Shrine. The path forward for the Korean people to return to the Imperial Way after a thousand years, to come together under the Imperial family to share the joy of being under One Realm, and to stand as leaders of the East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere has finally been found here. Now, let us go a little further back in history and look at the history of the exchanges between Japan and Baekje. The main focus of this article will be on the reigns of Emperor Ōjin, Empress Saimei, Emperor Tenji, and Empress Jingū, who became deities of Buyeo Jingu Shrine. We will leave discussions about the relationship between the 16th Emperor Nintoku and the 36th Emperor Kōtoku for another day.

Before we go any further, we must first confirm the location of the founding of the Baekje Kingdom. Although there is general agreement in written records that Baekje was founded in the year 18 B.C.E. in the reign of the 11th Emperor Suinin, there are many different theories about where Baekje was founded in Korean historical records and in the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan), which is the original source of Japanese history. Nevertheless, it is certain that King Onjo (온조왕, 溫祚王), who ruled over the waters of the Han River in present-day Seoul, established his government in Gyeonggi-do, and built his residence on Namhan Mountain (남한산, 南漢山). Dating back to that time, Silla rose in 57 B.C.E., and in 37 B.C.E., Gogoryeo rose by relying on the forces of China. At that time, Silla was powerful and secretly supported the Kumaso tribe in Japan to oppose the Imperial Court, while at the same time, Silla allied with Goguryeo to bear down on the newly emerging Baekje kingdom to check Japan's continental political ambitions.

In response, Baekje firmly established ties with Japan and strictly defended itself, but the power of their two enemies was not to be underestimated. In the meantime, the mythical Yamato Takeru defeated the Kumaso tribe in Kyūshū at the order of the 12th Emperor Keikō, and when the 14th Emperor Chūai passed away, Empress Jingū took his place and led an expedition against Silla, which was just one of many actions that the Imperial Court undertook to save Baekje. In the reign of the 21st Emperor Yūryaku, however, the war became more serious as Silla and Goguryeo once again increased their pressure on Baekje, and King Gaero (개로왕, 蓋鹵王) of Baekje was killed in battle. The royal court was moved to Gongju for safety, and the prince who was studying abroad in Japan at the time became King. Thus, the Gongju period of Baekje history began. In the reign of the 28th Emperor Senka, King Seong (성명왕, 聖明王) of Baekje moved the capital to Buyeo under the patronage of Japan, where it remained for six generations until the reign of the 37th Empress Saimei. For 123 years, Baekje enjoyed a golden age. King Uija (의자왕, 義慈王) of Baekje served Japan well and was ruled righteously.

However, Silla and Tang Dynasty China formed a renewed alliance and threatened Baekje again. When news of the danger reached the Empress's ears, she ordered her main headquarters to be moved to Asakura Palace on Kyūshū Island to support Baekje, but she passed away in the year 661 A.D at 67 years old. (written by Correspondent Mr. Arai)

History is still blooming and fragrant. Upper Photo: Myeongwoldae (명월대, 明月臺), where the King of Baekje is said to have observed the full moon. Lower Photo: Baekje Pagoda, inscribed with a calligraphic inscription left by a Tang Chinese general who was proud of his victory over Baekje.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-04-19

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) April 20, 1943

Describing the Holy Land of Buyeo (Part 2)

Benevolent deference to the historic dynasties

Historic sites showing the support given to Baekje by Japan

After the death of Empress Saimei, Prince Nakano Ōe succeeded to the throne and became Emperor Tenji. Emperor Tenji also inherited the legacy of his predecessor and sent soldiers to rescue Baekje. When he heard that King Uija (의자왕, 義慈王) had finally been defeated by Tang Chinese forces, and that the Royal Castle had been captured, he immediately appointed Prince Pungjang (풍장왕, 豊璋), who was studying in Japan at the time, as the King of Baekje. Emperor Tenji also had his loyal retainer Gwisil Boksin (귀실복신, 鬼室福信) reassemble a righteous army. Thus, the territory of Baekje was once again restored, but after two years, the dark lord Pungjang executed the loyal retainer Boksin, and the country was once again in disarray, creating an opportunity for Tang Dynasty China to intervene. Five Japanese rescue attempts were unsuccessful and Baekje was lost, and the rescue forces returned to Japan with the exiled Baekje political refugees, thus ending the long relationship between the Japan and Baekje. Later, in the year 668 A.D., during the reign of Emperor Tenji, Goguryeo was also defeated by Tang Dynasty China, and Silla gained more and more momentum until finally, in the year 681 A.D., during the reign of Emperor Tenmu, Silla possessed most of the Korean peninsula.

The above is a general description of the relationship between Japan and Baekje, but now I would like to deepen our discussions into the Divine period and describe the process leading up to the reign of Emperor Ōjin, to clarify the proof of Japanese-Korean unification, and to investigate the precious significance of the divine restoration of Buyeo. The Nihon Shoki tells a myth about Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the younger brother of Amaterasu, who willed a divine mandate to manage the continent, and so he sent his son, Isotakeru, down to the land of Silla in Soshimori. From Soshimori, Isotakeru moved to Kumanasumine/Woongjin (웅진, 熊津), which is now in Gongju city in Chungnam province. In the Chronicles of the Founding of Izumo, which is a collection of stories about the Izumo Dynasty since the reign of Ōkuninushi-no-Mikoto, it unquestionably says that the Izumo Dynasty extended its rule stretching from the Korean peninsula to the coastal areas of Japan.

