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.

◇．．．◇

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。

◇．．．◇

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。

◇．．．◇

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）

 

Korean and Japanese kindergartners holding rising sun flags shouting 'Banzai!', schoolchildren worshiping at Shinto Shrine chanting 'defeat the U.S. and Britain', high school girls ice skating on Chundangji Pond in Changgyeonggung Palace grounds - photos of student life in Seoul, late January 1943

The third and final school semester (January to March) began in Seoul in late January 1943, and the Keijo Nippo news cameramen took photos of student life from many different angles as they started school. Some scenes look ordinary enough: students walking to school, boys practicing Kendo in the cold mornings, schoolgirls working on science projects, high school girls ice skating in the old palace grounds. But look more closely, and you can see some disturbing scenes and elements too - the wartime militaristic propaganda enforced by mandatory visits to Shinto Shrines and celebrations of the Flag of the Rising Sun.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) January 16, 1943

We won't be defeated by the cold!

Dashing young kendo athletes rampage during a cold morning practice session

Spiritedly shouting "Omen!" and "Okote," the youthful kendo athletes valiantly trained barefoot from 7:00 a.m. in an extremely cold morning. Here at Seoul Migeun-dong National School, 100 boys in the fifth and sixth grades were selected to participate in a martial arts cold practice session every morning from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. at the school's auditorium from January 15th to January 20th. On the first day of training, the principal, Mr. Terada, the male school staff, and the children arrived at the school on time.

After the national worship ritual, the students were divided into groups and began sparring, full of energy. After the first day of practice, the students said, "It felt so good! It was cold, but that was nothing when you consider what the soldiers protecting the northern borders have to go through. Studying martial arts like this will help a great deal when we become soldiers," they said, smiling with cheeks like apples. [Photo: Migeun-dong National School students practicing in the cold]

Everyone is in good spirits going to school (article published on January 17)

Today is the beginning of the last school semester

The sounds of strong footsteps of the third school semester are heard at the school gates, which open quickly to the left and right. After a long winter break for training, this group of young students is ready to valiantly fight decisive battles for the final semester of the school year, and they will start school today.

Seoul Teachers College-Affiliated National School, which was the first in all of Korea to end its winter break, will beat the opening drum and rush into the final semester of the school year on January 16th.

After that, the students will move on to the next grade level. The first day of their decisive battle has begun today. [Photo: Students of Seoul Teachers College-Affiliated National School arriving at school after the winter break]

Vigorous young maidens in fierce competition like flying swallows (article published on January 17)

The Ice Competition of Seoul No. 1 Girls' High School, rich with a wartime spirit

The brightness of the silvery ice surface was reflected in the bright blue winter sky. No matter how many degrees below zero it was, the skaters glided over the ice with the lightness of flying swallows.

The Seoul No. 1 Girls' High School Ice Competition were held at a special competition venue set up at Chundangji Pond in Changgyeongwon from 9:00 a.m. on January 16, and the competition began with classroom teams paired against each other in relay races, which was a befitting format for a wartime training event for maidens on the home front. The cheerleading squads were stomping on the ice and cheering enthusiastically as the girls engaged in powerful offensive and defensive battles, as if the relay races were establishing an air defense posture. The girls on the home front were cheerful and lively. The competition ended at around 2:00 p.m., the girls having shown off their vigorous spirit which blew away the winter and the cold. [Photo: The Ice Competition]

Well-behaved young children studying science (article published on January 19)

Wartime education at the Women's Teachers School-Affiliated National School

"Why does this propeller turn?" asked a cute first grader with a bowl haircut as she eagerly fiddled with a model airplane, her eyes filled with curiosity.

"The propeller spins because there is an elastic rubber band, and the propeller spins as the elastic band unravels. Real airplanes have engines," explained a bigger girl in the sixth grade. On the other side of the room, second grade girls were tinkering with paper tanks and cars, expressing their adorable admiration and gratitude for the Imperial Military Science Corps, which has performed brilliantly in the Greater East Asia War. This group of scientific youngsters consists of students of the National School affiliated with Seoul Women's Teachers School. These are the products of the homework projects that each of them worked on during the recent winter break, twisting their young minds with creativity. These homework projects of one hundred promising 'well-behaved children of science' were set up for display in the school work room.

