Another peculiar institution of Imperial Japan was the 'Superior Children' competition, where a panel of medical doctors would perform extensive mass medical inspections of large numbers of little children, score them based on various health metrics, and then celebrate the top scoring children as the top 'superior children' who were expected to grow up into 'strong Japanese soldiers and respectable Imperial women'. The colonial regime may have wanted to get the Korean people accustomed to the state invading into their personal health matters, while also getting the children used to the invasive medical inspections that they would get as newly conscripted soldiers.
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| Initial medical screening performed on May 2, 1943 |
It will be noted that Nazi German doctors were also performing mass medical inspections of populations at around this time, so Imperial Japan may have been at least partly inspired by their example. German medicine had long had a strong influence on Japan at least since the Meiji era in the 19th Century.
In 1943, the mass medical screening started on May 2 (see first article), the Seoul finalists were selected on May 15 (see second article), and the final winners for all of Korea were selected on June 26 (see third article), with an awards ceremony held on July 7 (see fourth article). There were four pediatric doctors who performed the mass medical inspections and the judging, including one token Korean named Dr. Lee Seong-bong (이성봉/李聖鳳). Interestingly, his name comes up on a list of South Korean nationals who were abducted by North Korea. He was kidnapped by the North Korean People's Army on July 31, 1950, at around the outbreak of the Korean War, and his whereabouts are still unknown to this day. The National Diet Library in Tokyo keeps some pediatric journal articles that Dr. Lee wrote in the 1930's.
The competition was co-sponsored by Maeil Sinbo and Keijo Nippo with support of the Korean Federation of National Power, the single ruling party of colonial Korea. Maeil Sinbo was the last remaining Korean-language newspaper in Korea after Chosun Ilbo and Dong-A Ilbo were shuttered in 1940.
(Translation)
Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) May 4, 1943
Child rearing is excellent
Crowded scene at the Superior Children Screening Committee
The 5th Superior Children Screening Committee, co-sponsored by Maeil Sinbo and Keijo Nippo, was held on the second day of the Healthy Peoples Movement on May 2nd at 9:30 a.m. in the Whashin Department Store Event Hall. It was held in the belief that, in order to win this war, it is essential to ensure the strength and stamina of the people on the home front, and so the Health Peoples Movement is to vigorously campaign in all of Korea for 10 days in the month of the Dragon Boat Festival, beginning on May 1st. Parents, burning with the conviction that their beloved children will grow up to become strong Japanese soldiers and respectable Imperial women, crowded into the screening room with their infants in their arms. The screening committee members on this day were Dr. Hironaka, Director of the Department of Pediatrics at Seoul Medical College, and Dr. Lee, Director of the Department of Pediatrics at Seoul Prefectural Hospital.
Dr. Lee, with the support of 25 nurses, examined more than 300 infants, all of whom were in better condition than in previous years, showing the improvement of the parents' child-rearing spirit. It was encouraging to see them displaying the strong will of a fighting people.
Height, chest circumference, body weight, etc., were measured meticulously, and their fat, naked bodies were placed in front of the doctors in charge of examining their eyes, teeth, etc. By looking at the appearances of these infants, you could almost hear the sounds of the footsteps of the healthy people and healthy soldiers who are preparing for conscription. Burning with a desire to secure human resources, the screening committee was adjourned after 4:00 p.m. [Photo: The Event Hall]
Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-05-04
Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) June 2, 1943
Six Superior Children Honored
The representatives of Seoul were chosen
Awards ceremony co-sponsored by Maeil Sinbo and Keijo Nippo
In the belief that the best Momotarō of Japan should come from the Korean peninsula, the 5th All-Korea Superior Children Awards Ceremony is to be co-sponsored by Maeil Sinbo and Keijo Nippo with the support of the Korean Social Service Association and the Korean Federation of National Power. Beginning with the first rounds of screening at Mitsukoshi Deparment Store and Whashin Department Store on May 2nd, there were 723 participants who responded to the recruitment drive held in all of Korea in the belief that those who will anchor victory in the Greater East Asian War on a solid bedrock foundation will be the healthy children of the next generation. On May 15th, the second round of screening in Seoul was held in an outpatient room at the Department of Pediatrics of Seoul University Hospital and the Department of Pediatrics of the affiliated hospital at Seoul Medical College. After careful selection by four judges, including Professor Izumi at Seoul University Hospital, the following six children were selected to represent Greater Seoul:
Junko Inoue (41 Sindang-dong), Nobuo Hirayama (149-236 Ahyeon-dong), Hiroaki Hoshimoto (141-1 Haengchon-dong), Toshio Lee (151 Nakwon-dong), Takeko Matsubara (192 Chebu-dong), Nam Hee-jong (남희전/南煕典) (530-7 [illegible]-dong)
The final selection will be made from a total of 45 children, 39 of them from all other parts of Korea. The final judging will be held in Seoul in late June.
