A Japanese author took a Busan-Seoul train in early 1943 and saw some stylishly dressed young Koreans with a guitar and 'American vibe' speaking mostly in Korean mixed with English 'okay's, and was shocked that none onboard cared to observe the noon Moment of Silence to honor fallen Imperial soldiers

In this article, a famous Japanese author and novelist named Maruoka Akira (1907-1968) takes a trip to Korea in early 1943, writing a bit about his experience taking a train from Busan to Seoul, in which he encountered a group of 7 or 8 young Korean people wearing stylish Western clothes and having an 'American vibe'. The only woman in the group wore the latest Ginza fashion, while the men wore flat caps which reminded the author of American movie stars. The author thought it was notable that they mostly spoke Korean with some Japanese and interspersed with the English word 'okay'. He was shocked to find that neither the Japanese nor the Korean train passengers cared to observe the Moment of Silence at noon to honor fallen Imperial soldiers.

In August 1943, this would all change with silent prayers in trains becoming more vigorously enforced. In September 1943, the young Koreans would no longer be able to wear their stylish clothing in public with the passing of onerous clothing regulations enforcing a wartime minimalist fashion.

This article also features a travel story from Mr. Nobuyuki Tateno, a Keijo Nippo correspondent who also covered a 1944 story about Korean parents who picked up their son's remains at a military facility in Japan. He observed young Koreans boys being forced to work in Pyongyang at Pothong river using a Mokko sling, which was a woven net traditionally used to carry heavy materials (dirt, rocks) in construction projects. The boys belonged to an Imperial Training Institute, which eventually became more of a source of cheap labor than a place to 'train' Koreans into becoming 'true Imperial subjects'.

Also mentioned are other similar brainwashing institutions for indoctrinating Koreans with Imperial Japanese state propaganda, such as farmers' dōjōs, women's training centers, Imperial dōjōs, and Yamato cram schools. They have been covered in detail by other Keijo Nippo articles that I have previously translated, so I have provided links throughout the articles.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) June 9, 1943

How the powerful Korean Peninsula was viewed by mainland Japanese visitors

Expressions of determination on the faces of the youth fueled by hope

Mr. Nobuyuki Tateno's Story

I felt that the situation in Korea had brightened when I saw the farmers' dōjōs, the women's training centers, and the Imperial dōjōs in the suburbs of Pyongyang. In Pyongyang, people below the conscription age are being gathered, and they are making efforts to grasp the Imperial spirit in the course of doing manual labor. I saw history-making expressions of determination on the faces of the boys carrying Mokko slings at Pothong river. I realized how the announcement of the conscription system had brightened the lives of the Korean youth, and the announcement had indeed been made at the most appropriate timing.

Mr. Tateno

It makes me feel uncomfortable whenever I hear mainland Japanese people who pretend to know so much, telling me things like, "That's not something that you can understand just by taking a two-week trip". Whenever I see old Korean men and Korean women visiting and worshiping at Shinto shrines, I think about how well their leaders have managed to guide them up to this point, and I feel as though I have just witnessed a great historic leap forward. When I saw Sup'ung Dam and learned that its construction had gone very smoothly, I thought that this accomplishment silently attested to the success of the leadership.

Mr. Akira Maruoka's Story

I think there is a great gap between what I heard from my acquaintances living in Korea and what I actually saw in Korea during my visit. I was surprised when I arrived in Busan. I really got the feeling that continental East Asians truly lived here. There was this 'continental feeling' that was different from what I felt when I visited Sakhalin and Hokkaido. It made me realize that Korea was really at the edge of a continent that stretched to the Soviet Union, Germany, and Turkey.

Mr. Maruoka

When the train stopped, I felt a sense of quietude, which was a kind of a continental quietude that could not be felt in mainland Japan, and it made me feel a sense of harmony. I thought that this was the kind of place where continental East Asian people could relax.

Below, I will just describe what I felt without drawing any conclusions.

◇．．．When I was on a train, and there were seven or eight people in a corner who were very stylishly Westernized. They were Koreans. Among them was a woman. At first I thought she was a mainland Japanese woman, but it turned out that she was a Korean woman from around here. They all had an American vibe. The woman was dressed in the same fashion that you would see in Ginza. The men wore flat caps and looked like American movie stars. There was a guitar on the shelf, so I thought they were musicians who played light music. They spoke in Korean, but they occasionally tried speaking in Japanese, and sometimes they even deliberately said "Okay" in English.

◇．．．When I arrived at a certain train station, the station staff informed us that it was time for the Moment of Silence. A few station staff members stood up and prayed silently. I also stood up and prayed silently, but no one else stood up to observe the Moment of Silence, neither the mainland Japanese people nor the Korean people who were riding in the train. I had been told in mainland Japan that they observed the Moment of Silence on the Korean peninsula, and that it would be a very beautiful scene to behold, so I felt surprised.

◇．．．When I was eating my lunch on the train, I gave a boiled egg to a Korean child of about five or six years old who was sitting in front of me. The child's mother seemed to be instructing the child to say "Thank you" but the child didn't say anything.

◇．．．When the train was crowded, a young Korean man took a seat next to me. After he went to the bathroom, a young woman came and took a seat in his place. When the man came back from the bathroom, he did not say a word to the woman, but continued his cheerful conversation. In mainland Japan, when you go to the bathroom, you are supposed to put your hat on your seat or something, and if your seat is taken, you are supposed to say something about it, but he didn't say anything and continued his conversation. I thought that was strange.

◇．．．In Seoul, I visited Yamato Cram School, where I saw young people who could be called the wings of the future. [END]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-06-09

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年6月9日

総力半島は如何に視られたか

"生き抜かん"表情、希望に燃ゆる青少年

立野信之氏談

農民道場や女子訓練所或いは平壌郊外の皇民道場等を視て朝鮮の動きが明るくなったことを感じた。平壌では徴兵適齢前の者を集め、労働のうちから皇民精神を掴むことに努力している。普通江でモッコを担ぐ少年の顔を見ると、歴史的なもののなから生き抜かんとする表情がある。これらをみて徴兵制の発表が如何に半島の青少年を明るくしたことかを知った。最も良き時期に発表したものである。

内地で聞くことであるが、『僅か二週間やそこいらの旅行で判るものではない』などと如何にも知ったか振りの人の言葉を聴くと私は実に不快に思う。神社に参拝する朝鮮の老人や婦人をみると、指導者はよくぞここまで導いた、ということを考え、歴史的飛躍を感ずるのである。水豊ダムを観たとき、その建設は非常に順調に進んだと聴き、これは無言のうちに指導の成果を語るものであると思った。

丸岡明氏談

朝鮮に住んでいる知人から聴いたことと、今度私が視た朝鮮は非常にひらきがあると思う。私は釜山に着いたときからビックリした。東洋人が住んでいるという感じであった。これは樺太や北海道に行ったときに感じたものとは違う大陸的な感じである。朝鮮はソ連にドイツに、トルコに通ずる大陸の端であると思った。

汽車のなかで感じたことであるが、汽車が留まると車内は実にシーンと静かさを感ずる。この静かさは内地では感じられない自分が和になる大陸的な静かさであった。東洋人の憩う場所はこんな處だと思った。

以下、結論を抜きにして感じたままを話そう。

◇．．．汽車の中での話だが、隅の方に七八人のハイカラな人が居た。朝鮮の人である。このなかに一人の女が混ざっていた。最初は内地の女だと思ったが、やはりこちらの女であることが判った。みんなアメリカ的な感じである。女は銀座などでみるのと同じような服装。男は鳥打帽を被りアメリカ映画の二枚目のような感じである。棚の上にはギターがあるので、軽音楽でもやる人達かと思った。言葉は朝鮮語である。たまには国語で話してみたり、なかにはことさら『オーケー』などといってみたりしている。

◇．．．或る駅に着いた時の話である。黙祷の時間を駅員が知らせている。そして僅かな駅員が立って黙祷をする。私も立って黙祷をしたが、乗っていた内地人も半島人も誰も立たず、黙祷もしない。内地で聴いたことによると、半島には黙祷の時間があり、非常に美しい場面がある、と知らされていたが、これはと思った。

◇．．．汽車のなかで弁当を食う時、前に掛けていた五つ六つくらいの半島の子供へ私はゆで卵を一つ与えた。その子供の母親らしいのが『有難う』をいえと訓えているようだったが、その子供はなんともいわなかった。

◇．．．列車内が混んでいる時だったが、半島の青年が私の横に席をとった。その男が便所に行った後、或る若い女がきてそこへ掛けた。男は便所から帰ってきてもその女には小言も言わずに朗らかに語っていた。内地では便所に行くときには自分の座席へ帽子を置くとか何とかするものであり、座をとられれば何とかいうのだが文句もいわずに朗らかに語っているのだ。私は不思議に思った。

◇．．．京城で大和塾を観たが、そこにはこれからの翼ともいうべき若き人達をみた（おわり）

In February 1943, a massive network of Imperial Way Training Institutes was launched in Korea to initially train 500,000 Korean ‘leaders’ in ‘character building’ based on the ‘pure Japanese spirit and worldview’, but not in Japan proper because of the ‘high national character’ of the Japanese people

In February 1943, Governor-General Koiso issued an executive order creating a vast nationwide network of 'Imperial Way Training Institutes' that would initially train over 500,000 Korean 'leaders' (about 2% of the Korea population at the time) in the 'pure Japanese spirit and Japanese worldview' for 'character building' and 'spiritual training'. Adopting the 'Japanese spirit' and 'Japanese worldview' would have not only meant adopting the Japanese language, culture, and national identity, but also converting to the State Shinto religion and submitting to the Japanese Emperor.