Among the projects made by the older students were a wooden "charcoal box" and a wooden "book stand", as well as beautiful playing cards featuring '100 patriotic poems' made by sixth graders with all their hearts and souls. Surrounded by the happy children and their works, Mr. Watanabe said,

"These are all works that the students voluntarily created during the winter training period as a result of their scientific education, so to speak. I try to nurture the children's creativity as much as possible. I believe that this kind of scientific training will also help them to become highly qualified mothers of healthy soldiers." [Photo: Students at Seoul Women's Teachers School-Affiliated National School performing science]

We will not lose either (article published on January 20)

Hinode National School students pledge to bless the nation with their academic work

The four warm breezes crossed the pine trees on Mount Namsan. But the shrine head was covered with frozen snow that had fallen some time ago. A group of schoolchildren walked up the stone steps of the shrine head. The city of Seoul was spewing morning smoke as the day's activities got underway to fight decisive battles. The group of schoolchildren lined up in front of the Shinto shrine. The children were beginning their third semester of studies at Seoul Hinode National School on January 19th after their winter break. After the opening ceremony at 9:00 a.m. that day, Principal Etō and three other teachers led the children to Keijō Shrine to worship the shrine's guardian deities.

Bowing deeply before the shrine, they let their Imperial blood surge in their young hearts. They vowed with their adorable voices, "We will study even harder with our strong hearts to defeat the U.S. and Britain! We will not lose to British and American children!" They clapped their cute hands and prayed for the longevity and military success of the Imperial Japanese military. They earnestly vowed to serve on the home front as schoolchildren. [Hinode National School students worshiping at Keijō Shrine]

[Note: This Japanese-language academic paper from Kyushu University indicates that Hinode National School only enrolled ethnic Japanese students and few, if any, ethnic Korean students.]

Banzai to the Flag of the Rising Sun!　(article published on January 28)

On this day, when you peek into the Patriotic Kindergarten in Seoul, you can see 285 Japanese and Korean children, some as young as six and some as old as seven, lined up in the bright winter yard, holding the "Rising Sun Flag" in their hands. Principal Asagara said to the children:

"Look everyone! This is the flag of Japan, the strongest country in the world. This flag is used by the soldiers who are fighting in the Great War to defeat the soldiers of the United States and Great Britain. Today is the anniversary day of this flag."

Then the "Hinomaru March" began, followed by the lyrics "the Rising Sun is dyed red on white …" which was performed with great energy and enthusiasm. Then, the children celebrated by shouting "Banzai to the Flag of the Rising Sun!" in a loud voice, led by Principal Asagara. [The Rising Sun Flag celebrations at the Patriotic Kindergarten]

[Note: According to this 1942 brochure from the actual kindergarten, there were a total of 287 students: 176 ethnic Japanese students (61%), 108 ethnic Korean students (38%), 2 Chinese students, and 1 Turkish student.]

Source 1: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-01-16

Source 2: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-01-17

Source 3: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-01-19

Source 4: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-01-20

Source 5: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-01-28

 

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年1月16日

寒さに負けるものか！

朝の寒稽古に颯爽少年剣士の乱撃ぶり

『オメン！』　『オコテ！』裂帛の気合も若々しく少年剣士は、凛冽の寒朝、午前七時からその素足も健気に錬武する。ここ京城渼洞国民学校では同校五、六年生男子百名を選抜して十五日から二十日まで毎朝午前七時より同八時まで講堂を道場として武道寒稽古を行っている。その初日寺田校長初め男子職員、児童達は定刻に参集。