Susanoo-no-Mikoto's great-great-grandson, Omizununo-kami, desired the land of Silla and proclaimed, "I will cast three ropes on the land and pull on them". Thus, it is said that he brought Silla into the culture of Izumo. Although it is beyond the scope of this article to go into detail about the myth of the "three ropes", there are numerous theories saying that Silla's second King, Namhae of Silla (남해 차차웅, 南解次次雄), who is mentioned in the Records of the Three Kingdoms, was the reincarnation of Susanoo-no-Mikoto. The fact that and the peoples of Silla and Japan have mixed their blood for 2,600 years proves the deep connection of the Korean peninsula to the Imperial nation.

Therefore, when we consider that Silla, which destroyed Baekje, also had the blood of Japan flowing through their veins, and that the fearlessness of the soldiers of Silla was a legacy of Susanoo-no-Mikoto's wisdom, then Silla cannot be viewed only as a hated enemy.

Thus, the Izumo dynasty returned to divine rule and the coastal regions were unified, with Emperor Jimmu completing his conquests and establishing his capital in Yamato-kunihara. During the 860 years leading up to the reign of the 14th Emperor Chūai, the legacy of the Izumo Dynasty in subjugating Korean territory was passed down through the generations of the Imperial Court. However, when Silla once again attempted to invade Baekje, Empress Jingū assembled an army to send into distant Korea to rescue Baekje. In the reign of the fifteenth Emperor Ōjin, when Empress Jingū was regent, Dr. Wani (왕인, 王仁) came to Japan from Baekje in 285 A.D. and presented Japan with the Analects of Confucius and a thousand Chinese characters. Maketsu (真毛津女) brought her sewing skills to Japan. Takuso (卓素) came to Japan as a blacksmith. Suzukori (須須許理) brought the art of sake brewing to Japan to serve the whims of Emperor Ōjin, who praised him with the words, "The sake brewed by Suzukori has made me drunk again! The mellowness of this sake makes me drunk".

In this way, during the reign of Emperor Ōjin, Baekje recovered, friendship with Japan deepened, and cultural exchanges benefited Japan to a great extent. In response to this, Japan supported the defense of Baekje, and the foundation of unity between Japan and Baekje was completed. Thus, generations of Emperors maintained friendly relations with Baekje. Along with the spread of Buddhism, in order to further solidify the spiritual bond between the two countries, many Baekje generals received an Imperial decree to move to Japan, and the Kings of Baekje also sent their sons to Japan for training in the Japanese spirit.

In the 455 years from 200 A.D. when Empress Jingū defeated Silla to 655 A.D. when Empress Saimei ascended the throne, the Asuka culture arose in Japan, and Buyeo, the royal city of Baekje, entered its golden age. Baekmagang River was busy with trading ships from the two countries, and there were mass exchanges of people between the two countries. There were growing numbers of Koreans who became Japanese people, as well as growing numbers of Japanese people who became long-term residents of Baekje.

In the midst of such peace, Silla, in cooperation with Tang Dynasty China, vigilantly watched over Baekje. When Goguryeo invaded Baekje's frontiers, Baekje became a tumultuous place, with elites already weakened by dreams of academia. The two platforms to greet the full moons on the sacred top of Mount Buso (부소산, 扶蘇山), are testament to the king of Baekje at that time who wept at seeing the shadow of the moon floating down and disappearing as he was accompanied by one hundred beautiful women. Before the Japanese forces arrived to help the weakly equipped Baekje troops, a combined force of 180,000 soldiers from Silla and Tang Dynasty China finally invaded Baekje Castle and captured King Uija (의자왕, 義慈王). At the time, 3,000 beautiful women of the royal palace, including Japanese women, were too ashamed to fall into the hands of the enemy, so they dared to take their own lives by leaping like flower petals from a rocky head overlooking the abyss of Baekmagang River. This rock, later named Naghwaam Rock (낙화암, 落花巖) (Fallen Flower Rock), still reminds visitors of the tragedy of the destruction of Baekje.

Original caption: Myeongwoldae (명월대, 明月臺), where the King of Baekje is said to have observed the full moon.

The tragic news of Baekje's imminent peril also caused a stir among the Japanese people and the Imperial Court. Empress Saimei had weapons and warships ready at a moment's notice, and she moved the main headquarters to Tsukushi to control the military situation. However, she passed away at 68 years old in Asakura Palace.

Emperor Tenji, as mentioned in the first part of this article series, sent his commander, Abenohirafu, to rescue Baekje in a hurry, and he also sent Prince Pungjang (풍장왕, 豊璋) to Baekje with more than 5,000 soldiers with assistance from the younger sister of Ōnokomoshiki. Hearing that Gwisil Boksin (귀실복신, 鬼室福信), his loyal retainer in Baekje, was fighting to recapture the Royal Castle with his righteous army, he gave Boksin 100,000 arrows, 500 kin (~300 kg) of thread, 1,000 kin (~600 kg) of cotton, 1,000 sheets of cloth, 1,000 strips of leather, and 3,000 saka (~540,000 liters) of rice. Now, if you visit the site of the military storehouse at the top of the castle and remove the weeds, you will find in the soil a great deal of the original rice and soybeans that were sent here by the Emperor, which have subsequently been carbonized in their original shapes and have not been damaged by the weather over the past thousand plus years.

With the support of the Japanese forces, the Baekje capital was once again restored after driving out the Tang Chinese general Liu Renyuan, but within two years of the restoration, internal chaos broke out in Baekje, and the foolish dark Prince Pungjang (풍장왕, 豊璋) was once again scorned by the coalition forces of Silla and Tang Dynasty China after he killed many of his distinguished ministers, including Boksin, and the Royal Castle was again surrounded by the enemy. The Emperor's troops, led by Abenohirafu with 170 warships and 27,000 soldiers led by Kamitsuke-no-Wakako, were isolated in the lower reaches of Baekmagang River by the superior force of the enemy interceptors. Although the Emperor's troops fought well, they ran out of arrows, so they evacuated the defeated Baekje government officials and people and retreated to Japan.

