Ordinary rural Koreans including men, women, elderly, little girls were forcibly worked to collect organic debris, animal manure, human feces/urine and make organic fertilizer to increase agricultural production for Imperial Japan's war effort (April 1944)

The following three articles are from April 1944, when Imperial Japan was into its third year of fighting an all-out war against the United States in World War II. Food shortages were rampant, and the pressure was on to increase food production at any cost. Chemical fertilizers were scarce due to war production needs, so the Imperial Japanese colonial government of Korea mobilized the whole country to increase organic fertilizer production using human feces and urine. I selected these three articles to help piece together what was going on.

The first article describes a Volunteer Corps of young Korean men in one Seoul neighborhood hauling essentially human fecal sludge from bathrooms. The second article is a set of instructions on how to make organic fertilizer using organic debris and human feces and urine, digging pits, alternating layers of human feces and soil, and letting them sit to decompose. The third article is a very lengthy statement from the Governor-General’s Office, addressed to all of Korea, giving orders on how to increase organic fertilizer production. Note that organic fertilizers are called ‘self-supplied fertilizers’ throughout this article. Despite their best efforts, chemical fertilizers apparently could not be avoided for growing seeds.

Since this third article is such a tedious read, I’ve underlined some key passages to pay attention to. The government order expected everyone in Korea, including men, women, the elderly, little girls, to participate in this production. Labor was forcibly mobilized through the Patriotic Groups (JP: aikoku-han, KR: aeguk-ban, 愛國班) the neighborhood cells which were 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. If previous patterns hold, then the government would ask the Patriotic Group leader (the Korean collaborator intermediary) for laborers (example: ‘Who can you spare?’), and the leader would ‘volunteer’ these laborers from among the residents he knows in his own Patriotic Group (example: ‘I think woman A and little girl B have some free time on their hands, and they can collect fallen leaves. I can volunteer them to you.’)

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) April 21, 1944

Garbage Trucks in the City in the Dawn Dusk

The cleaning service performed by the Palpan-dong Youth Volunteer Corps members

Practice is better than theory. The Seoul Palpan-dong Youth Volunteer Corps, which had set out to take the initiative before ordering others to do so, began a cleanup campaign on April 11 in an effort to initially start work in a familiar location.

This was to sweep the area of garbage and provide sanitation in the spring, and also to raise the health awareness of the residents at the same time. The corp members on duty gathered at 5 a.m. every morning at the Palpan-dong town council office. Under the command of Corps representative Hatani and under the orders of Captain Shigeyama, the Corps members silently worked breaking a sweat for two hours at a time to pump out the latrines and carry away the garbage before the townspeople even got up, and by 7:00 a.m. they were lined up in front of the town council office.

They sang the Oath of the Youth Volunteer Corps. They strive to improve their minds and bodies as they each go about their work. [Photo: The early morning cleanup of the Youth Volunteer Corps members]

Home Gardening: How to Make Fertilizer

The shortcut to increase crop production is to double the amount of fertilizer, rather than to double the amount of land. Fertilizer is very important as a foodstuff for the crops, so let’s treat our crops with homemade fertilizer. Fertilizers are the most important thing for growing vegetables, and they should be applied as a starter fertilizer at a rate of about 1 kan (3.75 kg) for every tsubo (3.3 square meters) of land.

Dig a hole at least two shaku (about 61 cm or 2 feet) in depth, and throw in some dust, hay, straw, fallen leaves, horse manure, and anything else that will decompose. When you reach a thickness of 5 or 6 sun (15.1 cm or 18.2 cm), step on the mixture to make it more compact, and then sprinkle human feces, urine, and latrine juice over it. Then cover the human feces, urine, and latrine juice with about 2 sun (6 cm) of soil. Repeat this process every three weeks, alternating the top-bottom order of the layers each time [debris on the bottom and human feces on top the first time, debris on top and human feces on the bottom the second time, etc.]. Cover the hole with a lid to prevent rainwater from entering. When the hole is full, leave the lid on for two to three months to complete the process.

It is essential to let it fully decompose, otherwise it can cause more harm than good. Before applying it to the field, expose it to direct sunlight for three or four days, and crush it well before use.

Human feces and urine also have rapid efficacy as an additional fertilizer to use after seeding. Place a bucket or tub in the soil, avoiding direct sunlight and rain. Stir the human feces and urine into the bucket or tub, let it stand for three or four weeks, and when it has sufficiently decomposed, apply a dilution of three to six times the original amount of the human feces and urine. When using this method, dig a shallow pit to one side of the crop, apply the fertilizer, and always cover it with soil.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1944-04-21

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) April 26, 1944

Measures to secure fertilizers and animal feed; Details regarding the Agricultural Promotion Association’s stated policy (part 2)

Start by converting waste materials into animal feed

Unfolding a campaign to increase self-supplied fertilizer production

III. Measures to secure self-supplied fertilizer production

In order to complete the agricultural production responsibility system imposed on Korean farming villages, it is necessary to increase the amount of fertilizers. However, since the situation is such that it is not possible to depend solely on chemical fertilizers, we must of course make every effort to increase the amount of self-supplied fertilizers.

However, since the increase of self-supplied fertilizers requires a great deal of effort, we shall put the following into practice on the premise that the increase of self-supplied fertilizers requires the determination of the government based on the major policy of rural reorganization.

(1) Movement to increase the production of self-supplied fertilizers

In order to liquidate the ‘chemical fertilizers are all-powerful’ mentality and to push forward with the improvement and increase of self-supplied fertilizers, first of all, to encourage the activities of guidance and encouragement organizations and agricultural groups to develop a spiritual movement among farmers, and, of course, to start a movement to increase self-supplied fertilizer production as a national movement by rallying the Korean Federation of National Power.

(2) Rural Labor Mobilization

Not only men, but also women and school children, shall be mobilized to work a certain number of hours every day for a certain period of time to increase the production of self-supplied fertilizers, and a work week shall be established. In this mobilization, not only farmers, but also non-farmers in general, shall share in the labor.

(3) Implementation of a system of responsibility for increased production of self-supplied fertilizers

(A) A system of responsibility for increasing the production of self-supplied fertilizers by village

The target for increasing self-supplied fertilizer production by each farmer shall be set according to the amount of fertilizer required per unit of each major crop and per unit of production in accordance with local conditions, and each village shall be responsible for increasing its own respective self-supplied fertilizer production in the spring, summer, fall and winter, without missing the timings of production in each season.

(B) Reward system for increased production of self-supplied fertilizers

Farmers who reach the target of increased production of self-supplied fertilizer shall be rewarded by means of a certificate of passed inspection and special distribution of essential supplies. Landowners shall also be rewarded in an appropriate manner.

(4) Strengthening of guidance and encouragement from government agencies

(A) The Governor-General’s Office is to expound the major policy of increasing the production of self-supplied fertilizers and mobilize all relevant authorities to strengthen guidance and encouragement for farmers.

(B) The following guidance shall be given with emphasis.

(1) Increase the production of field compost, quick compost, and wheat straw compost.

(2) Increasing the use of wild green grass.

(3) Construction or improvement of compost sheds, barns, ash houses, manure pits, and simple silos.

(4) Conversion of rice bran, fallen debris, rice culm, stems and leaves of second crops, and sweet tea vines into animal feed.

(5) Intercropping of fodder crops and utilization of vacant land.

(6) Encourage and subsidize the adoption of green manure cultivation.

(7) Utilization of muddy soil in irrigation and drainage canals and ponds, etc.

(8) Collection of ashes from burnt waste grasses and trees in the urban areas and towns.

(5) Thorough promotion of green manure cultivation

(A) Strengthening the encouragement of increased production of self-supplied fertilizers through workshops on self-supplied fertilizers, product fairs, and awards for distinguished service.

(B) Strengthen subsidies for facilities to increase the production of self-supplied fertilizers.

(C) The Governor-General’s Office shall increase the expenses required for the implementation of the above two items.

(6) Parallel facilities

(A) For the purpose of eliminating the adverse effects of the cost of burning rice culms as fuel in order to secure compost resources, the conversion to unhulled grain briquettes, etc., and the improvement of fuel holes of ondol heaters shall be promoted and encouraged.

(B) Convert thatched rice straw into wheat straw to increase the use of rice straw as fertilizer and fodder.

(C) In order to return the by-products of grain processing to the farming communities, the Foodstuff Brigade, which is the controlling body for grain processing, shall increase the production of feed by crushing the rice, wheat, bran, straw, and other materials produced at the factories to make rough animal feed.

(D) To develop a cooperative movement among the people of the urban areas and towns to ensure that the waste of the urban areas and towns is converted into feed and fertilizer through rational processing of the waste of the urban areas and towns.

(7) Specific measures to increase manure production in stables

(A) Each farmer shall be required to install a composting shed, a storage area, or a manure pile, and to make use of the old facilities.

(B) Have each farmer learn that “without livestock, there is no fertilizer” and raise livestock appropriate to the local conditions.

