Colonial officials claimed 'Korean must naturally stop being spoken as a result of the spread of Japanese' 'no words in Korean can express the essence of the Japanese spirit in a straightforward way' 'Korean will one day be regarded as just another local dialect like the Kyushu dialect' (June 1943)

In June 1943, Keijo Nippo ran a long series of roundtable discussion articles, where colonial interior ministry officials gathered to have frank discussions about their dealings with Korean people. Here, I've translated parts 3 and 4, where the officials discuss their strategy for increasing the use of Japanese and decreasing the use of Korean. They stress the importance of training and recruiting ethnic Koreans, including women, to become Japanese language teachers in rural communities. They envy the success of Western missionaries in winning the hearts and minds of the Korean people. North Hamgyong Province is praised as the Korean province with the highest rate of adoption of the Japanese language.

There is some acknowledgment of the extreme complexity of the Japanese written language and the need to simplify it, especially when even many native Japanese speakers have trouble understanding obscure terminology and difficult Chinese characters. They make insinuations that most Koreans have 'low moral standards as human beings', and jokingly compare them to 'bad product samples' that are distributed by stores. They also seem to suggest that the Korean language is inadequate in expressing the 'deep spiritual content' of the 'essence of Japanese culture'.

One colonial official floats the idea of actively exterminating the Korean language, but that idea is shot down by his colleague who said that would backfire. They express their hope that Korean will naturally fade away into becoming just a local dialect like the Tohoku or Kyushu Japanese dialects as people become stigmatized for speaking only Korean, Japanese becomes spoken as a lingua franca between speakers of mutually unintelligible Korean dialects, and Japanese eventually becomes the dominant language of Korea.

The biographic information for individual colonial officials was readily available online, so I added links to their names and noted their birth years and death years in the translation.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) June 17, 1943

A real look into the Korean Peninsula at war

Roundtable discussion with executives at the Interior Ministry of the Governor-General's Office (Part 3)

The focus of training should be the Japanese language

Find the right teachers for Japanese instruction

Mr. Yamana Mikio (1905-1982), Chief of the Documentation Division: Regarding Japanese language education, if housewives and mothers at home do not understand the Japanese language, things will not go so well, so there are places that are conducting the "One Word a Day Campaign" in which mothers are taught the Japanese language by elementary school students, and it seems to be quite effective. I have high hopes that the time will come when people who cannot speak Japanese will be looked down upon as country bumpkins.

Mr. Kōtaki Motoi (1894-?), Director of the Production Bureau: This kind of sentiment is becoming stronger in the rural areas. The government is planning and promoting Japanese language courses, but even in their absence, there is still a sincere desire to learn the Japanese language in the countryside.

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In general, women's education is lagging behind very much in Korea. I don't know how it is now, but in the past, it was not possible to send women to elementary schools unless their family was above a certain stature. It is a great pity that such women do not know the Japanese language when they raise their children, so some of them voluntarily come to school to earnestly learn Japanese. That's why even people in the rural villages can generally understand everyday conversations in Japanese.

Mr. Shiota Seikō (1899-?), Director of Department of Rural Villages: In the end, I believe that the first and foremost issue is to obtain teachers for women's Japanese language education. Once you have such teachers, then you will be able to thoroughly implement the programs. The Governor-General was impressed when he went to see them, and I was also very impressed when I went to see them for myself.

◇．．．◇

There were two middle-class women, about 20 years old, who were at a farm in Hwanghae Province. Their training performance was very similar to the men at the training institutes, so to pursue further training, they left Hwanghae Province and went to Tokyo to go on a holy pilgrimage, and then they went to Kinkei Academy to undergo further training with male trainees. Since they were 19 and 20 years old, respectively, they were vehemently refused admission at first, since the academy did not want the two young women to be the only women in the otherwise all-male group. But the women insisted, saying "There is no law that says that we should be deprived of the opportunity to complete our training, when we have completed the requisite training and acquired the necessary qualifications. Isn't it the men who seduce the women? There is no law that says the men who seduce the women can go to mainland Japan to pursue further training, while the women who were seduced by the men cannot go to mainland Japan to pursue further training" (laughter).

◇．．．◇

Now, both of the women are working as teachers for the women in their settlement. When we go visit their settlement, the housewives greet us with smiles wherever we go. They greet us with, "Irasshaimase! (Welcome!)" in Japanese. That made us assume that they understood Japanese, so we went into their kitchen and asked them what they had for lunch that day. However, they could not answer. Another housewife rides her bicycle 2 to 3 miles to attend her training in the evenings. When you have such people as teachers, you know that things are thoroughly getting better.

Mr. Hyōdō Masaru (1897-1946), Director of Planning: I recently went around the countryside to observe how the special training programs were progressing. It has been only around 40 days since the special training started and conducted every two to three days, not everyday. Already, young boys who had never attended school could competently answer questions like, "Do you have a father?" and "How many siblings do you have?" At this rate, if they spend 600 hours a year in the program, they should be able to achieve a considerable amount of success. The Japanese language is now rapidly penetrating Korea through these special training programs for young people, and there will be 110,000 more people who can understand Japanese over the course of this one year.

Mr. Shiota Seikō (1899-?): When you go to the countryside and use a Korean interpreter to ask someone a question, assuming that they wouldn't understand Japanese, they may actually reply competently in Japanese. Even if they learn something at school, they may forget it when they return home, and that ultimately depends on their environment. Therefore, the government officials who are their leaders must try to convert their surroundings into a Japanese language environment as much as possible. If they are forced to use the Japanese language, they will start to remember what they learned. If we don't do this even in our agricultural teaching programs, I don't think it will be thorough enough.

Mr. Morita Masayoshi (1908-2004), member of the Interior Ministry: In the end, the core of the training programs in Korea boils down to Japanese language education, doesn't it? I think we can conclude that Japanese-Korean unification should also be based on Japanese language education. In order to truly realize Imperialization, they must thoroughly use the Japanese language regularly. If we don't go that far, I don't think we will be able to improve our achievements. In this respect, I have heard that British and American missionaries first learned the Korean language when they arrived in Korea, and then they lived among the Korean people to win their hearts, but I believe that we should take a completely opposite approach moving forward.

Mr. Shiota Seikō (1899-?): In order to improve our agricultural activities, we have to understand the feelings of the people we are dealing with. If we only know Japanese and they only know Korean, as has been the case up to now, there will be a wall separating the two sides and we will not be able to improve our performance. Only when our feelings freely flow to the other side can we truly share our hearts with the other side. That is why it is absolutely necessary to convert their surroundings into a Japanese language environment.

◇．．．◇

To help along with this process, the fact that we know the Korean language is the best thing. Although we have been too negligent to realize this, I believe that understanding the feelings of others is the key to thorough instruction in everything. I think that is how U.S. missionaries built churches that are so magnificent, people are amazed that they managed to build such magnificent churches in such remote places in the countryside. No wonder then that they conveyed their feelings and won the hearts of the people by first learning Korean and then living among the people in the countryside.

