Propaganda editorials about Shinto shrines built in every township in Korea so Koreans don't feel so 'lonely and empty in their hearts' and Korea can become a 'paradise truly in accordance with the Imperial Way' where every Korean is required to perform the Jingu Taima exorcism ceremony at home

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

It is April 1944, over two years into total war against the United States and Britain, and it is not going so well for Imperial Japan. Here, Governor-General Koiso's office announces plans to build Shinto shrines all over Korea in every eup (town) and myeon (township) that does not yet have one, and make every town leader and township leader compel the residents to worship their birth deities, all in spite of severe wartime material and labor shortages. It sounds crazy on many levels, but perhaps the superstitious war leaders thought that currying favor with the gods would somehow turn the tide in Imperial Japan's favor.

The issue of Shinto shrines is a particularly sensitive topic that can still evoke strong emotional reactions among both Japanese and Korean people. Many Japanese are still angry at the fact that the 1000+ Shinto shrines that were built in colonial Korea were all destroyed following the end of the war, starting with the Pyongyang shrine which was set on fire on August 15, 1945, the day Imperial Japan surrendered. Today, the only vestiges of the shrines in Korea are found in their ancillary structures, like the stairs. A statue of Kim Il-sung now stands on the former site of Pyongyang shrine.

However, it is also important to understand the context as to why this destruction occurred, and why the shrines were so universally hated all over Korea. We have to understand that, in Japan-colonized Korea, the Shinto religion (State Shintoism) was weaponized as a tool of oppression against the Korean people, starting with the administration of Governor-General Minami in 1937 and continuing under subsequent Governors, including Governor-General Koiso, who was a narcissist notable for putting young Korean girls into internment camps to turn into 'true Japanese' mothers, with the idea that this would have a multiplier effect as these Korean girls become mothers who raise Japanese children. But immediate wartime needs apparently turned this project into a more practical wartime work force program. 

There were loud sirens at 7 am and noon to perform Shinto prayers. The 7 am Kyūjō Yōhai ritual (宮城遥拝) involved bowing several times in the direction of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo while standing, almost reminiscent of the Muslim salah prayer in the qibla direction of Mecca. The noon prayer was a moment of silence in honor of the Imperial Japanese soldiers.

Koreans were also forced to attend compulsory worship services in person at Shinto shrines. Those who refused to attend would not receive their food rations. They were also forced to keep miniature Shinto shrines (kamidana) in their homes and perform a special Jingu Taima exorcism ceremony in front of them. 

Every Korean belonged to a patriotic neighborhood cell (aikoku-han or aeguk-ban, 愛国班) of the Federation of National Power (国民総力朝鮮連盟, 국민총력조선연맹), the single ruling party of Japan-colonized Korea. In 1943, the Secretary General was a Japanese named Mr. Hada, but by 1944 he had apparently been replaced by a Korean named Mr. Han. The cell system worked much like the present system in Cuba and North Korea, where each cell leader would make sure that all the cell members followed the rules, even to the point of prying into their private lives. Neighbors would report each other for infractions, perhaps for breaking rules like speaking Korean in public, sleeping in and not performing the 7 am prayers, or not looking reverent enough during worship services. Saying the wrong things, like wishing for independence, would have branded you 'an ideological criminal' and landed you in a reeducation center.

Understandably, such a prolonged stressful, oppressive experience must have inflicted a lasting psychic trauma on the Korean people, which is still straining relations between the Korean and Japanese people to this day.

In postwar Japan, the State Shintoism apparatus is officially dismantled, but Yasukuni shrine survives as the last remaining active State Shinto shrine. Even though Yasukuni is officially a nongovernmental religious entity with no official affiliations with the Japanese government, far-right Japanese politicians still visit and pay their respects to the war criminals enshrined as gods there as if it were a de facto state shrine, a sad reminder that the Imperial Way ideology of the past still lives on in the present Japanese government.

 (Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) April 11, 1944

Editorial: Life in Decisive Battle and the Way of Respect for the Gods

Since his appointment, Governor-General Koiso has been administering the affairs of the country with a reverent attitude as if he were entrusted with the baby of His Majesty the Emperor, and in the management of politics, he has been mindful to follow the will of the gods. All of us in the government, not to mention the 25 million people of Korea, are deeply moved to follow the cause of the Emperor and win the Greater East Asia War with a heart of respect for the gods and the forefathers, and to make the Korean peninsula a paradise truly in accordance with the Imperial Way. As one manifestation of this, every household in all of Korea has held a Jingu Taima exorcism ceremony without exceptions, and this time, reflecting the consensus of 25 million people, the construction of one shrine in each province, eup, and myeon has become a concrete reality as intended by the Governor-General. The fact that, on the 10th, Mr. Tanaka, Commissioner-General for Political Affairs, notified the governors of the provinces of the guidelines for implementation is, as the authorities say, the most opportune and most gratifying way to "establish the spiritual center of the people in the countryside and to make clear what the people's minds should be based on".

In mainland Japan, a village or a town is formed around a clan deity, a birth deity, or a guardian deity, and even when the village or town develops into a metropolis such as Tokyo, it does not lose its beauty. Everyday life itself is under the watchful gaze of the gods. The prosperity of the fatherland, and even the prosperity of the family, is due to divine will. The dignity of this divine nation has never been violated, because the gods are directly served in person. Ever since the foundation of our nation, our land has never been violated by foreign enemies, and we are now in the midst of an opportunity to manifest the great spirit of Hakko Ichiu to the whole world, and to make the great authority of the sovereign nation shine forth.

At this time, looking back at our Korean peninsula, it is regrettable that there are 1,392 eups and myeons that still do not have shrines onto which all the people of the region could rest their hearts, even though each household is performing the Jingu Taima exorcism ceremony, as I have mentioned before. The realization of the construction of the shrines should be regarded as an epoch-making event, and it should also be seen as the first step toward realizing eternal peace and harmony regardless of the fact that our Korean peninsula is at war.

Ever since the outbreak of the Greater East Asia War, the feeling of reverence towards the gods on the Korean peninsula has been growing strong, as is clearly shown by the fact that the number of worshipers to the Chosun Shrine has been increasing day by day and month by month. Thus, it is only fitting that the local people should overcome the current material difficulties, newly erect shrines in 1,392 eups and myeons, and dedicate them to the spirits of the gods. It is clear that the people of these localities are determined to create a pure and noble life of gratitude and divine unity between god and man. They believe that it is through the blessings of the gods that human nature is good from the start, that life is preserved, that families enjoy peace and harmony, that children prosper, and that a good harvest is always blessed. When houses are built, they are prayed to, when seeds are sown and rice paddies planted, they are prayed to, and after the harvest, a festival of thanksgiving is held.

Therefore, it can be imagined that the people of the myeons and eups who do not have shrines to perform these events must feel lonely and empty in their hearts. I have no doubt that the mere fact that these shrines were provided to them today will have a great effect in making them pledge their support to Governor-General Koiso.

However, starting with the eup and myeon leaders, the peoples of the eups and myeons of the localities who serve at the shrines must fully understand that we have not completed our entire objective just because the shrines have been erected. We have seen the dedication of Shinto shrines at county offices and at eup and myeon offices all over Korea, but this did not extend beyond mere formalities, which is not only against the will of the gods, but also against the will of Governor-General Koiso, who is a pious man of respect. Unless the eup and myeon leaders take the lead in paying respect and serving the shrines, the attitude of the people will also end up not extending beyond mere formalities. To put it more directly, if the people at the periphery of the administrative apparatus try to lead the people to the faith without understanding the true intentions of the Governor-General, they may just readily follow whatever he says and try to achieve results without much effort. If they take advantage of the shrine policy in this way, then this will be something that must be strictly prohibited.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1944-04-11

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) April 11, 1944

Establish shrines in all areas

Establish spiritual centers for the local people

The implementation of the conscription system and other epoch-making measures of the Korean Government have triggered a rising demand for the establishment of shrines in every region of the Korean peninsula as spiritual centers for the 25 million people of the Korean peninsula, but there are still 1,392 eups and myeons where no shrine has yet been established. The Governor-General has decided on a policy of one shrine in each province, eup, and myeon. In response to the general demand, shrines are to be established in all areas despite the shortage of materials, and those existing miniature shrines that meet certain standards are to be classified as full-fledged shrines to deepen respect for the gods and ancestors, to increase faith in the birth deities, and to solidify their spiritual homes. On the 10th, the Director of the Regional Division of the Governor-General's Office, the Deputy Director of the Korean Headquarters of the Greater Japan Shinto Priesthood Association, and the General Secretary of the Korean Federation of National Power issued the following statements on this matter.

Mr. Ōkubo, Director of the Regional Division of the Governor-General's Office:

At the Governor-General's Office, we have long since decided on the policy of one shrine in each province, eup, and myeon, which we have been making efforts to realize. Due to various reasons, there are still 1,392 eups and myeons where shrines have not yet been established. However, the development of the general administrative apparatus on the Korean peninsula has been remarkable. Now, in view of the current situation on the Korean peninsula, we feel that it is imperative to take revolutionary measures akin to the introduction of the conscription system, such as establishing the spiritual centers of the local people, clarifying where the people's hearts should be based, embodying the spiritual place of gratitude along with a paradise of divine unity between god and man, and solidifying the spiritual home of the people by shifting their faith into their Japanese-style birth deities. In spite of the current shortage of materials, we have decided to fully establish miniature Shinto shrines, and those existing miniature Shinto shrines that meet certain standards will be classified as full-fledged Shinto shrines in order to promote the growth of this way of life. These implementation guidelines have been sent in a letter by the Political Affairs Director General to the governors of each province. I am sure that these measures will be implemented as soon as possible, and I hope that all of you government officials will understand the intention of the Governor-General's Office to carry out these measures, especially in this time of emergency, and I hope that you will actively and vigorously support and cooperate with us towards the realization of these measures.

Mr. Han, Secretary General of the Korean Federation of National Power:

In the autumn of last year, we saw the implementation of landmark measures such as the implementation of the conscription system and compulsory education system. Korean compatriots are already going to battle in the name of the celebrated gods who founded Japan, and the number of people who offer morning and evening prayers to the gods of heaven and earth at shrines is increasing every month. There is a growing demand for the establishment of miniature kamidana Shinto altars in the homes and full-fledged Shinto shrines in the countryside. In view of the urgent need to cultivate faith in the Emperor and the reverence for the gods on a peninsula that lacks faith in loyalty and unity, the Governor-General's Office announced policies and measures with the goal of one shrine in each province, eup, and myeon. It is truly a timely and groundbreaking plan, and we cannot help but rejoice at its rapid realization. 