(C) The farmers are required to do the “one chige” exercise before breakfast and to clean up their yards and villages every morning to obtain resources for compost or fodder, such as wild grass and dust.

(D) Extend the mowing emphasis period, and constantly cut wild grass for fodder, bedding straw, and compost materials.

(E) Open common wells in the vicinity of the village to facilitate composting, especially wells for field composting.

(F) Agricultural wastes, straw culms, and leaves and stems of other crops shall be made into feed for livestock and returned to arable land. In particular, straw culms shall be saved as fuel or roofing, and about one-third of the production shall be used as raw material for stable manure.

(G) To increase the amount of fodder by promoting the use of simple silos.

(8) Utilization of human feces and urine

(A) Farmers’ latrines and barns shall be improved, and manure pits shall be installed so that there will be no regrets in the use of human feces and urine and livestock manure and urine.

(B) To promote transportation, relay facilities, and equipment maintenance to facilitate the use of human feces and urine from urban areas and towns.

(C) In particular, vegetable growers in the outlying areas of the urban areas and towns shall be encouraged to organize associations and cooperate with the authorities to make use of human feces and urine from the urban areas and towns.

(D) Conventional ash production shall be discontinued.

(9) Thoroughly promote the cultivation of green manure.

(A) In order to secure seeds, special distribution of chemical fertilizer shall be made to seed growers, and an increase in the price of green manure seeds shall be made.

(B) Mobilize women and school children to supplement labor for seed collection.

(C) Establish cultivation plans for each region according to the following goals for green manure types, and ensure that they are thoroughly disseminated.

• Southern Korea: Mainly the ‘Renge’ and ‘Becchi’ brands of green manure
• Central Korea: Mainly the ‘Becchi’ brand of green manure
• Northwest Korea: Mainly the ‘Becchi’ brand of green manure

(D) In areas where green manure can be grown as a second crop, it shall be cultivated to the extent of up to 30% of the rice paddy area.

(E) In mountainous areas, wild grasses and sprouts shall be collected and used as natural green manure.

IV. Subsidies for fertilizers

1. To grant the Korean Agricultural Promotion Association Prize to three places per province among the counties and townships for their excellent performance in increasing fertilizer production.

2. To receive subsidies from the Korean Agricultural Promotion Association for provinces that plan to engage in the green manure seed production business.

I. Measures to Ensure Increased Fodder Production

(1) Measures to be taken by farmers to increase feed production

Thoroughly ensure self-sufficiency in animal feed

The basic policy of farmers shall be to be self-sufficient in feedstuffs, and farmers shall be encouraged year-round to be self-aware and self-reliant in their work ethic and ingenuity.

(2) Estimate the production amount of feed to encourage for each animal feed farmer, (a) secure cereals for feed (b) increase the production of quality hay (c) secure agricultural products such as culms and crop residues (d) collect agricultural crop stems and leaves (e) timely harvesting of tree canopy species (f) utilization of silkworm sand and mulberry leaves (g) preparation of buried grass and coal straw (h) cultivation of fodder crops on unused and fallow lands (i) dual use of organic fertilizers and other methods of increasing self-sufficiency in fodder production, to be implemented in accordance with local conditions, and to be secured as necessary.

II. Feed measures for livestock requiring controlled distribution of feed

(1) Securing the supply of rough animal feed: Measures shall be taken to ensure an adequate supply of rough animal feed such as hay and rice straw as basic feed.

(2) Production and utilization of powdered feed: Positively encourage the production of powdered feed such as apples, manure, coal straw, fish waste, etc., and make efforts to utilize them as a substitute for concentrate feed.

(3) Securing supplies of concentrate feed: Increase the supply of grains, soybean meal and bran, and prioritize the use of brewing sediment, starch sediment and other residues left over from production as animal feed to ensure a minimum annual supply of 250,000 tons.

(4) Increase production and supply of formula feed: Increase the production capacity of Korean Livestock Products Co., Ltd. to supply the most necessary concentrated feed as a rational and economical formula feed for each type of livestock.

III. Measures to be adopted in particular in terms of feed

(1) Develop a campaign to increase self-sufficient feed production

In order to increase the production of self-sufficient fodder such as hay, wheat stalks, tree leaves, coal straw, buried grass, and other powdered feeds, a national campaign shall be launched throughout Korea to encourage farmers and strengthen the work of school children, elderly women, adult women, and little girls in particular, so that this can be accomplished.

(2) Holding of a competition to increase feed production

To hold a competition under the auspices of the Korean Agricultural Promotion Association to promote the development of new feed resources in line with the development of the above movement, and to contribute to its wide dissemination to the general public.

(3) Securing the supply of minor grains for feed

From the next rice production year onward, when establishing the food grain demand plan, the necessary amount of minor grains for feed shall be recorded and secured in a systematic manner.

Allow ranchers, dairy farmers, stallion breeders, military-qualified horse breeders, etc. to cultivate the necessary animal feed.

(4) Crack down on unauthorized movement of feed and unauthorized products shall be strengthened.

(5) Actively subsidize feed facilities.

(6) Expand and strengthen the feed administration system and improve the distribution system.

(7) To expand and strengthen research and study facilities related to animal feed at agricultural experiment stations.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1944-04-26

(My Notes)

This article mentions a ‘one chige‘ exercise that farmers were required to do before breakfast. Chige means ‘bowl in Korean, but it’s not clear to me whether this refers to their breakfast, or the container that they use to collect grass and dust for compost.

In the following transcription, I encountered about six characters which I could not read despite my best efforts, so I placed a question mark as a place holder, until I could access a more legible copy of this article in the future, perhaps from the National Library of Korea. 

(Transcription)

京城日報　1944年4月21日

暁闇の街をゆく塵芥車

八判町青年隊員らの清掃奉仕

理屈より実践。他人に命ずる前に率先挺身だと起ちあがった府内八判町青年挺身隊では先ず身近かなところから仕事をしようと十一日から清掃運動を始めた。

これは春に入り町内から塵芥を一掃し衛生を備える一方、町民の保健観念を昂めようというもので、勤人である隊員は毎朝午前五時に町会事務所に集合。羽渓総代の指揮と茂山隊長の命で町内の人が起きあがらない前から黙黙として便所の汲み取りから塵芥の運び出しに二時間づつ汗を流し、七時には町会事務所前に整列。

青年挺身隊の誓いを斉唱。心身の練磨に努め各自の勤務にいそしんでいる【写真＝青挺身員の早朝清掃】

家庭園芸：肥料の作り方

畑地を二倍に拡げるより、肥料を倍に施した方が増産の近道です。肥料は作物の食糧で是非必要なものですから、自家製で御馳走してやりましょう。菜には最も必要な肥料で、坪一貫内外の割で元肥として与えます。

作り方は地を深さ二尺以上に掘り、その中に塵芥、乾草、藁、落葉に馬糞その他何でも腐るものを投入し、五六寸の厚さになったとき、踏み固めて人糞尿や便汁をふりかけ、土を二寸位おくのを繰り返します。穴には雨水の入らぬよう、ふたをしておきます。三週間に一度上下をかえるように切り替え、穴が一ぱいになったら、蓋をしたまま二三ヶ月おきますと出来上がります。

十分に腐敗さすことが肝腎で、不熟のものはかえって害を与えます。畑に与える前には三、四日直射に広げて当て、よくくだいてから使います。

つぎに下肥（人糞尿）は追肥として速効のあるものです。かめまたは桶を土中にうずめ、直射と雨をさけます。この中に糞尿をかきまぜてくみとり、三、四週間放置し、十分に腐ったものを三倍～六倍にうすめて施します。その方法は作物の一方を浅く掘って追肥し、かならず土をかけておくことです。

京城日報　1944年4月26日

肥料・飼料の確保策　興農会献策の内容　（下）

先ず廃物の飼料化

自給肥増産運動を展開

三、自給肥料対策

現下朝鮮農村に負荷せられたる農業生産責任制の完遂の為には肥料の増施最も必要なるが、単に之を金肥にのみに依存する能わざる情勢に在るを以て当然自給肥料の増製に全力を注がざる可からず。

然れ共之が増製は鮮からざる努力を傾倒する要するを以て、此の際自給肥料の増製をば農村再編成の大方針に基き政府の決意を必要とすることを前提とし、左の事項を実践に移さんとす。

（一）自給肥料大増産運動

金肥万能思想を清算し、自給肥料の改良増産の一途に邁進せしむべく、先ず農民の精神運動を展開するため指導奨励機関及び農業団体の活動を促すは勿論、総力聯盟の奮起により国民運動として自給肥料大増産運動を起こすこと

（二）農村勤労総動員

男子は勿論、婦人学童等を総動員し、自給肥料増産のため或る期間毎日一定時間勤労せしむる外、勤労週間を定設し、実効を揚ぐるに努むること本動員に当りては単に農民のみならず、一般非農家に於いてもその労苦を共にすること