Mr. Morita Masayoshi (1908-2004): So that's how they did it? Since our goal is to thoroughly educate the people in the Japanese language, I don't see how we can't be thorough unless we adopt a method of exterminating the Korean language….

Mr. Kōtaki Motoi (1894-?): That would have the opposite effect. I think we have to go about it in a way so as to 'let the water soak in', so to speak. We should not exterminate one language in order to promote the Japanese language. The Korean language must naturally stop being spoken as a result of the spread of the Japanese language. (to be continued)

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-06-17

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) June 18, 1943

A real look into the Korean Peninsula at war

Roundtable discussion with executives at the Interior Ministry of the Governor-General's Office (Part 4)

Show us the Righteous Koreans! Their leaders must come to their senses

Mr. Yamana Mikio (1905-1982): I had an interesting conversation the other day about a Korean laborer who went to the South Pacific for military-related work. The natives thought that a Japanese man had arrived, so they spoke to him in Japanese, but the Korean laborer could not understand them, so the natives refused to take him seriously, saying, "You are not Japanese, so you are no good". So, the Korean laborer wrote a letter to his compatriots admonishing them that, if they go to the South Pacific as laborers, they should definitely learn the Japanese language. Otherwise, they would lose face because they wouldn't be seen as Japanese. In this way, the time has now arrived when it is necessary to learn and adopt the Japanese language. I believe that the time will soon come when the Korean language will be regarded as just another local dialect within the co-prosperity zone, like the Japanese dialects of Kyūshū and Tōhoku.

Mr. Kōtaki Motoi (1894-?): Even now, the language used in the North Hamgyong Province of Northern Korea is different from that of Southern Korea. It is said that it is difficult for Northern and Southern Koreans to express one's true feelings and communicate with each other speaking their respective Korean dialects. I heard from a Korean official who is now in North Hamgyong Province that, when people from Northern and Southern Korea come to Seoul and have a complicated conversation, they speak in the Japanese language.

Mr. Nakai Kazuo (1889-1991), a member of the Parliament and a member of the Interior Ministry: Even in mainland Japan, if you go to Kagoshima or places in the North and hear the local dialects, we would not be able to understand them.

Mr. Kōtaki Motoi (1894-?): This is the reason why the rate of Japanese language adoption is better in North Hamgyong Province than in any other province.

Mr. Shiota Seikō (1899-?): Statistics show that North Hamgyong Province is number one in terms of Japanese language adoption.

Mr. Yamana Mikio (1905-1982): Compared to other languages, the Korean language has only the bones of a language. There is no blood or flesh attached to the Korean language. Therefore, when Koreans talk in their language about the essence of Japanese culture, which has a deep spiritual content, they have to say things in a roundabout way to make their meaning understood. Korean people who have spiritually opened their eyes find it necessary to vigorously use the Japanese language. Life is connected to language, and where life is poor, language is also poor. Therefore, there are no words in the Korean language that can express the essence of the Japanese spirit in a straightforward way.

Mr. Nakai Kazuo (1889-1991): In this respect, there is still a problem in the teaching of the Japanese language, in that much reflection and effort are required on the part of the instructors. The Japanese language we use is not so difficult, but it becomes very difficult when we write it down. The foundation of our language is Chinese characters, but the way we use them is too difficult. First of all, laws and ordinances are difficult to understand. Then, military terminology is also extremely difficult. Furthermore, the terminology used in newspapers is extremely difficult. Keijo Nippo is the most influential Japanese-language newspaper in Korea, but how many people in Korea can read all the words written in Keijo Nippo? In this sense, even in mainland Japan, the attitude of the leadership toward the use of the Japanese language comes from a very elevated position. It is necessary to lower the level of the Japanese language to such an extent that those who have graduated from elementary school can generally understand it.

Therefore, it is necessary to pay special attention to restricting the use of Chinese characters, especially when considering that the power of our country is expanding widely and we have to stand and embrace the billions of people of East Asia. Nevertheless, I think it is extremely inappropriate to teach the Japanese language to our Korean compatriots and tell them to learn it quickly, but at the same time use difficult Japanese words that even most ordinary people in mainland Japan do not understand. We hope that Japanese language education for our Korean compatriots will become thorough as soon as possible, and at the same time, we hope that we will not use particularly difficult Japanese words with them.

Mr. Kōtaki Motoi (1894-?): We are keenly aware of this every day. This is true whether you listen to broadcasts, read newspapers, or read documents issued by government offices. For example, a document is sent to the provincial governor from the Governor-General's Office. That document is gradually sent down from the provincial office to the county (gun) office, and from the county office to the township (myeon) office, largely unchanged with only the date and the name of the addressee altered as the document is passed down. Therefore, there are times when the people at the township office cannot understand the document at all. I think it is necessary to change such things as gently as possible.

Mr. Nakai Kazuo (1889-1991): Earlier, the Director of the Production Bureau said that the people in mainland Japan do not know enough about the Korean peninsula and that they do not have enough understanding of the Korean people, and I agree with him. However, I would like to make a complaint to the Korean people at this time. No one likes people who have low moral standards as human beings. The most important thing is to be able to frankly admit that such people would be ostracized by anyone. Even among the mainland Japanese, good people are respected and bad people are ostracized. Even among our Korean compatriots, if you are a respectable person, you will always be respected by the mainland Japanese people.

In Kobe, I have walked around apologizing and making excuses for our Korean compatriots, but there are often times when there is no excuse, no matter how patronizing it may seem. I am told that there are 1.5 million Korean compatriots who have come to mainland Japan, but most of them are not very well educated. I have always regretted that this has led to misunderstandings among the people of mainland Japan. To use an analogy, it is standard business practice in Japan to show off good product samples, but the Korean peninsula keeps showing off bad product samples to mainland Japan (laughter).

In order for mainland Japanese people to make the Koreans bear the fruits of Japanese-Korean unification, it is necessary for the Korean people themselves to bear these fruits by becoming Imperial subjects and Righteous Koreans. That is the fastest way to achieve Japanese-Korean unification. We respect from the bottom of our hearts the fact that Governor-General Koiso emphasized the establishment of a Righteous Korea. Especially after the Greater East Asia War began, I believe that one of the most important ways to establish a Righteous Korea and to realize the Imperialization of the Korean people is to lead the Korean people so that they have a strong sense of responsibility and awareness that they, along with the people of mainland Japan, are the older brothers and leaders of the Manchurians, the Chinese, and people in the South Pacific region. What are the guidelines of the Governor-General's Office in this regard?