With the realization of the establishment of the shrines, the training of shrine priests is currently being prepared under the supervision of the Federation. These priests must not only perform their duties, but must also play a leading and enlightening role for the people of the localities, and they must be consistent in their attitudes toward life by focusing on the deities in all their daily activities in the four seasons from birth to death.

Chief Priest Nukaga, Deputy Director of the Korean Headquarters of the Greater Japan Shinto Priesthood Association:

As a divine nation, Japan's spiritual strength is unique in the world. Needless to say, this is because we have had an Imperial family for ten thousand generations, and because we always closely worship and live our lives under the authority of the divine spirits of our gods and ancestors. Now that Korea is about to implement conscription and compulsory education, it is very discouraging that there are only sixty-nine shrines to protect our 25 million compatriots, and that the total number of miniature shrines that should become full-fledged shrines is still only about 900. In order to enjoy the favor of the gods and to uphold the spirit of sincere Imperial people, we cannot be satisfied with the current state of affairs. Therefore, first of all, the Governor-General's policy this time is to establish divine facilities, so that the spirit of the national people can receive the authority of the noble gods. That is, one shrine is to be established for each myeon. The fact that they have decided to take this step forward so quickly is especially significant in these times of extreme emergency.

Until today, our Korean compatriots have been unhappy, unable to understand the true meaning of the divine blessings that they have received. When we consider that they will soon be able to walk in step with the spirit of Imperial nation through the shrines of their birth deities, and make a grand start as supporters of Japan's rapid progress, we the priesthood truly believe that we are not the only ones who are pleased with these divine facilities.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1944-04-11

(Transcription)

1944年4月11日　京城日報

社説：決戦生活と敬神の道

小磯総督はその赴任以来、畏くも陛下の赤子をあずかり奉るの敬虔なる態度を以て統理に当ると共に、政治の運営に関しても神意にもとらざるを只管念慮しているのに対し、下僚として官にある者は勿論、二千五百万民ひとしく感激し、尊皇の大義に従い、かつ敬神崇祖の心を以て大東亜戦争を勝ち抜き、半島をして真に皇道に則る楽土たらしめんとして居るが、その一つの現れとして全鮮各戸洩れなく大麻奉斎を行い、茲にまた二千五百万民の総意を反映して総督府の意図する一府、一邑面に一神社祠の建立が具体化をみるに至り、十日田中政務総監よりその実施要領を各道知事宛に通達することになったのは、当局もいうが如く”地方民の精神的中枢を確立し以て民心に拠るべきところを明かにする”上に於いて最も機宜に適し、また甚だ喜ぶべきところといわねばならない。

内地に於いては、氏神、産土神、鎮守神を中心にして一つの村落あるいは町が形成され、これは東京都の如き大都市と発展しても美風を失わず、日常生活それ自体が神々照覧の下にあり、祖国の興隆はもとより、一家の繁栄すら神意によるところとし、直に仕え奉り来ったが為に神国たるの威をけがさず、肇国以来いまだかつて外敵にその寸土をも冒されることなく、今やまさに八紘一宇の大精神を全世界に顕現し、大御稜威をあまねく光被せしめんとする機会に遭うて居るのである。

この時、翻ってわが半島を視るに、前にも述べた如く各戸は大麻を奉斎すると雖も各地方民全体が心の拠りどころとすべき神社祠の鎮座をみない邑面がなお千三百九十二に及ぶのは遺憾とされて居ただけに、この実現は画期的なものというべく、またわが半島が決戦下にも拘わらず既に永遠の和楽に入る第一歩を踏み出したものともみるべきである。

大東亜戦争勃発以来、わが半島においても敬神の念愈々加わるをみるのは、朝鮮神宮への参拝者が日に月に増加している実例がよく示す通りであるから、今日の資材難を敢えて克服し、新しく千三百九十二の邑面に神社あるいは神祠が建立され、神霊を奉祀するのに対し、その地方民が愈々報恩感謝神人合一の浄く高き生活を創造せんと誓い奉るのは明かである。人の性もとより善にして、その生命を保ち、一家和楽して子孫繁栄し、常に五穀豊穣に恵まるるは神の加護によるところと弁え、家を建てんとすれば斎い、種を蒔き田を植えんとするに際しては祈り、収穫の後に於いては奉謝の祭りを行い来った。

従ってそれらの行事をなすべきに際し神社祠を持たなかった地方の面邑民は、心に寂しさと物足らなさを感じていたと想像される。今日、これを与え得ただけでも小磯統理への翼賛を誓わしめる上に、大なる効果のあるのを信じて疑わない。

だた、神社祠を建立したことを以て、目的の全体が終ったのではないことを、邑面長をはじめ、指導者ならびに神社祠に奉仕する人々は充分心得て居なければならない。我等はかつて鮮内各地の郡庁、邑面事務等に於いて神棚の奉斎されるのを見たが、それは単なる形式に終り、むしろ神意にもとると共に敬神の念篤き小磯総督の意志にも反するものである。邑面長が先ず敬い、仕えまつるのでなければ、民衆の態度もまた形式に終るであろう。更に直言するならば、行政末端の人々が総督の真意を解せずして、信仰に民衆を導くならば、彼等が何事にも易々諾々として従い、労せずして成績をあげ得ると考え、その方策として神社祠を利用するが如きは厳に戒めねばならないところである。

1944年4月11日　京城日報

全面的に神祠設立

地方民の精神的中枢を確立

徴兵制実施等半島統理の画期的施策を契機として半島二千五百万民衆の精神的中枢として各地に神社神祠の設立要望の声が澎湃と擡頭しているが、未だ神社、神祠の設立を見ざる邑面は一千三百九十二に達する状況である。総督府は一府邑面一神社神祠の方針を決定。一般の要望に応え諸資材不足のときにも拘わらず全面に神祠を設立せしめると共に既設神祠中一定の規格に合するものは此際神社に列せしめ敬神崇祖の念を深め、産土神の信仰を高め心の故郷を固成することになった。右に関し十日、総督府地方課長、大日本神祇会朝鮮本部副本部長、国民総力朝鮮聯盟事務局総長の各談話を発表した。

大久保地方課長談：

本府に於いては夙く一府邑面一神社神祠の方針を決定し、この方針に基づいて、之が実現に付き努力し来ったのであるが、諸種の事情に依り現在の處、尚神社神祠の設立を見ざる邑面一三九二に達するの状況にある。然るに半島に於ける庶政の進展は著しく、今や徴兵制実施の如き画期的施策に当面致し地方民の精神的中枢を確立し、民心の拠るべき所を明かにし、報恩感謝、神人和楽の霊場を具現し、我が国風たる産土神の信仰を移して心の故郷を固成致すことは半島刻下の現状に見て其の要切なるものあるを感得致す次第である。時局下諸資材不足の折柄にも拘わらず今回全面的に神祠を設立せしめると共に既設神祠中一定の規格に合するものは此際神社に列せしめ彌彌斯道の興隆を図ることとし、之が実施要領を政務総監より各道知事宛通牒した。就いては早急活発に実行に移さるることと思うが、官民各位に於かれては非常時局下特にこれ等の施策を遂行せんとする本府の意図を諒得され、これが具現につき積極的且つ活発なる御支援御協力を願って止まない次第である。

韓聯盟事務局総長談：

徴兵制並に義務教育制実施等の画期的施策を見る秋、既に名誉ある肇国の祭神を出し又戦列に馳せ参じつつある半島同胞としては、神社、神祠を中心に拠り所として天神地祇に朝夕祈願を捧げる人々の数が月々増加しつつある現況であり、家庭にあっては神棚を奉安し郷土に在りては神社、神祠の設立を要望する声が澎湃として起りつつある。茲に忠帰一の信仰に乏しい半島に神祇崇敬と天皇帰一の信仰を啓培するの急務なる所以に鑑みて、今回本府に於いて一府邑面一神社、神祠を目標にその方針施措を発表せられ、之が急速なる実現を期せんとすることは実に時宜に適した企てであり、画期的のこととして喜びに堪えぬ次第である。

右の神祠設立の実現に伴い、神祠奉務者の養成に付いては、目下聯盟に於いて準備を進めている。而して、この奉務者は単なる奉務の域に止まらず、当該地方に於ける民衆の為の指導的啓蒙的役割を果たさしめねばならぬのであって、日常四季万般の行事を凡て神中心に営み生まれて死ぬる迄斯かる生活態度を一貫せしめんとするのである。

大日本神祇会朝鮮本部副本部長、額賀宮司談：

我が日本が神国として精神的の強靭さを有する事は世界に冠たるものであるが、これは言うまでもなく神代以来万世一系の皇室を戴き、その皇祖皇宗の神霊を常に目近く拝し奉ってその御稜威の下に生活を営むからであるといわねばならぬ。今や朝鮮は徴兵制が実施せられ、義務教育も近く実現せんとする時二千五百万の同胞御守護の神社が僅かに六十九社にすぎない事に余りにも心細い事であり、将に神社たるべき神祠を併せても尚且つ九百有余りにすぎないのであるから、神の恩頼を享受し奉り、誠の皇国民の精神を堅持せしめる為には、かかる現状に於いては到底満足する事は出来ない。しかるに今回総督府の方針を以て国民精神に尊き神の御稜威を頂かしむべく何は措ても先ずこの斎神の施設即ち一面一神祠の制を布かれ、早急にその歩武を進める事になったのは超非常時の今日だけに殊更にその意義の深さを感ぜしめられるのである。

不幸今日まで神の御蔭の何物たるかを解し得なかった朝鮮同胞も近き将来産土の杜より皇国民国精神の足並みを揃えて躍進日本の翼賛者としての衿を持して雄々しく出発し得るに至るかと思えば誠に今回の施設は私ども神職たるものの喜びばかりではないと思う。

Small community of ~100 Russian Tatars in Seoul featured in 1942-1944 propaganda articles: a young 19-year-old Tatar girl is praised for filling out immigration forms for her neighbors, a Tatar woman is commended for scolding her friends with red fingernails for wearing 'British-American' cosmetics

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

The following articles, spanning the period from 1942 to 1944, are about a very tiny (~100 member) Russian Tatar community which existed in Seoul during World War II. The Russian Tatars were refugees from the Russian Revolution who fled persecution in Russia. Many of the Russian Tatar refugees who arrived in Imperial Japan settled in mainland Japan, most notably in Kobe where the first mosque in Japan was built in 1935 (Kobe Masjid), but a few also settled in places like Japan-colonized Manchuria and Korea. The community in Seoul apparently engaged in trading mostly in clothing and miscellaneous goods in the Honmachi area, which is now the area just south of Myeongdong Cathedral. In 1943, about a block away from present-day Seoul City Hall on Mugyo-ro, they built their own elementary school called the Nugman Academy, where their children could learn the Tatar language and culture, including Islamic doctrine. 