On September 25th in the 2nd year of the reign of Emperor Tenji, the 600-year history of Baekje, which had flourished here in Buyeo, was reduced to a mere tale of autumn grass along with the passing of the moon on Myeongwoldae (명월대, 明月臺).

Erratum: "Silla" on the 33rd line from the end of the article in the morning edition of April 19th is a misprint of "Baekje".

Photo: Female students are collecting rice and beans from the ruins of the military storehouse at the fortress on Mount Buso (부소산, 扶蘇山), and the monument has an inscription from the invasion of Baekje, written by the Tang Chinese General Liu Renyuan.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-04-19

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年4月19日

聖地扶余を描く（上）

桜花繚乱、興亡の跡

君しるや！内鮮一体の史蹟

扶余にはまだ神々は鎮まり給わぬが、聖域に拝し奉るの日は近い惟えは、内鮮一体の厳然たる史証を基として人皇第十一代垂仁天皇より第三十八代天智天皇と仰ぎ奉るあいだの紀元六百三十二年から千三百二十一年まで六百八十九年間に亘る長きに及んでの我が日本と百済の親交は一貫して、ある時は経済協定となり、ある時は軍事同盟となり、またある時は文化交通の相互扶助に共栄の実を挙げ、一日として相剋の日はなかった。百済よく我が日本を兄として仕え信義を尽くしてその亡ぶ日まで唐の威服には従わなかった。これに対して我が朝野も水陸の軍を援兵としてよく百済を救い有名な白馬江の決戦は遂に我に利あらずとするも、百済は死してなお軍門を唐に傾けなかったのである。かくて百済王城の地扶余は唐軍の踏むに委せ、王城初め幾多の伽藍は兵火に灰塵となった。

いま扶余には南郊に立つ百済塔、唐将劉仁願の残した紀功碑のみが唯僅かに地上に千四百年の余歳を許されているばかりであるが、地中に埋まる幾多の史蹟には脈々として百済継代の王が治めた善政の跡を偲ばせ、往時七十万の人口を擁した大都市の面目が髣髴として旅人の胸を衝く。百済最後の日、純潔を守って宮廷の美女三千が身を投げた落花巖頭に立てば、そぞろに哀愁を覚えしめる。

百済の将階伯が出師の門出に妻子を斬って戦死を決意し、僅か三千の手兵をもって唐軍三万と戦い、よく防ぎつつ君前に死した壮烈な戦さ物語は我が元寇の役における壱岐、対馬の武将達によく似ている。更に感を深めるものに軍倉の跡がある。天智天皇が百済御救援のため急送遊ばされた多量の米、麥、大豆が痛ましくも兵火に焼かれ、今もなお炭化した穀類が原形のまま野草摘む村童たちの手に拾い集められている。記者はこの地に行きて山を眺め白馬の流れに目を注いだ時、悠久千余年の歴史が語る力強い内鮮一体の跡を見た。

人皇、第三十二代崇峻天皇の御治世に三人の大和乙女が留学。百済仏門に帰依した皐蘭寺の遺跡を見た時にも如何に内鮮交流の繁きかを想像し得るのである。

昭和十四年、この地に初めて四神を御柱に内鮮の楔を強強く打ち込む扶余神宮御造営の儀が半島二千五百万の喜びに溢れる裡に進み、尊い勤労の譜は日と共に聖地扶蘇山岳の雲々にこだまして奏でられているが、これと共に神都建設は雄渾な構想の下に始められ、今や忠南の地には内苑二十二万坪、外苑八万坪を中心として千三百三十八万坪に及ぶ一大都市が誕生しつつあるのだ。

その昔、唯一の交易路となった白馬江に代って局鉄を含む四本の鉄路が神都を中心に四通八達し、白馬江の水を誘導して新しく上水道企画が成されている。哀愁千余年地下に瞑った仏跡は悉く顕彰会の手に発掘されて旧都の復興意義を頷かせるに充分の資料となり、朝夕扶蘇山の神域とほほえみを交わしつつ、今後幾万年の生命を約束されて行く。かくて両民族千余年の結合が今やその実績を明かにしつつ扶余神宮の御造営は進む。

百済が唐を防ぎ、満州族たる高勾麗の侵攻に備えつつ新羅の暴虐に抗して半島民族の上に打樹てた碑石は今や空しく一片の瓦石と化したとはいえ、その持つ一貫した民族性は日本を親国と崇め、亡びた後もなお日本を求めて多数が移住し、今も浪速の地を初め各地に住む王仁博士以来の後裔は八千万の大和民族の血に結合し、天孫降臨以来の肇国の理想に生き、義を天皇に奉っている。その八千万の内地人中には多数の百済人の子孫が営々として培われつつあった事実に対して今誰がこれを疑う者とてあろうか。半島に生を享けた二千五百万の民族が、事新しく皇民道を叫ぶよりは千余年の歴史を繙いてみるがよい。

小舟に玄海狭しと押し渡った両民族が、いつか帰一し相扶け合いここに千余年間に亘る歴史的変遷は巡るとしても、厳然と存在する民族の交流史には一つの訂正をも許さないのである。相共に敵を撃ち、相共に食を分ち、文化を捧げた両民族の意識的結合が、扶余神宮の御造営によって更に鞏固となり、千年の生命を復帰して等しく皇道に立ち還り、わが皇室の下に馳せ参じて一宇の喜びを分ち、東亜共栄圏の指導者として立つ半島同胞が進む路は遂にここに発見されたのである。では今少しく歴史にさかのぼって日本と百済の交流史をひもといてみよう。固よりこの記述は神宮の御神体とならせ給う応神、斉明、天智の御歴代天皇ならびに神功皇后の御時代を中心として、その間第十六代仁徳天皇より第三十六代孝徳天皇に至る歴朝の御関係については他日に譲ることとする。