[Photo: From the top: Inoue, Hirayama, Hoshimoto, Lee, Matsubara, and Nam].
Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-06-02
Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) June 27, 1943
Healthy Korean Children of Honor
Sponsored by Keijo Nippo
The screening of superior children has been completed
Who will be the healthy children who will carry forward the next generation of the Imperial Korean peninsula on their shoulders? The 5th All-Korea Superior Children Awards Ceremony, co-sponsored by Keijo Nippo and Maeil Sinbo with the support of the Korean Social Service Association and the Korean Federation of National Power, called on all Koreans to "Identify yourselves, healthy children!" The number of respondents actually climbed to 70,000, and starting on May 15 with the selection of superior children in Seoul, the central review committee reviewed the total of 45 candidates representing all provinces of Korea, and made their final selections at the Josun Seoul Hotel from 3:30 p.m. on June 26.
The four judges, including Mr. Shingai, Deputy Director General of the Administration Bureau, Mr. Nagai, Director of the Seoul Social Affairs Division, Dr. Otsuka, Director of the Korean Social Service Association, and many others concerned, attended the meeting. Careful consideration was conducted by the four members of the panel: Dr. Izumi (Director of Pediatrics at Seoul University Hospital), Dr. Takai (Assistant Professor at Seoul University), Dr. Hironaka (Director of Pediatrics at Seoul Medical College), and Dr. Lee Seong-bong (이성봉/李聖鳳) (Chief of Pediatrics at Seoul Prefectural Hospital). The first and second prizes were awarded to one contestant each, and the third prize was awarded to two contestants.
First place: Toshirō Ōuchi (Mileuk-dong [미륵동/彌勒洞], Sinuiju, Pyeonganbuk-do)
Second place: Takeko Matsubara (192 Chebu-dong, Seoul)
Third place (shared): Hiroo Takada (Geonip-ri, Jeju-eup, Jeju Island, Jeollanam-do), Keizō Kamitaka (39 Imperial Army Officers Residence, Daehyeon-dong, Daegu, Gyeongsangbuk-do)
The Superior Children Awards Ceremony for the representatives from each province in all of Korea as well as Seoul will be held in the auditorium of Seoul Citizens Hall on July 7.
[Photo: Central Screening Committee]
[Photo: The screening committee and the prize-winning superior children (from top) Toshirō Ōuchi (first place), Takeko Matsubara (second place), Hiroo Takada (third place), and Keizō Kamitaka (third place).
Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-06-27
Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) July 8, 1943
Award certificates were received by the cute hands of the children
The hall was filled with cheerful laughter
Cosponsored by Keijo Nippo and Maeil Sinbo: Superior Children Awards Ceremony
Co-sponsored by the Maeil Sinbo and Keijo Nippo, the 5th All-Korea Superior Children Awards Ceremony, which boasts of having the top "superior children" on the Korean peninsula as a foundation for a prosperous Asia with healthy people and healthy soldiers, was held at 2:00 p.m. on July 7 in the auditorium of Seoul Citizens Hall, with Deputy Director Shingai, Director Hada of the Korean Federation of National Power, Councilor Kiyomichi of the Central Advisory Board, Lieutenant Colonel Gama of the Military Press Department, Dr. Izumi, Dr. Hironaka, Dr. Lee Seong-bong (이성봉/李聖鳳) and others, as well as a large number of military and civilian guests in attendance. The ceremony was attended by 150 people including many military, government, and civilian guests, the All-Korea superior children, other superior children from Seoul and the rest of Korea, and their parents.