（三）自給肥料増産責任制実施

（イ）部落別自給肥料増産責任制

地方の実情に応じ各主要作物別反当所要量及び作付反別より各農家の自給肥料増産目標を定め、部落を単位とし春夏秋冬の各季節別に時期を失することなく夫々自給肥料増産の責任を負わしむること

（ロ）自給肥料増産褒賞制

自給肥料増産目標に到達したる農家に対しては検査合格証を交付すると共に必需物資特配等の方法を以て褒賞すること。尚地主に在りても適当の褒賞の方法を講ずること。

（四）官庁指導奨励の強化

（イ）本府は自給肥料増産の大方針を闡明し、各指導関係当局を総動員して農民に対する指導奨励の強化を図ること。

（ロ）左記に付き重点指導を行うこと。

（１）野積堆肥、速成堆肥、麥稈堆肥の増製。

（２）山野緑草の増施。

（３）堆肥舎、畜舎及び灰小屋、糞尿溜、簡易『サイロー』の構築又は改良。

（４）糠類、落物、粥稈類及び裏作物の茎葉並びに甘茶蔓の飼料化。

（５）飼料作物の間作栽培及び空地利用。

（６）緑肥栽培の徹底的奨励及び採択助成。

（７）用排水路池沼等の泥土利用。

（８）都邑地区芥草木灰の蒐集。

（五）緑肥栽培の普及徹底

（イ）自給肥料講習会、品評会、有功者の表彰等の自給肥料増産奨励の強化を図ること。

（ロ）自給肥料増産施設に対する助成の強化を図ること。

（ハ）本府は前二項実施に要する経費を増強すること。

（六）並行施設

（イ）堆肥資源確保の為燃料として粥稈燃費の弊を除く目的を以て籾穀練炭等への転換、温突焚口の改良を普及奨励せしむること。

（ロ）屋根葺稲藁を？、麥稈に転換せしめ稲藁の肥料、飼料還元を増強すること。

（ハ）糧穀加工の副産物を農村に還元する為、糧穀加工統制機関たる食糧営団に於いて工場生産の米麥糠落物の外稿、縄屑、？叺に至るまで之を粉砕し粗飼料を作る等飼料の増産を図ること。

（ニ）都邑廃物の合理的処理による塵芥の飼料化、塵芥の肥料化を徹底せしむる為、都邑民の協力運動を展開すること。

（七）厩堆肥増産の具体的方策

（イ）各農家をして必ず堆肥舎又は堆積場、肥溜を設置せしむると共に旧設備を活用せしむること。

（ロ）各農家をして『家畜なければ肥料なし』を会得せしめ地方の実情に応じ適当なる家畜を飼育せしむること。

（ハ）朝食前の一チゲ運動、毎朝の庭先及び部落内清掃を必行せしめ野草及び塵芥等堆肥又は飼料の資源を獲得せしむること。

（ニ）草刈り強調期間を延長すると共に飼料、敷きワラ、堆肥原料としての野草刈り取りを常時行わしむること。

（ホ）堆肥造成を容易ならしむる為部落周辺に共同井戸を、特に野積堆肥の為の井戸を開鑿せしむること。

（ヘ）農産屑物、藁稈、？類の茎葉等は力めて之を家畜の飼料となし、耕地に還元せしむること。特に藁稈類の燃料又は屋根葺とすることを節約せしめ、生産量の三分の一程度を厩堆肥の原料とせしむること。

（ト）簡易『サイロー』の普及により飼料の増強を図ること。

（八）糞尿の利用

（イ）農家便所及び畜舎を改良せしむると共に肥溜を設備せしめ人糞尿及び家畜糞尿の利用に遺憾なからしむること。

（ロ）都邑糞尿の利用を容易ならしむる為の運搬、中継設備及び器具整備を助長すること。

（ハ）特に都邑近郊の蔬菜栽培者には組合を組織せしめ当局と強調し都邑糞尿を利用せしむること。

（ニ）従来の？灰の製造は之を見合しむること。

（九）緑肥栽培の普及徹底

（イ）種子を確保するため採種者に金肥を特配し、緑肥種子の価格引き上げを断行すること

（ロ）採種労力補充のため婦人、学童を動員すること

（ハ）緑肥の種類を左の目標により、地方別に栽培計画を樹立せしめ、之が普及徹底を期すること

• 南鮮：主として紫雲英、ベッチ
• 中鮮：主としてベッチ
• 西北鮮：主としてベッチ

（ニ）緑肥の裏作可能地帯に於いては水田面積の三割程度迄栽培せしむること

（ホ）山間部に於いては野草、萌芽等を採集せしめ天然緑肥として利用せしむること

四、肥料に対する助成

一、堆肥増産の成績優良なる郡面、部落に対し財団法人朝鮮興農会賞を一道に付き三ヶ所宛交付せられたきこと

二、緑肥採種事業を計画せる道に対し財団法人朝鮮興農会より助成金を交付せられたきこと

飼料増産確保策

一、農家に於ける飼料対策

（１）飼料自給自足趣旨の徹底

農家に於ける所要飼料は自給を根本方針とし農民の勤労精神の昂揚並びに創意工夫を強調し之が自覚と年間所促すこと

飼料励行を（２）各飼蓄農家等に要領を推算し（イ）飼料用雑穀類の確保（ロ）優良乾草の増産（ハ）農産物の稿稈類、残渣物の確保（ニ）農作物茎葉？類の蒐集

（ホ）樹冠類の適期採種（ヘ）蚕沙、残桑の利用（ト）埋草及び石炭藁の調製

（チ）未利用地及び休閑地利用に依る飼料作物栽培（リ）有機肥料の二重利用等各種飼料自給増産方途を夫々地方の実情に応じ実行せしめ、これが確保を必期せしむること

二、飼料の統制配給を要する家畜に対する飼料対策

（１）粗飼料の供給確保：基礎飼料たる乾草、稲藁等の粗飼料を充分供給するよう措置すること

（２）粉末飼料の製造及び利用：苹檎類、稿稈類、石炭藁、魚屑等の粉末飼料製造を積極的に奨励し、濃厚飼料代用としてこれが利用に努むること

（３）濃厚飼料の供給確保：穀類、大豆粕、糠類の増給並びに醸造粕、澱粉粕等製造残渣の飼料優先利用を図り以て？当り最小限必需量年間二十五万頓の供給を確保せらるること

（４）配合飼料の増産供給：濃厚飼料は家畜の種別毎に合理的且つ経済的配合飼料として供給するを最も必要とするを以て朝鮮畜産株式会社の之が製造能力を拡充せしむること

三、飼料対策上特に採るべき施策

（１）自給飼料増産運動の展開

乾草、茎葉麥類、樹葉類、石炭藁、埋草、其の他粉末飼料等自給飼料増産達成の為、報国運動を全鮮に展開し、農民の奮起を促すと共に特に学童及び老幼婦女子の勤労を強化し以て之が必成を期すること

（２）飼料増産競励会の開催

右運動展開に伴い新飼料資源開発促進のため財団法人朝鮮興農会主催を以て之が競励会を開催し広く一般の普及に資すること

（３）飼料用雑穀類の供給確保

来米穀年度以降は食糧需給計画樹立に当り飼料用としての雑穀必需量を計上し計画的に之が確保を図らるること

尚各種牧場、酪農家、種馬、軍用適格馬飼育者等に対しては其の所要飼料の栽培方容認せらるること

（４）飼料の不正移動並びに不正品の取締を強化すること

（５）飼料対策施設につき積極的に助成を行うこと

（６）飼料行政機構の拡充強化を図り之が配給機構を整備すること

（７）農事試験場における飼料に関する調査研究施設の拡充強化を図ること

12-year-old Korean girl in Tokyo allegedly chanted ‘Banzai to the Emperor’ 3 times with her last dying breaths before dying of diphtheria in April 1942, her father suddenly died soon afterwards of a broken heart, Governor-General Koiso of colonial Korea gave condolence money to her surviving family

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) February 14, 1943
The Model Korean Maiden
"Banzai to the Emperor" at the Moment of Death
The Warmth of the Governor-General's Heart for the Bereaved Family

This is a story of Governor-General Koiso's gift of a sealed envelope of money to a young Korean girl of unhappy circumstances who passed away after singing 'Banzai to the Emperor'. Kim Gi-seon (김기선/金基仙) (12), a fifth-year student at Komamoto National School in Hongō Ward, Tokyo, contracted diphtheria on April 1 of last year. She was hospitalized at Komagome Hospital in the same city, but her younger sister Mitsuyo and mother were also hospitalized to also find themselves in the bottommost pit of unhappy circumstances, and finally Gi-seon died on the 18th of the same month.

Afterwards, her father died suddenly, perhaps unable to bear the pain in his heart due to his repeated misfortunes, and her mother and younger sister, Mitsuko, who were finally discharged from the hospital, are now living a lonely life.