国民儀礼ののち、各組に分れて元気一ぱい剣道開始。火花を散らして天晴れ銃後学童の意気を見せ猛稽古を行ったが、その初日を終えた児童達は、「とても気持ちがよいのです。寒さですが、北の護りの兵隊さん方のことを思えばなんでもありません。こうした武道の勉強が僕らが兵隊となるときの大きい役割をつとめることでしょう」と林檎の様な頬をさせてニッコリと笑う。【写真＝渼洞国民学校生徒の寒稽古】

みんな元気に登校　(1月17日)

きょう最終学期始め

さっと左右にひらいた校門へ、第三学期の逞しい足音も勇ましい。鍛錬の冬休みを終えた少国民の一群が決戦学期への構えも雄々しく愈よきょうから登校開始だ。

全鮮で一番早く休みを切り上げた京城師範附属国民学校では十六日から始業の太鼓を打ち響かせて最終学期への驀進だ。

これが過ぎれば進学だ。いよいよ僕らの決戦第一日もきょうから始まったのだ。【写真＝冬休みあけて登校する京師附校の児童達】

溌剌乙女ら”飛燕”の熱戦　(1月17日)

戦時色も豊かに第一高女の氷上大会

まっ青な冬空に映ゆる銀盤の輝かしさ。その上を零下何度、何十度あろうと物かは身を飛燕の軽やかさで滑る。

京城第一高女の氷上大会は、十六日午前九時から昌慶苑春塘池の特設競技場で開催されたが、競技は各組対抗継走に幕を切っておとした。継ぐ競技種目も戦時下銃後乙女の錬成にふさわしく時局色を盛った氷上行進。防空態勢を整える聯絡競争などと力強い攻防戦を展開すれば、応援団は氷を踏み鳴らしての熱援。まこと銃後の女生徒達は明朗快活。冬も、寒さも吹き飛ばした溌剌たる意気を誇示して午後二時ごろ終了した。【写真＝氷上大会】

科学するヨイコドモ　(1月19日)

女師附属国民校の決戦教育

”このプロペラはどうして廻るの？”一年生の可愛いおかっぱ頭が模型飛行機を熱心にいじくりながら好奇心にみちた目差しで尋ねる。

”それはね、弾力性のあるゴム紐があってプロペラを廻してよれたゴム紐がほどけるため廻るのよ。本物の飛行機は発動機”と六年生らしい大きいおかっぱの嬢ちゃんが教えているのだ。その側では二年生のお嬢ちゃんたちが紙の戦車や自動車をいじりながら大東亜戦で赫々たる武勲を樹てている皇軍科学兵団への可憐な思慕と感謝を寄せている。この科学する幼い群は京城女子師範学校附属国民学校の生徒たちで、先ほどの冬季休暇中、各自が幼い頭をひねて創った家庭作業の収穫で、それを同校工作室に陳列して全校児童百名が決戦下”科学するヨイコドモ”の頼母しさを見せているのだ。

高等科の生徒たちが作った木工細工の『炭箱』、『本立』そうかと思えば六年生の丹精をこめての作品、綺麗な”愛国百人一首”もある。このほほ笑ましい作品と児童の中に埋まって渡辺主事は語る。

「これはみんな生徒たちが自発的に冬季鍛錬期間を利用して作ったもので、謂わば科学教育の成果です。私の方ではできるだけ子供達の創作意欲を育んでやりたいと努めているのです。こうした科学的錬成も招来健兵の母として高い素質となることを信じます。【写真＝科学する女師附属国民校生】

僕らも負けずに　(1月20日)

日出国民校生学業報国の誓い

四温の風が南山の松を渡る。でも社頭にはいつの日にか降った雪が凍ってついている。学童の一隊がその社頭の石段を上ってゆく。京城の街は朝煙を上げて決戦今日の活動に入っている。学童の一隊は神前に整列した。決戦態勢下に学びながらすくすく伸びて、皇国の輝かしい将来を担って起つ小国民の意気を見せて京城日出国民学校では冬休みも明けた十九日から第三学期の学業をはじめたが、この日午前九時児童たちは始業式後江藤校長先生ほか三名の先生達に引率せられ、氏神の京城神社へ参拝。