The second article features an interview with an exuberant Mr. Takeuchi, the colonial bureaucrat in charge of this vast network, who explained that mainland Japan did not need a similar program because the Japanese people already had a 'high national character', the implication being that the Korean people didn't.

Mr. Takeuchi, the Director of the Training Division in charge of the Imperial Way Training Institutes.

Mr. Takeuchi apparently drew some inspiration from a young farmers' boot camp run by the Imperial Army in northern Japan. He probably also got some ideas from the 'Yamato Cram Schools', which were founded in April 1941 to convert ideological criminals such as Korean independence activists. 

This vast campaign to dilute Korean ethnic and national identity and mold the Korean people into loyal Imperial Japanese subjects is arguably one of the most ambitious social experiments ever attempted in the world in the 20th Century.

The 'leaders' were trained in four different programs: an elite government leader program, a workplace-based program, a school-based program, and a rural-based program. These programs established the pattern of workplaces, schools, and rural villages 'volunteering' laborers to work for the colonial government in detachments as labor shortages became critical over the course of the war.

The elite program was attended by Koreans who were already fluent in Japanese, so they studied advanced Shinto philosophy and Classical Japanese literature, presumably so that they could read the ancient Shinto scriptures in the original Old Japanese. The general idea was that the graduates of these programs would eventually train others and then create a 'trickle-down' effect of converting all of Korean society from the top-down. I have previously posted articles showcasing at least one example from each program, with the exception of the elite program, but this article connects the dots by revealing that they were all part of one big network of 'Imperial Way Training Institutes'.

• Internment camps for young Korean schoolgirls
• Workplace training making employees run until they collapse from heat exhaustion
• Yuseong Farmers' training camp to train rural leaders

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) February 2, 1943

Spiritual Training Guidelines Established for the Groundbreaking Korean Peninsula (Effective March 1st)

"Imperial Way Training Institutes" to be established

Four different training programs to be implemented

The Governor-General's Office, in accordance with the aim of the New Year instructions given by Governor-General Koiso on January 4th at the opening ceremony of his administration, has instructed the leaders of the 24 million compatriots on the Korean peninsula, including government officials, executive staff at various private companies and organizations, male and female students attending junior high school and above, and young men with leadership potential, to thoroughly practice character building and spiritual training in accordance with the current decisive wartime system. These guidelines had been in the drafting stages for quite some time, but they were just recently finalized. On the first day of the month, the groundbreaking "Outline of Thorough Practice of Character Building and Spiritual Training" was announced along with Governor-General Koiso's message as follows.

According to the outline, the "Imperial Way Training Institutes," which will form the core of the various training institutes, will be newly established in Seoul to train leaders from all walks of life in the public and private sectors based on the pure Japanese spirit and Japanese worldview that the Governor-General has long advocated, enabling government officials and ordinary people from all of Korea to become leaders in providing character building and spiritual training. The training methods will be divided into four programs:

(1) Government leadership training program

(2) Workplace training program

(3) School training program

(4) Rural leadership training program

These programs are designed to train the mind and body to be strong and healthy enough to literally endure a bloody battle, by augmenting iron-like character building and spiritual training that are adapted to the trainees' academic level, age, and personal qualities. The "Imperial Way Training Institutes" will start this April.

As for the workplace training program and school training program, every Monday will be designated as a "Training Day" starting on March 1st, and the training will be conducted simultaneously all over Korea in accordance with prescribed training methods. In addition, this unprecedented training, which also deserves to be called 'battle training', will include not only government officials and leaders of private companies and organizations as targets for mobilization, but also about 195,000 members of the police, security, and railway patrol agencies in all of Korea, about 50,000 male and female students from junior high school and above, about 2,500 people undergoing training at various training institutes or re-education institutes for government officials, about 97,000 students at youth training centers, and about 110,000 youth at special youth training schools. Altogether, the total number of trainees will be well over 500,000.

The thoroughness of these training methods is a clear embodiment of one of the three major policies that Governor-General Koiso has long declared. At the same time, it is now the autumn of the year when our nation is risking life and death valiantly fighting on in the Greater East Asia War. This is truly a decisive kind of training that is immediately adapted to the current decisive wartime system.

Outline for the thorough implementation of character building and spiritual training

(1) The Imperial Way Training Institutes are to be newly established by the Governor-General of Korea by this April, and the affairs related thereto shall be placed under the jurisdiction of the Training Division of the Scholastic Affairs Bureau. The Imperial Way Training Institutes shall clarify the Japanese spirit and the Japanese worldview, directly train leaders, and lead the character building and spiritual training of government officials and ordinary people in general.

(2) The training is divided into the following four training programs, and they will be implemented starting on March 1st.

1: Government leadership training program: includes government officials, private executives, and those who deserve to become executive staff in both the central and outlying areas of the country

2: Workplace training program: includes the groups which are specified elsewhere in other paragraphs.

3: School training program: includes those undergoing training at schools and school-like institutions as specified elsewhere in other paragraphs.

4: Rural leadership training program: includes leaders from rural areas.

(3) The following are the main features of each training program

A: Government leadership training program (a) Location = the dōjō attached to the Imperial Training Institute (an alternative dōjō can be arbitrarily chosen until the Imperial Training Institute is newly built) (b) Training period = an average of two weeks per term, and depending on the trainees, it may be as short as one week or as long as one month (c) Training method = The trainees are required to stay under strict discipline. Taking into account the trainees and the length of their training period, they are required to take classes on the National Body, Classical Japanese literature, and the Japanese worldview as appropriate. They are also required to perform Seiza, Misogi, as well as martial arts training, calisthenics, and manual labor. (d) The actual cost of the meals provided at the executive leadership training dōjōs shall be deducted from the trainees' travel allowances.

B. Workplace training program: (a) Training days shall be scheduled every Monday throughout the year for all of Korea. However, if the training day falls on a holiday, or if training cannot be due to rain or other circumstances, then the training shall be postponed (b) Training shall be held 30 minutes to 1.5 hours before the start of work for government offices, public organizations, companies, banks, and various trade union offices. The training start time for factories, mines, and labor sites shall be set at an appropriate time as determined by their respective leaders. The following activities shall be performed: (1) National Worship Ritual (2) Calisthenic exercises and drills. Depending on the occasion, these may be replaced with character building talks, manual labor, and other activities. Girls shall be allowed to participate in the above events by performing the girls' ritual and learning how to use the Naginata sword. The police, security, and railway patrol agencies shall assemble on training day as much as possible, and generally perform the same activities.

C. School training program: In schools (including girls' schools), the appropriate time and day shall be set and activities shall be conducted in the same manner as in the workplace training program. However, the character building talks and the labor tasks, which are the mainstay for the training of government officials, shall be adapted in accordance with the age of the trainees. The activities performed on training day may derive from the workplace training program or the government leadership training program, and the training shall always be conducted in accordance with the trainees' personal qualities.

D. Rural leadership training program: At the training dōjōs in the rural areas, training shall be conducted in accordance with the government leadership training program.

The following shall receive training in accordance with the workplace training program:

(A) Employees at the following government agencies and public organizations: (1) Governor-General's Office (including quasi-governmental agencies), provincial governments, prefectural governments, county governments, island governments, police stations, eup offices, etc. (2) Provincial telecommunications agencies, savings management offices, main post offices, etc. (3) Provincial railway agencies, railroad offices, main rail stations, track maintenance districts, railway management districts, factories, etc. (4) Provincial monopoly agencies, main monopoly agency branches, factories, etc. (5) Customs Bureau and main customs branches, etc. (6) Tax supervision bureaus and taxation offices, etc. (7) Courts, prosecutors' offices, court branch offices, prosecutors' sub-offices, probation offices, prisons, etc. (8) Forestry offices (9) Branch offices of government agencies, inspection stations, and examination centers, etc. (10) Hospitals attached to provincial medical schools, etc. (11) Other government agencies and public organizations that are required to conduct spiritual training

(2) Police, security forces, and members of the railway patrol agencies: approximately 195,000 people

(3) Employees of major companies, banks, various trade unions, factories, mines, and other workplaces, etc. (Workers should also be spiritually trained as much as possible in a manner that is in accordance with their occupation)

The following shall receive training in accordance with the school training program:

(1) Students from junior high school and above: about 50,000 students

(2) Those undergoing training at the various training institutions for government officials, etc., as listed in the attached table, or those undergoing re-education as government officials: about 2,500 persons

(3) Students at youth training centers: about 97,000

(4) Students at special youth training centers: about 110,000

(5) Those who are enrolled at various training institutes such as farmers' training institutes, etc.

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

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) February 3, 1943

Training days are every Monday

The Establishment of the Imperial Training Institutes as explained by Mr. Takeuchi, Director of the Training Division of the Scholastic Affairs Bureau

At the opening ceremony of Governor-General Koiso's administration in the very beginning of 1943, when 24 million people on the Korean peninsula had risen up with iron determination, Governor-General Koiso raised up the three major principles of "thorough practice of character-building and training, decisive increase in production capacity, and epoch-making reform of general administration". He requested strong executive power under the banner, "Practice is better than theory!" Not long after the New Year, he announced the "Outline of Thorough Practice of Character Building and Spiritual Training". After a one-month preparation period, it will be to be put into practice as early as March 1 with great pomp.

The Imperial Way Training Institutes, the most organized government-run training dōjōs in Korea, are to be established ahead of other training dōjōs in mainland Japan, because iron-solid mental strength and power of execution should be the main road to complete victory in this decisive war. They are intended to give the people of the Korean peninsula (government officials, ordinary people, and students alike) the mental strength and power of execution made of indestructible diamond to fight through the Holy War of the Century. Mr. Takeuchi is busy right now with various preparations for the training programs, but let's listen to him talk about training the Korean peninsula.