Imperial Japan had a very complicated policy towards Muslims, as shown in this excellent academic article, but to ordinary Koreans who knew nothing about this, it must have seemed very unfair that this small community was given special privileges not given to the Koreans, who made up 97% of the population of Korea but were largely not allowed to teach their children Korean language and culture in schools by the 1942-1944 period.

Sorry if I have butchered some of the transcriptions of the Russian Tatar names, since Japanese kana transcriptions of foreign names confuse l and r, b and v, s and sh, etc. To those readers who are more familiar with Russian Tatar names, please let me know if you can suggest any corrections.

Martiya, the 19-year-old Tatar girl who helped fill out immigration forms for her neighbors, belonged to a local cell of the Korean Federation of National Power (国民総力朝鮮連盟, 국민총력조선연맹), the single ruling party of Japan-colonized Korea. The local neighborhood cells were known as 愛国班 (aikoku-han or aeguk-ban), which roughly translates to 'patriotic organization'. Members of the cells would report each other for infractions, perhaps for breaking rules like speaking Korean in public. They would organize 'patriotic' activities like defacing effigies of Roosevelt and Churchill, and also distribute food rations and other assistance. Similar local cell organizations still exist in countries like Cuba and North Korea.

See also the Russian Tatar family in Busan featured in this 1942 article: https://tpjv86b.blogspot.com/2021/12/in-1942-busan-korean-pastors-and.html

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo　(Keijo Nippo) February 28, 1942 

Thanksgiving Dedication to Victorious Japan

Refined Turkic Tatar Daughter

The Central Cultural Association of the Turkic Tatar Nation in Seoul, whose members number more than one hundred and are definitely ethnic Asians despite differences in appearances, are united in their gratitude for living in Japan during the Greater East Asia War. The temporary travel control regulations for foreigners came into effect on December 10 of last year, and all foreigners residing in Seoul were required to submit a notification form in the new format all at once. More than one hundred Tatar city residents prepared to complete the form, but filling out a two-page application form for each person proved to be a difficult task for those who were not literate in Japanese.

The one who took on the task of filling out the forms on behalf of the Tatar residents was Martiya (19), the second daughter of Mr. Waliullah Ibrahim of the Noor Trading Company at 20 Honmachi 3-chōme, Seoul. Knowing the confusion of her compatriots, she said, "Please let me do it. It is the greatest joy to be allowed to live in Victorious Japan as a member of the Asian race, and it is my duty to protect the homefront as one of the Imperial people." Every night, she would diligently write on behalf of her compatriots, and she has completed nearly three hundred pages of forms without delay.

As a member of local patriotic organization living the 'neighborhood cell' spirit, Martiya's actions were highly praised by Mr. Shimada, chief of foreign affairs at the Honmachi Police Station, who accepted the documents. On February 27th, he recounted the following about Martiya's actions:

"Martiya is the second daughter of Mr. Waliullah Ibrahim, the vice president of the Tatar Cultural Association. She is a warm and kind girl who graduated from Naniwa High School in Fengtian (present-day Shenyang). She alone worked at home taking care of the paperwork of more than a hundred people from the same ethnic group as their representative when the regulations came into effect and foreigners had to file notifications. Her recognition of the current situation and her initiative in cooperating with the authorities is admirable." [Photo: Martiya, the subject of this beautiful story]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1942-02-28

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) September 9, 1943 

Japanese Language School

Established by Turkic people in Seoul

The Holy War to establish the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere continues with extreme intensity to the south and the north, and all Asians in the Co-prosperity Sphere rose up in the autumn to "stand with Japan". The Turkic Tatar group living in Seoul was grateful for the Imperial Army's struggle and wished to establish an educational institution for their own people to become a fully Asian people. On the Day of the Imperial Rescript on September 8th, a new private school, "Nugman Academy," was established to provide Japanese-style education. There are currently 72 Turkic Tatars in 21 households in Seoul, mainly centered in the Honmachi precinct, who are engaged in the clothing and ready-made goods trade. All of them came to Japan after the Russian Revolution and are spending their days living comfortably in Japan, but they have not been blessed with educational institutions. With the donation of 50,000 yen from Ms. Shamshinoor Nugmanov (45), who lives at 366 Sindang-dong in Seoul, a two-story building was purchased for 39,000 yen at 31 Mugyo-ro in Seoul, and the "Nugman Academy" was established. The founder, Mr. Kabdullah Hakimov (52), who lives at 3-28 Namdaemun Avenue in Seoul, applied for approval from the Seoul Provincial General. The school is to open at the beginning of October, and the first class of 20 boys and girls is to be admitted. The school is to emphasize the Japanese character of the school by teaching the Tatar language, Islamic doctrine, and National Education mainly in Japanese. [Photo: Ms. Shamshinoor Nugmanov]

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

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) February 2, 1944

Consoling the Heroes in White with the Tatar Dance

The billion people of the Co-prosperity Sphere stood together in solidarity and vowed to unite as Asian peoples holding each other's hands. A group of Turkic Tatars living in Seoul could not contain their emotions: "Let us offer our sincere thanks to the heroes of the Imperial Army," said 12 lovely students of Nugman Elementary School in Mugyo-ro, Central District, whose school had recently opened. They will hold a performance to comfort the heroes in white at the Army Hospital on the occasion of the auspicious occasion of the Anniversary of the Founding of Japan. The 19th performance of the classical "Tatar Dance" by Saniya and three other children will be a flower bouquet of consolation filled with sincerity, and is expected to be applauded by the heroes. [Photo: Tatar Dance]

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

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) February 20, 1944 

"No Red Fingernails!", scolded the Turkic woman

On February 11th, during the festival of the Founding of Japan, Erestan Tarpishov and 12 other lovely Turkic Tatar children from Nugman Elementary School in Mugyo-ro, Seoul held a performance to comfort the heroes in white, and they had a thrilling day. One of the ladies who accompanied the children, Salima, saw that many of her friends had painted their fingernails red. The comfort visit ended as Salima asked the young women, "What is the matter with you inappropriately showing red fingernails to the Japanese soldiers? Let's put a stop to all these British-American cosmetics..." This extraordinary act by Ms. Salima Battersen was brought to the attention of Mr. Masaoka, Director of Gyeonggi Provincial High School, who recently visited the provincial government office and praised her for her Japanese spirit. [Photo: Ms. Salima Battersen]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1944-02-20

(Transcription)

1942年2月28日　京城日報

”戦捷日本”へ捧げる感謝

床しいトルコ・タタールの娘さん

容貌こそ異なれ亜細亜民族に違いなく大東亜戦争下の日本に住まう有難さに結束して起つ在城トルコ・タタール民族中央文化協会に属する会員は百名からある。昨年十二月十日から外国人臨時旅行取締規則が施行されて京城在住の外国人は一斉に新様式の届け出を為すこととなったが、百名を超ゆる在城のタタール人居住者は夫々手続き準備を進めたものの、一人頭二枚宛の願書は文字を知らぬこれ等の人々にとって困難な仕事であった。

同胞の困惑を知って「私にさせて下さいな」と代書を一手に引き受けたのは京城本町三丁目二〇ヌル商会ワリウラ・イブラヒム氏次女マルチヤさん（一九）で『私共亜細亜人種として戦勝国日本に住まわせて戴くことは、この上ない喜びであり、国民の一人として銃後を守ることは当然の務めです』と毎夜代書に精出し三百枚近い同族間の届け出を滞りなく済ませたのであった。

”隣組精神”に生きぬく愛国班員としてマルチヤさんの行為は書類を受け付けた本町署島田外事主任も激賞しているが、二十七日マルチヤさんの人為を次の如く語った。

マルチヤさんはタタール文化協会副会長ワリウラ・イブラヒム氏の次女で奉天の浪花高女出身の温順で感心な娘さんです。規則施行に伴う外国人届け出に際し百人余りの同族間の書類を一人で引き受け自宅で代表役を勤めたのです。時局を認識して率先協力するマルチヤさんの行為は見上げたものです。【写真＝美談の主マルチヤさん】

1943年9月9日　京城日報

日本語学校

在城トルコ人設立

大東亜共栄圏確立の聖戦は南に北に極度の激烈さで続けられ、”日本と共に起て”と共栄圏の全亜細亜人は総起ちの秋、京城在住のトルコタタール人団体では皇軍の格闘に感謝すると共に、完全なる亜細亜人に成り切る為の同族間の教育機関設立を願望していたが、八日大詔奉戴日を期し日本的教育に新発足の私設学校『ヌグマン学院』の開設をみることとなった。本町署管内を中心に現在府内で洋服既製品商を営むトルコタタール人は二十一戸の七十二名があり、何れも帝政露西亜革命後日本に渡り安居楽業感謝の日を送っているが、教育機関に恵まれず現在に至ったが、府内新堂町三六六シャムシノール・ヌグマノフ女史（四五）の寄付金五万円をもって学校開設をみることとなり、府内武橋町三一に二階建て一棟を三万九千円で買受け、『ヌグマン学院』を開設することとなり、設立者府内南大門通り三ノ二八カブドラ・ハキモ氏（五二）は京城府尹に認可申請を行った。十月初旬開校をまって第一回男女二十名を入学せしめ日本語を主体にタタール語、マホメット教義その他国民教育一般を教育し、日本的性格を強調することとなった。【写真＝シャムシノール・ヌグマノフ女史】