Following the National Ritual (bowing to the Emperor), there was an address by President Kanekawa of Maeil Sinbo and greetings by Commissioner Tanaka (read on his behalf by Deputy Director Shingai). Mr. Nagai, Director of the Seoul Social Affairs Division, reported on the progress of the project. Following Dr. Izumi's comments, Director Hada of the Korean Federation of National Power said, "Parents and siblings must not neglect to pay full attention to the upbringing of healthy children. Superior children are the wings of a victorious Japan. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to both newspaper firms for their efforts in this endeavor". After the ceremony, Deputy Director Shingai handed over the certificates and prizes to first-place winner Toshirō Ōuchi of Sinuiju, second-place winner Takeko Matsubara of Jongno-gu Seoul, and third-place winners Hiroo Takada of Jeju Island and Keizō Kamitaka of Daegu. The audience was filled with cheerful laughter as the certificates and prizes were first being handed out to the cute little boys and girl. Mr. Yutaka Takada, the representative of the superior children, gave a strong speech saying, "I will continue to devote myself to raising these children so as not to disgrace this honor, and raise them to become respectable Japanese people who will carry the next generation on their shoulders".
The pledge was recited by Mr. Takahashi, Director-General of the Publications Bureau of Keijo Nippo. The meeting was adjourned at 3:00 p.m. with a chorus of "Long Live the Emperor", led by Councilor Kiyomichi of the Central Advisory Board.
Dr. Izumi of Seoul University, one of the member of the screening committee, said the following:
"The physical makeup of people is not to be simply determined by their appearance. The everything about the person has to be weighed and averaged. The screening judges were happily working hard and breaking a sweat, because the remaining 45 contestants were all superior children who were difficult to distinguish from one another. This year's first-prize winner was from Northern Korea, even though Southern Korea has been the winning region in past competitions. Seoul has also performed pretty well in every competition. This suggests that warm weather is not the only factor that determines the outcome of the competition. The results also proved that, just as in the care of plants and trees, the way in which infants are nurtured is just as important. In short, it is desirable to 'carefully nurture' and be prepared to ensure that today's superior children do not become tomorrow's frail children."