Mr. Takeuchi, Director of the Training Division of the Scholastic Affairs Bureau

There are already dōjōs and training centers for various occupational groups throughout the country, but Korea will probably be the first country to have government-run dōjōs in every region of the country. It is said that the various programs of the Imperial Way Training Institutes were added by Director-General Eguchi after consulting with the Governor-General. Although spiritual training should naturally be conducted in mainland Japan as well, it is harder to organize from a geographical standpoint, and the Japanese people have a high national character. That is probably why we don't adopt such large-scale training programs in mainland Japan.

Training can be roughly divided into three main programs: the training of leaders, the training at workplaces, and the training at schools. The term 'rural leaders' refers to section chiefs, county governors, police stations, directors of financial institutions, school principals, etc. in each province. Training will begin at the same time in each area of the country and will continue nonstop throughout the year for many years. Those students who have been trained at the schools will graduate and undergo training in their respective occupational fields, and then become local leaders and undergo training at the Imperial Way Training Institutes.

The details have not yet been announced, but starting in March, every Monday will be designated as a training day, and there is really nothing difficult about it. All you have to do is to come to work an hour or 30 minutes early on that day, do some calisthenic training, physical exercises, listen to a character building talk, and do some manual labor. Not all of them are required to enter a dōjō to perform Misogi. There seems to be a misunderstanding on this point.

There are many people who are suspicious of entering a training dōjō. Everyone nowadays knows the gravity of the times. They know that they have to work hard. However, if you enter a training dōjō and continue a rigorous mental regimen for even one week, you will achieve an iron determination. Then you will feel the pleasure of putting things into practice without complaint. You will be inspired. That might be all there is to it. The other day, I visited the Rokuhara Farmers dōjō (Iwate prefecture, Japan), which strictly enforced the National Worship Ritual, the raising of the national flag, and proper eating habits, but the rest was just field work. However, when I saw those who were doing the work, I found that they had an incorruptible mentality. I believe that this spiritual life makes the can-do attitude penetrate strongly and deeply into one's heart and soul.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-02-03

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年2月2日

画期的半島の錬成要項成る　三月一日開始

『皇道修練院』を設置

四錬成型に分類実施

総督府では去月四日小磯総督が本府の御用始式においてなしたる初訓示の趣旨に則り、現下の決戦体制に即応して、全鮮の官公吏を初め、あらゆる民間会社、各種団体等の職員幹部、男女中等学校以上の学生、生徒など半島二千四百万同胞の指導者並びに中堅たるべき青壮年層に対し修養錬成の徹底的実践をなすべく、過般来立案中のところ、このほど具体案を決定。一日これに関する小磯総督談話と共に画期的な『修養錬成の徹底的実践要綱』を次の如く発表した。

要綱によれば各種錬成機関の中心たる『皇道修練院』を京城府に新たに開設して総督がかねて高唱する醇乎たる日本精神及び日本的世界観の透徹を基調として官民各界指導者の錬成を行い、かつ全鮮官民全般にわたる修養錬成を指導せしむると同時に他方錬成方法を

（一）指導者錬成

（二）職域錬成

（三）学校等の錬成

（四）地方指導者の錬成

なる四つの錬成型に分ち、被錬成者の学識、年齢、素質等に応じて鉄の如き修養錬成を加え、以って文字通り血の決戦にも堪え得る強健なる心身を鍛え上げんとするもので、『皇道修練院』は来る四月より開始。

職域錬成及び学校等の錬成については三月一日より毎週月曜日を『錬成日』と定め、所定の錬成方法に基づいて全鮮一斉に実施することとなっている。なお対戦錬成ととも云うべきこの未曾有の錬成に動員さるべき対象は官公吏、民間会社団体指導者などの外、全鮮の警防団員、鉄道愛護団員約十九万五千人、中等学校以上の男女学生、生徒約五万人、各種官公吏養成機関又は官吏再教機関に於いて修業中の者約二千五百人、青年訓練所生徒約九万七千人、青年特別錬成所生約十一万人等を加うれば、優に五十万人を超ゆべく其の規模。

其の錬成の徹底的方式に於いて小磯総督がかねて宣明せる三大施策の一を端的に具現せるものであり、それと同時に我国が生死存亡を賭して今や雄渾なる大東亜戦を戦い抜きつつある秋。正に半島の決戦体制に即応する決戦的錬成というべきである。

修養錬成の徹底的実践要綱

（一）朝鮮総督府に皇道修練院を新設（四月）し、之に関する事務を学務局錬成課の所管とす。皇道修練院は日本精神及び日本的世界観を究明し、直接指導者の錬成を行うと共に官民全般に亘る修養錬成を指導す。

（二）錬成を左の四に区分し、三月一日より之を実施す。

１：指導者錬成　中央及び地方を通じ官公吏及び民間の幹部並びに幹部たるべき者を対象とす。

２：職域錬成　別項の如き集団を対象とす。

３：学校等の錬成　別項の如き学校及び学校類似の機関に於いて修業中の者を対象とす。

４：地方指導者錬成　地方の指導者を対象とす。

（三）錬成の実施要目左の如し

１：指導者錬成　（イ）錬成の場所＝皇道修練院付設道場（皇道修練院新設迄は適宜選定の道場）　（ロ）錬成期間＝一期平均二週間とし被錬成者に依り一週間乃至一月間に於いて適宜之を定むるものとす　（ハ）錬成の方法＝厳格なる規律の下に起居せしめ被錬成者と錬成期間の長短を考慮し適宜国体学、古典、日本的世界観等を講習せしむると共に静座、『みそぎ』等の行い及び武道教練、体操、勤労作業を併課す　（二）経営、指導者錬成道場に於ける食費等は被錬成者の旅費手当中より実費を負担せしむ。

２：職域錬成　（イ）錬成日の設定全鮮を通じ毎週月曜日を錬成日と定む。但し当日休日なるとき又は雨天等の為め予定の行事を実施難きときは順延とす　（ロ）錬成の日の行事、官公署、公共団体、会社、銀行、各種組合事務所等に在りては出勤定刻前三十分乃至一時間半、工場、鉱山、事業場等に在りては指導者の定むる適宜の時限及び時分に於いて厳格なる規律の下に概ね次の行事を行う：（一）国民儀礼　（二）体操及び教練、時宜に依り訓話、勤労作業其の他の行事を以て之に代う。右の行事には女子を参加せしめ女子儀礼及び薙刀の習得等を以て男子の教練に代うことを得、警防団、鉄道愛護国は能う限り之を錬成日に召集し概ね同一の行事を行うものとす。

３：学校等の錬成　学校（女子を含む）に在りては職域錬成に関し定めたる錬成日に於いて適宜の時限及び時分を定め職域錬成に準じ行事を行うものとす。但し訓話又は勤労作業を主とすべし官吏等の養成機関及び之に準ずるものに在りては修業者の年齢に応じ、錬成日に於ける行事を前項学校等の錬成又は職域錬成方法に拠らしむるの外、指導者錬成に於ける『錬成の方法』を参酌し被錬成者の素質に応じ常時之に適応したる錬成を行うものとす。

４：地方指導者　地方錬成道場に於いて１の指導者錬成に準じ之を行う。

職域錬成を受くべき者

一、左の如き官公署及び公共団体の職員　（一）総督府（含外局）、道庁、府郡島庁、警察署、邑事務所等　（二）地方逓信局、貯金管理所、主なる郵便局等　（三）地方鉄道局、鉄道事務所、主なる駅、保線区、機関区及び工場等　（四）地方専売局、主なる専売局出張所及び工場等　（五）税関及び主なる税関出張所等　（六）税務監督局及び税務署等　（七）法院、検事局、法院支庁、検事分局、保護観察所及び刑務所等　（八）営林署　（九）官庁各種出張所、検査所及び試験場等　（十）道立医院学校附属病院等　（十一）其の他錬成を行うことを要する認むる官公署、公共団体等

二、警防団員、鉄道愛護団員、約十九万五千人

三、主なる会社、銀行、各種組合、工場、鉱山、及び事業場等の職員（労務者に対しても成るべく職員に準じ錬成を行うこと）

学校等の錬成を受くべき者

一、中等学校以上の学生、生徒、約五万人

二、別表の如き各種の官吏等の養成機関又は官吏再教育機関に於いて修業中の者、約二千五百人

三、青年訓練所生徒約九万七千人

四、青年特別錬成所生約十一万人

五、農民訓練所等各種訓練所に入所中の者

京城日報　1943年2月3日

錬成日は毎週月曜

皇道修練院の設置　竹内錬成課長談

半島二千四百万が鉄の決意をもって起ち上った十八年初頭の御用始式において小磯総督は『修養錬成の徹底的実践』、生産力の拡充、庶政執務の刷新の三大綱領を掲げ、”理念より実践へ”の旗幟も高らかに逞しい実行力を要望したが、新年度を待たずしてまず”修養錬成の徹底的実践要綱”を発表。一ヶ月の準備期間を置いて三月一日から早くも歩武堂々と実践に移すこととなった。

鉄石の精神力と実行力こそ決戦完勝への大道であらねばならない、と内地に先んじて最も組織的な官営修練道場『皇道修練院』を設置。半島官民学徒を問わず、この世紀の聖戦を戦い抜く金剛不壊の精神力、実践力を与えようとするものだが、錬成方法の諸準備に忙しい竹内錬成課長に半島を錬成する弁を聞いてみよう。