1944年2月2日　京城日報

タタール踊りで

白衣勇士慰問

亜細亜人は亜細亜人の手でと、十億の共栄圏民族は団結の誓いも固く総蹶起した。府内に住むトルコタタール人の一団も感激の情抑え難く、『皇軍の勇士へ感謝の誠を捧げましょう』と新しく開設をみた中区武橋町ヌグマン小学院の可愛い生徒さん十二名は紀元の佳節を期して陸軍病院に白衣の勇士を慰問の演芸会を催します。サニヤ嬢ほか三名の古典舞踊”タタールの踊り”第十九種目は何れも児童の赤誠こもる慰問の花束で勇士にヤンヤの喝采が期待されます。【写真＝タタールの踊り】

1944年2月20日　京城日報

赤い爪は駄目

叱るトルコ娘

去る紀元節の十一日府内武橋町ヌグマン小学院の生徒エレスタン・タルピーショフ他十二名のトルコタタールの可愛い児童が白衣の勇士慰問の演芸会を催して感激の一日を送りました。そのとき付き添いの婦人の一人サリマさんは友人の多くが指の爪を赤く染めているのを見て『苟も日本の兵隊さんにお見せするのに赤い爪とは何事ですか。米英的な粉飾は一切止めましょう．．．』と若い娘さんの間を説いて廻って慰問を終えました。この奇特なサリマ・バテルセン嬢の行為は正岡京畿道高等課長の知るところとなり、この程道庁に出頭してその日本精神をいたく賞讃されました。【写真＝サリマ・バテルセン嬢】

Propaganda articles say Koreans men are cowards because of 'literary effeminacy' and too much filial piety toward Korean parents who 'just play around and live off their children's income' after age 50, and resolves to 'reshape' Korean Confucianism by 'beating it' into a Japanese form (1943)

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

Notes:

The Federation refers to the Korean Federation of National Power (国民総力朝鮮連盟, 국민총력조선연맹), the single ruling party of Japan-colonized Korea.

Annexation refers to the annexation of Korea into Imperial Japan in 1910.

Literary effeminacy is the translation for the word bunjaku (文弱) and refers to the excessive emphasis on book learning.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) November 8, 1943

Talking about the students who went off to war (2)

Understanding the family comes first

Young Koreans are strong in both body and mind

Federation General Secretary Hada: Some of the schoolteachers are present, but if there were some who hesitated, what kind of mindset did they have? Please tell us what you noticed.

Mr. Jeong: Mr. Watanabe from Hyehwa Specialized School, your thoughts?

Mr. Watanabe: I have talked about this spirit with my students since the implementation of the conscription system. They may think that they do not have to volunteer just because it is a voluntary system, but that is not the case. I have told them that they must be ready to accept the call at any time, and my students are agreeing with me on this point. So I think that if you leave it with me, my students will voluntarily become conscripted. The young men are pure. Mr. Natsuyama was here for a leadership conference of the Federation, when he said that both family and society must be mobilized, and I agreed wholeheartedly with his words. Indeed, even if the students are mentally prepared to go out to war, their families may stand in their way.

Speaking from my own experience, I am engaged in a job placement campaign for young Koreans, and I feel this from beginning to end. If I told my students to go to Manchuria, their parents would oppose it even if the students were willing to go. If I told my students to go to China, their parents would say something like, 'Your father is too old', tending to be too focused on the family. In this respect, there is a difference from families in mainland Japan.

There was talk about the Korean students returning to Korea from mainland Japan, but I think that they returned to Korea to consult with their families. I hope that the Federation and the newspapers will make efforts to educate families and society.

I may be stating it too bluntly, but it is obvious that the war will be won. After victory, the people of Japan will be able to walk proudly throughout the world as citizens of a victorious nation. We can walk proudly as the leading and superior people throughout East Asia with the honor of war.

But what would happen if you did not participate? What would you have done? If this happens, Koreans will forever fall from the position of leaders as an inferior people. They must do it because it is the best opportunity for the future improvement of the Korean people.

In the past, when the idea of white superiority was popular, East Asian peoples were regarded as inferior. Therefore, the government of the time took great pains to put them on an equal footing with the whites. However, it was difficult for them to recognize the East Asians. However, after defeating the Russians in the Russo-Japanese War, the colored race was recognized as a great nation. There is nothing like war to demonstrate the power of a people. If you do not participate in this war, your future will be dark, and after all, this is for the sake of Korea.

I have been educating Korean children for many years, and they are very smart, and their grades are astonishingly good. No matter where they go to school, Koreans get good grades and have good physical fitness. Some people may say they are lacking in character, lacking in energy, or irresponsible, but they do very well in martial arts and in training.

I have been promoting martial arts for two years, and we are now ranked second among all Korean specialized schools. If you encourage them, they will grow. In terms of physical strength and academic ability, they are the same as the people of mainland Japan. If they take that strength and join the military and become a junior enlisted noncommissioned or commissioned officer, their strength will be recognized because there is no discrimination in the military. There has never been such a good opportunity. Indeed, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. So I told them to go straight ahead. ['transcription paused'] Then I talked to them about how much their participation represented a social movement for the Korean people. I hope that we will make efforts to educate families as part of this social movement.

President Kanegawa: Just as you said, I also have to say, at the same time, that the most urgent task is to rebuild the worldview of the Korean people. Since the Koreans do not have a national worldview or a social worldview, I have heard that they hold the sentiment that, since Prime Minister Tojo said that he would allow the independence of Burma and the Philippines as soon as possible if they cooperate from the bottom of their hearts in the Greater East Asia War, shouldn't he allow the same for the Korean people? 

Their other sentiment is that this is a war for Japan, and that they have nothing to do with it. This is because they have not yet developed a worldview. It is only natural that we should use the power of newspapers to educate and guide them, but I believe that it is most desirable for school authorities to use their efforts to nurture young people in a normal manner.

Parents always put family problems first, so when I tried to get them to work for the police which, as Mr. Watanabe has said, are the most disciplined in Northern and Central China, Manchuria, and in Korea, they would say that their children are weak and so they should be sent to work for the Ministry of the Interior or the Ministry of Industry instead of the police.

In fact, when I was a bureaucrat, I wanted to reform these bad cultural attitudes. If I ordered the people in Seoul to work in the provinces, they would complain that they would be separated from their families. I did not approve of such personal excuses, but things did not go the way I wanted. In the end, they were able to get away by various means, but such young men never rose up in the ranks. There were lots of cases like this one in my personal experience.

From this point of view, I hope that those who have been given this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as Japanese people to live under this decisive time of war, and who are qualified to serve, will fully realize that such an opportunity will never come again. No one should be able to sit still to miss such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It is really sad that we are still talking about this. We at the Federation must make every effort to rebuild this old way of thinking. If their fundamental worldview is not corrected, even the best and the brightest will be corrupted. I hope that the school authorities will make efforts to eliminate these bad cultural attitudes in these students as soon as possible.

Mr. Watanabe: Korean parents ask too much of their children, and these parents are really cowardly. They are enforcing too much filial piety. This is not only a problem in schools, but also in society as a whole. Parents should not think of their children taking care of them. They must fix this tendency to think that they are elderly people when they reach the age of 50, after which they will just play around and live off their children's income.

Mr. Jeong: School Principal Kim of Poseung Specialized School, what are your thoughts on this point?

Mr. Kim: As the General Secretary of the Korean Federation has just mentioned, what is the reason why young Korean men cannot become brave despite the fact that the way to martyrdom has been opened for them? I think the main reason is the weakness of literary effeminacy. This may enrage the Korean people, but this is a fact. For 300 years, the Koreans have never participated in a war. Even in peacetime, we Koreans have learned to seek shelter from a young age.

No one can deny this. I have heard so much about Jirisan in Korea or Mount Kongō in Japan being good shelters, so much so that I have developed calluses in my ears. This is second nature to Koreans. As a Korean, I am truly ashamed to talk about this, but I acknowledge this as a fact. The people of mainland Japan may be outraged that the Koreans are so indifferent when they are fighting for the survival of their nation, but the fact is that this is the cause of the problem.

They also have a fear that they will die if they join the military, which is completely cowardly. Not all those who go to war necessarily return home dead. It cannot be guaranteed that they will not die at all, but with bad luck, one-twentieth to one-tenth of them will die. After all, as a result of their long-standing literary effeminacy, it is difficult for them to harden their resolve ['transcription paused'].

In accordance with the Governor General's instructions, I greatly emphasized that the young Korean men should go willingly, precisely because they are not forced to do so. However, there are many who hesitate to do so, and some go back to the countryside to consult with their parents there. If it is true that Koreans are indifferent to the war at this time, holding the sentiment that this is not a war for Korea, or that it is someone else's war which has nothing to do with the Koreans, then it is understandable that the people of mainland Japan may feel offended, but I think that is the main cause of the problem. Korean people, please don't get mad at me. It's a fact that the Koreans have this characteristic.

It may sound like I'm only mentioning faults, but Koreans are no less smart or strong than the people of mainland Japan. However, they lack the spirit of bravery. In this respect, they are inferior to the people of mainland Japan. When their moment arrives, their second nature gets in the way, and that is where the problem actually arises.

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) November 10, 1943

Talking about the students who went off to war (3)

Destroy your view of life and death!

Wake up, all influential Koreans!

Keijo Nippo Reporter: It is said that the main reason for this problem is that the Korean people suffer from literary effeminacy and lack the martial spirit. Myeongnyun Specialized School is said to be emphasizing Confucianism in its education, but in recent days, how are students being guided regarding this problem? Mr. Shirakami, your thoughts?

Mr. Shirakami: In a sense, there are strong indications that the Confucianism of the past was a sort of decorative form of Confucianism tailored for a special class of people. It seems to me that this kind of Confucianism was a way of responding to science and enjoying poetry. I am now in the process of reshaping this form of Confucianism by beating it into a Japanese form of Confucianism, just like the Confucianism practiced in mainland Japan, as I believe this will be a meaningful way for their future.

The school has been in existence for only a year and a half, and this is in accordance with my own personal philosophy. The way of life of the school is to advance Confucianism in accordance with the Imperial Way. Confucianism is beautiful in its qualities, and I believe that it would be deeply meaningful for the various peoples of the Greater East Asian region to rework this form of Confucianism into a Japanese form by re-tailoring old clothes of high quality into a common doctrine for the peoples of today's nations. 