さてその前に、百済建国の地を確かめねばならない。人皇十一代垂仁天皇の御代紀元六百四十三年に百済起るといずれの書物にも現れているが、我が国史の源泉となっている日本書紀にも、また朝鮮史にも多数地点については異なる説があるが、今の京城漢江の水を治めて時の温祚王が京畿道に治政を肇めて居城を南漢山に築いたことは確かである。その時代にさかのぼって紀元六百四年には新羅が起り、同六百二十四年には支那の勢力を籍って高勾麗が起った。当時は新羅の勢力強く日本に対しては熊襲族を秘かに支援して我が朝廷に反抗し、一方高句麗と結んで新興百済を圧迫して日本の大陸政策を牽制しつつあったのである。

これに対して百済は我が国と固く結んで国防を厳にしたが、敵二国の勢力は侮られず、その間神話に残る日本武尊が第十二代景行天皇の勅命を拝して九州に熊襲を討ち、第十四代仲哀天皇の御代、天皇崩御のため神功皇后がこれに御代わり遊ばされて遠征軍を率いて新羅を討ち給い、我が皇室が百済を助けてその存立に聖慮をかけさせ給うた御事は一方ならずであったが、第二十一代雄略天皇の御代、再び新羅、高句麗の圧迫募って戦禍は激しくなり、時の百済王蓋鹵王は戦死し、王城は危険をさけて公州に移し、当時日本留学中であった王子が継位して王となり、かくて公州王城時代となった。超えて第二十八代宣化天皇の御代には百済聖明王が日本の庇護の下に都を扶余に移し第三十七代斉明天皇の御代まで六代。百二十三年の間、百済は黄金朝時代を現出。時の義慈王はよく日本に仕えて信義を篤くした。

かくて再び新羅は唐と誼を結んで百済に迫り、百済の危険が天聴に達するや天皇は大本営を九州朝倉宮に進めさせられ、百済を御支援遊ばされたが畏くもこの地に崩御遊ばされたのであった。時は紀元千三百二十一年。天皇宝算御六十七歳にましましたのであった。（荒井特派員記）

歴史は今も咲き香る。【写真】上：百済王が明月を送ったと伝えられる明月台。下：百済を亡ぼし勝ち誇った唐軍の将が書き遺した書体の刻まれている百済塔。

京城日報　1943年4月20日

聖地扶余を描く（中）

歴朝に拝す御仁慈

百済支援を語る史蹟

斉明天皇の崩御によって中大兄皇子は御位につかせられて天智天皇と申し奉るが天皇もまた先帝の御遺業を御継承遊ばされ、百済救援の兵を送り給い、当時義慈王が遂に唐軍に討たれて王城が占領された由を聞き召すや、直ちに日本留学中の王子豊璋を百済王につかしめ忠臣福信の義軍再興にまで御心を注がせられた。ここで再び百済の国土は回復したが、二年を経て暗君豊璋は忠臣福信を誅したため、また国内は紊れて唐に乗ぜられる機会を作った。かくて五度起った日本の救援軍も空しく百済は亡び、救援の軍も百済の亡命政客を収容して引き揚げ、ここに全く日済の永きに亘る関係は一応中断の形となった。その後においては天智天皇の紀元千三百二十八年、高句麗もまた唐に亡ぼされ、新羅の勢いは益々あがって、遂に天武天皇の紀元千三百四十一年、新羅は朝鮮半島の殆どを領有するに至った。

以上は大体の日本と百済の関係を述べたまでであるが、ここで今少し話題を神代に深め、改めて応神天皇の御世に至るまでの経過を述べ、内鮮一体の証し左を明かにし、扶余に神鎮まります尊い御意義を究めたい。神代、天照大神の御弟にあらせ給う素戔嗚尊が御心を大陸経営に用いさせられ、その御子五十猛神を率いて新羅の国に降られ、曽尸茂梨より更に熊成峰、即ち今の忠南公州にいたられた神話は日本書紀に現れているが、出雲風土記の中にも国引の神話によって大国主命以来の出雲朝が当時の韓半島から沿海州辺までをその勢力下に収めた古記は疑うわけには行かぬ。

即ち素戔嗚尊四世の御孫たる臣津野尊が新羅の地を望ませられ『三よりの綱うちかけて国来国来』と宣い、遂に新羅を出雲文化に浴せしめられたのであった。『三よりの綱』の神話については今ここで詳細に述べることは出来ないが、三国史記にも見える新羅の第二祖南解次次雄が素戔嗚尊の御後身にあらんかとする説はその後幾多の考証にも現れ、新羅また大和民族の血を打交えつつ二千六百歳を経過したことは皇国に対する半島の由縁深きことを立証するものである。

然し単に百済を亡ぼした新羅にもまた我が日本の血が流れ、新羅兵の剽悍さがよく素戔嗚尊の御英邁を受けついだものとして考えれば強ち新羅として憎き敵としてのみ見ることは出来ない。