語る竹内錬成課長

各職域別による道場とか錬成所などは全国至る所にあるが全地域的な官営の道場を持つのは凡らく朝鮮が始めてだろう。皇道修練院の各種は江口総務局長が総督に相談されて付けたと聞いている。内地でも当然錬成を行なうべきだが、地域上からみてまとまりが悪いのと民度の高さからいってこうした大規模な錬成方法を採らないのであろう。

錬成は大体指導者錬成、職域錬成、学校等の錬成に三大別出来る。ここでいう地方指導者とは各道の課長級、郡守、署所、金組理事、学校長などを称する。錬成は各地とも一斉に開始し、年中無休で今後幾年でもやってゆく。早い話が学校で錬成された者は卒業して職域別の錬成を受け、更に地方指導者となって皇道修練院で錬成を受けるわけだ。

まだ実施細目を発表していないが、三月からは毎週月曜日を錬成日と定めて実践するが、別段難しいことはない。その日は一時間か三十分早目に出勤して教練とか体操とか時には訓話を聞くとか勤労作業を行うとかでよいわけだ。全部が全部道場に入って『みそぎ』を行うものだとは限らない。この点どうも誤解があるようだ。

錬成道場に入ることを不審がる人がよくある。今時の人なら誰しも時局の重大さを知っている。頑張らねばならぬことも知っている。然し錬成道場に入って厳しい精神生活を仮令一週間でも続ければ鉄の決意が出来る。それから文句なしに実践することの快味を覚える。発奮して来る。要するにそれだけかも知れない。過日、六原農民道場を観たが国民儀礼国旗掲揚、食事作法を厳重にして、その他は野良仕事だけだった。然しやっている人を見ると実に冒し難い精神力を持っているのだ。この精神生活によって”やらねばならぬ””実行だ”ということが強く深く心魂に徹するのだと信ずる。

Imperial Japanese penal official said Korean 'ideological criminals' (independence activists) were 'not well made as human beings', but 'if only their thoughts could be corrected, then they will get better' so they can be 'used' for wartime labor, but 'this is not the case with ordinary criminals'

The following are parts 3 and 4 of an interesting roundtable discussion by Imperial Japanese colonial officials discussing how to best utilize the incarcerated juvenile criminals, ideological criminals, and common criminals under their control for wartime production purposes. Please see this previous post for parts 1 and 2 of this roundtable discussion. Apparently, colonial officials believed that ideological criminals, who included Korean independence activists, could have their thoughts corrected, so they had more labor potential than common criminals, who were perceived to be less reformable. One gullible penal official was apparently duped into paying in part for the Korean clothes of one laborer who had a criminal record for theft, and the official's home was later burglarized, presumably by the laborer himself.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) September 12, 1943

Talking about Judicial Protection

Roundtable discussion organized by the head office of Keijo Nippo newspaper - Part 3

Guidance for Increasing Military Strength

Encouraging Prisoners in the Construction of Airfields

Speakers (in no particular order)

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

Roundtable discussion scene

Keijo Nippo Reporter: No matter how earnestly we give guidance with love and fervent instruction, I think that there will still be people who will cause trouble for the Bureau of Justice. What are the views of those in the military as to how the subjects of judicial protection should be mobilized?

Naval Major Nishida: I think it would be fine if they are readily used under the firm guidance of companies in the production area that believe that what they are doing is directly useful to the nation. There may be a security issue or two, but in the context of the war, these issues are not so important, and I think this is the quickest way to meet the demands of the nation.

We have used prisoners to build certain airplanes, but I have heard that most of the prisoners were so enthusiastic and happy to know that their work in a place without any comfort services was helping to protect Japan. I have also heard that they were more efficient than those who were used from one group.

I think it would be very good if you could supervise them and assign them to such areas, rather than just suddenly releasing them out of the blue.

Keijo Nippo Reporter: As a specialist, what is your opinion on the problem that crime is preventing the increase in military strength in wartime?

Mr. Miyazaki, Secretary of the Criminal Affairs Division: Recently, the public has been paying a great deal of attention to the issue of production buildup. This is the people's mindset of responding to the current stage of the war, and anyone who stands in the way must be resolutely removed. Judicial protection is playing a significant role in removing such obstacles.

So far, the goal of judicial protection has been to passively maintain public order, but from now on, it must also get involved in the wartime aspects of life which are directly involved in the production buildup.

The number of Korean subjects of general judicial protection is estimated at around 3,000, and even though it is difficult to figure out what to do once we gather them together, it is not effective to handle them as a dispersed group. The most important thing is to gather them together and use their combined strength towards the goal of increasing production.

Mr. Ohno, Director of the Seoul Court of Inquiry: I have been thinking about what you said earlier, and although I think that people who commit ideological crimes are not well made as human beings, if only their thoughts could be corrected, then they will get better. However, this is not the case with ordinary criminals. In the fall of the year before last, I had some work to do at home, so I hired three laborers from the Seoul Educational Foundation.

I took notice of these laborers who had relatively good potential, so I invited them back to my house several times, so I could work with them and guide them. I thought to myself, if it went well, then there would be much to gain. My wife also felt this way and did various things, such as serving them dinner before sending them home, and letting them take some fruits home.

One of them was 17 years old and had one conviction for theft, but he was completely repentant and said he would do anything to get back on his feet. He said he would figure out something to do even without my prompting, but he eventually came to me and asked if I had a relatively preferential job for him. As New Year's Day approached, he asked me, "I found this store selling some Korean clothes for 17 yen, but I only have half the money to pay for it. I'm wondering if you could provide me with the rest of the money to help pay for it?" He was just a small 17-year-old child with no parents, so I decided to help him purchase it.

However, he never came again. After a while, my house was burglarized. I cannot believe that my way of doing things was a success in any way, even as a joke. I think it is a difficult question to answer as to why I failed. The judicial protection program is designed to guide and rehabilitate subjects by showing them compassion. It is extremely easy to first show them compassion, but it is extremely difficult to guide and rehabilitate them.

Mr. Miyazaki: Mr. Ohno mentioned that judicial protection services are very difficult to manage. I think that it is very difficult for judicial protection services to remake a subject's personality into a perfect person.

However, it is not enough for today's protection services to merely strive towards the perfection of the subject's personality. When human resources are in dire need of replenishment, it is not enough to perfect the human personality. Instead, I believe that the most important demand for judicial services today is to directly contribute to the buildup of production.

I believe that this is, at the same time, the goal of judicial protection. In this respect, juvenile protection seems to be very easy. There is a possibility that the trial court can place a juvenile in a juvenile reformatory institution or in a judicial protection group and firmly deal with them. Furthermore, ideological criminals under judicial protection also have the probation office to watch over them, so it is possible to put all of their cases together there. But there are difficulties when it comes to general judicial protection.

Mr. Ohno: It's just two sides of the same coin, isn't it?

Mr. Satō, Chief of the Protection Division of the Legal Affairs Bureau: That requires organization.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-09-12

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) September 14, 1943

Talking about Judicial Protection

Roundtable discussion hosted by the head office of Keijo Nippo newspaper - Part 4

Rehabilitated prisoners who are sent south

Futaba Cram School, a juvenile protection school with an attractive reputation

Keijo Nippo Reporter: I would like you to share your thoughts from the standpoint of judicial punishment.

Mr. Sakafuji, Officer of the Criminal Affairs Division: I am in a position directly related to judicial protection, and from that standpoint, I believe that judicial protection must always move in the same direction as judicial punishment. However, simply viewing things in light of the ongoing current war situation, we find ourselves needing to cooperate in all aspects to increase military strength. In terms of its essential and systemic aspects, judicial punishment has been very passive in nature.

However, in order to break through these various restraints to some extent, and to actively embark on this project, we are currently dispatching a considerable number of people to the south. We have received a large number of requests from those who wish to be dispatched to the south. In general, the volunteers want to gain redemption by serving during wartime, and there is a significant feeling that this desire for redemption can be used towards the purpose of increasing military strength. However, for this reason, we do not send any number of people who wish to join us, but rather we select and train from among those who wish to join us.

At present, prisons also provide special training and technical training for this purpose, but I believe that an organizational plan must be established to mobilize subjects under judicial protection to increase military strength based on the Imperial Way of Labor.

Since subjects under general protection are dispersed, it is acceptable to organize a few protection groups for all of Korea. Labor groups can be organized, and they can become the basis for increasing military strength through work. This is where the way forward for judicial protection can be found.

Keijo Nippo Reporter: Now, Mr. Satō will give us an overview of judicial protection in the past year.

Mr. Satō: Judicial protection can be divided into three parts: juvenile criminal protection, ideological criminal protection, and general criminal protection. The system for juveniles was established for the first time in Korea on March 25 last year, but the law was promulgated on March 23 and came into effect on March 25. That left only two days to implement the law, which did not leave enough time to actually implement it. I must say that most of last year was spent in preparation for the implementation of this law.

Last year, we started by appointing juvenile protection officers. The Juvenile Court asked the chief public prosecutors in the six provinces within the jurisdiction of the Seoul Court of Inquiry to recommend suitable juvenile protection officers, and we appointed 151 of them as commissioned juvenile protection officers. The appointments were made on September 18, and it took a considerable period of time just to select the juvenile protection officers. The Juvenile Protection Center has established an organization called Futaba Cram School Foundation with the idea of providing direct guidance for the actual judicial protection of juvenile ideological criminals.