神前に深く頭を垂れて幼い胸に沸り上る皇国の血潮を波たたせて”米英撃滅の強い心で僕らも一層勉強します。米英の子供に負けませぬ”可憐な誓いをたて、更に可愛い手で拍手を打ち皇軍の武運長久を祈って学童としての銃後奉公を固く固く誓った。【京城神社参拝の日出国民校生】

日の丸の旗バンザイ！！　(1月28日)

この日京城府内愛国幼稚園を覗けばまだ六つ、七つといういたいけない園児達が内鮮合せて二百八十五名、手に手に”日の丸の旗”を持って冬の明るい園庭に並んでいる。園長の麻柄先生が、

「みなさん、これは世界で一ばん強い日本のお旗ですね。この旗が今大戦争をしていらっしゃる兵隊さんと一緒にアメリカやイギリスの兵を攻めたいらげているのです。今日はこの旗の記念日です」とのお話。

ついで”日の丸行進”が始まった。それから”白地に赤く日の丸染めて．．．”の遊戯が元気一杯に行われて麻柄先生の発声で”日の丸の旗バンザイ”と声高らかに祝われた。【愛国幼稚園の日の丸遊戯】

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】

This Japanese teacher devoted a decade of his life going door to door preaching "You Koreans and we Japanese are brothers, so dedicating yourselves to the Imperial nation is the only way!" the Koreans initially hated him, but eventually came to welcome him with respect, allegedly (Shimonoseki, 1943)

The following propaganda article profiles one Japanese teacher in Shimonoseki who took it upon himself to organize Korean residents into neighborhood associations (Tonarigumi) to continue the indoctrination and brainwashing into the Imperial Way that they were undergoing under the Patriotic Groups (JP: aikoku-han, KR: aeguk-ban, 愛國班) in Korea.

Teacher Yoshioka with his Korean students

The neighborhood associations (Tonarigumi) in mainland Japan and the Patriotic Groups in Korea were similar, in that both were responsible for allocating rationed goods, fire fighting, public health, snitching on 'ideological criminals', and civil defense, but the latter was more focused on Imperializing the Koreans into true Japanese people. As we see in this article, the Tonarigumi for Koreans were modeled after Patriotic Groups to focus on enforcing State Shinto worship, improving Japanese language skills, and instilling Imperial Japanese patriotism.

Shimonoseki, a port city in Kyushu, Japan which served as a gateway to Korea, had segregated Korean neighborhoods during the colonial period. Major companies, such as construction, mining, and logistics firms, hired Korean workers to do the most undesirable work, back-breaking work lifting heavy loads. There was forced recruitment of Korean workers directly from Korea, especially for sensitive military projects, like the Kanmon Tunnel, fortresses, and airports, since the long-term Korean residents of Shimonoseki were considered to be unreliable. Korean workers lived in substandard company housing without running water in undesirable areas, such as in areas close to pig manure lagoons. The Korean neighborhoods were organized into Kyōwa-kai, which were neighborhood associations under police control. The Japanese police put the bosses of the housing complexes and brothels in charge of the Kyōwa-kai, and these collaborator bosses reported directly to the Special Higher Police, which established a heavy presence in these Korean neighborhoods through police booths and brutal detention centers. The collaborator bosses acted like the mafia and treated the residents like slaves, especially if they were escapees from forced labor camps elsewhere in mainland Japan.

[The above information comes from the first-hand accounts of a first-generation Zainichi Korean resident of Shimonoseki, Gang Hae-su (강해수/姜海洙) whose testimony given in 2002 is published in Japanese in Chosyu-Journal, an anti-militarist, pro-worker newspaper in Japan.]

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) February 27, 1943

Ten Years of Efforts Dedicated to the Imperialization of the Koreans

A beautiful story from Shimonoseki about a teacher

[Shimonoseki telephone report] A moving, beautiful story is told about an elementary school teacher and a group of Koreans living in mainland Japan who are looking forward to the day of honor that is about to come, just before the joyous implementation of wartime conscription.