In response to your question, I would like to add my own personal view that the mistakes we made in the past with respect to educational methods may be one of the weak points in the thinking of today's students. I believe that the subjectivism and liberalism of Western education may be one of the reasons why today's students are encouraged to make free decisions in matters of their own volition. In addition, while Confucianism has a strong influence on life and death issues in family life structures and life practices, it is Daoist thought that truly penetrates into the depths of the views on life and death. From one perspective, the shaman is a very powerful force. Roadside divinations can have the authority to make decisions on important events in life, and the idea of longevity and immortality is also very strong. This is a trend that will eventually lead to an emphasis on life and a de-emphasis on death in matters of life and death.

In addition, the ability of the culture to change is generally tied to the influence of continental culture. Korean culture, including its way of life, will not change overnight. It is difficult to change the Koreans' outlook on life or the world, or change the appearance of the cultural layers of the Korean peninsula in a single morning without encountering emergencies of historical proportions. The same is also true in their material life.

In family life, too, there is a family-centered, genealogy-centered morality, and also the idea of inheritance by a legitimate son and respect for boys. Boys are respected even when they are children, while girls are treated lightly. The idea that the eldest male child is treated more seriously than the youngest male child will eventually cause obstacles in decision-making when the eldest son or only child becomes qualified to serve in the military. I have been thinking about whether or not there are points of hesitation when it comes to the survival of the family line in matters of family structure, and I have been discussing various ways forward. To this day, I'm not sure about the way forward, but what do you think?

Federation Director of Training, Mr. Ōie: The fact that it is difficult for their fathers and mothers to make up their minds today is not only a problem regarding today's fathers and mothers. We have come to know that it is also a result of longstanding historical conditions that have inevitably led to this situation. Thus, I think we have to take a new approach in connection with what is going on.

Korea has not had any political training in its history. Dr. Tokuzō Fukuda once said that from an economic standpoint, Korea could not establish a full-fledged new economic system because it did not have the background to do so, as it is said that Korea did not pass through a feudal phase in its history. But the fact that Korea did not go through a feudal phase in its history was a very negative thing from a political and military standpoint. History has taught us how the Japanese Bushido (the way of the warrior) was trained by the feudal system through families, although mainland Japan no longer has a feudal system today. The political and military struggles of the various regions, domains, and feudal lords were the driving force that created the spirit of the Japanese people.

Korea had none of this. In mainland Japan, ever since the early days of the founding of Japan, even during the times when there still was no feudal system, the center of the nation has always been clearly defined. The people of Japan have always rallied around the center, and each and every one of them has submitted to the center. Every Japanese person without exception has been trained in the governance of the nation since its founding to express submission. In the process of its development, it has further refined its power through the feudal period. Even when the Japanese people were not coming into conflict with other peoples, military training has been added through the internal struggle for power within Japan.

Korea has had no such training. It had no struggles with external forces. Nor were there tense situations within Korea where two forces were at each other's throats. They were only guided by Confucianism without any agency of their own. Today, in the face of war, this has given rise to a view of life and death in which one cannot make up one's mind. If we go back to earlier times than the Yi Dynasty, the situation is a little different. There are many examples of the Silla, Baekje, and Goryeo dynasties that we can take up today and be inspired by.

Goryeo defeated the great army of Sui Dynasty, Baekje defeated the great army of Tang Dynasty, and Silla was training its young men in the Hwarang Corps. A 15- or 16-year-old child of a general went into battle, fought as fierce as a lion, and was taken prisoner. When he took off his helmet, it was revealed that he was still a boy. The enemy general even recalled that, since even the boys could fight like this, they could never win against Silla. The enemy general thought it would be a shame to behead him, and sent him home. When he returned home, his family said that he had returned home defeated and would not even let him see his dying father. This is just one example, but there were many such cases in Silla.

Mr. Watanabe: I completely agree with your opinion. In the Yi Dynasty, Confucianism was the core of family and social morality. The teachings of Confucianism are very good, and they include the principles of good moral training, family governance, political governance, and peaceful reign, but in Korea, they stopped short at good moral training and family governance, and forgot about the principles of good political governance and peaceful reign. I think this is the reason why the Korean people's mindset has become stagnant and depressed.

Mr. Natsuyama: I agree.

Mr. Watanabe: Buddhism in Japan has always been linked to the Imperial family. The idea of filial piety is to be of service to the sovereign, and this is the Japanese view of life, which is not the case in Korea. Confucianism is not necessarily a bad thing, but in Japan, when the country was not yet under the principles of good political governance and peaceful reign, it was considered a great honor to die in front of the sovereign's horse, and even the parents praised it. It is regrettable that, although individual Koreans thought about the development of their own families, they never thought about the development of Korea as a whole.

Nowadays, I think it is necessary to link Confucianism and Buddhism to the Imperial family.

Mr. Natsuyama: If we discuss the Koreans from a historical perspective, we will probably not be able to solve their problems even if we spend a year on it, so let's move on to the issue at hand.

Generally speaking, Koreans have become Japanese in a short period of time. But where will their patriotic spirit come from when they suddenly become Japanese, considering that the Koreans have had a weak patriotic spirit since the old Joseon Dynasty? They have not yet arrived at the stage where they could say, 'The Japanese empire is my country, and I must die a martyr for my nation.'

Koreans do not have the idea of a martial spirit. They are said to have literary effeminacy, but they are not even well educated. Even the sons of peasant farmers volunteer to serve as soldiers, and they do so as valiantly just like mainland Japanese soldiers. So it is not as if we should wait until they become like this. However, their weak patriotic spirit itself is something that has been carried over from the old Joseon Dynasty. There are many among the influential classes who, since annexation, have attained a certain level of patriotic spirit earlier than expected.

In short, they misunderstand Japan and do not fully grasp Japan. For example, a student at school simply dismisses the principal's words just because they came from the principal, even if they are　important.

The other is the ideology of the students, which is the result of their parents' ideology manifested through the students along with their environment. There is no such thing as a student's ideology which exists independently. Even if a student tries hard to become an Imperial person, it is not so easy to do so within the family. Nowadays, I hope that proper guidance is provided in this regard by the Federation, which is a touchstone for the manifestation of the patriotic spirit by influential Koreans.

Source 1: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-11-07

Source 2: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-11-08

Source 3: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-11-10

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年11月8日

出陣学徒を語る②

家庭の理解が第一

体・智共劣らぬ半島若人

波田総長：学校の先生方もお出でだが、躊躇逡巡する者があったとしたらば、一体それはどういう心理からだろうか。お気付きの点をお聞かせ願いたい。

鄭局長：恵化専門の渡辺先生一つ。

渡辺氏：私は徴兵制度実施以来生徒に対して、この精神を話した。そして志願だから志願しなくてもいいというようなことはない。お前達は何時でもお召に預からなければならないと話しておるが、生徒は私の申す趣旨には共鳴しておる。だから私共に任して頂けば生徒は自由になると思う。青年は純真である。先達聯盟の会議の時に此処にお出での夏山さんが社会や家庭を動かさなければならぬと言われたことに満腔の賛成を致したが、確かに生徒が覚悟を固めて征こうとしても、その障害となるものは家庭である。

その点私の体験を申すと、私は半島青年の就職運動をやっておるが、その時始終感ずる。お前満州に行けというと自分は行くと考えても親が反対する。又支那に行けというと、お父さんが年取っておるというように家庭にこだわり過ぎる風がある。この点内地の家庭とは違いがある。

それから半島学生が内地から帰ったことに付いてお話があったが、これは家庭に相談に来たのではないかと思う。聯盟、新聞社のほうで社会、家庭の啓蒙運動に御尽力あらむことを希望する。

もう一つは露骨に言いすぎるかも知れぬが、戦争は勝つに決まっておる。勝った後は我が日本国民は戦勝国の国民として世界の至る處に大手を振るって威張って歩ける。我々は戦争の光栄を担って東洋各地における指導民族として優秀民族として威張って歩ける。

然るにお前達が参加しなかったらどうなるか。お前等は何をやったか。斯うなると朝鮮人は永遠に劣等民族として指導者の位置から落伍して了う。朝鮮民族将来の地位向上のためにも絶好の機会であるから、やらなければならんのである。

嘗て白人優秀の観念が盛んな時に、東洋民族は劣等とされた。それ故、白人と同等の位置に挙げようと当時の為政者は非常に苦労した。併しなかなか東洋人を認めて呉れなかった。然るに日露戦争に於いてロシアを破り、これで有色人種も偉いと認められた。戦争位民族の力を発揮するものはない。どうしてもこれに参加しなければ、お前達の前途は暗黒だといったのであって、畢竟これは朝鮮の為になるのである。

私は多年朝鮮の子弟を教育しておるが、頭は非常によく、成績も驚く程よい。半島人は何処の学校に行っても成績もよく、体力もよいのである。動もすれば半島人を人格がない或いは気力に乏しいとか無責任であるとか言うが、武道をやらしても教練をやらしてもなかなかよくやる。

私、二年間武道を奨励しておるが、只今では全鮮の専門学校中二番になっておる。奨励すればどしどし伸びて行く。体力学力に於いても全く内地人と同じである。その力を持って軍隊に這い入り下士なり将校なりになれば、軍では差別がないから、お前達の力は認められる。こんないい機会はない。所謂、千載一遇の機会であるぞ。さあ征けと云ったのである。（速記中止）どの位この参加が朝鮮民族の社会運動ではないかと話したのである。斯ういうことから社会運動の一つとして家庭啓蒙に御尽力あらんことを希望する。

金川社長：私同時も申すことだが、先生のおっしゃった如く、半島民衆の世界観を作り直すことが最大急務である。国家観、社会観が出来てないものだから、東条総理が大東亜戦争に精神的に衷心より協力するならば、ビルマの独立或いはフィリピンの独立も速やかにやらせると言われたが、それじゃ朝鮮民族もそれに加わり許して呉れてもよいじゃないかといったような気持ちのあったことも聞いておる。

もう一つは、これは日本の為の戦争であって、我々には関係があるものかといったような気持ちのあることも聞いておる。これ等は固より世界観が出来ていないからである。これは新聞の力を以て大いに啓蒙し、指導することも当然だが、これは偏えに学校当局において平素青年人材を育成することに意を用いることが最も望ましいと思っておる。

父兄達が今の家庭問題を常に第一に取り上げるものだから、渡辺先生のおっしゃる如く折角北支中支、満州或いは鮮内でも規律のやかましい警察に就職させてやろうとすると、家の子供は弱いから警察でなしに内務部か産業部に就職させて下さいと言う。