At the moment of her death, she sang a patriotic march from beneath her labored breathing while holding the hand of her father, Kim Soon-baek (김순백/金順百), and sang three chants of 'Banzai to His Majesty the Emperor!' before passing away holding her father's hand and saying, "Father, I'm sorry."

On the seventh day after her death, a piggy bank containing 26 yen 8 sen, which she had saved from her small allowance, was found, and it was immediately donated to the Imperial Army and Navy in accordance with Gi-seon's intentions.

When Governor-General Koiso heard this sad story, he was deeply moved by Gi-seon's disposition as an Imperial person, and he sent a sealed envelope of money to the bereaved family to pray for Gi-seon's repose.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-02-14 (page 3)

(My comments)

This is an example of the propaganda media spin machine taking what was otherwise a tragic, private story of a young girl who died of a communicable childhood disease, relatively common in the days before widespread childhood vaccinations, and turning it into some bizarre 'feel-good' story of Imperial patriotism. It was the dream of Imperial soldiers to die gloriously shouting 'Banzai to the Emperor', so this story must have resonated in a heartfelt way with many people in Japan.

I think it's actually not remarkable that this Korean girl sang a propaganda song in the last moments of her life. She was brainwashed in a Japanese school, exposed to the same Imperial propaganda like other schoolchildren in Japan. Given this immersive brainwashing, it's not surprising that she chose this song to comfort herself in the last moments of her life.

There are different ways of interpreting this story. When she said "Father, I'm sorry," was she expressing sorrow for dying so early, or sorrow for offending her father who didn't like Imperial Japan? When her father died of a broken heart, was it just because of his daughter's death, or was it also because she died a brainwashed Imperial person? We may never know for sure.

The 26 yen 8 sen in her piggy bank account is roughly $400 to $600 US Dollars, depending on how you calculate it. Each morning edition of the Keijo Nippo of 1942 was priced at 6 sen. Today, each morning edition of Asahi Shimbun is priced at 160 yen. Depending on which Japanese yen to US Dollar conversion you use, you will get roughly this range.

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年2月14日
半島乙女の亀鑑
死の瞬間に”天皇陛下万歳”
遺族へ注ぐ総督の温情

万歳を奉唱して逝った薄幸の半島少女に小磯総督が金一封を贈った話題。東京市本郷区駒本国民学校五年生金基仙さん（一二）は昨年四月一日ジフテリアに感染。同市駒込病院に入院したが妹美津代さん母親もまた入院という不幸のどん底で、遂に同月十八日基仙さんは死んだ。

その死の瞬間、父の金順百さんの手を握りながら苦しい息の下から愛国行進曲を歌い、更に天皇陛下万歳を三唱し父の手を握って『お父さん、ごめんなさい』の一語を残して逝ったのである。

その初七日には零細な小遣いを貯めた二十六円八銭入りの貯金箱が発見されたので直ちに基仙さんの志を生かして陸海軍へ献金された。その後お父さんは重なる不幸痛心にたえなかったものか急死し、漸く退院した母親と妹美津子さんは淋しく暮しているというのである。

この哀話をこのほど耳にした小磯総督は基仙さんの皇民としての心様にうたれ、遺族に宛て金一封を贈り、基仙さんの冥福を祈った。

Vegetable rationing in 1943 Seoul was measly (~200 grams a day per person), monotonous (mostly bok choy and daikon radish), and controlled by Patriotic Groups, the local arm of the ruling party of Japan-colonized Korea - severe shortages of carrots, taro roots, yams, all sold on the black market

This article talks about vegetable shortages in Korea in December 1943, two years into an all-out war against the US. In response to widespread vegetable shortages and the proliferation of black markets, colonial authorities implemented a rationing system for vegetables, where vegetable supplies were funneled into a centralized distribution point, and then distributed to non-households (including restaurants) and households, where each person was allotted a measly vegetable ration of about 200 grams per day. The situation with eggs, meat, and fish was also dire. Not surprisingly, ordinary citizens were encouraged to grow their own food and forage for edible wild plants.

Patriotic Groups (local neighborhood cells) were in charge of vegetable rationing. The Korean Federation of National Power (国民総力朝鮮連盟, 국민총력조선연맹), the single ruling party of Japan-colonized Korea, organized these patriotic groups (愛国班, aikoku-han or aeguk-ban) to control the colonized population at the local level. Members of the cells would report each other for infractions, perhaps for breaking rules like speaking Korean in public. They would also organize 'patriotic' activities like worship rituals at Shinto shrines, mandatory Shinto prayer sessions twice a day, etc. Food rationing was often withheld when a cell member refused to participate in Shinto worship at shrines. Similar local cell organizations still exist in countries like Cuba and North Korea.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Daily (Keijo Nippo) December 18, 1943

Selfishness leading to rotting vegetables

Dry Storage in Preparation for Winter

Tomorrow's posture to win through to victory

A Focus on Eating Habits (2) (Vegetable Edition)

A pile of green onions at a central market in Seoul.

A considerable amount of daikon radishes and bok choy, which had arrived in considerable quantities during the fall and early winter for processing into pickles, has rotted away. This was due to the fact that the vegetable buying teams that were dispatched to the surrounding countryside in the fall brought in a larger quantity than expected, and the efforts by the Seoul government to collect the vegetables were betrayed by the individualistic behavior of the people of Seoul.

The fact that these bok choy and daikon radishes, which arrived at the central market everyday, were left to rot during wartime due to the lack of consumption by the consumers is an indication that it is impossible to simply sum up the situation by using the word "wasteful".

While there was a huge surplus of these vegetables, there were still households in need of more vegetables for pickling. With these contradictions in mind, the vegetable problem was dealt with by the Seoul Central Fruit and Vegetable Corporation, the receiving agency of the Seoul government under the Korean Fruit and Vegetable Storage Regulations, and in October all vegetables were put under a strong wartime distribution system.

The 560 newly designated vegetable retailers formed blocks for each town council. While maintaining close relations with their own town councils, they began centralized distribution of vegetables to the Patriotic Groups through the town councils.

However, when it came to rationing, the green vegetables were always the same: daikon radish and bok choy, with the occasional small amount of lotus roots and burdock roots. However, carrots, taro roots, and other special vegetables have all but disappeared from rations.

This has caused some controversy, and we asked Mr. Masaji Toya, president of Seoul Central Fruits and Vegetables Corporation, to explain the phenomenon of carrots, burdock roots, yams, and other vegetables making appearances in the public market, albeit being sold openly at horribly high black market prices.

He explained that the rationing of vegetables to retailers is allocated based on the population living in the district to which the retailers belong, so there is no need to worry about the rations being small because of the small number of retailers in certain districts. According to the Patriotic Groups, the vegetables are apparently being rationed equally by household. However, since rationing by the central market to the retailers is done based on population, it is appropriate for the town councils and Patriotic Groups to allocate rations based on the number of families, not based on the number of households.

The shortage of vegetables in general seems to be a problem, but the green vegetables shipments have been rationed at an allocation of 70% for households and 30% for non-home use, and we actually plan on reducing the allotment for non-home use even further. We know that the amount of carrots, burdock roots, tubers, and other vegetables that make it to the kitchens of ordinary people from the retailers is very small due to their very small shipments. But we would like you to endure some shortages with the intention of establishing a wartime lifestyle. We would like the people of Seoul to understand that most of the retailers in town are not selling in the free market, but rather putting all their effort into distributing the vegetables to the Patriotic Groups through the town councils.

It has been said that, the fact that there are special vegetables available at restaurants means that, if we had to distribute these especially scarce special vegetables to 1.2 million households, then the rations would not amount to as much as the tip of a pinky finger. However, if we had a clearly known supply amount of special vegetables along with a good prospect of distributing them to all households, even if it was a little bit, we would be able to distribute the special vegetables in a more orderly fashion. The fact that matsutake mushrooms, which were particularly scarce this fall, were all allocated to restaurant use may have been the cause of the misunderstanding.

In addition, the black market is considerable, and the fact that the market offers a wide range of products at high prices means that undesignated producers from the surrounding areas are appearing in the vicinity of the markets as smugglers, so we have no choice but to wait and see what the economic police authorities will do to crack down on this. The 22 public markets and department stores in Seoul have buffer zones where there is a free market of goods other than those rationed by the town councils. When a given vegetable shipment is small, then those vegetables are not rationed.

Since the introduction of controlled rationing, rations distributed by town councils have not been plentiful, but they have been adequate, and the fact that the vegetables are not distributed to general households is due to the small amount of vegetables arriving at the markets. The market strives to secure 50 to 70 momme (187.5 to 262.5 grams) of vegetables per person per day, and they are receiving close to this amount of vegetables, but there may be some shortages from this time through the winter season.

Regarding the rationing by the retailers to the town councils, when the vegetable shipment is small, free market sales are carried out after discussions with the town council. The first priority is to secure sufficient amounts of vegetables to avoid these free market sales, but shipments of vegetables to the market are getting smaller due to transportation problems and pricing issues.