Mr. Kōtaki Motoi (1894-?): You are absolutely right. The Governor-General is also in agreement. Therefore, we are educating young people to be disciplined through school education and special training for young men, which came out with the introduction of the conscription system. Even in the Meiji era, there was not much moral education. However, the Imperial Army and Navy were educating their young men to that extent. (to be continued)

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-06-18

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年6月17日

決戦半島の真姿

内務省委員総督府幹部対談会（3）

錬成の中心は国語

指導者にその人を得よ

山名酒喜男、文書課長：それから国語教育に就いては、家庭の主婦、母親が国語が解らなければうまく行かないというので、国民学校の生徒を通してお母さんに教えて行く『一日一語運動』ということをやっている所もあり、相当効果を上げているようである。やがて国語の話せない者は田舎者だといってさげすまれる時代が来ると期待しておるような次第である。

上瀧基、殖産局長：そういった心持が農村でも強くなって、国語の講習などは役所が計画し進めるということでなしに、地方に国語を覚えたいという切なる希望が出ているわけです。

◇．．．◇

朝鮮は大体女の教育が非常に遅れている。今はどうなっているか知らないが、以前は婦女子を国民学校に入れるというのは相当程度以上の家庭でなければしなかった。だから大部分の農村婦人というものは全然無教育であって、そういう婦人が相当の年配になって子供を育てる場合に国語を知らないということは、まことに残念だというので、自ら講習会に来て熱心に覚えているという者もある。それで日常の要件は農村でも大体解るようになっている。

塩田正洪、農村局長：結局問題は、私は婦人の国語教育でも指導者を得るということが第一で、指導者その人を得れば徹底して行くと思う。総督も見に行って感心され、私も見に行って非常に感心した例がある。

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黄海道にある農場ですが、そこに中堅人物として二十歳位の婦人が居る。非常に男勝りで錬成を受けて、その錬成の仕上げをするというので、黄海道を出発して聖地参拝して東京に行き、それから金鶏学院に行って男と一緒に錬成を受けて来た。十九と二十の女ですから、こういう男ばかりの中に僅か二人の若い女が加わっては困るということで、しきりに拒否したが、それを遮二無二『私共を錬成をし、有資格者にして置きながらその仕上げをするというのに除かれるという法はない』という強腰で、一体女を誘惑するのは男じゃないか。誘惑する方の男が内地に行って、誘惑される方の女が内地にいけないという法はない（笑声）というわけだ。

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今、二人とも部落で婦人指導をしているが、その部落に私共が行ってみると、どこに行っても主婦達がにこにこして迎える。そうして『いらっしゃいませ』という。これは国語が解るのだなと思って炊事場に行って、『今日の昼飯は何を食ったか』と尋ねても、それは答えられない。もう一人の方は一夜錬成をやって二里三里ある道を自転車で通って来る。こういう人を得ると、徹底的によくなって来る。

兵頭儁、企画室長：この間地方を廻って特別錬成の状態を視て来たが、まだ始めてから僅か四十日前後、而も毎日ではなく、な二日置き、三日置きにやっているのであるが、全然学校に行ったことのない青年が『お父さんはあるか』『兄弟は何人か』などと質問すると立派に答える。この分なら一年間六百時間やれば相当のものになるのではないか。今朝鮮としては青年特別錬成を通じて急速に国語が侵透しつつあり、この一年間に十一万人の国語理解者が新たに出来るわけである。

塩田：田舎に行って、相手は国語は解るまいと思って、一つこういうことを朝鮮語で訊いてみてくれないかといって通訳させると、立派に国語で答えることがある。折角学校で覚えても家庭に帰ると忘れて了うということは結局環境である。だから指導者たる役人が環境をなるべく国語化するように心掛けなければいけない。強いて国語でやって行けば覚えて行く。私共の農業指導でもそうしないと徹底しないだろうと思う。

森田正義、内務省委員：結局朝鮮の錬成の中心は国語教育ということになるわけですな。私は内鮮一体ということも結局国語教育が根本だという結論になると思うが、本当に皇民化を実現するためには徹底的国語常用にある。そこまで行かなければ実績は上がらないのではないかと思う。それに関連して英米人の宣教師のやり方は、先ず来たら朝鮮語を覚えて半島人の中に入って民心を掴んで行くという行き方をとって来たということを聞いたのであるが、我々の今後のやり方はそれと逆に行かなければならんのではないかと思う。

塩田：私共の農事の改善にしても相手の情を掴まなければ駄目だ。今までのようにこっちは国語だけ、相手は朝鮮語だけしか知らないというような壁一重距てているようなことでは成績は上がらないと思う。こっちの心を本当に向うに反映させるためには、やはりこっちの感情が向うに流れてこそ初めて出来る。だからどうしても基調は国語化することにある。

◇．．．◇

其の過程に於いて我々が朝鮮語を知っているということは一番いいことで、怠慢で我々は知らないが、相手の情を掴むということが総て何の指導にも徹底するのではないかと思う。だからアメリカあたりの宣教師が、よくもこんな所にまでこんな立派な教会を建てたものだと驚かれる程立派なのを田舎になど建てているが、ああいう田舎に住み込んで先ず朝鮮語を勉強する、そうして此方の情が移るようにして人心を掴んだものだろうと思う。

森田氏：そのやり方がですな。目標が国語教育を徹底さすということなんだから朝鮮語を抹殺して行くというような方法でやらなければ徹底しないのじゃないかと思うが．．．

上瀧氏：それは寧ろ逆効果を来すことになる。水の浸み込むように行かなければならんと思う。国語の普及を図るために一方を絶滅してかかるということはいけない。国語が普及して朝鮮語が自然に使われなくなるということになるのでなければならんと。（つづく）

京城日報　1943年6月18日

決戦半島の真姿

内務省委員総督府幹部対談会（4）

見せよ"道義半島人"、緊要、指導者たるの自覚

山名課長：この前面白い話があった。南方に軍関係の仕事に出て行った朝鮮人の労務者の話ですが、原住民が日本人が来たというので国語で話しかけたところ通じないものだから、『お前達は日本人じゃないから駄目だ』といって相手にしなかった（笑声）。だからこれから南方に行く労務者は絶対的に国語を習ってくれ。それでなければ日本人の対面が保てないということを向うに行ってる労務者から手紙でいって来たということである。そういう風に今日では既に国語に習熟し国語を身につけなければならん時になって来たわけで、間もなく朝鮮語は九州とか東北の訛りのように共栄圏内の一地方の方言と見られる時代が来ると思う。

上瀧局長：今でも北鮮の咸北あたりと南鮮とは言葉が違う。真情を吐露して意思の疎通を図ることが困難だそうだ。だから北鮮の人と南鮮の人が京城あたりに来て、こみ入った話をするような場合には国語で話をするということを、これは役人をしていた朝鮮の人で今咸鏡北道にいる人から聞いた。

中井一夫・内務省委員・衆議院議員：内地でも鹿児島とか北に行って地方の訛りで話をされたら我我には解らない。

上瀧局長：そういうことから咸北の国語普及率は他の道より良い。

塩田局長：統計を見ると一番である。

山名課長：朝鮮語は他の言葉に較べて言葉の骨だけしかない。言葉に血とか肉がついていない。したがって精神的に深い内容を持った日本文化の真髄を語るというような時に廻りくどく言わなければ意味の通じないところがある。精神的に眼の開いた人は勢い国語を使わざるを得なくなる。生活は言葉と結び付いたもので、生活の貧弱な所は言葉も貧弱で、したがって日本精神の真髄、精髄というような日本的性格を端的に現わす言葉が朝鮮語にはない。