実は私役人をしておった頃、この弊風は改革しようと思った。京城の人を地方勤務に命じよ、とすると家庭が離れるから困ると言う。それで私はそういう私事は認めなかったが、併しなかなか思うように参らなかった。結局は色々な方法手段で逃げられたのだが、それに禍されてそういう青年は出世しておらぬ。これは私の体験にも相当ある。

この観点から今日のこの千載一遇の機会に日本国民としてこの決戦下に生を享けたもので、出掛けなければならない適格者は、二度とこんな機会は永遠に来ないことを充分悟って貰いたい。全くこの千載一遇の機会を逸することは、これは本当に誰彼なくじっとしておられない。これを未だにとや角言っておることは本当に私共淋しい思いがする。我々としても、聯盟に於いても、このような古い思想は今後大いに建て直すように努力せんければならぬと思う。この根本たる世界観が直らなければ、折角の俊才も腐らねばならぬ。学校当局も学生を通じてこの悪い風習は早くなくするように努力が願いたい。

渡辺氏：朝鮮の親は子供に依頼し過ぎており、本当に親が意気地がない。所謂孝行を強い過ぎておる。これは強ち学校だけの問題でなく、社会総てにやらなければならぬ。子供の世話になることを親は考えてはいけない。五十歳にもなると老人になった気で、遊んで子供の給料で食おうとするこの風を直さなければ駄目だ。

鄭局長：その点について普成専門の金校長如何ですか。

金氏：今聯盟事務総長からお話があったが、半島青年に殉国の途が開かれたにも拘わらず、勇敢にはなれない原因は何処にあるか。その最大原因は文弱の弊だと思う。半島の人々は或いは憤慨されるかも知れませんが、事実がそうである。三百年来朝鮮人は戦争に参加した経験がない。平時に於いてすら私達幼い時分には避難所を求めたのが朝鮮人である。

これは誰も否認出来ない。やれ智異山がよいとか、金剛山がよいとか耳に胼胝が出来る程聞いておる。これが第二の天性である。この話は朝鮮人として洵に恥ずかしい次第であるが、事実は事実として認める。国家存亡を賭して戦っている時分に、朝鮮人が冷淡視しているではないかと内地人側は憤慨されようが、事実はそこに原因しておる。

又兵隊に行けば死ぬものと思い、そういう恐怖心をもっており、全く意気地ない話である。戦争に出た者が必ずしも全部死んで帰るものでない。全然死なないとは保障出来ないが、運が悪くってその中の十分の一乃至二十分の一が死ぬ。結局永年の文弱の結果で、その意志を固めることが難しいらしい（速記中止）

先程の総督の訓示だが、強制されていないからこそ、進んで出て行くべきでないかと私は大いに強調した。併し早速意を決し兼ね躊躇する者が多く、父母が田舎にあるものは相談に帰らせておる。この時機に朝鮮人が冷淡視して朝鮮のための戦争でないとか、或いは他人がやることで朝鮮人の我等は知らんというのが本当ならば、内地人から感情を害されても御尤もな話だが、最大原因はそこにあるのじゃないか。朝鮮の方々は怒らないで下さい。実際朝鮮人にはそういう点がある。

欠点ばかり言うようだが、朝鮮人は頭に於いて体力に於いて決して内地人に劣らん。けれども唯武勇の精神に欠けておる。この点、内地人に劣っておる。いざ斯ういう時分になれば、その第二の天性が邪魔になって実は困っておる次第である。

京城日報　1943年11月10日

出陣学徒を語る③

死生観を滅却せよ

目覚めよ全半島有力者階級

本社側：朝鮮の人が文弱に流れ尚武の精神に欠けておる点が主なる原因をなしておると言われておるが、明倫専門では儒学に重をおいて教育されておるそうであるが、最近この問題について如何に学生を御指導になっておりますか。白神さん一つ。

白神氏：或る意味に於いて過去の儒学は特殊階級の一つの粉飾的儒学であった一面も可なり強いのでないか。科学に応ずるための儒学、詩文を楽しむ上の儒学であったように思う。これを内地の儒学の如く日本的な儒学に叩き変えることが私のほうの将来の意義ある方途と考え今日進みかけておる。

設立後一年半の学校であり、私個人の考えもそうであり、学校の生き方も皇国の途に則っての儒学に進むということで進んでおる。儒学は質に於いて美しい性質を有っておるので、これを現代の国家人に質のよき古衣を仕立て直して日本的なものにして行くことは大東亜諸民族に共通する教学でもあり、意義深きものになりはしないかという考えを有っておる。

ご質問に対し私の私見を付け加えると、過去の教育に我々はその道にありながら誤った点が今日の生徒の思想の一弱点になっておらんかと思う。西洋の主智主義、自由主義の教育をして来たことが、今日の志願の事柄に対し、動もすると個人の自由意思決定を促す一つの流れにもなったのでないか。又生死問題を採り上げると、儒教の家庭内に於ける生活形式、生活行事にも力強さを及ぼしておるが、真に死生観などの深味に入り込んでおるのは寧ろ道教思想ではないか。一面から言えば巫子というものが可なり力強きものを有っておる。路頭の易が生活の重要行事の場合に決定権を有っておったり、不老長寿の思想など可なり強く這い入っておる。これはやがて死生問題に対する生を重んじ、死を軽んずることが流れて来る。

又文化の変遷力は一般に大陸国の影響であろうと思うが。生活形式にも及び一朝一夕に変わらんのが半島文化の流れでないか。更に歴史的に非常時に際会しないのに一朝にして蹶起して文化層の姿を替える、或いは人生観、世界観を転換することは難しい。これは物質生活に於いても同様である。

又家庭生活に於いても家中心、系族中心の道徳、やがては嫡子相続、男子尊重の思想がはいっておる。子供でありながら男子は尊重され、女子は軽く取り扱われる。男子でも長男は重く扱われる思想が、やがて今日適格者の中に長男とか一人子になった時分には意思決定の上に障害を及ぼす。家庭組織における家の存続に迷いの点がありはしないかということなども考えて夫々その途を説き聞かせ、今日迄参っておるが如何なものだろうか。

大家氏：今日こちらのお父さん、お母さんの肚が決まり難いということは今日のお父さん、お母さんだけの問題ではなく、永い間の歴史的条件が必然的にそうしてしまったのでないかと、はっきり我々は知って、そこに新たな手を今度のことに結び付けて打って行かねばならぬと思う。

朝鮮は歴史上から見て政治的訓練が施されて来なかった。曾て福田徳三博士は経済的立場から朝鮮は本格的な経済上の新体制を作る訳にいかぬ、それは素地がないからである、というのは朝鮮が封建制度を経過しなかったと言われておるが、朝鮮が封建制度を経過しなかったことは政治上将又軍事的立場から見て非常な消極的事実であったと思う。内地は現在、封建制でもないが日本がもつ武士道は、封建制度が家庭を通じて如何に訓練されたかは我々歴史に依って教えられて来ておる。諸地方、諸国、諸大名に分かれ、政治的軍事的に鎬を削ったことは日本人の気魄を生み出す推進力となった。

朝鮮はそれをもたない。内地でも封建制のない時は即ち肇国以来は中心をはっきりして来た。中心の下に全国民が常に結集されて国民一人一人がまつらうて行ったのであるが、まつらう姿が政治なりとの観点に於いて日本国民一人残らずこの政治の中に肇国以来訓練されて来ておった。その発展過程に於いて封建時代を経ることによって更に力を練り、他の民族との衝突がなくても国内的に鎬を削ることにより軍事的訓練が加えられておる。

朝鮮にはそれがない。外とも事を構えない。又内に於いて鎬を削り合う緊迫した場面がない。唯儒教的なもので自分の主体性がなく導かれた。それが今日戦争に直面して肚を決め得ない死生観が生れた。これが李朝以前に遡れば少し違う。新羅、百済、高麗等今日取って以て我々が刺戟を受けるものが沢山ある。

高麗は隋の大軍を破り、百済は唐の大軍を破って、新羅は青少年を花郎団にて鍛えておる。将軍の十五、六歳の子供が出陣して獅子奮迅として働き捕虜になった。兜を取って見ると少年である。敵の将軍はこの少年にしてこの位の働きをするのだから到底新羅には勝てんと述懐した程である。ここで打首にするのは惜しいといって一応家に帰した。家に帰ると敗けて帰ったじゃないかと言ってお父さんの死目にも会わさない。これは一例だが、そんなことは新羅に沢山あった。

渡辺氏：今の御意見全く同感である。李朝時代は儒教を中心として、それに依り家庭道徳なり社会道徳を作った。儒教の教えも洵に結構で修身斉家治国平天下とあるが、朝鮮では修身斉家で止まって了って治国平天下は忘れられた。これが今日の朝鮮民心を萎縮沈滞させた原因であると思う。

夏山氏：同感だ。

渡辺氏：日本の仏教にしろ、何時も皇室に結び付いておる。孝行の考は結局大君のお役に立つことで、これが日本人の人生観である。それが朝鮮にはない。儒教が必ずしも悪いのではないが、治国平天下迄行かなかった日本では君主の馬前で討死するのを無上の光栄とし、親もそれを褒めた。惜しいことに、自分の家門の発展は考えたが、朝鮮全体を考えなかった。

今般は儒教、仏教を皇室に結び付ける必要があると思う。

夏山氏：朝鮮人を歴史的に論議すれば、恐らく一年掛かっても解決しないから差当っての問題へ行こう。

大体朝鮮人が暫くの間で日本人になった。而して韓国時代から愛国心の薄弱なりし者が、急に日本人になったからといって何処から愛国心が生れましょう。日本帝国は俺の国であり、国家の為に殉死しなければならん。そこ迄は行っておらない。

朝鮮人には尚武の思想がない。文弱だといわれたが、大して教養もない。水吞百姓の息子ですら志願兵となって内地の壮丁に劣らぬ程勇敢にやっておる。それじゃ斯の如くなる迄待つべきかと言えば決してそうではない。しかし愛国心そのものが薄弱であったのは韓国時代から継続されたものであり、案外併合以来愛国心が早く或る線迄到達したものと見ておる所がこれは有力者階級に多い。

要するに日本を誤解しており、日本を完全に把握しておらない。それで学校辺りで勉強しておる学生が、校長先生がえらいことを言っても、あれは校長の言うことだと簡単に片付ける。

もう一つは学生の思想というか、学生の思想はその父兄の思想が学生を通じて或る環境と一緒にそれが現れたもので、学生の思想と言って独立したものはない。学生は皇国臣民になり切ろうとしても家庭でそういかない。いまや朝鮮人の有力者の愛国心の発露の試金石である、聯盟でもこれはよく導いてもらいたい（完）

'We're going to Washington!' - a 1944 statue of an Imperial Japanese Army soldier 'glaring with glistening eyes at the U.S. burning with an attacking, fighting spirit' saying, 'I will stand firm with my heroes and march on the U.S. mainland!'