We asked about the winter supplies of vegetables and future countermeasures….

The Seoul government seems to be working on a concrete plan for the frozen storage of vegetables, but we have no choice but to expect shipments of winter vegetables from producing areas and distribute them according to the amount of vegetables received. To cope with the annual shortage of vegetables from late December to around March, we would like to ask consumers to try to store dried vegetables, such as by splitting and drying daikon radishes which are plentiful in early fall, and storing bok choy tightly wrapped in newspaper sheets in a corner of the kitchen. The market is also doing its best to collect shipments as much as possible. In addition, when shipment amounts are very small, all free market sales will be suspended, and non-home use allocations will be reduced and redirected to general households instead.

Future measures include a registration system to connect traders and consumers, and having town councils take charge of all rationing. Retailers will be strengthened by having them assume full responsibility for rationing. We will carefully select retailers to ensure proper rationing. We are currently conducting a fact-finding survey of designated retailers, and we are readily taking action against those retailers who are of bad character in order to ensure that rationing is strictly enforced.

Regarding fruits, it seems that a few tangerines have been distributed recently for New Year's Day, and apples have been seen from time to time, but persimmons and other fruits have not been seen at all. Fruits are also distributed by designated retailers through the town councils in the same way as vegetables, but there is almost no supply at all. We will soon receive a considerable amount of apples, but we are trying to collect all the fruit that comes in, even if only a little, as rations for the town councils, so that we can give the fighting residents of Seoul a taste of the four seasons. [Photo: A pile of green onions that have just arrived.]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-12-18

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年12月18日

野菜腐らす「利己」　蔬菜篇

冬枯れに備え乾燥貯蔵

勝ち抜くあすの構え

食生活を衝く②

秋から初冬にかけて相当量入荷した漬物用大根、白菜が相当に腐った。これは秋に近郊へ押し出した野菜買出し部隊の自家搬入が思ったより大量だったことが原因し、集荷に努めた府の努力が府民の個人本位な行動に裏切られたといってもよい。

連日中央市場に入荷するこれら白菜、大根が需要者の不消化から戦時下に立ち腐りさせられたということは勿体ないの一言では遂げない或る示唆を含んでいる。

これら蔬菜がくさる程余った反面、まだまだ漬物用野菜が足りなくて困った家庭もあった。こうした矛盾を含んだ儘、蔬菜問題は朝鮮青果物貯蔵規制に基いて京城府の荷受機関は京城中央青果株式会社が実行することとなって、十月野菜類は一切決戦下の強力な配給機構に完備された。

かくして新たに指定された五百六十軒の蔬菜小売商は各町会毎にブロックを作り、所属町会と密接な関係を保ちながら町会を通じて愛国班へと一元的な配給へ乗り出した訳であるが、

さて配給となってみると廻ってくる青物はやはり大根や白菜等同じ物ばかりで時たま蓮根や牛蒡（ウマフブキ）がほんの少々配給されるが人参、里芋などから特殊の野菜はバッタリと影を断ち姿を見せないが、一度料理屋などに行けば松茸や其の他の青物がちゃんと出てくる。

そこでまた面白からぬ物議をかもす次第で一方公設市場などに行けば人参、牛蒡、山芋などの姿はあるが、恐ろしい位の闇値で公然と売りさばかれてゆくといった現象に対して京城中央青果株式会社社長戸谷正路氏の説明を求めた。

小売商への配給は所属する地区の居住人口を基準として配給量を割り当てているので、ある地区内に業者が少ないから配給も少ないという憂は無い。愛国班に依っては世帯毎に均一に割っている様だが市場から小売商への配給が人口でやっている以上町会、班の割り当ても世帯数でなく家族数で配給するのが適正である。

一般蔬菜の不足をかこっている様だが入荷した青物は家庭用七割、非家庭用三割の率で割り当て配給を行っているが、実際はまだ非家庭用を減少するつもりである。人参にしても牛蒡、芋類等の入荷は非常に少なく、小売商から一般のお台所へ入るのは微々たる量であることは解っているが、これなども戦時生活を確立する意味で多少の品不足は凌んで貰いたい。現在街の小売商はほとんどが自由販売は行わず町会を通じて愛国班配給に全力を挙げていることを府民はよく理解して頂きたい。

料理屋などに特殊野菜があると云うことは特に少量な入荷のこれら野菜を百二十万のお台所へ廻すことになったら、それこそ小指の先位も当らないという、はっきりとした入荷量、それも全家庭へ少しづつでも廻す見込みのついた特殊野菜なり、又順を追って配給も出来るが、今秋の如く特に少なかった松茸等は全部業務用に廻したのが誤解をまねく因となったのでしょう。

また市場の闇が相当あり、市場に行けば高くても品物が揃っているということは近郊から指定でない生産者がもぐりで市場周辺に姿を現しているので、これは経済警察当局の取締りを待つより他ないでしょう。府内二十二ヶ所の公設市場と各百貨店は緩衝地帯として町会配給以外の自由販売をやらしているが、これなども入荷量の少ない時は割り当てを行わない。

統制配給になってからは町会配給は潤沢とは云えないが、適度な配給は行われている訳で、結局一般家庭への出回りが少なくないと云うことは、当市場への入荷量が少ないことが原因するので、市場としては府民一人当り一日五十匁から七十匁の野菜は確保する様努め、またそれに近い量は這入って来てますが、之から冬期にかけては多少の欠乏は来するでしょう。

小売商の町会配給と云ってもやはり量の少ないものは町会と話し合いの上で自由販売を行っていますが、自由販売をせずにすむだけの量を確保することが第一ですが輸送問題、価格の関係などから市場への入荷は少しく減少しています。

其処で野菜の冬枯れと今後の対策を訊く．．．

府では蔬菜の冷凍貯蔵の具体案を進めている模様ですが、生産地の冬蔬菜の出荷に期待し、入荷量に応じて配給する外ないでしょう。十二月下旬から三月頃までにかけて野菜は毎年欠乏を来たしますが、それには消費者が秋口から多い大根は割り干しにし、白菜は新聞紙で堅く巻いて台所の隅にでも貯蔵する等、乾燥野菜の貯蔵に努めて貰い度い。市場としても極力集荷に全力を挙げている。また極端に入荷の少ない時は一切の自由販売は停止し、非家庭用を減少させて一般家庭へ振り向けます。

今後の対策といっても業者と消費者の結びつけ登録制、町会へ配給を全部担任させる。小売商を強化して配給の全面的責任を負わせる。小売商を厳選して配給の適正を図る等ですが、現在指定小売商の実態調査を行っていますが、気質の悪い業者はどしどし摘発して配給の厳正を期しつつあります。

果実は最近正月用蜜柑が少し配給されている様だし、リンゴなども時たま少しづつ姿を見せたが、柿その他の果実は全然姿を見せないが、どうなっているのですか？果実も蔬菜に準じて指定小売商から町会を通じて配給を行っていますが、ほとんど入荷が皆無といってよいでしょう。近くリンゴが相当量入りますが、少しでも入荷した果物は全部町会配給として戦う府民に四季の味わいだけは与えたいと集荷に努めています。【写真＝入荷したネギの山】

Imperial Japanese police in Seoul raided amusement centers, cafes, parks late at night and rounded up ordinary residents labeled 'rebellious intellectuals' and 'insolent fellows', announcing 'every single idle person must be exterminated ... to bring down the hammer on the neon bugs' (August 1943)

If you suddenly found yourself in Seoul in 1943 and couldn’t stand your oppressive surroundings, you would have probably been tempted to hang out with friends at the local bars or cafes in the evening. For a little more privacy and to feel freer to speak in Korean, you may have chosen to hang out at a local park with friends late at night. But apparently, local police were conducting raids on all these places, deciding that you were an insolent ‘idle person’ or ‘neon bug’ worthy of ‘extermination’. Those caught up in the raids conducted in August 1943 included a government employee, a bank employee, students, a store owner, and a film distributor.

It may seem a bit strange that the Battle of Attu is mentioned in this article, because it resulted in defeat for Imperial Japan in May 1943, but the propaganda media machine routinely spun military defeats into stories of inspiration.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) August 31, 1943

Simultaneous lighting raids on gathering spots

Honmachi Police Hunt for Delinquents

“Follow in the spirit of Attu!” Thus, Colonel Yamasaki‘s exalted spirit of loyalty, whose glory shone forth from the hearts of the people, serves as inspiration and encouragement for the hearts of the people on the home front. Now is the time for all 100 million people to rise up. Every single idle person must be exterminated at this time. In order to bring down the hammer on the “neon bugs” that are randomly piling up in Seoul at night, the Honmachi Police Department, led by Chief Masaoka, called an emergency meeting of several dozen members of the Judicial, Higher Police, and field work personnel, including Chief Shōji and other high officials. The police then carried out a simultaneous hunt for delinquents throughout the entire area covering Meiji-chō (now Myeong-dong), the Honmachi belt through Shin-machi (now Mukjeong-dong), Namiki-chō (now Ssangnim-dong), Sōkei Temple (now on Dongguk University campus), and Namsan Park on both August 28th and 29th.