中井氏：その点、国語を教育する上に指導者側に於いて大いに反省し努力しなければならぬ問題が残っておるんじゃないか。我々の使っている国語はそう難しいものだとは思わぬが、これを文章に書く時には非常に難しいものになる。我々の国語の骨を成すものはやっぱり漢字であるが、その漢字の遣い方が余りに難し過ぎる。第一、法令が先ず難しい。それから軍隊用語が極めて難しい。更に新聞用語が非常に難しい。京城日報は朝鮮に於ける最も有力な国語新聞であるが、京城日報に書かれておる言葉を内地人自ら完全に読めるという人が何人居るか。その意味に於いて大体内地に於いても指導者側の国語使用の態度は非常に高い所にある。これはどうしても引き下げて国民学校を卒業した者なら大体に於いて解るという程度にまでする必要がある。

したがって漢字制限の如きものも我が国の力が広く伸びて東亜十億の民衆を抱きかかえて立たなければならぬという時に、この点は特に注意する必要がある。それにも拘わらず、半島同胞に国語を教え、早く国語を覚えよと言いながら自ら使う言葉が一般の内地人でも解らぬような難しい言葉であることは極めて宜しくないと思う。半島同胞に対する国語教育の一日も速やかに徹底せんことを希望すると同時に、特に難しい言葉は使わないことを希望する。

上瀧局長：私共も日々そういうことを痛感している。放送を聞いても、新聞を読んでも、又役所から出す文書などにしてもその通り、例えば知事あたりに本府から書面を出す。それが道から郡、郡から面というようにだんだん下に行くわけであるが、出た通りの文章をただ日付を変えるとか宛名を書き直すだけでその儘で出す。だから面事務所あたりでは全然解っていないことがある。そういうことはなるべくやさしく改めるということが必要だと思う。

中井氏：さき程殖産局長から内地の人々が半島のことを充分知っていない、半島人に対する理解が足らないというお話があったが、私も同感である。ただそれに対してこの際半島同胞に苦言を呈したいことがある。というのは、人間として道義が低ければ誰だってそれを好く者はない。誰だって排斥するのは已む得ないことだということを率直に認められることが一番必要なことと考える。我々内地人同志でも、いい人間は尊敬され悪い人間は排斥される。半島同胞でも立派な人であれば必ず内地人にも尊敬される。

私は神戸に居て半島同胞のためにいろいろ謝りに歩いたり弁解に歩いたりするが、時には如何にひいき目に見ても弁解の仕様がないようなことがよくある。内地に来ている半島同胞は百五十万と言っておりますが、余り教養のない人が大部分である。それが内地人をして誤解を生ぜしめる結果になっておるのであって、私は常に残念に思っているわけである。見本というものはよい物を出すのが日本の普通の商売のやり方なのであるが、半島から内地に出す見本は常に悪いものをだしておる（笑声）。

内地人をして内鮮一体の実を上げさせるためには、半島人自らが所謂皇国臣民として、道義半島人としての実を上げることが内鮮一体の早道である。小磯総督が道義朝鮮の確立ということを強調されておることは私共衷心より敬重しておるところである。殊に大東亜戦争が始まってからは、半島同胞は内地人と共に、満州人や支那人或いは南洋方面の民衆の兄であり指導者であるという重大な責任と自覚を強く持たせるように半島同胞を導くことが道義朝鮮の確立、朝鮮同胞の皇民化を実現する重大な一つの指導方法ではないかと思うが、本府の指導方針はどうか。

上瀧局長：一々御尤もである。総督もその通り仰有っている。そこで学校教育、徴兵制度に伴って出て来たところの青年特別錬成、そういうものを通して躾けの教育をやっている。躾けの教育は明治時代でもあまりなかった。ところが陸海軍の教育はそこまでやっている。（つづく）

 

Governor Koiso likened Korea to a disabled body whose brain (regime) could not talk to the limbs (Korean people), so an 'exclusive use of Japanese' policy was forced on Koreans, starting with Seoul city employees who were labeled 'inferior' and 'weak-willed' if they still spoke Korean at work (1943)

In 1943, Governor-General Koiso kicked off the new year by intensifying his campaign to further restrict the public spaces in which the Korean language can be used. Apparently, there were still employees in the Seoul prefectural government who spoke Korean at work, but this article from Janauary 1943 indicates that the regime started to crack down on them, so that government employees were no longer allowed to speak Korean at all, either at work or at home. The purported reason for this draconian measure was the "reform of general administration and the simplification of administrative work". To paraphrase it in the words of Governor-General Koiso, the brain and the limbs had to speak the same language for the body to move in an orderly fashion. This was all part of the "Japanese-Korean unification" policy that was ruthlessly pursued to suppress Korean language, culture, and ethnic identity in Korea, leaving lasting trauma that is still being felt even to this day.

Group training of Seoul prefectural government employees

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) January 20, 1943

The year of decisive battles, the rush to put things into practice (2) Seoul Edition

Seoul government employees shave their heads and begin to use the Japanese language regularly

Total efforts to simplify administrative work

"The establishment of a Righteous Korea can only be fully realized by training all 24 million people in the various occupational areas to truly adhere to the true meaning of the National Body as Imperial subjects …" were the words of Governor-General Koiso's instructions. Every word of his instructions at the opening ceremony of his administration was a fireball that shot into our ears and strained our hearts. Let's take a look into the "spirit of training" of the Seoul prefectural government employees who are leading the charge on behalf of the 1,000,000 Seoul residents, who have begun the new year full of vigor and determination.

Heroic battles are being fought in the name of the three encouraging principles of the Governor-General that are the key to dealing with the mountain of prefectural administrative work that is piled up before our eyes: "Thorough practice of character-building and training, decisive increase in production capacity, and epoch-making reform of general administration". These are the enlightened ways for government officials to speedily move forward administrative affairs and reform general administration in the midst of decisive battles. Let's look into how these three calls have inspired the top executives and staff of the Seoul government at the very beginning of the new year, and how they have begun to pledge their resolve.

From 3:00 p.m. on January 19th in the Prefectural Governor's room, there was a "Roundtable Discussion on the Rush to Put Things into Practice". In attendance were Prefectural Governor Furuichi, Mr. Chida, Director of General Affairs, Mr. Hoshimura, Director of Finance, Mr. Tanaka, Director of Internal Affairs, Mr. Matsuo, Director of General Affairs, Mr. Inagaki, Director of the Total National Movement, Mr. Egashira, Director of Industry, Mr. Kaneko, Director of Conscription, Mr. Fujioka, Director of Accounting, and Mr. Takera, Director of Auditing. They have forged strong relationships with Seoul residents by interacting with them at service windows. The participants expressed a level of determination that was appropriate for wartime.