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) March 17, 1944

Wartime Art Exhibition

"We're Going to Washington!"

Information Section Chief Prize

By Junsaku Hosokawa

Mr. Hosokawa graduated from the Department of Sculpture of Tokyo University of Arts in 1939, and he was drafted into the military immediately after graduation. He returned to Korea from the Manchurian-Soviet border in 1942 due to a war illness. Last year, at the third Korean exhibition, he released an artwork entitled "Silence". This year, in the "We're Going to Washington!" artwork, which was honored with the Information Section Chief Prize at this exhibition, a brave warrior on the front line in the south firmly clutches his sword, which crushes evil and spreads truth. He is carrying the remains of his deceased comrade-in-arms on his chest, and he glares with glistening eyes at the U.S. burning with an attacking, fighting spirit saying, "I will stand firm with my heroes and march on the U.S. mainland!" The overall strength and vigor of the statue is reminiscent of an Imperial general fighting valiantly in front of our eyes, his entire body valiantly displaying this fighting spirit. 

We spoke with the artist, Junsaku Hosokawa, at his home in 46 Beondaebang, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, about his enthusiasm for this work.

"I returned from the battlefield two years ago, but many of my comrades-in-arms fought hard and gave their lives amid the smoke of the battlefield, and some of them have also died glorious deaths. I created this work dedicating it to these heroic souls and comrades-in-arms. It took me one month to complete the work. The military uniforms are those worn in the battlefields in the south."

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1944-03-17

(Transcription)

京城日報　1944年3月17日

決戦美術紙上展

”ワシントンへ行くぞ”

情報課長賞

細川順作　作

細川氏は昭和十四年、東京美術彫刻科卒業直ちに応召となり、昭和十七年戦病のため満蘇国境より帰還した勇士で、昨年鮮展第三部に『静』を出品して特選。本展で見事情報課長賞の栄誉をかち得た『ワシントンへ行くぞ』は南方最前線の勇士が破邪顕正の剣をしっかと握りしめ、亡き戦友の遺骨を胸にして”我断じて英雄と共に米国本土に膺懲の歩武を進めん”の烈々たる撃敵の闘魂に燃えて米国を爛々の眼で睥睨しているもので、全体に漲る雄勁さはまざまざと勇戦力闘する皇軍将兵を眼前に彷彿させるものがあり、全身これ闘魂の逞しい姿である。

京城永登浦区番大方町住宅四六の自宅で作者細川順作氏に作品の熱意をきく。

私は一昨年戦場から帰還しましたが、幾多の戦友はまた硝煙に身を挺して奮戦し、また散華した戦友もいる。これらの英魂また戦友に捧げる気持ちで作品にしました。完成は一ヶ月間です。軍服は南方での服装にしました。

Angry Koreans filed numerous complaints against local Imperial Japanese party officials for abuse of power, only to be told publicly by General Secretary Hada to stop complaining and obey their patriotic group leaders with harmony and gratitude for their leaders' hard work (Chungcheongnam-do, 1943)

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

I found this article very interesting, since it is very rare to find a Keijo Nippo article which says anything negative about the leaders of the single ruling party of Japan-colonized Korea: the Korean Federation of National Power (国民総力朝鮮連盟, 국민총력조선연맹). 

Yet here was General Secretary Hada of the party mentioning that many complaints were filed against town-level party leaders, presumably for too much dining and entertainment. This would have been extremely tone-deaf and inappropriate in 1943 amid total war against the US as food shortages were becoming severe. The fact that Hada had to address this issue publicly in the national newspaper suggests to me that the complaints were becoming too loud for him to ignore, and public discontent against colonial rule in Korea was bubbling to the surface. 

This article mentions Fuyo Shrine, which was a Shinto shrine that was still under construction in Chungcheongnam-do by the time World War II ended in 1945, and was eventually torn down.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) September 14, 1943

Don't say any complaints or grievances!

Get through the war with collective mutual aid

Interview with General Secretary Hada

[Photo: Federation General Secretary Hada]

General Secretary Hada of the Korean Federation of National Power met with Federation reporters at 10:30 a.m. on the 13th in his office. He spoke for an hour about the spirit of work under the war and his attitude toward labor service at the Fuyo Shrine construction site, and also encouraged the leaders of the patriotic groups.

He said, "I recently returned from the northern Korean regions via Gangwon-do and Gyeonggi-do, and when I looked at the rice crop along these routes, I found that the areas with good harvests were much better, while the areas around the Gyeongwon line were very bad. The strange thing was that in the areas where the rice production was good, the farmers worked hard and did not put in even a single blade of grass.

On the other hand, in the bad areas, it was hard to tell the rice stalks apart from the grass. This was exactly the opposite situation from the areas where the rice production was good. If the rice is not yet dead, but the farmers have the spirit of agriculture, they must be willing to harvest even one extra grain of rice. This is partly the responsibility of the leaders, but looking at the war, we shouldn't easily shift from joy when the war is going well to disappointment in tumultuous times.

Even when the war is temporarily disadvantageous for us, we must redouble our fighting spirit and rush to the final victory. Look at the example of poor Italy. Even though they are so weak, it was wrong for them to give up. We must fight and fight to the end and win. The agricultural spirit must also have this kind of fighting spirit burning within.

◇... There are many people who constantly go to the Fuyo Shrine construction site to serve, and some of them are very serious and efficient, but others do not know why they are there or do not know whether they have come to do some sightseeing. Among these unsatisfactory service groups are the patriotic groups and students from secondary schools, especially girls' schools. This is extremely regrettable. Proper guidance and attitudes of the leaders are especially desired.

◇... It is difficult for me to say this, but recently I have received an increasing number of letters of complaint against the town-level leaders of the patriotic groups of the Federation. The complaints are not entirely true. It could be that they are being needlessly criticized and spoken ill of as supplies become tighter, and the complainers have no mental preparedness to overcome this situation. If the patriotic group members are not in harmony during decisive battles, then the activities of the Federation will be in trouble. Even if they have complaints or grievances, they should at least be grateful to the leader of the patriotic group for his hard work while he is busy. Unlike the Army or government offices, the Federation does not have a strict chain of command, but we must obey each other wholeheartedly with gratitude and harmony. There needs to be a manifestation of true kindness in the midst of war in which people yield to one another. On the other hand, it is not good if the town-level leader of the patriotic group of the Federation tries to take advantage of his privileges or position of power. Japan will be strong only if we can overcome the current situation by collective mutual aid.

◇... The Federation Secretariat has decided to absolutely forbid the use of meals or invitations to entertain others in accordance with the Practical Guidelines for Decisive Battle Lifestyle that we have already put into practice. If it is necessary and unavoidable, we have set an internal rule not to use alcoholic beverages. I hope this will be of some help to the general public."

Guardian deity for continental warriors

Guidelines for establishing shrines for Korean settler communities

The Korean Settlers' Organization in Manchuria has often applied for permission to dedicate a shrine to the group's guardian deity, and although this type of permission is not explicitly stated in the Shrine Regulations of Manchuria, the requests for this type of permission have grown so strong that the Embassy's Department of Education in Manchuria, the competent authority, has decided on new shrine establishment guidelines for the Korean Settlers' Organization, with the aim of fostering a sense of reverence for the gods and spiritual unity among the settlers.

The guidelines state that only pioneer settlements with more than 500 houses and safe farming villages would be allowed to establish shrines. However, the deity to be worshiped shall be generally Amaterasu (Goddess of the Sun). The sacred spirit must be received with a Jingu Taima (exorcism stick), separately from the Jingu Jinmusho (Shrine of Emperor Jinmu). The temple shall have an area of at least 1 tsubo (1.5 square meters), and the facilities shall at least have a temple, torii gate, and tamagaki (fence surrounding the shrine). The hall of offerings, hall of worship, and other facilities shall be constructed in accordance with the development of the settlers' group. A standardized construction style shall be determined in accordance with the Education Department of Manchuria. 

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

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年9月14日

不平不満は云うな

隣保共助で乗り切れ決戦生活

波田総長会見談

国民総力朝鮮聯盟波田事務局総長は十三日午前十時半から聯盟記者団と総長室に会見。決戦下の勤労精神、扶余神宮御造営地勤労奉仕態度を説き更に町聯盟、愛国班長らを励ますなど、一時間に亘って左の如く語った。

つい最近北鮮地方から江原道、京畿道を通って帰ったが、その沿線に稲作をみると、豊作のところはうんとよく、ことに京元線あたりは非常に悪いと言ったようにその出来作の差がひどい。それが不思議なことにはよく出来ているところは農民が益々働き草一本も入れないという気魄ぶりだ。

反対に悪いところはどれが稲か草か判らない。これは正に反対のことで、稲がまだ枯れていないのに、農魂があったとしたならば、一粒の米でもよけいに獲ろうと起ちあがる気概がなければならない。これは指導者の責任もあるが、これを戦局にみても、戦況がいいと喜び、ときに波瀾があるとがっかりするようではならない。

一時、不利な時があっても愈々闘魂を燃やして最後の勝利へ驀進すべきである。みよ、あのイタリアを、あんなに脆くも思い切りをつけるようでは駄目だ。最後まで戦って戦って勝ちぬくのである。農魂もこのような戦う気魂が燃えていなければならない。

◇．．．扶余神宮御造営地には沢山の人々が絶えず奉仕に出かけているが、その中には態度が非常に真面目で能率をあげている者もいるが、中には何のために出かけたのか、見物に行ったのかわけの知らないものがいる。これら不満足な奉仕団の中には愛国班と中等学校、ことに女学校の生徒が交っているという。これは非常に遺憾なことである。特に引率者の指導と気構えが望ましい。