The main subject of the story is Mr. Ken'ichi Yoshioka (35), a teacher at Enoura National School in Deshimatsu town, Hikoshima district, Shimonoseki city, and the Koreans living in the same town who have always admired him. The population of Hikoshima district has increased rapidly over the past decade with the establishment of factories and the frequent arrival and departure of ships. In particular, the dramatic increase in the number of Korean residents has led to the sudden formation of a settlement, and more than half of the children at Enoura National School are Koreans.

Here, differences in customs and inadequate language skills have caused some misunderstandings. Every time this happened, the young teacher Yoshioka pondered deeply, "Are things really alright this way?" It was November 1933 when he decided to take action, not content with just standing by and doing nothing. From then on, Yoshioka visited the Korean settlement day and night. Going door to door, he told them, "You Koreans and we Japanese are brothers, so dedicating yourselves to the Imperial nation is the only way!"

But there were initially many difficulties, and the Koreans hated him and refused to engage with him. However, by the end of the first year, the Koreans began to welcome him with respect. In this way, the Kōjō-kai was established in the settlement to provide neighborhood support, ahead of the establishment of the Kyōwa-kai. The Kōjō-kai holds regular meetings several times a month, similar to today's neighborhood association (Tonarigumi) meetings, to emphasize respect for the gods and the ancestors, to improve Japanese language skills, to encourage frugality and work ethic, and to produce good citizens.

In the meantime, when the digging work for the Kanmon Tunnel began, industrial warriors arrived one after another from the Korean peninsula. The small settlement became a larger town, and ten neighborhood associations were formed. Twice a month, there was vocational training in resource conservation and waste collection. They performed heartfelt activities including war donations and contributions, comfort visits to frontline soldiers, and mutual savings bonds. They have also formed neighborhood associations for the children, and they are striving to become worthy Imperial subjects. All of this is the result of 10 years of efforts under Yoshioka's guidance. Now he and all the members of the neighborhood associations are determined to send out splendid young men from the neighborhood associations as "humble shields protecting His Majesty the Emperor". [Photo: Yoshioka instructing Korean children at a regular meeting = censored by Shimonoseki Fortress Command Center]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-02-27

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年2月27日

半島人皇民化に捧ぐ十年間の努力

訓導繞る下関の佳話

【下関電話】決戦下よろこびの徴兵制実施を目前に控えて国民学校一訓導と内地在住半島人の一団とがやがて来るその光栄の日を待ちわびているという感激美談がある。

下関市彦島地区弟子待町居住、江之浦国民学校訓導吉岡憲一氏（三五）と氏を敬慕して已まない同町在住半島人達がその話題の主である。彦島は僅々十年急激に工場設置や船舶出入りの頻繁につれて人口も増加し、殊に半島人の激増は忽ち一部落を形成するに至り、江之浦国民学校もその半数以上は半島人児童という有様となった。

そこにはお互いの習慣の相違や言葉の不充分から何やかの行き違いが出て来る。その度毎に若い吉岡訓導は”これでよいのか”と深く考え込み、じっとして見逃すことが出来なくて起ち上ったのだ。それは昭和八年十一月。それからの吉岡訓導は日毎夜半島人部落を歴訪：「君達も俺達と同じ同胞だ。皇国の為に尽くす道は唯一つだよ」と一戸一戸を説いて廻るのだった。

然し人々はそこには幾多の困難があった。しかし一年目には今まで嫌って相手にもしなかった人々が尊敬をもって迎えてくれるようになった。そうして部落には協和会より一足先に隣保扶助の役割をなす『向上会』が出来た。向上会は毎月数回今の隣組常会に変わらぬ常会を開いて敬神崇祖の念を強調、正しき国語の熟達、貯蓄皆労と善き国民たらむと精進が続けられたのである。