かくて出雲朝が神朝に帰服して海内は統一され、神武天皇が御覇業を完遂遊ばされ、大和国原に都を定めさせ給い、それより第十四代仲哀天皇の御世に至る八百六十年間は、全く韓土我れに服して出雲朝の残した功績はそのまま御歴代朝廷に於いて御継承遊ばされたのであったが、再び新羅紊れて百済を侵さんとしたことから神功皇后が女性の御躬を以て遠く朝鮮に兵を率い給い百済救援の軍を進めさせられた。ついで第十五代応神天皇の御世となり、神功皇后が摂政にあらせられた紀元九百四十五年百済より王仁博士が来朝し、我が国に論語、千字分を奉った。それと共に真毛津女が裁縫術を持って渡来し、卓素は鍛工師として、又須須許理は造酒術を我が国に伝えて応神天皇の叡慮に応え奉り"又須須許理が醸みし御酒に吾酔いにけり、こと和酒に吾酔いにけり"との御塵を拝したほどであった。

このようにして応神天皇の御世には百済も治り、日本との友誼が益々あがって文化の交流が我が国に裨益するところが多く、これに対して我が国も百済の国防を支援して両国は一体の基いをここに完成したのであった。かくて世々の天皇に於かせられても百済と交誼を尽くし仏教の伝来と共に一層精神的結合を固めて我が国よりも勅令を受けて多くの武将が渡り、百済国王また皇子を日本に送って日本精神の研修に励んだ。

即ち、神功皇后が新羅を打ち給うた紀元八百六十年から斉明天皇の御即位あそばされた紀元千三百十五年までに至る四百六十五年間は我が国の飛鳥文化を生み、百済王城扶余の全盛期を現出して白馬江の流れは彼我の交易船に賑いを極めて人事の交流も繁く半島人にして我が国民となる者、我が国より百済に渡り永住する者日を遂って数を増した。

こうした平和の中にも新羅は唐と結んで虎視眈々として百済を窺い、高句麗もまた百済の辺境を侵すに至ってここに文弱の夢に溺れた百済の朝野はあげて騒然となった。今も神域扶蘇山頂に残る迎月、送月両台趾は当時の百済王が百官美女を従えて月に浮かれ没し行く月影にさめざめと泣いた事蹟を物語るものであるが、かかる弱兵装備の裡に日本軍の救援が到着する前新羅、唐の聯合軍十八万は遂に百済の居城を侵して義慈王を俘とした。この時日本女性を含む三千の後宮美女は敵手に陥るのを恥じ、敢然白馬江の深淵にのぞむ巖頭から花弁のように身を躍らして自ら生命を断った。この巖は後世落花巖と名称されて今もなお訪れる人々に百済滅亡の悲劇を回想させている。

百済の危機到るの悲報に我が朝野も起った。斉明天皇は女帝の御躬ながら時を移さず兵器軍船を整えさせられ、大本営を筑紫に進めて軍機を統裁し給うたが、その後朝倉の宮において御雄図半ばに宝算御六十八をもって崩御あそばされた。

ついで本稿の最初において述べた天智天皇の御活躍となり雄将阿倍比羅夫をして急ぎ百済を救援せしめ給うと共に又王子豊璋に多臣蒋敷の妹に賜わって軍士五千余を附して百済に送られ、また一方、百済の忠臣鬼室福信が義兵を挙げて王城奪還のため奮戦中と聞召し矢十万、糸五百斤、綿一千斤、布一千端、韋一千張、稲種三千斛を賜わった。今、城趾山頂に野草を分けて当時の軍倉趾を訪えば、そこには天皇より賜わった米穀大豆の類が千余年の風化にも損なわれず炭化した夥しい原形を土中から発見することが出来る。

日本軍の支援下に再び百済首都は時の唐将劉仁願を追い払って復帰したが、その回、興も二年と経たぬ中、百済に内訌が起り、暗愚な王子豊璋は功臣福信等多数を斬って遂に再び唐羅軍の侮りをうけ、王城はまた敵の包囲するところとなった。これによって皇師は重ねて玄海の波濤を蹴って進んだが、既に遅く、阿倍比羅夫が率いる軍船百七十、上毛野稚子が統べる軍兵二万七千は白馬江下流において優勢な敵の邀撃に孤立し、よく戦いつつも衆寡利あらず矢尽きて敗退する百済官民を収容、日本に引き揚げた。

時、天智天皇の御宇二年九月二十五日、ここに栄えた百済六百年の建国史も送月台の没月と共に秋草物語の一篇と化したのであった。【荒井特派員記並びに撮影】

訂正：十九日附朝刊本稿中末尾から三十三行目に『新羅』とあるは『百済』の誤記に付訂正。

写真＝扶蘇山城趾軍倉の遺跡から出る米豆類を採取する女学生と唐将劉仁願が扶蘇山に打ちたてた百済攻略碑文のある記功碑

The Korean people were allegedly descendants of Shinto god Susanoo, the brother of Amaterasu the sun goddess ancestor of the Japanese nation, and didn't know that they had always been Japanese since ancient times, so Governor-General Koiso called upon them to 'know their true nature' in 1944 speech

In February 1944, Governor-General Koiso gave a speech in which he used some pretty wild religious arguments, quoting passages of Nihon Shoki, the Shinto bible, to justify the Japanese-Korean unification campaign to erase Korean language, culture, and ethnic identity in Korea. Being a fanatical religious fundamentalist and a fervent follower of Master Imaizumi, Koiso actually believed that the mythology of Nihon Shoki was literal truth.