◇．．．私の口からいうことは言いにくいことであるが、最近町聯盟愛国班長に対する不平の投書が増えてきた。その不満が悉く事実ではなく、だんだん物が窮屈になって行くので、これを乗り切って行く気構えがなく、徒にその長に対して悪口と非難をいうかも知らない。決戦下、愛国班員が和を欠くと聯盟活動が困って行く。不満や不平がたとえあるにしても忙しいうちに苦労するその長に感謝の念を捧げるくらいでなくてはならない。聯盟は軍隊や官庁と違って指揮系統の厳格さこそないが、感謝と和をもって心から服従して行く。そしてお互いに譲り合う真に決戦下の人情の顕われがなくてはならない。一方、一部では町聯盟長愛国班長を役得とか、自分の役柄を利用してやろうとするのでは困る。隣保共助して時局を克服して行ってこそ戦う日本は強いのである。

◇．．．聯盟事務局ではさきに決定すでに実践している決戦生活実践要綱に基づいて、会食や或いはひとを招いて接待することは絶対廃めている。万やむを得ないときは酒を使わないことに内規を決めて実践している。これが一般のひとびとにも何か御参考になればいいと思う。

大陸戦士の護神

半島人開拓団神社設立要項決める

【新京電話】在満半島人開拓団では従来団の守護神奉祀に関し屡々許可申請をなして来たが、この種認可許可に関しては在満州国神社規則の中にも明示されてはいないが、この種要望が澎湃として各處に昂まり所管官庁たる大使館在満教務部では在満半島人をして敬神観念の涵養、団員の精神統一を計る目的のもとに新に半島人開拓団神社設立要項を決定した。

要項の内容は五百戸以上の開拓団及び安全農村に限り設立を認可す。但し祭神は概ね天照大神を祭ること。御神霊は神宮神武所より別に大麻を拝受すること。また神殿は建坪一坪以上にして設備は神殿、鳥居及び玉垣を最小限度とし幣殿、拝殿その他の設備は開拓団の発展に伴い建設するように指導するが、建築様式は在満教務部に於いて標準型を決定し、それによらしむることとなっている。

Converted Korean 'ideological criminals' (a.k.a. independence activists) at 'Yamato Cram School' tearfully apologize for fighting against Imperial Japan and are spellbound as Governor Koiso explains in propaganda speech that the greatest significance of life is hidden in Japanese mythology (1943)

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

This article covers Governor Koiso's inspection visit to Yamato Cram School (대화숙/大和塾), or a brainwashing center to 'convert' Korean 'ideological criminals' (a.k.a. anti-colonial nationalists or independence activists) into Imperial collaborators. The topic of Korean thought crimes and converts (tenkōsha) is relatively well-researched in academia. Thought Crime: Ideology and State Power in Interwar Japan by Max M. Ward is a good book on this topic, and chapter 5 is available online as a free PDF. 

There is also an excellent paper written by Hong Jongwook of Seoul National University entitled "The Thought Control Policy and the Yamato-juku in Colonial Korea", but unfortunately this paper is only available in Japanese.

Japan-colonized Korea could be described as a dictatorship of the Governor-General, who was appointed by the central government in Tokyo, under one party rule by the late 1930's. Within very broad constraints, they had almost unlimited power in Korea to do whatever they wanted. Governor Koiso tended to be more narcissistic than most of his predecessors, and he loved to splash the newspapers with his propaganda speeches and writings, and also articles, including this one, covering his inspection visits and work activities. He is notable for putting young Korean girls into internment camps to turn into 'true Japanese' mothers, with the idea that this would have a multiplier effect as these Korean girls become mothers who raise Japanese children. But immediate wartime needs apparently turned this project into a more practical wartime work force program. 

The sign on the left says "内鮮一體" or 'Japanese-Korean Unification', and the sign on the right says "京城大和塾" or "Gyeongseong Yamato Cram School", with Gyeongseong being the old name for Seoul.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) September 17, 1943

Live by the Mythology

The Governor-General Visits Yamato Cram School and Delivers a Prolonged Address

At 2:30 p.m. on the afternoon of the 16th, Governor-General Koiso, accompanied by his secretary, Mr. Kobayashi, suddenly appeared at Yamato Cram School in Takezoe-chō (present-day Chungjeong-ro), Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, and walked into the reception room to the amazement of everyone. Upon hearing the news of Governor-General Koiso's visit, Probation Office Director Mr. Nagasaki hastily returned to the school and was asked by the Governor about the general situation at Yamato Cram School. He was particularly interested in the current state of thought of the converts, and when the director described the indignation felt by the converts toward the unconditional surrender of the Italian government under Badoglio and the converts' pledge of loyalty to Imperial Japan, the Governor General's tense expression showed a nod of agreement. Then, Director Nagasaki led them to a classroom where the converts had gathered non-Japanese speakers in the neighborhood from the unemployment job center to teach them Japanese, and then they went to the auditorium. After seeing the art club and returning to the reception room, the Governor- General responded to the students' requests and began to explain the profundity of Japanese studies, which are connected to mythology, by stating that 'learning is what it is because of the state'.

He began his speech by saying, 

"Man must contemplate things from various angles in order to spend his life in a meaningful way, or he will turn to science, philosophy, and religion to answer the cries of his soul. However, even though we live in a world where science is universal, we still feel that we are lacking something profound if we are confined to science alone. Even modern philosophy and religion, which delve deep into the spirit, are not enough as long as they remain within those limits. The place to go is history and tradition. But even here, the cry of the soul cannot be fully satisfied. The last place to go is mythology. It is easy for people to think that the significance of mythology is nothing, but they are mistaken.

It is in this mythology that the greatest and ultimate significance of life is hidden. When I was a division commander in Hiroshima, I once visited the Yamaguchi Boys' Prison. There, I saw a military drill review and was very impressed by the performance that was so magnificent that the specialist soldiers blushed, and I gathered the prisoners together and gave them a lesson. The words in each sentence that I spoke contained a tone of excitement, but there was someone who listened to everything I said with tears in his eyes, and I read his book. However, in order for a person to live, there must be a center. If we analogize this to the shape of a cone, when we look at it from the bottom with the apex at the top, the visible bottom is reality, and the invisible apex is mythology. The vertical line descending from the apex is the so-called center. No matter how many times you cut the sloping surface from the side, you will always reach the center. This center is noble and leads to the path of living the mythology. You are this center. When you live by the mythology, you can live with firm conviction, unmoved by anything". 

As the Governor-General spoke for about 20 minutes, the room was filled with deep emotion.

Mr. Moto Koyama, reflecting the deep emotion of the audience, spoke with tears in his eyes: 'In the past, we were sinners who drew our bows against Imperial Japan. Today, we have awakened to this fact, and we are firmly determined to compensate Imperial Japan using the arms and heads that we used to lay down our bows'. The Governor-General replied with a quiet, warm facial expression, 'Make sure you do it right', and tried to leave. The group apologetically asked, 'May we take a picture with you?' The Governor-General readily agreed, and the group took a picture in a friendly yet solemn atmosphere, and the Governor-General returned to his residence after 4:00 p.m. as the group looked on. (Photo: Governor Koiso leaving the school after being seen off by everyone.)

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-09-17

(End of Translation)

(Transcription)

1943年9月17年　京城日報

須らく神話に生きよ

総督・大和塾を訪れ諄々説く

十六日午後二時半小磯総督は小林秘書官を帯同京城西大門区竹添町大和塾にひょっこり姿を現し一同面喰う中を応接間に歩を運ぶ。小磯総督来塾の報に外出先から急遽帰塾した長崎保護観察所長から大和塾の全般的状況を具さに聴取。転向者の今日の思想状況には特に関心を持ち、所長が此度の伊バトリオ政権の無条件降状に対する転向者の憤振りと皇国に燃やす尽忠の誓いを述ぶれば総督の引き緊まった表情にもうなずきの色が見え、次いで長崎所長の案内により授産場から国語普及に転向者達が附近の国語未解者を集めて教育している教室に入り、講堂に巡って応用。美術部を見て応接室に帰った総督は塾生の切望に応じ、”学問は国家あっての学問である”と冒頭して神話に結ぶ日本学の深遠性を諄々と説き来り説き去るのだった。

『人間は自分の一生を有意義に過ごすために種々なる角度から熟考しなければならない。或いはその魂の叫びに科学、哲学、宗教に深索の歩みを入れるであろう。然し科学万能の世であるとは謂え、科学のみに立て籠もっては何かと深奥に物足りないものを覚えるのである。最も精神を掘り下げる現代哲学、宗教にあってもこの限界に止まる限り矢張り物足らない。そこから進み入るところは歴史であり、伝統である。然し此処でも十分に魂の叫びを満たしては呉れない。最後に行きつくところのものは神話なのである。神話の持つ意義をなんでもないように一般に思われ易いが、それは大間違いである。

この神話にこそ人生の最大なる究極の意義が秘められている。自分が広島の師団長をしていた時、山口少年刑務所に行ったことがある。そこで軍事教練閲兵等を見たが、専門の兵隊が赤面する程堂々たるもので自分は心から感激し、囚人を集めて訓辞したことがある。自分の言葉の一句一句にも自然感激の語調が含まれていたが、全部泣いて聴いていた或る人の書物を読んだ。ところが人が生きる上には何か中心がなければならない。これを円錐形に譬えれば頂点を上にして下から眺めた時、底面の見える處が現実で、見えない頂点が神話である。頂点から降した垂線が所謂この中心である。横の斜面をどんなに切って行っても中心に達する。この中心が尊いし神話に生きる道に通ずるものである。皆さんはこの中心である。神話に生きる時、何ものにも動じない固い信念に生き得るのである。』と約二十分間に亘って説けば室内は深い感激が森厳にこもる。

この一同感激を代表して小山元君が”過去に於いて私達は皇国に弓をひいた罪人であります。今日それに目醒めた私達は弓おいたこの腕と頭をもって皇国に報いることを堅く決意いたします”と声涙をもって真情を述ぶれば、総督も静かな温顔で”しっかりやってくれ”といい残して去らんとする。一同は名残り惜しげに”写真を一緒に撮らせて戴きませんか”と願い出れば総督も気易く引き受けて並び和やかな中にも厳粛な空気の中に写真に納まって同四時過ぎ一同の見送る中を官邸に引き上げた。【写真＝一同の見送りをうけて塾を出る小磯総督】