Reporter: "How thorough are the character-building and training programs at the Seoul prefectural government?"

Prefectural Governor Furuichi: "We are doing a great deal. However, that is true of all government offices as well, and we are only doing what we should have been doing all along. For example, all employees visit and worship at Shinto shrines on the 20th of every month, and regular character-building lectures are held at Seoul Citizens Hall on the 10th."

Mr. Matsuo, Director of General Affairs: "The Seoul prefectural government was the first among the government offices to implement the visiting and worshiping at Shinto shrines, and we have been doing it for 12 years since 1932, when Mr. Inoue was Prefectural Governor. The Shūyōkai (Character-Building Association) began in 1938 to host lectures delivered by renowned speakers, and it has been very effective thanks to the cooperation of the Buddhist community, banks, universities, and the military."

Prefectural Governor Furuichi: "Last year, a Misogi Training Session was held at the Shūyōdan (character-building) Dōjō for the executives of the government, which was very effective. Most of the participants were from the Department of the Total National Movement. This year, we are planning to extend the training to all employees as soon as the Dōjō is available."

Mr. Hoshimura, Director of Finance: "It was my first time participating in Misogi, and I attended it only out of curiosity. But as I took the lessons, I discovered how great the Japanese spirit was, and now I am looking at it totally differently. I am currently promoting it to Korean youth."

Mr. Chida, Director of General Affairs: "Regarding physical exercise, each department has been conducting warm-up exercises, but this time we have decided to newly adopt some 'Naval-style exercises'. We are currently conducting a four-day training session for the instructors. We hope to spread the exercises to all 4,000 employees in the near future, so that they can acquire the military spirit and improve their health."

Reporter: "I heard that the prefectural government is conducting military training."

Prefectural Governor Furuichi: "We have already conducted military training several times at Kyōnaka Grounds in order to raise awareness of the need for discipline in the workplace, and the results have been very good each time. This year, we would like to make a special effort to conduct group drills in each department, and we will conduct inspections to ensure the thoroughness of the drills."

Reporter: "I heard that the prefectural government is going to focus exclusively on the regular use of the Japanese language this year. Do you have any ingenious ideas about this in your departments?

Mr. Tanaka, Director of Internal Affairs: "There is one language for 100 million people. The unification of the languages is the first priority for both the reform of general administration and the simplification of administrative work. The exclusive regular use of the Japanese language was agreed upon at the meeting of the heads of the departments on the Day of the Imperial Rescript on the 8th."

Mr. Fujioka, Director of Accounting: "In my department, we are so serious about it that we have even written a sworn pledge, and we hang slogan cards on the telephones encouraging the exclusive regular use of the Japanese language."

Mr. Kaneko, Director of Conscription: "I have always been a strict man, and my employees know it, but I have decided that those who do not use the Japanese language regularly are weak-willed and will not receive any promotions or bonuses." (laughter)

Mr. Matsuo, Director of General Affairs: "I held a regular meeting in the department, and everyone made a pledge to speak correct Japanese at home as well, since the home is an extension of the government office."

Reporter: "His Excellency the Governor-General compares the current situation in Korea to defects of the brain and nervous system, and he is apparently changing the situation where the policies and guidelines that he had planned have often been inadequately put into practice."

Prefectural Governor Furuichi: "In order for the four limbs to work in an orderly fashion and with immediate responsiveness under the command of the brain and nervous system, there is no other way but to forcibly put into practice the training of Imperial subjects for everyone, regardless of whether they are government officials or ordinary people. Reform of the general administration is an urgent task at this time."

Mr. Tanaka, Director of Internal Affairs: "I believe that the bad habit of government offices is that they maintain the status quo and lack progress, stretching out one day into ten years. They refuse to acknowledge any room for improvement, and it seems that there is a lot of waste hidden in the current wartime state of affairs."

Mr. Kaneko, Director of Conscription: "Some of the employees may be considered inferior, but I try to set my own inherent disposition as an example. I always admonish my subordinates by reminding them that I have not missed a day of work or taken a vacation day in the 31 years since I arrived in Korea."

Mr. Fujioka, Director of Accounting: "I sometimes hear complaints at the service window, so I try to be as prompt as possible in my work and avoid wasting time with regulations."

Mr. Takera, Director of Auditing: "Above all, we need to reform our personnel. It is no good if they are absent or tardy, or if they take their 20-day vacation as a matter of course."

Mr. Tanaka, Director of Internal Affairs: "We hold a special Jingu Taima exorcism ceremony in front of the department, and hold a morning meeting every morning at 9:00 a.m. Those who are late are not allowed to enter because of the shame that they bring." (laughter) "Thanks to this, we have increased our attendance rate at work."

Mr. Inagaki, Director of the Total National Movement: "This year, I would like to thoroughly enforce the 'shaved head' movement. Unless there are special circumstances, all workers should have their heads shaved."

Mr. Egashira, Director of Industry: "On my part, I have taken the initiative in cutting off most of my hair, and this attitude has been immediately reflected in my work and has had a positive effect. I believe that the increase in production capacity is also a result of a selfless and dedicated attitude toward work in the workplace."

The top leadership of the Seoul Prefectural Office, the capital of the Korean peninsula, is in high spirits. The cry to rush forward to put things into practice will be heard in the hearts of the 1,000,000 residents of Seoul. This year, we will see "Our Governor-General" put great things into practice in a big way. Let's go, Seoul!

[Photo: Group training of Seoul prefectural government employees]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-01-20

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年1月20日

決戦の年・実践驀進（２）　京城府の巻

丸坊主で国語常用

事務簡捷化へ総努力

『道義朝鮮の確立が各職域に在る二千四百万民衆悉くに皇民錬成を加えて真に国体の本義に徹せしむることに依り初めてその全きを期し得ます．．．』との小磯総督の御用始式の訓示は一言一語火の玉となって耳を撃ち心を引緊めた。元気一杯決戦の年頭を迎えた百十万府民に陣頭指揮をとる京城府庁職員の”錬成魂”はどうであろう。

眼前に山と積まれた府政百般の処理も要は総督三原則の前に雄々しい闘いが戦われ、敏速な事務の推進と庶政の刷新が決戦下の吏道として明るく”修養錬成の徹底的実践、生産戦力の決戦的増強、庶政執務の画期的刷新”力強い。この三つの呼掛けは新春劈頭府庁幹部職員にどれ程の奮起を促し如何なる決意を誓いはじめたか。

十九日午後三時から府尹室に古市府尹、千田総務部長を初め窓口を通じて府民に関係深い星村財務部長、田中内務、松尾庶務、稲垣総力、江頭産業、金古徴取、藤岡会計、武良監査、各課長出席。『実践驀進を語る座談会』を開催。決戦下に相応しい決意の程を示した。