In his speech, Koiso claimed that all Koreans were descendants of the god Susanoo-no-mikoto, the younger brother of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess who was the ancestor of the Emperor and the Japanese nation. According to the Nihon Shoki, the Shinto bible, Susanoo-no-mikoto was sent to Korea by his father to become its ruler, and Koiso suggested that Susanoo-no-mikoto was the same person as Dangun, the mythological founder of Korea. Koiso also suggested that, when a son of Susanoo-no-mikoto (the younger brother) subordinated himself to a grandson of the Sun Goddess (the older sister) by performing a "divine ritual handover of the country", the precedent was established whereby the descendants of the younger brother (i.e. the Korean people) would be subjugated by the descendants of the older sister (i.e. the Japanese people). Koiso claimed that the annexation of Korea in 1910 was the same "divine ritual handover of the country" that was performed in mythological times.

This explains a lot of things, like why Koiso persisted in using words like "Know yourselves!" and "Know your true nature!" to address the Korean people. Now we know that it was actually a command to the Korean people to remember the fact that they were descendants of Susanoo-no-mikoto. It also reveals that Japanese-Korean Unification never meant that the assimilated Koreans would be equal to native Japanese people. Instead, the Koreans would remain subordinate to the Japanese in accordance with the precedent established by the "divine ritual handover" which happened in mythological times. This is also consistent with Master Imaizumi's analogies comparing Japanese-Korean unification with an unequal parent-child relationship or rider-horse relationship.

This religious fanaticism which infected the colonial regime also explains other things which are not so easily explained through the cold calculated logic of war. For example, it boggles the mind why the colonial regime would divert precious labor and resources to build hundreds of Shinto shrines all over Korea in 1944 in the middle of a desperate war. But it all makes sense when you realize that this was all part of an effort to complete the divinely ordained "ritual handover", in which the complete subordination of the descendants of Susanoo-no-Mikoto to the Emperor, the descendant of the Sun Goddess, would end the calamity that was the U.S. and Britain.

To put it in another way, the official line of the colonial regime was that the Koreans had always been Japanese people all along - they just didn't know it yet. The regime hoped that forcibly re-educating the Koreans would help them remember their "true nature" and awaken as true Japanese people to fulfill divinely ordained destiny. However, that spectacularly backfired, since it only deepened their anger and resentment until things exploded with the end of Imperial Japanese rule in 1945.

Koiso's vanity is evident in how he includes a photo of a rough draft of his speech in the newspaper, presumably to burnish his credentials as a deep thinker and writier, when in actuality his words sound a lot like they were copied from Master Imaizumi. The three parts of his speech were spread out over three days: February 16 (part 1), February 18 (part 2), and February 19 (part 3), but the rough draft photographed in this article is actually an excerpt from part 3 of his speech in which he rails against the evils of Marxism.

This article is full of references to lots of religious terminology from the Shinto religion, so I've added plenty of links to Wikipedia pages and other resources for further reading. Following the translation, I've also posted an excerpt from a mainstream academic article about Soshimori, a place in Silla which is mentioned by Koiso.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo February 16, 1944

Thorough adherence to the true meaning of the National Body brings inevitable victory! (Transcript of Governor-General Koiso's Speech) [1]

Know the historical facts and know yourselves!

It is plainly clear that the Japanese and the Koreans share the same ancestry

On February 3rd, to mark the occasion of the anniversary of the founding of the Imperial Japanese nation, the Korean Federation of National Power dispatched a cheerleading team of 142 members from the Special Volunteer Press Corps to Seoul Citizens Hall to take part in the Movement of National Peoples Rising Up En Masse to Destroy the U.S. and Britain, which was unfolded all over Korea. Governor-General Koiso, who attended as the President of the Federation, gave an impassioned speech of encouragement regarding "the current state of the war and the mission that Korea has been entrusted with". His words which so deeply moved the corps members, as previously reported, are reproduced below.

The head office of this newspaper took a shorthand copy of the speech and asked the Governor-General to review it, upon which he spent almost all of Sunday, February 13 painstakingly making careful additions and corrections, before he left for his inspection tour of the north and south of the country. Therefore, we have decided to publish this speech as follows, in order to make the Governor-General's intentions known as widely as possible in view of the national movement that is currently being unleashed like a raging storm among the various towns (eup) and townships (myeon).

[This photograph shows Governor-General Koiso and a part of his revisions to a transcript of his speech]

As we welcome the third new spring of the Greater East Asia War, we the people totaling 100 million, regardless of whether we are on the front lines or on the home front, must gather all our strength and renew our spirit to achieve a great victory in the decisive battle that we must anticipate this year. In order to respond to the will of the gods in the autumn, and in order to arouse our determination to fight, we must urge all 25 million of our Korean compatriots to rise up en masse. It is my sincere pleasure as the President of the Federation to have this opportunity to address a few words in response to the magnificent appearance of the newly organized Special Volunteer Press Corps, which has been formed for this purpose. However, due to the nature of my duties, I have not had time to make any prepared statements, and so I must confess that I am faced with a situation in which I must make do with a few of my own impromptu words.

First of all, I would like to say that you must first know your own true nature before you can come and rally together en masse as part of the 100 million. It is clearly stated in historical fact that Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the younger brother of our ancestor Amaterasu, was appointed by his father Izanagi-no-Mikoto to rule over the four provinces (Yomotsukuni), and that he established his base in Korea. In other words, the Japanese classic text "Nihon Shoki" (The Chronicles of Japan) clearly states, "At this time, Susanoo-no-Mikoto brought his son Isotakeru and descended to Silla, arriving in a place called Soshimori".

Silla refers to Korea because Silla was the dominant ruling power in Korea at the time when the "Nihon Shoki" was written. The place name Soshimori contains the Korean words "so" and "mori": "so (소)" is the Korean word for bull and "mori (머리)" is the Korean word for head. The word "shi" is an auxiliary particle. Thus, Soshimori means bull-head in Korean. That is why Susanoo-no-Mikoto is called Gozu Tennō, or the bull(go)-headed(zu) divine king, in mainland Japan.