We are in the process of renovating buildings that have been confiscated from enemy states, but when this is completed, we plan to accommodate 200 juvenile offenders in both Incheon and Gongju, and if we give them focused training for two months, just as we do in mainland Japan, we will be able to train about 1,000 people five times a year. If we do not do this, we will not be able to provide actual judicial protection for the approximately 20,000 juveniles in our jurisdiction. In this way, we would like to have them serve in projects related to the current war situation and, if possible, become industrial warriors. The Seoul Juvenile Training Center is currently under construction. It is currently housed in a temporary building in the town of Ahyeon. It began operation in January of this year, but it has a capacity of about 20 students, which is inadequate.

The Juvenile Court began to handle all cases in January of this year, and from January to June of this year, the number of cases it has handled is 980. Since the facilities for the internment judicial protection of these juveniles are not yet complete, they are left in the hands of the protection officers, and we are in a hurry to add collective training as soon as possible.

Keijo Nippo Reporter: What about ideological crimes?

Mr. Satō: Currently, we have [redacted] people under judicial protection for ideological crimes. In the six years since the system started, the number of those placed on judicial probation has totaled 3,500, of which 45 were prosecuted for committing further crimes during their probationary period, so the number of recidivists is small. Our aim is to have passive allies and true converts alike devote themselves to the service of our country. When I see such admirable things, I am struck by their seriousness. They remake not only themselves, but also embark on the Imperialization movement, so that there are 44 Japanese language institutes and 12,000 graduates of those institutes, with 6,500 people currently attending lectures. In addition, we are making considerable efforts to ensure that the purpose of the conscription system is thoroughly understood.

Next, I would like to mention the activities of the Judicial Protection Commissioners. Last year, we appointed 4,500 commissioners in all of Korea. As of the end of June, there were 3,513 subjects under the oversight of the commissioners, of which 34 have been found to have committed a second offense. Considering the fact that the number of so-called previous offenders who committed a second offence during the probationary period is one third the number in previous years, I think 34 is a good result.

Keijo Nippo reporter: Lastly, what are your hopes for the general public regarding judicial protection?

Mr. Hayata: It is thought that judicial protection has always been considered to be important, but in the past, the critical importance of judicial protection was forgotten. Although the general public has become more aware of this issue, it is still not enough. I would like to see this point thoroughly raised, especially in newspapers and magazines.

In particular, I believe that the most important thing in this emergency situation is to maintain security in the home front. I am glad to see that the judicial protection activities have made considerable progress, but I think it is most necessary to secure human resources as well as to maintain security.

This is a particularly important issue in the current decisive war situation. In this sense, I would like to ask the general public to firmly pull those who are subject to judicial protection in the right direction. If we do so, we will be able to maintain public order and secure scarce human resources, which will immediately help to strengthen our armed forces. I would like the general public to be well aware of this.

Keijo Nippo Reporter: Thank you very much for your time.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-09-14

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年9月12日

司法保護を語る

本社主催座談会3

戦力の増強へ指導

飛行場の建設に囚人の奮励

語る人　（順序不同）

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

本社側：指導が如何に切々たる愛情と烈々たる教導を以てしても、やはり司局の手を煩わす人間が出て来ると思うのですが、それら司法保護の対象者を動員しようとする場合、軍の方ではどういう風にお考えですか。

西田海軍少佐：自分のやっていることが、直接国家のお役に立つという生産方面の会社あたりでしっかりした指導のもとにどしどし使って頂いたら結構だと思います。その中には治安的な一、二の問題もありますが、戦うという意味においてそれらの問題はそう重要視すべきものではなく、これが一番手取り早い国家の要求に応ずる途だと思います。

ある方面の飛行機を作ります際、囚人を使用したこともありますが、そこに来て居った大部分の囚人は何等慰安もないところで自分達の働いていることが日本を守る力になるのだという非常な熱意と喜びを以って、却って一班から採用しました者より能率をあげているような話も耳にしております。

こういうようにいきなり放すのではなく、一面監督しつつそういう方面にあたらして行くようにされたら非常にいいんじゃないかと思います。

本社側：犯罪が決戦下の戦力増強を欺く妨げておるという問題につきまして専門の方から。

宮崎刑事課事務官：最近は生産増強という問題に非常に国民の関心が向いて来ています。それは戦争の現段階に応じようとする国民の心持であり、その邪魔をする者は断乎として除去されなければならないのでありますが、それを取り除けるために司法保護が相当大きな働きをしております。

司法保護の行き方も大体今までは消極的な治安の維持というようなところにその目標があったが、今後はそれに加えて生産増強に直接ぶつかって戦争生活にまみれるという行き方で行かなければならないのではないか。

朝鮮の対象者は一般保護の方は三千幾らということですが、これを集めてどうするということは困難であるにしても、これを分散したものとして取り扱って行くことは効果的でない。集めて綜合された力を発揮することが一番必要で、而もその目標は生産増強に向けることです。

大野京城覆審法院部長：先程から色々御話を伺って考えて見ますのに、思想犯を犯す者は大体人間が出来ているのではないが、その思想さえ直せばよくなるのではないかと思うのです。ところが普通犯はそうは行かない。一昨年の秋、私の家庭に仕事があったものですから、京城教護会から三人の人夫を傭って使って見ました。

その内比較的見込みのある者に目をつけまして、その後再三家に呼んで見て働かせると共に出来たら導いてみよう。うまく行ったら儲けものだという気持ちでやって見たのです。家内もそういう気持ちで夕飯を食べさして帰したり、果物を持たしてやったりして色々とやっておりました。

その中の一人十七歳で窃盗前科一犯のものがいましたが、すっかり悔悟し何とかして立ち直りますと言います。なってこちらが呼ばなくとも何かそうすると。しまいに、私のところで比較的優遇というような形に仕事はないかと言って遊びに来る。そのうちお正月が近くなったが、何処そこに朝鮮服のいいのが十七円であるけれども、半分だけ自分が持っているけれども、あとの半分は何とかならんでしょうかというので、ついこちらも十七位の小さい子供であるし、親もないというので、そうかといって買わしたのです。

ところがそれきり来なくなった。暫く経って、私の家に泥棒がはいった。この事実を考えて見て自分のやり方が冗談にも成功だとは思えない。何故失敗したか、これは却々難しい問題だと思うのです。司法保護事業というのは対象者に憐憫の情けをかけて導いて更生させてやることですが、最初に憐憫の情けをかけることは極めてやさしいが、それを指導し更生させるということは極めて難しい。

宮崎氏：今大野さんから司法保護事業が大変難しいというお話があったのですが、一人の対象者を人格的に完全な者に創り直すということは、保護事業にあっては非常に困難だろうと思います。

しかし、今日の保護事業は人格の完成に向かって行くのでは足りない。現下人的資源の充足が切望されているとき、人格の完成を持っても間に合わない。それより、生産の増強に直接役立って行くということが現下の司法事業に対する最も大きな要請ではないかと思います。

これは同時に司法保護の目標ではないかと考えます。その点少年保護は非常にやり易いように思う。審判所で少年院、或いは保護団体に預けて一応固めてやれる可能性がある。更に思想保護も保護観察所があって一応そこで引っくるめることが出来るからです。一般保護に至っては困難であります。

大野氏：それは結局裏と表で、同じことではないですかね。

佐藤法務局保護課長：それは組織が必要なんですね。

京城日報　1943年9月14日

司法保護を語る

本社主催座談会（完）

南に更生の刑余者

名も床しい少年保護の二葉塾

本社側：そこで行刑の立場から伺いたいと思います。

坂藤行刑課事務官：私の方は司法保護に直接関係の深い立場にあるのですが、その立場から常に行刑の一つの方向に司法保護も向かって行かなければならぬ、と考えておりますので、行刑の方から簡単に申しますと、決戦連続の現下の情勢に於きまして、どうしても戦力増強の方面に全面的に協力して行かなければならないという立場にありますので、行刑方面に於きましても相当その方面に進出しているつもりでありますが、もともと行刑というものは制度的に見まして或いは本質的に見ましても非常に消極的に出来ている。

併しそうした色々な拘束をある程度打ち破って、積極的に乗り出そうということから、今南方へ相当派遣しておりますが、希望者を募って見ると相当多数の希望があるのです。大体に於いて決戦下贖罪の気持ちを戦力増強の方面に役立たして貰いたいという気持ちも多分に含まれておる。併しそれがために何人でも彼人でも希望者を送るのではなく、その希望者の中から錬成して遣っております。

現在刑務所においても、そのために特別の錬成を施すとか、或いは技術訓練を授けるという方法でやっていますが、司法保護においても皇国勤労観というものに立って戦力増強の方面に動員するという組織計画が樹てられなければならないのではないか。

それには一般保護方面は分散していますから、これを数個の保護団体或いは全鮮を通じてもよいが、勤労班というものを組織して、それに基いて一つの戦力増強方面の作業に就かしめる。そこに司法保護の進歩する道が発見されるのではないか。

本社側：では、佐藤課長さんから過去一年間に於ける司法保護の概要について。

佐藤氏：少年と思想と一般の三分野に分けて申しますと、少年については昨年の三月二十五日に朝鮮で初めて制度の創設を見たが、法令の公布が二十三日で、施行が二十五日、その間二日しかないため、実際施行にはなったが実施は出来ないのであります。それで昨年中は殆ど実施の準備中であったというように申さなければならないのであります。

昨年先ず少年保護司の任命から開始したのでありますが、少年審判所は京城覆審法院管内六道に亘って各地の検事正にお願いして少年保護司の適任を推薦して戴き、その中から百五十一名を嘱託少年保護司として任命致しました。これが九月十八日で相当の期間を、少年保護司を選択するだけでも要したのであります。少年保護団体は思想犯保護の実際に鑑み直接指導するという考えの下に財団法人二葉塾という団体を作りました。