一方、関門トンネル鑿掘工事着手となるや半島から続々と産業戦士が入りこんで来て、今では部落も町とかわり十組合の隣組合が出来、月二回資源愛護、廃品回収授産実習等を行って、その得たるところは、献納に、寄付に、前線勇士の慰問に、共同貯蓄と涙ぐましい活動を続け、なお子供隣組も出来て只管立派な皇国臣民になるのですと励んでいる。それらのすべてが吉岡訓導十年間の努力の結果であり、今その訓導と隣組合全員は、この組合からも”大君の醜の御楯”として立派な青年を送り出すのだと張切っている。【写真＝半島人子供常会を指導している吉岡訓導＝下関要塞司令部検閲済み】

Korean schoolgirls standing in front of Seoul Whashin Department Store in 1943 as Korean women make some stitches in Shinto cloth amulets to be gifted to Imperial Japanese soldiers

In Imperial Japan, schoolgirls would stand around public places like department stores and hold white strips of cloth, and then female passersby would take turns making stitches with red thread on the cloth. Once one thousand different women have made knots or stitches on the cloth, then it becomes a Senninbari shinto amulet, a strip of cloth stitched a thousand times and given as Shinto amulets by the women to Imperial Japanese soldiers going away to war. The stitches may form patterns or images of flags, patriotic slogans, etc. 

This photo was taken in front of the Whashin Department Store, an old landmark of Jongno-dong which was eventually demolished in 1987. You can see a passerby in a Korean-style chima dress making a stitch or knot on a white strip of cloth that is held by a schoolgirl in Monpe work pants. 

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) November 13, 1943

Sending Senninbari Shinto amulets as parting gifts to clear the way for students marching off to battle

Students of women's colleges and girls' high schools in Seoul took to the streets to receive Senninnbari Shinto amulets as gifts of encouragement to the students marching off to battle. In the streets of Jongno-dong at Whashin Department Store, Mitsukoshi Department Store, Chojiya Department Store, and Honmachi-suji, beautiful whirlpools of people soon surrounded the maidens in school uniforms.

◇．．．Cotton cloth and threads were provided with the efforts of the Korean Federation of National Power. There was a woman in a Japanese kimono who poured her heart into stitching the amulets. She approached the students in a modest manner and asked them, "Are your brothers going off to war?" "Yes, the Korean students are all going off to war!" one student responded, looking at the knots on the amulet and bowing with gratitude, as if the woman had really sewn it for her brother.

◇．．．There were three working women who had apparently dropped by during their lunch break. As they took turns sewing and finished their stitches, all three of them stood upright and immobile, and then bowed politely to the Senninbari Shinto amulet that they had just stitched. They bowed silently, as if to say, "We wish you the best going off to war. We hope that you will perform many heroic deeds". The recipient of the stitches returned the bow with a gleam in her eyes. It was a very moving scene. [Photo: In front of Whashin Department Store]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-11-13

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年11月13日

晴の出陣に千人針の餞

学徒の出陣へ激励の千人針を餞しようと起ち上った京城府内の女専、高女学生生徒達は街頭に進出した。鐘路の和信、三越、丁子屋前、本町筋などでは制服の処女を囲んで忽ち美しい渦を巻く。

◇．．．総力聯盟の骨折りで綿布も糸も揃った。”あなたのお兄さんが出征なさるのですか”といい乍ら寄って来て虔しやかに、しかも心を籠めて縫う和服姿の奥さんがある。”ええ、半島学徒の総出陣ですわ”と、結び目を見ながら、女学生も本当にわが兄の為に縫って貰ったような感謝でお辞儀をする。

◇．．．お昼の時間に出て来たらしい三人づれの若い勤労女性、番を待って縫い終わると、三人が揃って直立不動の姿勢で、いま自分が結んだ千人針へ丁寧に最敬礼をした。よくぞ征って下さいます。どうぞ充分お手柄を立てて下さいとの心を無言のお辞儀に示したのである。縫ってもらった方も、眼にきらりと光るものを見せて礼を返す。感激の場面であった。【写真＝和信前にて】

A back-to-school article telling Korean parents what their children would expect on their first day at Imperial Japanese elementary school: Shinto prayers to the Emperor, a free piece of bread for lunch, students were encouraged to earn their own money to buy some school supplies (April 1944, Seoul)