Later, when Susanoo-no-Mikoto's son Ōkuninushi was based in Izumo and ruling his region, Ninigi-no-Mikoto, who was the grandson of Amaterasu, who in turn was the older sister of Susanoo-no-Mikoto, was summoned down to Japan by Susanoo-no-Mikoto to rule the country. In response, Ōkuninushi, the son of Susanoo-no-Mikoto, subordinated himself to Ninigi-no-Mikoto, since he realized that the land should really be ruled by the grandson of Amaterasu. That was how the unification of the two countries was established through the so-called "divine ritual handover of the country".

Some people say that "Gija Joseon" was the historical founding ancestor of Korea. However, according to historians, that was merely a so-called 'historical fact' created by the Chinese of that time, who wanted to show off the greatness of China to the world by making the contrived argument that the founding ancestor of Korea was Gija, who came from Northern China. I believe that it is closer to the truth that "Dangun Joseon" was the true founding ancestor of Korea.

We do not know who Dangun really was. Some historians say that Dangun was Susanoo-no-Mikoto, while others say that Dangun was Susanoo-no-Mikoto's son, Isotakeru. In any case, I think it is almost certain that the ancestors of our 25 million compatriots on the Korean Peninsula today can truly be traced back to Susanoo-no-Mikoto.

Subsequently, the annexation of Korea took place in 1910 during the Meiji Era. I am convinced that there can be no mistake in asserting that what took place in Korea in the Meiji Era was exactly the same "divine ritual handover of the country" that was performed between Ninigi-no-Mikoto and Ōkuninushi at the end of the divine era.

The various deities who served Ōkuninushi at the end of the divine era were called Kunitsugami (gods of the earth), and the various deities who served Ninigi-no-Mikoto were called Amatsugami (gods of the heavens). These days, there are various publications mentioning the gods of the heavens and the earth, but these are actually references to Kunitsugami and Amatsugami. When we see that everyone is descended from the two pillar gods Izanagi and Izanami, then we see that the gods of the heavens and the gods of the earth both share a common ancestry.

This is the reason why, ever since I took office, I have always proclaimed that the Japanese and the Koreans have the same roots and the same ancestry. Otherwise, it defies comprehension as to why, for thousands of years on the Korean peninsula, there has existed an independent ethnic group that has remained completely distinct from all the other peoples. Ever since I took office in Korea, I have been asking you to know your own nature first, in order for you to know that the Japanese and the Koreans are one people.

Fortunately, as I have just said, if you can clearly recognize your own true nature, then I am convinced that you will inevitably be able to come to your senses and rally together here en masse as a part of one people of 100 million.

For several years now, there have been many calls for Japanese-Korean unification. However, as I see it, it is rather lamentable that we have to cry out for Japanese-Korean unification in the first place. I believe that the fact that the people are not conscious of Japanese-Korean unification unless they are reminded of it, indicates that the general public has neglected to investigate the true nature of themselves.

Over 30 years have passed since the annexation of Korea, and we have truly made remarkable progress since then. However, as much as I might regret saying this, I believe that, during the years since the annexation, if we had only cultivated a little more deeply in the areas that I mentioned just now, the past 30 years would have taken an even more glorious trajectory. I think this point is very important, and therefore, I would like to add a few words …

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1944-02-16

[In contrast, here is a mainstream academic article about Soshimori:]

An early Korean cultic center in the kingdom of Silla was located in the vicinity of a trapezoid-shaped hill that was called, in the Japanese rendering of the classical Korean, soshimori. In ancient Korea and Japan, cattle, especially bulls, were sacrificed for rain, good harvests, and the prevention of disease, and soshimori was one of the major Korean cultic sites at which such sacrifices were offered. According to Kubota Osamu, the "soshi" part of the word soshimori means bull and the "mori" means head, and thus the site was called "Bull's Head Mountain." Bull sacrifice is, of course, not unique to the ancient Korean and Japanese cultures, but the role and significance of the bull is especially relevant with regard to our Heavenly Divinity story.

In one early version of that story Mutō Tenjin is identified with Gozu Tennō, the bull (go)-headed(zu) divinity, but in another version of it Gozu Tennō is said to be Mutō Tenjin's eldest son. In either case Mutō Tenjin and Gozu Tennō are intimately linked in that the name "Gozu" (Korean, soshimori) is the same as the name of the hill in Silla where Mutō Tenjin resided. In early Japan various divinities were linked together and traditions conflated, not by way of the well known honji-suijaku ("original-trace") mechanism of later days whereby relations of identity were made between specific native divinities and specific Buddhas or bodhisattvas for various and sometimes convoluted reasons but by way of the relatively simple technique of name linkage. That is, a certain divinity known by one name is found to have another name, and thus the formerly two divinities that were identified by different names are coalesced into a single divinity known by several names.