記者：『府庁に於ける修養錬成の徹底はー』

古市府尹：『大いにやっている。併しどこの官庁もこれは同じだし、当然為すべきを為しているに過ぎない。例えば毎月二十日の全職員神宮参拝、十日の府民館での定期修養講演会などです』

松尾庶務課長：『府庁の神宮参拝は官庁のトップを切ったもので、昭和七年井上府尹時代からで十二年続いています。修養会は昭和十三年から始め毎回名士に講演を依頼し、仏教関係、銀行、大学、軍部方面の御協力に依り多大の効果を収めています』

古市府尹：『総力課が主体で、昨年は修養団道場に於ける庁内幹部のみそぎ錬成会を行ったが、非常な効果があった。本年は道場の都合のつき次第、職員全部に及ぼす考えです』

星村財務部長：『私はみそぎは初めてで、言わば好奇心のみで出席したわけだったが、教習を受けるに及んで偉大な日本精神の姿をそこに発見し、今では全く見直した次第で、半島青年にはとくに宣伝これ努めているのです』

千田総務部長：『体操の話だが、従来各課で更生体操をやっていたが、今回新たに”海軍体操”を採り入れることとなり、目下指導者錬成を四日間に亘って実施中。行く行くは四千職員全部に及ぼして軍人精神の体得と保健増強の実を挙げたいと思います』

記者：『府では軍隊教練をやられるそうですが』

古市府尹：『規律ある執務意識を実践昂揚するため数回に亘り京中グラウンドにおいて実施済みであるが、回を重ねる毎に成績は非常によろしい。本年は特に力を入れたいので、各部課毎に集団訓練を行わしめ努めて査閲を行い、訓練の徹底を期する考えである』

記者：『府庁では本年は国語常用に専ら力を注ぐそうですね。各課でそれに就いて何か妙案はありませんか』

田中内務課長：『一億民言葉は一つ。では庶政執務の刷新も事務の簡捷化も言葉の統一が先決問題ですね。八日大詔奉戴日の部課長会議で国語絶対常用が申し合わされたのです』

藤岡会計課長：『私の課では誓約書までという慎重さで電話機には常用徹底標語カードをさげています』

金古徴集課長：『私は平素から厳格主義で通っており、課員も心得ていてくれるが、国語を常用せぬ様な者は意志の弱い者で昇格もボーナスもないぞ、ときめつけていますよ』（笑声）

松尾庶務課長：『私は課内常会を開き、誓約的申合せを行い、家庭は官庁の延長だから家庭においても正しい国語を使用するよう一同誓った次第です』

記者：『総督閣下は朝鮮の現状を脳神経の故障に例えて総督の企図方針が往々侵透実践不充分なる現状を変えておられるようですが』

古市府尹：『四肢が脳神経の指令により秩序をもって、しかも即時敏速に活動するに至るには、その官たると民たるとを問わず凡てに対し皇民錬成を強行実践する以外にはありませぬ。庶政刷新は現下喫緊の要務であります』

田中内務課長：『官庁執務の弊は十年一日の如き現状維持と進歩性を欠くところにあるのではないかと思う。そこには少しの改善も認め得ず決戦下の昨今の執務状況にも多くのムダがひそんでいるようです』

金古徴集課長：『職員の一部には低劣と思われる者もあるが、私は生来の気性から身をもって手本を示すことに努め、”おれは渡鮮以来三十一年間無欠勤、無休暇だぞ”と常に部下を戒めています』

藤岡会計課長：『窓口の不平も時に聞かされるので、事務はなるべく敏捷に、規定にとらわれてムダな時間を取らぬよう注意しています』

武良監査課長：『何より人の刷新が必要ですね。休んだり遅刻したり二十日間の休暇を当然の権利視するようじゃあ駄目ですね』

田中内務課長：『課の正面に大麻を奉斎して毎朝九時には朝礼を行っていますが、遅刻した者は恥かくして這入れないですよ。（笑声）お蔭で出勤の率を非常にあげています』

稲垣総力課長：『今年は丸坊主の運動も徹底したいものです。特別の事情なき限り全部丸坊主でいいですね』

江頭産業課長：『私の方では率先して殆ど断髪でして、この心構えは直ちに執務の上にも反映して良き効果を挙げています。生産戦力の増強も要は職場に於ける滅私奉公の執務態度から生れるものと思います』

半島の首都、京城府庁の陣頭指揮者は張り切っている。実践驀進の叫びは府民百万の胸底に徹して今年こそ”われらの総督”の膝もとから素晴らしい実践が鬱然ともたげるであろう。京城よ頑張れ！

【写真＝府庁職員の集団訓練】

'Jeon' became 'Takamatsu' and 'Park' became 'Masaki': 1940 profiles of Korean families in Seoul adopting Japanese names to purportedly honor their Korean roots, be accepted by Japanese neighbors, to better interact with the public, to instill a 'spirit befitting Imperial subjects' in their children

This 1940 article profiles two Korean families in Seoul who adopted Japanese names: the Jeon family, which became the Takamatsu family, and the Park family, which became the Masaki family. The father of the Jeon family worked at the Oriental Development Company, which was a national enterprise of Imperial Japan spearheading the colonial exploitation of Korea, and was at one point the largest landlord of Korea. A different Korean employee of the same company was featured in another Model Korean family profile article in 1942. The father of the Park family was a Seoul police officer at the Seodaemun precinct. We can surmise that they adopted Japanese names to curry favor with their employers, who were part of the colonial ruling class which controlled Korea. The fathers are conspicuously absent from the featured family photos for some reason, perhaps as a security precaution since they were hated figures by much of the Korean population.

For this translation, I added Chinese characters throughout the text so that it is possible to appreciate how these families took Chinese characters from their old Korean names and incorporated them into their new Japanese names.

Kimiko Takamatsu (高松喜美子), formerly Shin Sook-hui (신숙희, 申淑嬉), with her children.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) February 11, 1940

'A last name that is associated with the Goryeo Dynasty'

She is thrilled to be an Imperial Woman

Interview with Kimiko Takamatsu, the wife of Mr. Keiichi Takamatsu, an employee at the Oriental Development Company of Korea)

Listening to joyous stories about adopting Japanese names

My family is very happy to be able to adopt the family name of Takamatsu on this auspicious occasion. My husband's old Korean last name, Jeon, is said to have been derived from the family name of the former King of Goryeo. For our new family name, we decided to take the Chinese character "高" from Goryeo (高麗) and the Chinese character "松" from Songdo (松都), the old name for present-day Kaesong and the former capital of the Goryeo Dynasty, to create our new family name, Takamatsu (高松).

I believe that it is essential for the education of our children to adopt a family name in the Japanese style in order to nurture a spirit befitting Imperial subjects. We are also hurrying to complete the family registration procedures, lest we miss this opportunity and become hated by our descendants for a long time to come.

We are more than happy when we think that our children will be overjoyed at adopting Japanese names, and that from today onward, our neighbors will be able to accept us as fellow Japanese people without feeling ashamed of us.