Imagine you are parent in 1944 Seoul and it is April, the beginning of the new school year. You are about to send your children to their first day of National School, which was equivalent to elementary school. To allay your anxieties, you may have picked up the newspaper and read this article to learn what to expect, and how to prepare your children for school. But this was Imperial Japan, so your children were going to be indoctrinated into State Shintoism. That meant bowing in the direction of the Imperial Palace every morning, praying in a moment of silence at noon for Imperial Japanese soldiers, and praying to the kamidana miniature Shinto shrines that were set up in the classrooms. The morning and noon prayers were mandatory in Korea, but not in mainland Japan. In addition, there were regular field trips to local shrines.

Textbooks and notebooks were provided free of charge. Free school lunch was provided, consisting of one 157-gram piece of bread, roughly equivalent to 1 and a half bagels, but parents were apparently expected to supplement it with food brought from home. Each piece of bread cost 13 sen, or roughly 2 to 3 US Dollars today.

In addition to memorizing their own names and home addresses, the children were also expected to memorize the names of their own Patriotic Groups, which would have been something like 'the Fourth Patriotic Group of the Fifth Team of Sajik-dong'.

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.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) April 1, 1944

Fighting Families

Discipline for school children

Be strong, honest and cheerful!

With the joyous first day of school for the children finally approaching, we asked teacher Ms. Nakajima Ei of Seoul Sakurai National School about how to prepare the children at home.

Ms. Nakajima Ei, teacher at Seoul Sakurai National School

☆ … Discipline for children starting school

The three desirable qualities in children starting school are (a) a strong body, (b) an honest and cheerful nature, and (c) orderly discipline. However, not all children are educated in a uniformly excellent manner at home, so if your child lacks even one of these three qualities, please take the opportunity to correct his or her shortcomings as soon as possible.

In the area of child discipline, above all, we must instill in our children the education and awareness of being Imperial subjects from the time they are children in order to raise them to become capable citizens who will fight decisive battles. To this end, we should remind them of the dignity of the Imperial family and cultivate a spirit of reverence for the gods and the ancestors, so that they will not neglect daily routine national disciplines such as the Kyūjō Yōhai ritual [7 a.m. bowing several times in the direction of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo while standing], a Moment of Silence at noon [to honor Imperial Japanese soldiers], visiting Shinto shrines, and worshipping at the kamidana (miniature Shinto shrines inside rooms).

Let's also make it a habit to change the carefree lifestyle of the past and have our children wake up early, go to bed early, and go to and from school properly according to the rules. We must also teach them how to greet people in the morning and evening and how to respond to adults in a courteous manner. In addition, although it may seem trivial, it is important to give your child the confidence to do what he or she can do on his or her own without help from adults, so that he or she can pay for school supplies on his or her own after entering school.

☆ … Preparation at home before school starts

There is no need to teach your child various complicated things, but it is a good idea to have your child practice reading and writing his/her own name, learn the names of his/her parents, their address, and their patriotic group.

☆ … School supplies and other belongings

The school will take care of the necessary school supplies such as textbooks and notebooks, so there is no need to worry. It is advisable to avoid new or extravagant clothing, and to wear only what you have on hand or recycled clothing. It is also a good idea to get into the habit of taking good care of things such as pencils and paper.

☆ … Correcting children's selfishness, pettiness, bashfulness, nervousness, etc.

There are many causes for these problems, and it is difficult to say exactly what they are, but the National School is a training ground to build a character which is appropriate for Imperial subjects. Of course, selfishness is unacceptable, but petulance, bashfulness, and nervousness will gradually improve as they spend their lives together as a group at school. If parents consult with their children's teachers and take appropriate measures, then it will be possible to correct their children's behavior.

To this end, please encourage your children to think of school as an interesting and fun place when you drop them off and pick them up in the morning and evening. When they come home from school, be sure to talk to them about their day at school, even if it is just to review the day's activities.

In short, the home and school should work together to help children grow up brightly and strongly, and to teach them to have the determination to win the war as little national people of Japan fighting decisive battles.