[From left to right facing the photo: Matsubara (second place), Kamitaka (third place), and Takada (also third place)]
Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-07-08
(Transcription)
京城日報 1943年5月4日
育児は上乗
優良児審査会賑う
この戦を勝ち抜くためには銃後国民の健全鞏固な体力の確保が第一だと健民運動は尚武の五月、一日から十日間に亘り全鮮一斉に逞しく展開しているが、毎新並びに本社共催の第五回優良児審査会は健民運動第二日目の二日午前九時三十分から和信催場で開催した。我が愛児を強い日本軍人にまた立派な皇国の女性に育て上げようと勝ち抜く信念に燃える親達はその幼児を抱えて審査場に押し寄せた、この日の審査員弘中京城医専小児科長、李府民病院小児科長。
同李医師は二十五名の看護婦の応援を得て三百余名の幼児に対する審査を行ったが、いずれも例年よりも優れて、その親達の育児精神の向上を物語っており、戦う国民の力強い意気込みを誇示して頼母しかった。
身丈、胸囲、体重等を細密に測り、担当医師の前にまるまると肥えた裸像を委ねて眼や歯等の診察を受ける。幼児達の姿にも徴兵制に備える健民健兵の足音をきくことが出来る。審査会は人的資源確保の意欲に燃えて午後四時すぎ閉会した。【写真＝会場】
京城日報 1943年6月2日
誉れの六優良児
京城代表決まる（本社毎新共催の表彰会）
”日本一の桃太郎”は半島からと第五回全鮮優良児表彰会は本社並びに毎日新報社主催、朝鮮社会事業協会、聯盟後援の下に去月二日三越、和信における第一次審査を皮切りに勝ち抜く大東亜戦争の前途を磐石の安きに置くものこそ次代を継ぐ健康児童であるとの建前から全鮮的に呼びかけて応募者実に七百二十三名の参加をみたが、京城府における第二次審査会は去月十五日城大病院小児科外来診察室及び京城医専付属医院小児科両会場で行われ、和泉城大教授ほか四審査員の手で厳選に厳選を重ねた結果、これこそ大京城を代表する優良児との折紙を付けられたのは次の六名である。
かくて全鮮からは三十九名、合計四十五名の中から最後の半島一最優良児が選ばれるのだ。その最終審査会は六月下旬京城で行われる。
井上淳子（新堂町四一）、平山進男（阿峴町一四九ノ二三六）、星元宏明（杏村町一四一ノ一）、李家利男（楽園町一五一）、松原竹子（體府町一九二）、南煕典（？町五三〇ノ七）
【写真上から井上、平山、星元、李家、松原、南の各優良児】
京城日報 1943年6月27日
誉れの半島健児
本社主催：優良児の審査終る
「次代の皇国半島を背負って起つ健児は誰だ！」と本社並びに毎日新報社主催、朝鮮社会事業協会、聯盟後援の第五回全鮮優良幼児表彰会は「健児よ、名乗れ」と全鮮に呼びかけたが、応募者実に七万の多数に上り、去月十五日京城優良幼児の決定を皮切りに全鮮各道の代表計四十五名についての最後的決定の中央審査会を二十六日午後三時半から朝鮮ホテルで行った。
新貝司政局長代理、永井本府社会課長、大塚朝鮮社会事業協会主事ほか関係者多数列席の下に和泉城大小児科長、高井城大助教授、弘中医専小児科長、李聖鳳府民病院小児科長の四審査員によって慎重なる銓衡を兼ねた結果、同五時三十分、半島最優良の全鮮代表と折紙つきの優良児四名の決定をみたが、第一位と第二位は各一名、第三位は二名である。
◇第一位＝大内敏郎君（平北新義州彌勒洞）
◇第二位＝松原竹子さん（京城體府町一九二）
◇第三位＝高田裕雄君（全南済州島済州邑健入里）
◇上高敬造君（慶北大邱大峴町陸軍官舎三九）
なお全鮮代表と各道並びに京城府代表の優良幼児表彰式は七月七日京城府民館中講堂に於いて挙行する。
【写真＝中央審査会】
【写真＝審査会と入賞の優良児（上から）第一位の大内敏郎君、第二位の松原竹子さん、第三位の高田裕雄君、同上高敬造君】
京城日報 1943年7月8日
可愛い手へ賞状
明るい笑いに満つる会場
本社毎新主催：優良児表彰会
健民健兵は興亜の基と半島一の”優良幼児”を誇る本社並びに毎日新報社主催第五回全鮮優良児表彰会は七日午後二時から府民館中講堂に新貝司政局長、波田総聯総長、清道中枢院参議、軍報道部蒲中佐、和泉、弘中、李聖鳳各博士外、軍官民来賓多数臨場、全鮮優良幼児、京城府及び一般優良幼児とその父母等百五十名が参列して挙行。
国民礼儀についで金川毎新社長挨拶、田中政務総監告辞（新貝司政局長代読）あり。永井総督府社会課長の経過増告。審査委員和泉博士講評についで波田総聯総長は『父兄母姉は健康児育成の為には骨身惜しまず充分の注意を怠ってはならぬ。優良幼児こそは勝ち抜く日本の翼である。両社のこの企てに深甚の感謝の意を表する』と祝辞あり。終って新貝局長の手から賞状及び賞品が第一位新義州大内敏郎、第二位府内鐘路松原竹子、第三位全南済州島高田裕雄、大邱上高敬造さん初め可愛い坊ちゃん嬢ちゃんの手に渡される感激の場面に会場は明るい笑いに満たされる。優良幼児代表高田豊氏は『今後もこの栄誉を辱しめぬように養育に専念し、次代を背負う立派な日本国民に育成します』と力強い答弁あり。
高橋本社出版局長唱導で誓詞斉誦。清道中枢院参議の発声で聖壽万歳を奉唱して同三時閉会した。
審査委員和泉城大教授は語る。
「体格の良否は単に外見のみでなく、全般がガッチリと平均せねばならぬ。最後に残った四十五名は何れ甲乙のない優良児で審査員もお蔭で熱汗したたる嬉しい審査風景だった。従来の優勝地南鮮を圧し、本年は北鮮が第一位。京城府内も毎回仲々成績が良い。つまり温暖な気候のみが決して左右せないという一つの示唆を得た。草木の手入れと同様、幼児の養育方法如何が大切なることを立証している。要するに”注意深く養育する”ことと今日の優良児が明日の虚弱児たらぬよう充分の心構えが望ましい」
【写真＝向かって左から第二位松原、第三位上高、同高田の三優良幼児】