最近漸く仁川と公州に敵産を借り受けて修理中ですが、これが完成すると両方で少年犯二百名を収容する予定で、これを内地でやっているように二ヶ月間錬成一点張りで鍛えて行きますと、年に五回、約千名位の錬成が出来ると思う。そうしないと管内約二万位保護を要する少年があるので、実際の保護は出来ない。このようにして時局に関係のある事業に奉仕させ、出来れば産業戦士としたい理想をもっている。京城少年院は目下建築準備中である。現在阿峴町の方に仮庁舎があって、本年一月から収容を開始しているが、収容定員が二十名位で、これでは不十分であります。

少年審判所が一切の事件を処理し出したのは本年一月であるが、本年一月から六月まで処理したものが九百八十件である。これらの少年を収容保護の施設が未完成なため、保護司の手に委ねている状態で、一刻も早く集団的修練を加えたいと焦っております。

本社側：思想犯はどうでしょう。

佐藤氏：現在〇〇名の対象者を保護しています。制度開始以来六年間に保護観察処分に附した者が三千五百名になっていますが、その内観察中に更に犯罪を犯して起訴されたものは四十五人です。かく再犯者が少ないというのは、消極的な味方であって、本当に転向した者は一身を捧げて御国のために奉公することが狙いです。そうした感心なものを見るとその真剣さに打たれます。自分だけの再生ではなく、それらのものが皇民化運動に乗り出していて、その国語講習所が四十四ヶ所ありますし、そこの修了者が一万二千、目下講義をうけているものが六千五百名という状態であります。その他徴兵制の趣旨徹底ということには相当尽力しているのです。

次に特に申し上げておきたいのは司法保護委員の活動であります。全鮮で昨年四千五百名の委員を任命しました。委員の対象者が六月の末に三千五百十三名、その中再犯の明かになった者は三十四名。従来所謂前科者の三分一が再犯者になっていた事実から申すと三十四名はよい成績と思います。

本社側：最後に司法保護に対する一般民衆への希望を早田局長にお願いします。

早田局長：司法保護のことはもとより重要なことに考えられていたが、大体従来は一番大事な保護というのを忘れていた。一般にもこれに関する認識が大分強まっては来たが、まだ十分だといえない。この点については特に新聞や雑誌などによって大いに徹底せしめて貰いたいと思います。

殊にこの非常時局に於いて一番大切なことは銃後の治安維持であると思います。これが司法保護の活動によって相当の成績が挙げているということは嬉しいが、その治安の保持と共に人的資源の確保ということが最も必要であろうと思います。

今の決戦態勢下、特にこれが重要な問題であります。その意味に於いて一般社会の人々が司法保護の対象になる者をその方面にしっかり引っぱっていって貰いたい。そうすれば治安の維持も不足している人的資源も確保され、直ちに戦力の増強に役立つと思うのであります。このことを一般大衆によく知って貰いたく思うのであります。

本社側：長い間有難うございました。

Young Korean men were 'beaten into shape' at militaristic farmers' dōjō (Imperial Japanese training indoctrination camp) to cultivate the next generation of rural Korean leaders who would spread the Imperial Way of farming throughout the Korean countryside (Daejeon, 1943)

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

I have to acknowledge historian Jeong Jae-jeong (정재정/鄭在貞) for writing an excellent paper about Imperial Japanese indoctrination camps in Korea, including farmers' dōjōs, in his 2005 paper, '日帝下朝鮮における国家総力戦体制と朝鮮人の生活' ('The National Total War System in Korea under Imperial Japanese rule and the lives of the Korean people'), which he wrote in Korean and Japanese as part of a project of the Japan-Korea Cultural Foundation (Japanese language PDF link, Korean language PDF link). Unfortunately, this article is not available in English. 

As Jeong explains in his papers, colonial authorities set up training camps and centers for students, laborers, farmers, young women, and even government officials to indoctrinate Koreans in Imperial Japanese ways. The Yuseong Farmers' Dōjō was one training camp that was originally set up more as a normal vocational center for local men to learn the latest modern farming techniques, but later taken over by Imperial Way fanatics to become more like a religious cult indoctrination center. There was apparently also a parallel Yuseong Women's Training Center for young women to learn farming techniques, child rearing, and house chores, which Jeong mentions in his paper.

This article describes inmates singing songs by Ninomiya Sontoku (alternatively named Ninomiya Ginjiro), whose teachings South Korean dictator Park Chung-hee adopted in his New Community Movement, which was a campaign to modernize rural South Korea incorporating ideas from traditional Korean communalism and didactic techniques that were commonly used in Imperial Japan. Quoting a passage from The New Community Movement: Park Chung Hee and the Making of State Populism in Korea by Han Seung-mi:

Nevertheless, the New Community Movement met with genuine response from the countryside. Its key methodology was spiritual training. It was enforced under guidelines set by Park himself, and "non-economic" mental/social issues were addressed in order for the economy to prosper. Park was influenced by Japanese-style mental training, as were his high-ranking officials and policy advisors, who also believed in a Weberian emphasis on work ethics. "The Swiss had the Puritans, and the Japanese have Ninomiya Ginjiro" (interview, April 1999). Interesting, this comment by a former NCM policy maker at the Blue House was echoed by an elderly farmer in the countryside: "I knew instantly what the president was getting across. It was Ninoyama Ginjiro! He was in our 6th grade textbook!" (Interview with a farmer in his seventies, Yeoju County, Kyunggi Province, May 1999). In fact, it assumed an urban bias to assume that the culture of poverty—laziness, despair, and intemperance—was behind the slow economic growth in the countryside. Farmers in general had not given up on life before the NCM was introduced, as the slogans suggested. Rather, the problem was structural in nature. 

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) May 3, 1943 (Monday Special Edition)

Increase Production in Harmony with the Earth

Valiant Training Without Any Sundays Off

Young People Leading Tomorrow's Farming Communities

In order to win the Greater East Asia War, it is necessary to increase production in all areas of production, and the Korean peninsula is currently continuing its daring battle toward increasing its military strength. In particular, Korea, which is called the 'granary peninsula,' is in a position of having to fulfill its duty given to it to increase food production. However, the emphasis on increasing food production is not limited to the conventional increase in crop yields. Indeed, Governor-General Koiso stresses the need to turn the farmers of the Korean peninsula into farmers of the Imperial Way at every opportunity, and explains the necessity of spiritual training. To this end, each province is committed to training the young men who are to become the central figures in the rural villages, and they are constantly training day and night at their respective farmers' dōjōs.

How are the young farmers being trained? How are they creating the core group of young farming men who will carry the future of the Korean peninsula's farming villages on their shoulders? This newspaper visited the Yuseong Farmers' dōjō in Chungnam, the oldest farmers' dōjō in Korea and a model for other provinces, to report with a pen and camera on the reality of "farmers being trained". [Correspondent Kimura]

The sign says 忠清南道儒城農民道場, or Chungcheongnam-do Yuseong Farmers' Dōjō.

How the dōjō is organized

The first farmers' dōjō was established in Korea not long ago, during the reign of Governor-General Ugaki, as one of the measures to realize the policy of rural development, and was established in each rural village to train a core group of young men to become self-sufficient farmers. The Yuseong Farmers' dōjō, established in June 1934, was the spearhead of this project. Since then, this facility has been recognized by each province as being very useful for training farmers, especially for creating core groups of young men in each village, and now there are no provinces without a farmers' dōjō. At first, the goal was to establish self-sufficient farming through self-rehabilitation, but after the war, under the great mission to secure food for the Co-prosperity Sphere under the Greater East Asia War, there will be a strong demand to practice farming the Imperial Way, not simply to expand the area of arable land and rationally use fertilizers. They are being trained to "love the soil, live with the soil, and die with the soil" just as they do in mainland Japan, to practice Korean farming carried forth by spiritual training. For this reason, the Yuseong Farmers' dōjō, which serves as a model for all of Korea, has increased its capacity from 60 to 100 inmates this year to accelerate the Imperialization of Korean farmers.

Photo: A panoramic view of the Yuseong Farmers' dōjō in Chungnam.

This dōjō is located 12 kilometers from Daejeon, or a 30-minute walk from the Yuseong Hot Springs. The dōjō is surrounded by pine forests on one side and farm fields on three sides. It has a blessed environment with a view of orchards run by mainland Japanese operators in the far distance. The dōjō students currently undergoing training here are 60 men selected from the six counties of Daedeok, Yeongi, Gongju, Nonsan, Asan, and Cheonan. They live together in independent farmhouses in groups of five and undergo training without taking time off on Sundays.

The farmhouses were given names such as "rehabilitation," "promotion," "self-reliance," "service," "community," "thrift," "wise farming," "benevolent farming," "diligent farming," "respectful farming," "encouraging farming," "loving farming," and so on. For each farmhouse, whoever had the most outstanding academic background or agricultural ability was chosen to be the house leader, and he was placed in charge of the four remaining housemates. There are 12 farmhouses, six each on the east and west sides of the dōjō, with five people living in the same room, forming a completely independent farmhouse. There is a pigpen, a chicken coop, a compost shed, a cow shed, and so on. While they are cramped, they are equipped with the most ideal facilities for Korean farmers. The 12 farmhouses are of the same standard design and currently accommodate five people each. But since the dōjō is being planned to accommodate another 40 people in the near future, each farmhouse will eventually accommodate seven people each. There are plans to build two additional farmhouses. The dōjō owns arable land including rice paddies (4 chō + 1 se + 6 bu = 4.0 hectares or 9.8 acres), farm fields (5 chō + 4 tan + 6 se = 5.4 hectares or 13.4 acres), muddy fields (9 tan + 8 se + 5 bu = 1.0 hectare or 2.4 acres), forestland (6 chō + 8 tan + 6 bu = 6.7 hectares or 16.7 acres), 12 cows, 60 chickens, 18 sheep, and 12 rabbits, and is self-sufficient in everything except miso and soy sauce. On top of that, since annual revenues are 4,800 yen with vegetables alone, it means that highly intensive farming is being practiced compared to farmers overall. Since the number of inmates is increased by 40 while the amount of cultivated land remains the same, this means that we will have to put extra effort into intensive farming going forward.