School Lunches

The new school year will see the start of school lunches for the children of the National Schools. For the time being, each student will be given one loaf of bread of 42 monme (157.5 g) each until the cooking facilities have been set up. This is equivalent to about 7 shaku (70 ml) of brown rice. This is an expression of concern by the parents determined not to let the growing little national people feel hunger. However, there are apparently some families where the adults take advantage of the fact that 13 sen was paid to buy bread for the children, by eating up the rice that they used to provide in their children's lunch boxes.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1944-04-01

(Transcription)

京城日報　1944年4月1日

戦う家庭

就学児童の躾

強く素直で明るく

お子さんたちの楽しい入学の日もいよいよ近づきましたから、家庭での心構えを京城桜井国民学校の中島エイ先生におききしてみました。

☆．．．入学児童の躾について

入学するお子さんたちに望ましいのは（イ）丈夫な身体（ロ）素直な明るい性質（ハ）規律正しい躾の三つの事柄ですが、皆が一様に立派な家庭教育を受けているとは限りませんから、今申しました三つの中の一つでも欠けておる場合には入学を機会に子供さんの欠点を思いきって直すようにつとめて下さい。

その中で児童の躾については、何よりも決戦下りっぱな国民に育て上げるために子供の時分から皇国臣民としての自覚と教養を植えつけるようにしなくてはなりません。それには皇室の尊厳を心に銘じさせ、敬神崇祖の精神を培うよう、宮城遥拝、正午の黙祷、神社参拝と神棚礼拝など日常の手近な国民的躾を怠らないようにしましょう。

また今までの気ままな生活を切り替えて早起き、早寝を実行させ、登校、下校は規則正しくするように習慣づけましょう。それから朝晩のご挨拶や大人に対する返事の仕方など礼儀を正しくするように導かねばなりません。そのほか些細なことですが、入学後に学用品代などはお子さんが自分一人で納められるという風に、自分の力で出来ることは大人の手を借りずにやりとげるという自信を持たせるようにしつけましょう。

☆．．．学校がはじまる前の家庭での準備

いろいろむずかしいことを教えこむ必要はございませんが、自分の名前は読み書きできるように練習させ、御両親の名前と住所、愛国班の組くらいは覚えさせたら結構だと思います。

☆．．．学用品その他の持物

教科書、帳面など必要な学用品は学校の方でお引き受けしておりますから御心配はございませんが、服装などは新調のものや華美なものをさけて、なるべく有り合わせのものや更生品を利用された方がよいでしょう。また鉛筆や紙など物を大切に扱う習慣をつけるようにしましょう。

☆．．．子供の我儘、小心、はにかみ、神経質などの矯正

原因がいろいろあって一概には申されませんが、国民学校は皇国臣民にふさわしい素地をつくる錬成の道場ですから、我儘などは勿論許されませんけれども、小心、はにかみ、神経質などは学校で団体生活をしていくうちにだんだんよくなりますから、何よりも保護者のかたが受け持ちの先生とよくご相談のうえ適当な方法を講じて矯正されるよう努力されたらなおせるものです。

それにはお子さんたちに学校は面白くて楽しいところだと思いこませるよう、朝夕の送り迎えの際など元気をつけてやり、学校から帰って来ましたら、おさらいの意味からでも必ずその日の学校生活の様子を話させてお聞き取り下さい。

要するに家庭と学校が一体となって、お子さんたちが明るく強くのびていくようにして幼いながら決戦下日本の少国民として勝ち抜く気概を持たせるように指導しなくてはならないはずです。

学校給食

新学年度国民学校児童のお昼給食がはじまるそうである。さしあたり炊爨設備がととのうまでは、一人について四十二匁のパン一つづつが渡されるという。之は五分搗き米約七勺にあたる栄養価をもつもので、育ち盛りの少国民たちにひもじい思いをさせまいとする親心からである。ところがこれをいいことにして、こどもには十三銭出してパンを買ってやったからとて、今までこどもの弁当をつつんでいたお米を大人たちが食いこむような家はなかろうか。