More than 50 men were rounded up, including rebellious intellectuals who were found very drunk in the neon district, herds of students who spent their idle time in corners of coffee shops ignoring the autumn training season, and insolent fellows wriggling around like bugs in the darkness of the parks late at night. About half were detained, and the rest were released after strict admonition. The Honmachi Police Department’s wise decision to clear out the idle population attracted a great deal of attention. Among the drunks in Shin-machi were Yoshio Umada (pseudonym, 40-years-old), an engineer for a certain government agency, paper retailer Sōki Minami (26-years-old) of Jongno-3-chōme, who is thought to be a regular of a certain amusement center at Honmachi 5-chōme, and over ten others who were taken away chained together in a single file.

There were many male students from specialized schools in Seoul, and there was a surprisingly large number of students who had returned home from mainland Japan, including two students from Tokyo Women’s College. A group of three delinquent girls who frequented a certain coffee shop in Namsan-dong, a bank employee, a film distributor, and many other intellectuals were arrested. They were caught by surprise, and we will continue this and other efforts in the future to clean up the idle population.

Tobacco Retailers Perform Volunteer Work

1,000 of the 1,100 tobacco retailers in Seoul, who have sold cigarettes for a long time but have never experienced firsthand how cigarettes are actually manufactured, will perform volunteer work at the Uiju Street (now Tongil-ro) and Inui-dong factories for 20 days, excluding Sundays and holidays, starting on September 1. A total of 1,000 workers, including 800 workers at the Uiju Street factory who will serve for 16 days, and 200 workers at the Inui-dong factory who will serve for four days, will work from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day among the male and female workers to learn the actual production of cigarettes and increase production, so that they can appreciate the hard work of the laborers.

Source (page 3): https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-08-31

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年8月31日

盛り場を一斉電撃

本町署の不良者狩り

”アッツ魂に続け”と崇高な山崎中将の尽忠精神が粛然と国民の胸を搏ち輝く余栄は銃後の民心を鼓舞激励する。今こそ一億総起ちだ。一人の遊休者もこの際絶滅を期さねばならない。夜の京城に漫然と積集する”ネオンの虫”に鉄槌を下そうと本町署では正岡署長を陣頭に東海林高等主任以下司法、高等、外勤各部署員数十名の非常召集を行って二十八、九両日管内盛り場明治町、本町一帯から新町、並木町、曹谿寺、南山公園全域に亘る一斉不良狩りを断行した。

ネオン街に酔い痴れる時局逆行の有識層や、錬成の秋をよそに喫茶店の一隅に無為な時を過ごす学生の群、深夜公園の闇に蠢動する不埒な徒輩等男子五十余名が一斉検束され、約半数は留置され残余は厳重説諭の上放免された。遊休者一掃の本町署の英断は時局柄多大の注目を引いたが、新町での泥酔者の中には某官庁技手馬田芳夫（仮名四〇）があり、本町五丁目某遊戯場では常連とおぼしき府内鐘路三丁目紙物商南相紀（二六）他十余名が珠数つなぎに連行された。

府内某専門学校の男子生徒多数がある他、東京女子大学生二名も加わる帰郷学生が意外に多い。南山町某喫茶店に入り浸る不良女子三人組の他銀行会社員、映画配給所員等有識階級多数が検束され、意外の感に打たれているが、これ等巷に横行する遊休者の一掃が今後引き続き断行される。

煙草小売人の奉仕

長い間煙草を売ってはいたが、その煙草がどういう風にして製造されているかと体験したことのない京城府内一千百名の煙草小売人中一千名が、来る九月一日から日曜、祭日を除き二十日間義州通り、仁義町で両工場勤労奉仕する。義州通り工場では十六日間八百人、仁義町工場では四日間二百人合計一千名が、毎日午前七時から午後五時まで男女工の間に伍して製造煙草の実際を体得増産に挺身して、工員の労苦を偲ぶこととなった。

Propaganda story about a Japanese couple in Seoul adopting a poor Korean orphan boy who grows up to become a restaurant owner in Japan with Japanese wife and mixed children, tearfully reuniting with his adoptive parents and vowing to "fulfill our duties as Imperial subjects on the home front" (1943)

This is my translation and transcription of a news article from Keijo Nippo, a propaganda newspaper and mouthpiece of the government of Japan-colonized Korea. It has never been republished or translated before, to the best of my knowledge. Ever since someone dumped these old newspaper issues onto the Internet Archive last October, I have been slowly translating and posting select articles at various subreddits to share my findings with the wider community.

This article is meant to be a feel-good story about a Japanese flower shop owner in central Seoul who 'adopts' an unemployed 18-year-old Korean orphan to live with him for four years, employing him at his store. Afterwards, the Korean orphan moves to Japan and eventually settles in Okayama to start his own upscale Japanese restaurant, marries a local Japanese woman, and has three daughters. He later has a tearful reunion with his adoptive Japanese parents when he returns to Seoul to set up a family register for his daughter. His adoptive Japanese parents reciprocate by visiting their adoptive son's family in Okayama.

Unlike the other 'model Korean families' featured in other propaganda articles, which praise Korean families for speaking only Japanese at home and identifying themselves as Imperial Japanese, this featured family stood out from the others because it was an ethnically mixed family, where the husband was ethnic Korean and the wife was ethnic Japanese. The ethnically mixed daughter had to set up her family register in Korea, because under the Japanese koseki (family registration) system, every citizen had to register at their father's family domicile.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) November 13, 1943

An angel without a home moves up in society with warm humanity

A flower of Japanese-Korean Unification blossoms at a crossroads

Fourteen years have passed since a Korean boy with no relatives was rescued, and now he has grown up and established his own respectable family in mainland Japan. After managing to reunite with his former master through chance circumstances, his former master visited him, traveling a long distance to encourage him, and they vowed to each other, "Let us both fulfill our duties as Imperial subjects on the home front". The following is a beautiful story of Japanese-Korean Unification.

Mr. Shōichi Yoshida (32) and his Japanese wife Atsue (27). To the left of Mr. Yoshida is his eldest daughter Masako (8). Atsue is carrying their youngest daughter, and to her right is their middle daughter. Top right insert is Mr. Yoshida's adoptive Japanese father, Mr. Einosuke Furusawa (59)

The subject of this story is Mr. Einosuke Furusawa (59), owner of Musumeya Flower Arrangement Shop, located at 2-2 Honmachi Avenue in central Seoul, whose innate chivalrous spirit led him to save a Korean boy who was struggling on the roadside 14 years ago. The boy who worked for him for four years and then went to Japan is Mr. Shōichi Yoshida (32), who is now involved in running all aspects of a restaurant called "White Fox" at 75 Nishi-Nakasange, Okayama City. He and his wife Atsue (27), whom he married in mainland Japan, have three daughters, including their eldest daughter Masako (8), and are now living happily ever after. With the help of Judge Shirakawa at the Seoul Oversight Court, they set up a family register for his eldest daughter to complete her school enrollment paperwork, and it was then that the story of his former master Mr. Furusawa's chivalry and deep compassion came to light. Here we look back at their story.

In the early spring of 1928, Mr. Furusawa took in and cared for a poor orphan boy who was wandering around the Meiji-machi neighborhood every day. He got along unusually well with customers, beloved by everyone who came and went, and he spent four years at Mr. Furusawa's home. This boy was Shōichi, who had long wanted to work in mainland Japan. He subsequently moved there, and after ten years of hard work in the Osaka and Okayama areas, he became so successful that he opened his own high-class kappō Japanese restaurant.

He married a mainland Japanese woman and had three daughters, but when his eldest daughter entered school, he was troubled by the issue of her family registration. This spring, Shōichi came to Seoul and visited the family of his former masters, Mr. and Mrs. Furusawa. When he met Mrs. Jitsuno Furusawa (52) at the storefront, he greeted her saying "Mother, you are just as healthy as you were in the past". She was stunned by the suddenness of his greeting, but when she recognized Shōichi's appearance, noticing how he had moved up in society, she said with tears in her eyes, "Well, you've grown up so fine..." Mr. and Mrs. Furusawa were as happy as if they were welcoming their own child. With the help of Mr. and Mrs. Furusawa, his daughter with no family register was granted the privilege of creating a family register, which is considered a groundbreaking system on the Korean peninsula along with the Sōshi-Kaimei system under which Koreans adopt Japanese names. Then they went home in high spirits.