On this joyous day, we firmly vow to become true Imperial subjects while filled with joy at adopting Japanese names. My husband's old name was Jeon Gyu-hye (전규혜, 全圭恵), and his new name is Keiichi Takamatsu (高松恵一).

Our family was renamed as follows: Shin Sook-hui (신숙희, 申淑嬉) became Kimiko Takamatsu (高松喜美子), Jeon Hye-seok (전혜석, 全恵錫) became Keiko Takamatsu (高松恵子), Jeon Soon-seok (전순석, 全純錫) became Junko Takamatsu (高松純子), Jeon Yeong-ok (전영옥, 全英玉) became Tamako Takamatsu (高松玉子), Jeon Dae-seok (전대석, 全大錫) became Daiichi Takamatsu (高松大一), and Jeon Yeong-ja (전영자, 全英子) became Eiko Takamatsu (高松英子).

[Photo (bottom) = Kimiko Takamatsu and her children]

Yoshiko Masaki (正木吉子), formerly Lee Myeong-gil (이명길, 李明吉), and her daughter Junko

Last name 'Park' was changed to 'Masaki'

Memorable Shinto Wedding Ceremony

Interview with Yoshiko Masaki, the wife of Mr. Hideo Masaki, a police officer at Seodaemun Police Station, Seoul

On this auspicious occasion of the 2,600th anniversary of the founding of the Imperial Japanese nation, we are honored to adopt the family name of Masaki. What can I compare our family's joy with, now that we have been able to fully become Imperial subjects, both physically and mentally?

Three years ago, we were married in front of the Chōsen Shrine, and we were completely moved by the solemnity and grandeur of the wedding ceremony. My husband has called me Yoshiko since that day. I am not sure if the people of Korea would be able to understand our gratitude for the Shinto wedding. When the civil ordinance for the adoption of new Japanese family names was issued, my husband and I had to think for a long time about what kind of name we should choose for our new family name.

My husband said that, since he has to deal with the general public due to his profession, it was very important for him to create a family name in the Japanese style. At last, at this opportune moment, we decided to break off from the Park family and adopt the family name of 'Masaki'. The family name 'Masaki' (正木) is an interpretation of the Chinese character '朴' for Park, and it has no deep meaning. Apparently there is an old Korean custom for couples to remain faithful to their own respective family names even after marriage, but it seems like a rather strange custom to me.

From today onward, as a wife with the family name of Masaki, I would like to live a stronger and purer life as a woman on the home front in these extraordinary times. My husband's name is Hideo Masaki (正木英雄), formerly Park Yeong-do (박영도, 朴英道). My name is Yoshiko Masaki (正木吉子), formerly Lee Myeong-gil (이명길, 李明吉), and our daughter is named Junko.

[Photo (above): Yoshiko Masaki and Junko]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1940-02-11

(Transcription)

京城日報　1940年2月11日

『高麗に因む姓』

皇国女性としての感激

東拓朝鮮支社、高松恵一氏夫人、高松喜美子さん談

創氏の喜びを聴く

お目出度い今日の佳節から高松という姓を名乗らせていただきまして、一家はただ感激あるのみでございます。主人の旧姓全というのは元高麗王の姓であった王というのから分れたと申しています。この度の創姓も私たちは、このゆかりの高麗から高をとり、そして高麗の都であった松都（今の開城）の松を選び、新姓を高松にすることに決めました。

姓を内地風にするということは子供達の教育上、皇国臣民としての精神を養う上にどうしても必要であると思います。また今のこの好機を逸して末々までも子孫にうらまれるようなことがあってはと、早速戸籍上の手続きも急いでいます。

創氏によって何よりも子供達が喜んでくれ、おとなり近所にも今日からは肩身の狭い思いをせず、同じ日本人としてつきあっていただけることを思えば、私達はこの上もなく幸福でございます。

今日の佳き日に創氏の喜びと共にまことの皇国臣民にならなくてはと、私たちは固くお誓い致すのでございます。主人の旧姓名は全圭恵、新名は高松恵一。一家は次の如く改めました。

申淑嬉（高松喜美子）、全恵錫(高松恵子）、全純錫（高松純子）、全英玉（高松玉子）、全大錫（高松大一）、全英子（高松英子）。

【写真（下）＝高松喜美子さんと子供さん達】

朴を『正木』に

思い出の神前結婚

京城西大門署、正木英雄夫人、正木吉子さん談

皇紀二千六百年紀元の佳節にあう光栄とともにきょうの佳き日から一家挙って正木という姓を名乗り、心身共に皇国臣民となりきることの出来ました私達一家にとっての喜びは何に譬えましょうか。

三年前に私たちは朝鮮神宮の大前で神前結婚を致しましたが、そのときの厳粛さ、荘厳さに私達はすっかり打たれたのでございました。主人はその日から私を吉子と呼んでいます。神前結婚の有難さは或るは朝鮮の方達にこの気持ちに察してもらえないかもわかりません。今度の創氏民事令が発布されました時、主人も私もどんな姓名を選んで創氏したらよいか長い間考えさせられました。

主人は職業柄一般民衆に接して行かなければならぬので、内地風の創氏は是非必要だと申していました。いよいよこの好機に私達は分家して『正木』という姓に名乗りました。正木というのは朴という字の解釈であって、別に深い意味はございません。結婚をしましても、お互いの姓を守り通すという朝鮮の古い習慣にもいわれがあるのでございましょうが、私には何か水臭いような気持ちが致します。

今日からは正木姓の妻として非常時下の銃後の婦人として、より強く清く生きてゆきたいと存じます。主人の姓名は正木英雄（旧姓朴英道）、私は正木吉子（旧姓李明吉）、娘は純子です。

【写真（上）＝正木吉子さんと純子さん】

Colonial authorities abruptly abolished Korean translations of the neighborhood meetings of Patriotic Groups in May 1942 as part of a 'radical treatment' to make Koreans speak Japanese, equating the inability to speak Japanese to a serious medical illness

This May 1942 article announces that Korean translations of the regular meetings of the Patriotic Groups are hereby abolished. The word that they use to describe this abolition of Korean translations is araryōhō (荒療法), which is a Japanese word usually used in a medical context to describe a radical or drastic remedy or treatment to aggressively treat a serious disease. In this way, it is disturbing how this propaganda article equates the inability to speak Japanese to a serious medical illness that has to be drastically treated.

Patriotic Groups (JP: aikoku-han, KR: aeguk-ban, 愛國班) were neighborhood cells which functioned as the local arm of the Korean Federation of National Power (国民総力朝鮮連盟, 국민총력조선연맹), the single ruling party of colonial Korea. Every Korean living in Korea belonged to a Patriotic Group. It typically consisted of a few households, led by a Patriotic Group leader, who normally acted as a mini-tyrant micromanaging the lives of everyone within the Patriotic Group. That included things like rationing food and goods, enforcing mandatory State Shinto prayer times and shrine visits, ‘volunteering’ laborers upon the colonial government’s request, arranging marriages, holding mandatory Japanese language classes, spying on ‘ideological criminals’, etc.