In addition to the house leader, all four members of the farmhouse are assigned to the following tasks in an organized manner: rice cultivation, vegetables, animal husbandry, and facility management. In addition to the work assignments for each house, the dōjō as a whole is assigned a public morals officer, a power facility officer, a sales officer, a purchasing officer, and a cooking officer. All the harvested produce is submitted to the sales officer, and proceeds are transferred to the savings accounts of each farmhouse.

Beat them into shape to stop their "reliance on others"

Dōjō Life

The life of the dōjō students here is the same as that of the Navy: Monday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Friday, and the daily routine is repeated day in and day out with total discipline. In the morning, they wake up at 5:00 a.m., clean up the area around the farmhouse, tidy up the house, and wash up by 5:35 a.m. Then they gather in front of the Ōkura Worship Hall in the pine forest for the morning assembly, during which roll call is held, and then participants reverently bow towards the Worship Hall performing two claps, two bows, and then one clap, followed by Kyūjō Yōhai worship bowing in the direction of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo and then the Ise Jingū Yōhai worship bowing in the direction of Ise Shrine. Then the dōjō leader or instructor gives a speech, followed by national calisthenics exercises. From then until seven o'clock is the first working hour, during which they are assigned to work on such tasks as manure collection, weeding, straw work, farming, and livestock management, and in some cases, they are gathered in the auditorium for lectures.

Breakfast time is from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. To instill a sense of gratitude for food, they are required to say the pre-meal and post-meal vows three times. For breakfast, the inmate would stand in front of a bowl of miso soup, takuan picked radishes, and a heaping pile of rice, with his palms pressed together, chopsticks between his thumb and forefinger, and say,

"I am deeply grateful to the gods and Buddha for their blessings and the labor of so many people that went into the food being served to us. I will not be averse to eating this food because it tastes bad, nor will I be greedy because it tastes good. Let's eat."

After making this vow, he takes his chopsticks, and finishing breakfast, he is full of strength in body and mind, and now he will strive hard to perform the morning's work. The same vow is made at lunch, but they make the following vow after dinner:

"Now that dinner is over, we are full of strength, so let us reflect on today's work and prepare for tomorrow."

In addition, from February until the end of the training period in December, the students are required to memorize six Chinese characters a day, two at a time after each meal, in order to reach the goal of learning 2,000 Chinese characters. Although the dōjō students are usually graduates of national schools (elementary schools), they cannot actually write letters in their everyday language, so this training in Chinese characters is based on their parents' wishes that, after they return to their villages, they will be able to read the correspondence from the local myeon (township) office and explain the contents to fellow villagers, or at least be able to write letters on their parents' behalf.

After breakfast and learning Chinese characters, the second work period lasts until 12:50 in the afternoon, and the third work period lasts from 2:00 p.m. to sundown at 7:00 p.m. These are meant to be thorough "training periods" for the dōjō students to become farmers of the Imperial Nation. This daily routine is a time to seek a rethinking of the farming practices which they had been doing at home under the orders of their parents. It is a time to beat them into shape to rethink older farming practices involving reliance on others, which include sowing seasonal seeds according to the calendar, applying fertilizer when they sprout, giving up when it does not rain, and relying on others for help when there is drought. We teach them, if it doesn't rain, dig a well. If insects appear, take them out. If there is not enough fertilizer, make more compost.

In fact, the farmers in this area only add 100 kan (375 kg) or at most 200 kan (750 kg) of compost per tan (0.1 hectare, or about 1/4 acre), but at this dōjō, they make it an absolute requirement to add 2,000 kan (7500 kg) of compost per tan. At 8:00 p.m., after the hard daytime agricultural training is over and dinner and after-dinner events are finished, lectures, diary entries, and round-table discussions are held as needed. At 9:00 p.m., the night assembly, roll call, night greetings, and greetings to the hometowns are held, and at the sound of the bell at 9:30 p.m., all 12 farmhouses turn off the lights and go to bed at once.

Competence is better than talk

All training is done in the military style, reward good work and punish bad work

Training of dōjō students

Dōjō students are selected among young men between 17 and 25 years of age. From the time they enter the dōjō in February until the busy farming season in April, they are exclusively trained to become accustomed to group life. This year's dōjō students have completely picked up military-style training after only two months. One ring of the bell under the worship hall will prompt them to immediately gather at the same time, each farmhouse reporting nothing unusual among the five housemates, and all sixty of them instantly line up.

When the inmates first entered the dōjō, they were all different from each other. The children of poor farmers were accustomed to work, but their behavior was rough, and the worst ones did not even know how to use the toilet. The sons of independent farmers were frail and useless, and the best way to train them all at the same time was to train them military style. Next, it is important for the instructors to blend in with the dōjō students and be with them. Per long-standing practice, head instructors wake up before the students, ring the bell to wake them up, and eat the same meals together with the students. We also strictly enforce the "reward and punishment" policy, profusely praising students for good behavior and readily scolding them for bad behavior, and within two months they somehow become full-fledged dōjō students, just like in the military during the first inspection period.

The dining/lecture hall is crude with desks like chopping blocks, but all around hang the nameplates of students who completed the first through the ninth terms, and in front of them hangs a portrait of Yamazaki Nobuyoshi, a distinguished agricultural expert who is lauded as the 'father of the Korean farmers'. Written on the portrait are the words, "Ideals are more important than appearances, beliefs are more important than titles, and competence is more important than talk". The students strive to cultivate their spirit by singing the songs of Ninomiya Sontoku, following the lead of their instructors, so that these words are deeply engraved in the minds of the students.

Open Your Eyes

Characteristics of the dōjō

"Open your eyes! The eyes are not only for seeing what is on the surface. Look at the difference in the growth of the barley here and the barley next to it, and look for what is causing this difference. Opening your eyes means to look and to think." When managing and sowing the barley, or practicing any work task, they are told to pay attention to the way they look at things. Just because you have sown the seeds and a crop is produced, it does not necessarily mean that you have 'made' the crop. Rather, the accomplishment comes when you work hard to take care of the soil, when there is not a single weed in the rice paddy, and the crop has been pleasantly produced. That's the first time you can say that you have 'made' the crop. The dōjō's approach to crops is aimed at instilling the concept of breathing in harmony with the soil, breaking away from the plundering mentality of agriculture that Korean farmers tend to fall into. 

In order to take advantage of the creativity and ingenuity of the dōjō students, the students are allowed to build their own livestock barns, compost sheds, and fences to accompany the 12 farmhouses, designing the structures in accordance with their own ideas. The dōjō is unique in that each farmhouse is led by a house leader, and each cow shed is built according to the students' own ideas, and each chicken coop is built in a different way.

The production amount for fiscal year 1943 is projected to be 14,434 yen, and the farmers are instructed to reduce the amount land that they have been using to cultivate vegetables from 1 chō + 2 tan (2.9 acres or 1.2 hectares) last year to just 6 tan + 1 bu (1.5 acres or 0.6 hectares) this year, which is half the amount of land used last year, and still generate the same income as last year of 4,800 yen. In order not to reduce the amount of income by cutting back on cultivated land, cultivation cannot be done arbitrarily. Therefore, the farmers are taught accelerated cultivation under the guidance of the staff, and depending on their techniques, they are taught that they can increase their income. In fact, a paper greenhouse has been built on part of the farmland for early cultivation of cucumbers and eggplants, and some of the cucumbers have already been shipped out on April 10th.

A day at the farmers' dōjō: (1) Morning assembly in front of the Ōkura Worship Hall, (2) Vows before meals, (3) Transporting fertilizers, (4) Cattle duty, (5) Cucumbers grown quickly in a paper greenhouse, (6) Sowing cotton between rows of barley in the field = at the Yuseong Farmers' dōjō in Chungnam [Photo by Harada].