Mr. Furusawa visited Okayama City on November 8th, and spent the night with Mr. Yoshida and his family, parting with a vow to "make sure to protect each other on the home front as a national people at war". Judge Shirakawa, who worked hard to create the family register, praised Mr. Furusawa's chivalry. [Photo: Mr. Furusawa with Mr. Yoshida and his family]

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

(End of Translation)

Unfortunately, I could not find any trace of Mr. Yoshida's "White Fox" restaurant anywhere in Japan today. However, I looked up Mr. Furusawa's old store location in Seoul on a 1933 map and on Google Maps in an area just to the west of Myeongdong Cathedral, and it is still a lively, busy apparel retail district, just as it was in the colonial era. The local Russian Tatar community also likely had its clothing businesses in this area.

Mr. Furusawa's flower arrangement shop, Musumeya, in 1933 Seoul.

The former location of Mr. Furusawa's store in 2022 Seoul today (Google Maps).

Link to 1933 Map of Seoul: https://www.reddit.com/r/korea/comments/ta395c/seoul_1933_versus_seoul_2022_map_comparisons/

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年11月13日

家なき天使が温かい人情で出世

巷に咲いた内鮮一体の華

身寄りなき半島少年を救って十四年。偶然の機会に再会した元の主人が今は内地にあって立派に一家をなした当人を遥々訪れて激励し、『皇国臣民としてお互いに銃後の務めを果たしましょう』と互いに誓い合った内鮮一体の美談がある。

話題の主は府内中枢本町通り二ノ二、むすめや造花店主人古沢栄之助氏（五九）がその人で、生来の義侠心から十四年前路傍に行悩む半島少年を救った。四年間同氏の下で実直に働いて内地に渡った当時の少年は現在岡山市西中山下七五に料理店『白狐』を手広く経営する吉田正一さん（三二）である。今では内地で貰った妻女厚枝さん（二七）との間に長女正子さん（八つ）ほか二女をもうけ、幸福な日を送っているが、長女の入学手続きのため本籍地の戸籍必要から京城覆審法院白川判事に依頼して戸籍を設定し、ここに旧主人古沢氏の義侠と厚い人情美談が判明したもの、話は遡る．．．

昭和三年の春浅き頃、毎日のように明治町附近を彷う哀れな孤児の少年を古沢氏は引き取って面倒をみた。珍しく客当たりのいい子で出入りの誰彼に可愛がられて、四年間を同家に過ごした。この少年が現在の正一氏でかねての希望からその後内地に渡り、大阪、岡山方面で刻苦精励の甲斐あって十余年後には独立して割烹店を開く程の成功を遂げた。

内地人の妻女を娶り三女をもうけたが、長女の入学に当ってハタと困ったのは戸籍の問題であった。今春来城した正一さんは旧主古沢氏の一家を訪れた。店頭にいた古沢氏婦人ジツノさん（五二）に会って『おっかさん、昔通りにお元気ですね』と突然の挨拶に呆然とした夫人もやがて正一氏の出世姿と判ると『まあ、お前さんは随分立派になって．．．』と後は互いに涙にくれた。わが児を迎えるような喜びの古沢氏夫妻の斡旋で半島の画期的制度たる創氏と共に無籍者の戸籍創設の恩典に浴し晴れやかに帰郷した。

古沢氏は、さる八日岡山市を訪れ、吉田氏の一家と共に一夜を語り明し、『決戦下の国民として銃後を互いにしっかりと護り抜こう』と誓って別れた。戸籍創設に尽力した白川判事も古沢氏の義侠心を賛賞している。【写真＝古沢氏と吉田さん一家】

In November 1943, colonial authorities implemented a clumsy, inefficient fish rationing system in Seoul which led to large spoilage losses, a measly fish quota of less than 750 grams a day per person, angry complaints about irregular store hours, families were sometimes allotted poisonous fugu fish

This is my translation and transcription of a news article from Keijo Nippo, a propaganda newspaper and mouthpiece of the government of Japan-colonized Korea. It has never been republished or translated before, to the best of my knowledge. Ever since someone dumped these old newspaper issues in the Internet Archive last October, I have been slowly translating and posting select articles at various subreddits to share my findings with the wider community.

This article talks about fish shortages in Korea in December 1943, two years into an all-out war against the US. In response to widespread fish shortages and the proliferation of black markets, colonial authorities implemented a rationing system for seafood, where fish supplies were all supposed to be sold by fishermen to the colonial government at officially set prices, funneled into a centralized distribution point, and then distributed to non-households (including restaurants) and households, where each customer was allotted a measly fish quota of 750 grams per day.

However, the rationing system ran into problems as fish was very perishable, and supplies could often be irregular depending on the daily catch. Before rationing, fish was efficiently auctioned off at wholesale markets to middlemen who knew how much fish and what kinds of fish to buy. But, when the rationing system eliminated the middlemen, this prolonged the process of sorting and allocating the fish, since distribution was now done by workers who weren’t familiar with how much fish and what kinds of fish to pack, which led to increased spoilage, especially in the days before modern refrigeration. The ignorance of the workers also led to ridiculous situations were poisonous fugu fish were inadvertently shipped to households, which could have been fatal to the consumers, since very specialized training is needed for cooks to prepare fugu without leaving any fatally poisonous parts behind.

Further, fishermen as well as retailers were incentivized to bypass official channels and sell fish on the black market at higher prices, similarly to what happened in the Soviet command economy.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) December 17, 1943

What’s missing is preparedness (fresh fish edition)

Registration system for consumers and retailers being considered

Tomorrow’s posture to win through to victory

A Focus on Eating Habits (1)

In the autumn, as wartime food problems were being loudly voiced, we reflected on dietary habits in the second year of living victoriously fighting decisive battles, and we dealt with reports of supply shortages floating around in the city. We got to the bottom of the realities of the wartime dietary habits of the 1.2 million residents of Seoul dashing to implement a more robust wartime lifestyle as they prepared to welcome the spring of victory. We recorded the authorities’ preparations, the measures taken by vendors, and the voices of consumers in order to deepen our correct understanding and awareness of food rationing as we prepare for a renewed assault next year. The following is a valiant depiction of wartime dietary habits.

[Photo: Sorting fresh fish arriving at the city’s central market]

[Photo: Sorting fresh fish arriving at the city’s central market]

It has been a month since fish supplies were brought under central control to prevent the precious protein source of Seoul’s 1.2 million people’s from flowing into the black markets, which had been a major obstacle in improving the physical condition of city residents on the home front. The problem was supposed to have been completely resolved in this way…

However, the problem of fish shortages has since become a common complaint in the city, with people complaining about the inadequate distribution of fish, and busy housewives screaming about the irregular sales hours of retailers. Let us now figure out what the people of the city have to say about their fish supplies.

Due to the centralized control of incoming and outgoing shipments, all fish and shellfish entering the city of Seoul are now centrally collected. As a temporary measure until a new company is established, the Fresh Fish Department of the Seoul Central Wholesale Market has taken over as the receiving agency for the fish supplies of Seoul. The daily fish collected at the central market is divided by staff into two separate lines, one for household use and the other for non-household use, and then directly delivered to household kitchens. That was supposed to have completely eradicated the involvement of black markets.

We thought that there was no reason why there would be no fish supplies when they were supposed to be smoothly distributed, so we went to the Seoul Central Market. Just as the freight cars were entering the market, the staff was busy sorting the fish shipments, sweating in the slight chill of the cold air. They were busy breaking down piles of fish from here to there and making small piles one by one. Their work was very long and slow compared to the vigorous and quick fish auctions of the olden days, so much so that we wondered whether the fish was going to spoil. No wonder the small retailers were setting their sales hours later in the day. When we unthinkingly suggested to our tour guide Mr. Murata, the supervisor, “At this rate, all the fish will spoil in the summer,” he frankly affirmed, “That’s right”. Adding that he was taking measures to set up large distribution centers for each region, he also addressed the fish shortages as follows.

First of all, explaining the route of fish shipments from arrival to distribution in earlier times, fish supplies were previously purchased by middlemen and then placed in the hands of waiting small retailers, so they were processed quickly and sold to the public at regular times. In this sense, fish seemed to be available in comparatively abundant supplies, especially since suburbanites and residents of upscale neighborhoods were able to sit back and buy fish, albeit at high prices akin to black market rates, thanks to the presence of fish dealers.

Today, incoming fish and shellfish are divided into household use and non-household use, and the fish and shellfish are sorted by the staff without middlemen. For household use, since greater Seoul is divided into seven regions and further divided into 48 retailing districts, the market has to divide the incoming fish and shellfish into 48 shipments. At this time, even though it would be easy if the incoming fish had to simply be divided into 48 shipments, it is actually important to divide the incoming fish and shellfish into different varieties to account for differences in regional consumption patterns, so it takes time and effort to allocate the fish. Then each regional representative takes their respective shipments and distributes them to the small retailers in their retailing district to be sold.