Source: McMullin, N. (1988). On Placating the Gods and Pacifying the Populace: The Case of the Gion “Goryō” Cult. History of Religions, 27(3), 270–293. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1062279

(Transcription)

京城日報　1944年2月16日

国体本義に徹せる必勝不敗　小磯総督　講話速記　【一】

史実と自己を知れ

正に明か内鮮は同祖

紀元の佳節を期して全鮮一斉に展開された米英撃滅国民総蹶起運動に総力聯盟から派遣の報道特別挺身隊員百四十二名の壮行会が去る二月三日京城府民館で挙行された席上、聯盟総裁として臨席した小磯総督は『戦局の現段階と朝鮮の負荷する使命』につき熱烈たる激励の弁を与え、隊員として感奮せしめたことは既報の通りである。

本社は当日特に右の講話を速記し、総督に検閲を乞った處、全南北巡視に出発される二月十三日の日曜日の殆ど全部を費やして入念な加筆、訂正の労を執られた。仍て本社は現に各邑面間に怒涛の如く捲き起こされている国民運動につき、総督の意図を限りなく周知せしむるため左にこれを掲載することにした。

【写真は小磯総督と総督の加筆訂正した講話速記の一部】

大東亜戦争第三の新春を迎えて我々一億国民はその職域が第一線にあろうと銃後にあろうことを問わず、総力を結集し気魄を新にして、見事今年予期すべき決戦に大勝利を把握致し以て聖旨に応え奉らねばならぬ秋に方り、茲に決戦意欲昂揚のため半島二千五百万同胞の総蹶起を促さんがために、今回新に編成せられました報道特別挺身隊諸君の壮容に接しまして、一言所懐を述べる機会を得ますことは本総裁の心から欣快とする所であります。唯だ職務の関係上何等準備を整え得る余暇を得なかったために、結局思いつきを述べてその責を塞がねばならぬ事態に直面しておることをお断り致します。

第一にお話申し上げたいと思いますことは、先ず自己の本質を知って然る後一億結集に向えということであります。我が皇祖天照大神の弟神であらせられまする素戔嗚尊は、その父神様の伊弉諾尊の御命令によりまして四方国（ヨモツクニ）の統治に任ぜられることになり、この根拠を朝鮮に置かれましたことは史実の明記する所であります。即ち我が古典日本書紀の中に、『是時、素戔嗚尊、帥其子五十猛神降到新羅国、居於曾尸茂梨之處』と明記しております。

新羅国というのはこの日本書紀の著述せられました当時、朝鮮を統治しておる所の雄国が新羅でありました故に、朝鮮ということを現わすのに新羅という名を以てしたという訳であり、『曾尸茂梨』ということは朝鮮語の『ソモリ』が牛頭である、『ソ』は牛であり、『モリ』は頭で『尸』というのは助辞でありましょうか。『曾尸茂梨』は結局牛頭ということでありましょう。さればこそ日本内地に於いては素戔嗚尊を牛頭（ゴヅ）天王と呼ばれるのであります。

その後素戔嗚尊の御子大国主命が出雲に根拠してあの地方を統治しておられました当時、素戔嗚尊の姉神様でいらせられ天照大神の御孫に当られる皇孫瓊瓊杵尊を日本にお降しになって統治を命ぜられました。茲に素戔嗚尊の御子大国主命は天孫瓊瓊杵尊の降臨に召し、この国土は正に天孫の統治せられる處であろうというので、所謂国譲りの神事ということによって合体が成立したのであります。

朝鮮の歴史の始祖を箕子朝鮮と称する向もありますが、之は史家の明言しておる如く、蓋し当時の支那人が支那の大を天下に誇らんがために、朝鮮の始祖を北支那から流れて来た箕子によって拓かれた所であると牽強付会な議論を立てることによって唱えられた史実であり、寧ろ檀君朝鮮と呼ばれることのほうが真実性が多いと承っております。

檀君とは果して如何なる方であるかは判りませんが、一史家の唱える所によれば、檀君とは素戔嗚尊なり、又一説曰く、檀君とは素戔嗚尊の御子、五十猛神なりという説もあります。何れに致しましても朝鮮半島におりまする現在の二千五百万同胞の祖先は正に素戔嗚尊に帰一しておるということは殆ど断言して誤りないのじゃないかと思います。

そうして降って明治四十三年韓国併合ということが明治の聖代に行われましたが、これは即ち申す迄もなく神代の末期に於いて瓊瓊杵尊と大国主命の間に執り行われたる国譲りの神事が、正に明治の聖代に於いて行われたものであると断言して一つも間違いがないと確信致します。

神代の末期に於いて大国主命に仕え奉ったる諸々神、これを国津神と称し、瓊瓊杵尊に仕え奉ったる諸々神はこれを天津神と称しまして、今日色々の書物に天神地祇、即ち天津神、国津神というのはそういう所から出ておるものと思います。そうしてその元が総て伊弉諾、伊弉冉の二柱の神に出発しておる所から見れば、天神も地祇もその祖を同じうしておる訳であります。

これ即ち私が就任以来今日に至る迄、内鮮は同根同祖なりと叫び来っておった所以であり、又さもなくんばこの半島に、古来数千年全く他と異なったる独立民族の存在しておるということも解し兼ねる所であり、これが私の朝鮮に職を奉ぜる時以来内鮮が同胞であることを知る為に、先ず自らの本質を知れというて参ったのであります。

そうして幸いに今私が申し述べた如く、その本質を明確に自認体得し得ると致しましたならば茲に一億結集の必然なくてはならないことをも自覚せしめられるものであると確信しておるのであります。

数年前から内鮮一体の叫びは盛んであります。しかし観じ来れば、内鮮一体と叫ばねばならないということそのことが、寧ろ嘆かわしい次第じゃありますまいか。そういうようなことを言わなければ内鮮一体を意識しないというようなこと程左様に一般の人々が自己の本質ということを究明するのを怠っておったことになると思うのであります。

日韓併合以後茲に三十数年、洵に目覚ましい発展を遂げては来ておりますが、甚だ言いすぎる憾みもありますけれども、若しこの併合の当初より今迄私が申し述べましたような所にもう少し深く培って来ておりましたならば、この三十年というものは更に輝かしい道程を辿っておったのではないかと考えさせられるのであります。この点甚だ重要であろうと思いますが、故に蛇足ながら少し付加えさせて頂きましょう。