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

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年5月3日　（月曜特輯）

大地と共に増産へ

逞しい日曜なしの錬成

明日の農村を担う若き人々

大東亜戦争を勝ち抜くためには凡ゆる生産部門の増産が要請され、今や半島は挙げて戦力増強に向かって敢闘を続けているが、特に『穀倉半島』と呼称されている我が朝鮮は食糧増産によって与えられた義務を果たさなければならぬ立場に置かれている。而して食糧増産の要諦は従来の作付反別の増加だけに止まらず、小磯総督は機会ある毎に半島農民の皇道農民化を強調し、精神的訓練の必要を説いている。そのためには各道とも農村部落の中心人物たるべき青年層の錬成に心がけ、夫々の農民道場で日夜絶え間なき錬成を行っている。

若き農民は如何に鍛えられつつあるか。明日の半島農村を背負って立つ農村中堅青年はどうして作り出されるか。本紙は農民道場として最古の存在であり、他道の範となっている忠南儒城農民道場を訪れて、ここにペンとカメラによって『鍛えられる農民』の実態を報告する。【木村特派員記】

道場の組織

朝鮮に農民道場が創設されたのは古いことでなく、宇垣総督時代、農村振興政策を具現する一方策として各農村部落に中堅青年の自作農を作るために出来たもので、昭和九年六月設立した儒城農民道場をもって嚆矢とする。その後、この施設が農民錬成のため、特に部落中堅青年を作り出す上に非常に役立つことが各道に認められ、現在農民道場をもたぬ道はない。初めは自力更生による自作農設定を目標としていたが、戦争後は、大東亜戦下の共栄圏内の食糧確保という大使命の下に、単なる耕地面積の拡大、肥料の合理的使用に局限せず、皇国農民道の実践が強く要請され、精神的訓練によって運ばれた半島営農を内地と同様『土を愛し、土と共に生き、土と共に死す』の訓練を行っている。このため全鮮の模範である儒城農民道場では今年から従来の収容人員六十名を百名に増員して、半島農民の皇民化に拍車をかけることになった。

【写真＝忠南儒城農民道場の全景】

この道場は大田から十二キロの儒城温泉から更に歩行三十分の地点にあり、一方を松林、三方は道場耕地に囲まれ、遥か彼方には内地人経営の果樹園などが望見出来る恵まれた環境をもっている。現在ここに入所して訓練を受けている道場生は大徳、燕岐、公州、論山、牙山、天安の六郡から選抜された六十名で、これ等が各独立した農舎で五名づつ起居を共にして、日曜日なしの訓練を受けている。

その農舎にはそれぞれ更生、振興、自力、奉仕、共同、勤倹、賢農、篤農、精農、尊農、勧農、愛農等々の舎名がつけられていて、一舎のうち、学歴、農業能力などの優れた者を家長とし、残る四名の舎生の統率をしている。十二農舎は東西に六戸づつ建ててあり、五名の者が同室に起居し、全く独立した農家を形成している。豚舎あり、鶏舎あり、堆肥小屋あり、牛小屋あり．．．狭い乍らも半島農家の最も理想的な施設が具備されており、十二の農舎は同一規格で、現在は一舎五名づつを収容しているが、近く更に四十名を収容することになっており、そうなると一舎七名となり、ほかに二舎増築の予定になっているが、道場所有耕地は畓四町一畝六歩、田五町四反六畝、垈九反八畝五歩、林野六町八反六歩、家畜は牛十二頭、鶏六十羽、緬羊十八頭、兎十二羽で、味噌、醤油以外のものは一切自給自足し、なおその上蔬菜だけでも年収四千八百円をあげているから他の一般農家に比し高度の集約営農を行っていることになり、人員が四十名殖えても耕地は従前通りであるため今後は一層集約営農という点に力を注ぐことになっている。

農舎には家長のほか四名のもの全部に田畓作係、蔬菜係、飼育係、施設係を決めて秩序ある作業を割り当てている。各舎の割り当ての上に道場全体にも風紀、動力施設、販売、購買、炊事係をそれぞれ決めて、出来た作物は全部販売係に提出し、売上金は農舎毎に貯蓄に繰り入れる。

叩き直す”他力本願”

道場の生活

此処の道場生たちの生活は海軍と同じように月月火水木金金を実行し、総て規律をもって一日の課程を、来る日も来る日も変わらず繰り返している。朝は先ず午前五時起床、五時三十五分までの間に農舎附近の清掃、舎内の整頓、洗面を終って、松林内の大蔵奉祀殿前に集合して朝礼を行う。朝礼は人員点呼ののち奉祀殿に向かって恭しく二拍手、二礼、一拍手の拝礼をし、宮城、伊勢神宮遥拝ののち道場長又は輔導員の訓話があって国民体操をする。それから七時までが第一就業時間で、採肥、除草、藁細工、農耕、家畜管理などをやらせ、場合によっては講堂に集めて講義をすることもある。

七時から八時までが朝食時間であるが、食物に対する感謝の念を植えつけるために三度度々、食前、食後の誓いをさせる。朝食ならば味噌汁と沢庵漬け、山盛りの飯を前にして、合掌の姿勢をとり拇指と人差し指の間に箸をはさんで、

「この食物が食膳に上るまでには幾多の人々の労力と神仏の加護あることを思い、深く感謝致します。この食物を戴くことを過分に思い、不味いからとて厭うことなく、美味しいからとて貪る心を起こしません。戴きます」

と食前の誓いをしてから箸を取り、朝食を終りて身（心）力満ちたり、いでやこれより午前の作業に奮闘努力せん、御馳走さまと感謝の言葉を捧げる。昼食も同じような誓いをするが、夕食後の誓いは、

「夕食を終りて身力満ちたり、いでやこれより今日の課業を反省し明日に備えん」と唱和する。

そのほかに二月から十二月の修了期までに常用漢字二千を目標に食後必ず二字づつを教えて一日六字を覚えさせることにしている。道場生は大体国民学校出身者であるが、実際に日常語を手紙に書き現すことは出来ないそうで、部落へ帰ってから面事務所などから廻って来る書面を読みこなして部落民に伝えたり、手紙の代筆位は出来るようにとの親心から出た訓育である。

朝食と漢字習得が終ってから午後零時五十分までが第二就業時間で、午後二時から日没七時までの第三就業の時間とともに、道場生に対する皇国農民としての徹底した『鍛える時間』なのである。この日課のうちには、今まで自家にいて、仕方なしに父兄の命令でやっていた農耕に対し再認識を求める時間なのである。暦に従って季節季節の種蒔き、芽生えたならば申しわけの肥料をやり、雨が降らなければ『どうにもならぬ』と諦めて、干害ならばお上のお助けがあるだろうといった他力本願式の営農法を叩き直す時間なのである。雨が降らなければ井戸を掘れ。虫がついたらとれ。肥料が足りなければ堆肥をうんと作れと教え込むのである。

事実この附近の農民は反当百貫、よくて二百貫しか堆肥をやらぬのに、この道場では反当り二千貫の堆肥をやることを絶対の条件として実行している。はげしい日中の農業実習が終って午後八時夕食と食後の行事が終ると、課外として随時に講義や日記記帳、座談会が開かれ九時夜礼、人員点呼、夜の挨拶、家郷に向かっての挨拶があって、九時半、鐘の音と共に十二の農舎は一斉に消灯就寝するのである。

弁口よりも実力

信賞必罰、総て軍隊式

場生の訓練

道場生は十七歳から二十五歳までの青年から選び、二月の入所から四月の農繁期までは専ら集団生活に馴れるための訓育を行うが、本年度の場生は僅か二ヶ月の間にすっかり軍隊式の訓練を会得し、講堂の軒下にある鐘の音一つで同時でも直ちに集合し『××農舎五名異常なし』と報告して全員六十名が瞬時に整列する。

入所した当初は千差万別であった。貧農の子は労働には馴れているが、挙措が粗暴で、甚だしいのは便所の使い方も知らない。自作農の息子は身体が脆弱で役に立たず、これ等を同時に訓練するには軍隊式にやるのが第一である。次には輔導員が道場生の中に溶け込んで、彼等と共に在ることが大切である。陣頭指揮ということは、この道場では、ずっと以前から実行していることで、我々職員は生徒より先に起きて起床の鐘を鳴らし、飯も一緒に同じものを食べるようにしている。それと信賞必罰を厳重にして良いことは大いに褒め、悪いことはびしびしと叱っているが、二ヶ月もすれば軍隊の第一期検閲と同様、どうにか一人前の道場生になる。

食堂兼講堂は俎机の粗末なものであるが、周囲にずらりと第一期から第九期までの修了生の名札がかけてあり、正面には半島農民の父と謳われる我農生、山崎延吉翁の扁額がかかっている。「体裁よりも理想、肩書よりも信念、弁口よりも実力」と書いた言葉は生徒の頭に深く刻みこまれて行くよう、二宮翁道歌と共に輔導員が先唱し合唱して精神修養に努めている。

活眼を開く

道場の特徴

『活眼を開け。眼はただ上っ面のものを見るだけにあるんではない。此処の麥と隣の麥の伸び具合が異なっているが、その原因は何処にあるかをよく見ろ。活眼とは見てよく考えることだぞ』と麥の管理の時、播種のとき、凡ゆる作業実習の際に『物の観方』という点に注意を向けさせる。種を蒔いて稔ったからとて作ったことにはならぬ。それは『出来た』のだ。一生懸命土を可愛がって一本の雑草も畓田になく作物が気持ちよく稔った時に初めて『作った』ということが出来るんだぞーと、この道場の作物に対する考え方は、半島農民が陥りがちな掠奪農業から脱却して土とともに呼吸するという観念を植えつけるのを眼目としている。

また道場生の創意工夫を活かすためには、十二の農舎に付随する畜舎、堆肥小屋、塀などの築造は生徒の勝手な構想の下にやらせている。各農舎とも家長を中心に思い思いの牛小屋を作り、鶏舎の作り方も全部区々であるところに、この道場の特徴が現れている。

十八年度の生産額の予想は一万四千四百三十四円となっており、蔬菜類などは昨年まで一町二反歩を栽培していたのを今年は半分の六反歩に減らして、なお且つ収入は昨年と同じ四千八百円を挙げるように指導している。減反して収入を減らさぬためには投げやりの耕作では駄目だというので、職員の指導で促成栽培を行い、技術によっては収入が殖えることを教えている。現に耕地の一部に紙温室を作って胡瓜茄子の早期栽培をやり、既に胡瓜などは四月十日に一部を出荷している。

農民道場の一日：写真説明：（１）大蔵奉祀殿前の朝礼、（２）食前の誓い、（３）肥料の運搬、（４）畜牛の当番、（５）ペーパーハウスで速成栽培の胡瓜、（６）麥畑の間作に棉の播種＝忠南儒城農民道場にて【原田特派員撮影】