This is why sales hours have become late or irregular, and fish is now mainly sold in the evening. Therefore, many housewives visit seafood stores and find that fish is always unavailable, because they always miss those late sales hours. In addition, some people blame the inappropriate allocation of fish on the fact that the fish middlemen have been abolished and the staff is now made up of people who are ignorant of the fish business. However, when multiple shipments of one fish species arrive, sometimes the fish is diverted to households, even if they were meant to be received by restaurants. In the initial days, a large quantity of fugu (toxic puffer fish) arrived in the market, so some of them were diverted to be sold for household use, and housewives in general had trouble cooking them, which was criticized, but it would be nice to be able to eat any kind of fish during wartime.

As he earnestly talked, I asked him the following question: “It seems that there are areas where fish is abundant and areas where fish is scarce, especially in the suburbs?”

The reason for this is that the allocation of fish shipments to the district representatives is made in consideration of past consumption patterns. There has been high fish consumption in the city center due to the rush of buyers from the suburbs, while the suburbs have mainly been serviced by fish dealers and a few fish retailers, so the fish market is concentrated in the city center. In fact, there are many more people from the suburbs than from the city who buy fish at the 22 markets and department stores in Seoul. However, if we immediately increase the fish quota for the suburbs, that may cause more fish to spoil. To address this issue, we plan to establish a registration system that will link consumers and retailers, which will then be used to distribute and ration the fish supplies.

Now that we had a better idea of how fish supplies were distributed, we asked him why they had decided on selling less than 200 momme (750 grams) of fish per customer at the small fish retailers. He replied that they were certain that 60% of the planned daily fish shipments of 45,000 kan (168,750 kg) arriving at the central market would be consumed by 200,000 households in Seoul, and they came up with this number by dividing the daily fish shipment weight by the number of households. Since fish and shellfish are living organisms that change depending on the fishing conditions in the area where they are shipped, supplies are sometimes very low and often uneven, so consumers should be well aware of this point.

We are hearing that some small retailers are diverting fish supplies to restaurants, and some stores are even avoiding paying duties. The quantities of each fish variety arriving that day are supposed to be clearly posted at the store, so inspectors from the market are doing patrols and rescinding retail permits from fraudulent vendors without delay. In addition, there is a law that allows for special delivery of fish directly from the market to volunteer soldiers and conscripts who need to receive one fish to celebrate their departure for military service, as long as they bring a certificate from the town council through the head of the patriotic group. The Seoul government is taking all possible measures to secure fish for household use.

In short, the consumers are trying to eat a little more than their neighbors by buying up fish supplies at retailer A and then moving onto retailer B, which is the cause of supply shortages and disruptions to the rationing system. Therefore, Mr. Senda, Director of the General Affairs Department of Seoul, exhorts the fighting people of Seoul to reflect more on their own dietary habits, which are more than adequate, before lodging complaints about irregularities in fish distribution.

Rabbit Hunting by Yongsan Middle School (Sosa)

At 7:00 a.m. on December 16th, all the students of Yongsan Middle School in Seoul gathered in front of Sosa Station to hunt for rabbits in the mountains behind the [illegible] areas.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1943-12-17

(Transcription)

京城日報　1943年12月17日

不足なのは心構え　鮮魚篇

消費者と小売の登録制も考慮

勝ち抜くあすの構え

食生活を衝く（１）

決戦下の食糧問題が声を大に叫ばれる秋、戦捷に暮れる決戦第二年の食生活を省みて街に漂う物不足の声を克服。完勝の春を迎えて更に強靭な戦時生活の実践に驀進する百二十万府民へ戦う食生活の実態を衝き、食品配給に対する正しい認識と理解を深めて新たなる年への突撃態勢を整えんがため、当局の構え、業者の措置、消費者の声を収録する。これは戦う食生活の逞しい姿態である。【写真＝市央場に入荷した鮮魚の荷分け】

お魚が統制になって一ヶ月経った百二十万府民の大切な蛋白源が闇から闇に流れ去って銃後府民の体位向上に大きな支障を来たしていた悩みもここに一掃された筈であったが．．．

その後、やっぱりお魚が無いの声は街に溢れ、分荷の不適正が鳴らされ、小売商の不規則な販売時間に多忙な主婦は悲鳴を挙げているのが現状だ。ではお魚に対する街の声を一つ一つ解明してゆこう。

出荷入荷の統制によって京城の街に這入る魚介類が一元的集荷になり、京城府の荷受機関は新会社設立までの臨時的措置として京城中央卸売市場の鮮魚部が代行し、この中央市場に集荷する日々のお魚は係員の手によって家庭用、非家庭用の二本に截然と分けられ、それぞれ分荷され、家庭のお台所へと一直線に行き、ここに一切の闇は完全に駆逐された訳である。

かくして円滑に出回るべきお魚が無い筈は無いと京城中央市場を訪れてみる。恰度貨車の入った後でうすら寒い寒気の中で係員は汗だくで分荷に忙しい。山と積まれたお魚をあちらこちらから崩しては小さな山を一つ一つつくってゆく。昔日の威勢良く迅速な競売から見ると実に悠長至極で生物の魚が腐って仕舞いはせぬかと心配になる位だ。これで小売商人の販売時間がおそくなる原因も頷ける。思わず案内の村田監督係長に、”この調子では夏場は全部腐りますな”と問うと、”そうですよ”と率直に肯定し、地区的に大分荷場を設置する対策を講じていますと前提してお魚不足の声に対する弁を述べた。

先ず入荷から分荷までの経路を説明すると、従来仲買人によって買い付けが行われ、待ちかまえていた小売商の手に入ったので処理も早く、一般への販売時間も一定していた訳で、また行商人の存在から闇の高値ではあったが郊外の高級住宅者などは坐してお魚も買えた訳ですし、こんな点から比較的潤沢に出回っていた様に見えたのですね。

現在では入荷した魚介は家庭用、非家庭用に分け、仲買人を廃した係員の手によって分荷されていますが、家庭用は大京城を先ず七つに分け、更に小売販売地区を四十八に分けているため、市場としては入荷した魚介を四十八に分荷するのです。この時ただ四十八に分けるのは容易ですが、消費面を地域的に考慮して入荷魚介の品種分けが大切ですから、これの按配に手間取り、地区代表者が待ち帰ってそれぞれの小売商に割り当て市販される。

時間も不定期になったりおそくなったりして主に夕方の売り出しになる訳です。ですから主婦の方は魚屋の店頭を覗いてお魚がいつも無いというのは、この販売時間をいつも外す人が多いのでは無いでしょうか。また分荷の不適正なのは仲買人を廃止してお魚に無智な係員が当る故という非難もありますが、多重に一種の魚が入荷した際は、それが料理屋向けの物であっても家庭用に流すこともあります。当初河豚が大量に入荷したため家庭用として流し、一般主婦をして料理に困却し非難されたこともありましたが、戦時下どんな魚でも食べるようにして貰い度いものです。

熱心に語る氏に次の質問を放つ。「地域的に潤沢に出回る所とさっぱり姿を見せない地域、殊に郊外は出回りが悪いようだが？」

それは地区代表者への分荷割当が従来の実績を考慮してなされているためで、都心は郊外からの買出し部隊の殺到で消費実績が多く、郊外は主に行商人が占めていたため、小売商も少なく、事実出回りは都心に集中している現状で、府内の二十二ヶ所の市場、百貨店へは郊外からの買出し人の方が多いでしょう。だからといって直ちに郊外へ割当量を増してもむしろ魚を腐らせる恐れもありますし、この点に就いては対策として近く消費者と小売商を登録制によって結びつけ、それによって配給割当をしてゆく方針です。

これで、ほぼお魚の出回り状態も一応解ったが、小売商の一客当り二百匁以下という理由を訊ねると、中央市場に入る一日のお魚の計画数量四万五千貫の六割を確実性として、それを府内二十万世帯に割っての消費計画と解った。魚介は、とにかく生物で出荷地の漁労状態によって変化しますから、入荷の非常に少ない時もあり、入荷のムラも多くこの点は消費者も充分心得ていて貰い度いという声を後に、今度は府当局に小売商人の問題を問う。

情実から料理屋方面へ流している小売商や、抱合わせをやっている店もあると聞くが、其の日の入荷品種数量は、はっきりと店頭に掲示することになっており、市場から検査員も巡回しているが、不正業者はどしどし指定を取り消してゆく方法である。又志願兵や応召者の入営などに際し首途を祝う魚一匹なくてはと愛国班長を通じて町会の証明さえ持参すれば直接市場から特配する法もあり、家庭用へのお魚確保には府としても万全を期している。

要するに消費者が人より少しでも余計に食べようとして、甲の小売商から乙の小売商へと買い漁りをすることが結局物の不足を来し、配給も紊す原因であるから、戦う府民はより一層出回り不順に不平をこぼす前に一応足りている自分達の食生活を省みて欲しい、とは京城府千田総務部長の弁である。

龍中の兎狩り　【素砂】

京城龍山中学校では十六日午前七時を期し素砂駅前に全校生千余名を集合。戍応、？里一帯の裏山に兎狩りを実施した。