After May 1942, ordinary Koreans who could not understand enough Japanese to follow the regular meetings of the Patriotic Groups may have perhaps used the buddy system, asking friends, family, and acquaintances who spoke better Japanese to informally translate for them.

In this photo, Principal Yamaguchi is teaching Japanese to the mothers of his Korean elementary school students in the hopes that the mothers and their children will start to exclusively speak Japanese at home.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) May 29, 1942

Japanese-Korean Unification Starts with the Japanese Language

Korean translation is abolished even for the regular meetings of Patriotic Groups

Cheonggye-dong Town Council sticks to Japanese language-only policy

At a time when the 10 to 20 year-long struggle against old habits to instill the regular use of the Japanese language among households is bearing fruit like a pearl that is polished into a shining brilliance, we take a look at a model town that is practicing "the way forward for the Korean peninsula" with everyone under the banner of the "absolute regular use of the Japanese language", and examine the actual situation of this all-out effort.

Seoul's Cheonggye-dong, which borders the Cheonggyecheon River and faces Jongno-gu, has retained the appearance of a traditional residential area with large mansions, and a considerable number of Korean families live there. The Cheonggyecheon River, which once boasted a clear stream, has now become a culvert, and a smooth road connecting Honmachi and Jongno-gu has appeared, showing the rapid changes of the times. The focus of the Japanese-Korean Unification Movement has clearly materialized in the central region of Seoul defined by Cheonggye-dong.

The town's representative, Mr. Seizaburō Okushima, made a pledge in cooperation with Mr. Yamaguchi, the school principal of Cheonggye National School. The town then launched a vigorous campaign to spread the message of "Let's move forward with one Japanese language!" to everyone regardless of age or gender.

First of all, the town's representative made it clear that Korean translations will no longer be provided at the sacred Regular Meetings of the Patriotic Groups held monthly in the schoolyard. The people who were initially apprehensive about this radical treatment became accustomed to it to such an extent that they were amazed, and the regular use of the Japanese language, which has now become a common practice, brought momentum to the entire town.

Last spring, Principal Yamaguchi began holding Japanese language classes for the town's illiterate residents, and he was touched by the sincerity of the 60 to 70 year-old elderly men and women who worked so diligently while supporting themselves with their canes.

Mr. Yamaguchi first set up a set of tea utensils in the classroom, and over a cup of tea, he began speaking.

"Please have some tea."

"Yes, thank you very much."

"Would you like some?"

"I've already had some tea."

As the elderly people talked to each other in this way in a practical and friendly manner, they were able to realize the goal of the complete understanding and regular use of the Japanese language, and the class achieved excellent results. Later, when Mr. Yamaguchi learned that there were surprisingly many children who did not regularly speak Japanese in their daily lives, even though their entire families understood Japanese, he felt extremely surprised as though he had discovered another world, and he devoted his heart into redoubling his efforts.

He immediately conducted a detailed survey of all the children in his school using a new method, the "Japanese Language Household Survey," and found that the surprising reason for this was their mothers: the housewives of the family.

The fact that "the children will never speak the Japanese language unless their mothers do" gave Principal Yamaguchi a great sense of mission once again. Various methods rooted in the home are now being devised to provide Japanese language training to housewives. The day will soon come when the cooperation of the town's representatives and the school principals will lead to the biggest flower blossoming in Seoul in realizing the "regular use of the Japanese language" in entire towns. [Photo: Principal Yamaguchi teaching the Japanese language]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1942-05-29

(Transcription)

京城日報　1942年5月29日

内鮮一体は『国語』から

愛国日常会にも朝鮮語訳を廃止

国語一本槍の清渓町会

国語常用の家庭が十年、二十年の長き因習との闘いに珠玉の輝きを増すとき、ここに全町を挙げて『国語絶対常用』を旗印に”半島の進むべき道”を実践する模範町内を取り上げて総力戦の実相を糺してみる。

府内清渓町会は由緒深い清渓川を境に鐘路と相対し昔ながらの屋敷町の面影を止め、半島人家庭は相当数にのぼる。往時清流を誇った清渓川も暗渠と化し、本町と鐘路を繋ぐ坦々たる道路が出現して時代は急速な変化を示し、『内鮮一体』運動の焦点は中間地帯たる清渓町でハッキリ映像を結んだ。

町総代奥島盛三郎さんは山口清渓国民学校長と提携して一つの誓いをたてた。そして町内では老若男女を問わず『国語一本で進みましょう』の猛烈な普及運動が開始された。

先ず町総代は毎月校庭で挙行される聖なる『愛国日常会』に際し断然朝鮮語の通訳を廃した。この荒療法も危惧していた人々が不思議としか思えない程に慣れて、今ではすっかり板についた国語常用が全町的な機運を齎した。

昨年春から山口校長は町の文盲者を集めて国語講習会を始めたが、六十、七十の老爺老婆が杖を頼りに精勤する真摯さにまず校長が搏たれた。

山口氏は先ず教室に茶道具一式を揃えお茶を飲みながら語るのだった。

「さあ、お茶を上がりなさい」

「はい、ありがとうございます」

「あなたはいかがですか」

「私はもう戴きました」

年寄り同志が実際に即して親しく語る中に国語全解と国語常用とが見事にも実を結んでこの講習は素晴らしい成績を挙げた。その後、家族全部が国語を解しても児童が一向に日常に使用せぬ事実の意外に多いことを知った時、山口氏は別の世界に対する非常な驚きを感ずるとともに一段の努力を心に期した。

早速全校児童に対し「国語常用家庭調べ」の新しい方法で細密な調査を行い、その理由が意外にも家庭の主婦たる母親にあることを知った。

「家庭の母親が使わぬ限り児童は決して国語を使わぬ」という事は山口校長に再び大きい使命を感ぜしめた。今度は家庭に根を下し主婦へ突っ込んだ国語訓練を施す種々の方法が講ぜられている。町総代と学校長の協力が全町挙げて「国語常用」の実践に京城一の大きい花を咲かせる日も近い。【写真＝国語教授中の山口校長】

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

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

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

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

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) August 27, 1943

The Second Day of the Greater East Asia Literature Convention

Koreans Speak Out with Dignity and Determination

Mr. Tsuda and Three Others Take Active Roles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Greater East Asia Literature Prize

First Prize Winner Announced Today

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

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

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) September 19, 1942

Ideological Warfare and Propaganda Warfare

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

Maki Hiroshi, also known as Lee Seok-hoon

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

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

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

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

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年8月27日

大東亜文学者大会の二日目

堂々・決意述ぶ半島

津田氏ら三氏活躍

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

なお津田氏の提案に対して議長菊池寛氏より賛成意見の開陳があった。

大東亜文学賞

初の受賞者、きょう発表

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

京城日報　1942年9月19日

思想戦と宣伝戦

牧洋

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

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

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