Korean father carrying remains of his Imperial Army son in 1944 was upset his hometown ignored him and didn't line up to salute his son like they did in Japan; colonial officials were ordered to show bereaved families proper respect or else the Koreans might start asking, 'What did my son die for?'

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 is a typical piece of what I might call a ‘stunned Korean’ propaganda story – a Korean travels to mainland Japan for the first time and is stunned by how ‘superior’ Japan is compared to Korea. Articles covering the trips of Korean comfort women to mainland Japan also follow a similar pattern. Given the similarities of these flattering comments to each other, we could surmise that the interviewed Koreans already knew what kinds of answers the colonial interviewers were expecting to hear.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) April 26, 1944

The key is sincere service
Let’s follow the example of veterans aid in mainland Japan

During the week of veterans aid, we must extend a helping hand to the families of fallen soldiers and to the wounded soldiers to sincerely provide them with warm support, so that they no longer have to worry about the future. We should be pleased to know that Korea, which is known as a patriotic peninsula, contributes a considerable amount of money to the military towards the national defense fund. However, why are contributions to the veterans fund so small in comparison?

When a ritual to honor orphans of veterans families was held at the Seoul National Protection Shinto Shrine, there were only a few visitors excluding the staff members. It was a lonely affair for the head of the train station to receive the remains of the second-class heroes who were born on the Korean peninsula. Herein lies the problem that we must reflect on and wipe out our mistakes. The Korean peninsula must become a “home for soldiers,” a place of honor for many, by implementing conscription starting this year. This is definitely not someone else’s problem.

Veterans aid is not something that can be solved with money and material goods, but rather with sincere service and heartfelt support. During the week of veterans aid, writer Nobuyuki Tateno, who happened to be in Korea to cover the biography of a Korean second-class special volunteer soldier, sent the following heartrending memoir to the Korea Armed Forces Press Department on March 24. It is a piece of writing that those in leadership positions must read along with those in training to provide veterans aid. [Photo: Mr. Tatsuno].

Mr. Nobuyuki Tateno’s Memoir

It was on November 21 of last year that the family of Private Captain Moon Am (문암/文岩), who had been honored to serve as a second-class hero, was notified by his original unit via the myeon township office that they should come to retrieve his remains. His hometown was Sinbu-myeon, Seoncheon-gun, Pyeonganbuk-do. It was a Sunday, and there was no one at the township (myeon) office or at the county (gun) office. So they were at a loss as to what to do. No one was willing to accompany them.

Although Captain Moon Am’s father, Hang-jun (항준/恒俊), was a poor farmer, he had graduated from Normal School (elementary school) in the old days and could speak Japanese. So he decided to go by himself without relying on anyone. He took the 12 o’clock train that night, accompanied by his wife, Gok-on (곡온/曲媼), who could not speak Japanese, and a younger son who was still in the sixth grade at National School (elementary school). Even though he could speak Japanese, it was Hang-jun’s first time in mainland Japan. When he thought about going all the way to [redacted], he was anxious about the difficulties that they would face along the way.

After spending one night in Busan, they boarded the ship and each received two loaves of bread for lunch. When Hang-jun saw that his younger son was hungry on the ship, he shared a loaf of his own bread with him, while he himself made do with only a small loaf of bread. When they arrived in Shimonoseki in the evening, they were getting hungrier and hungrier. But as they were trying to figure out where to go to eat, two soldiers whom he had met on the ship took pity on them. Apparently, they were soldiers from [redacted] who were going back to their original unit. The soldiers took the child and his mother to Shimonoseki to look for food.

In the meantime, Hang-jun watched their luggage, including the soldiers’ luggage. Even though he had nothing to eat, the soldiers’ simple kindness touched his heart so deeply that he forgot about his hunger. After a while, the soldiers returned with his wife and child. It appeared that they had found food with difficulty. With some guidance from the soldiers, Hang-jun and his family took the train again, and changed trains at Osaka station.

However, the child became hungry again, so they got off the train at Tsuruga to get some food. They walked all over Tsuruga in search of food, but were unable to find any in the unfamiliar city. So, they got on the train again. A middle-aged Japanese woman, who kindly gave them a seat on the train, saw Gok-on in her Korean clothes and asked her, “Where are you going, and to do what?”

Hang-jun told her that they were actually going to their deceased son’s original unit in [redacted] to pick up his remains. The lady said, “Oh, I see,” and got up and bowed politely to Hang-jun and his family with a reverent look on her face and said, “Thank you for your hard work”.

Mr. Hang-jun was struck by this. The ladies in mainland Japan, even the ordinary ladies in the third-class cars, were so polite and respectful, and their attitudes were also admirable. He plainly felt, this is why Japan is so strong in war.

In the morning, soon after dawn, he looked out the window of the train and saw a farmer’s wife in the rice paddy, wearing a white hand towel on her head and harvesting rice around the field. Hang-jun tugged on his wife Gok-on’s sleeve and said,

“Look! All the women in mainland Japan work like that from early in the morning, doing the work that men do. Japan is strong in war, because their women are so diligent. Compared to this, what have the women of the Korean peninsula been doing? Only the men go out to work in the fields, while the women are playing around indoors. This is a disgrace! Unless all the women in Korea learn from the women in mainland Japan, Korea will not improve.”

For two days, Hang-jun and his family ate almost nothing. However, Hang-jun was filled with pride when he saw for the first time that the customs in mainland Japan were not in the least bit disorderly. Instead, they were orderly, calm, and composed, even in the midst of a fierce war. He felt so much pride about it that he even forgot that he was hungry. From Hang-jun’s perspective, it was also astonishing that not a single policeman was to be found patrolling at any of the train stations in mainland Japan.

When they turned up at their deceased son’s original unit, they were given proper accommodation, and Hang-jun and his family were able to relax there for the first time. After receiving his deceased son’s remains and being escorted off, Hang-jun and his family were loaded into a second-class train car and started their return trip home. When changing trains in Osaka and Shimonoseki, the stationmaster led the way. The stations in Osaka and Shimonoseki were crowded with people. However, when Hang-jun carried his deceased son’s remains, led by the stationmaster, the crowd quickly split to the left and right, and everyone stopped and saluted at the same time. Even the military officers stopped and saluted, and the police patrol officers also saluted.

Hang-jun was amazed to see such controlled and dignified salutes in mainland Japan. Although his son had died, he did not regret it in the slightest. He felt a sense of pride in his heart, knowing that his son had given his life honorably as a Japanese national and as a Japanese soldier to His Majesty the Emperor. Mr. Hang-jun held on to this pride until he arrived at the train station in his hometown of Seoncheon.

But what did he see at the train station? He had sent a telegram, did he not? Or perhaps he had typed the telegram incorrectly? There no one who greeted him at the train station, and the foot traffic was disordered and crowded as usual. Not only did the crowds not make way for Hang-jun, who was carrying his deceased son’s remains in his arms, but Hang-jun was pushed into the crowd and crushed mercilessly. Seeing the ignorant and disorderly crowd, Hang-jun said,

‘Why are the people of the Korean peninsula so backward?’, finally coming to this realization and crying out in shame. As Hang-jun just realized then, the people of the Korean peninsula are still very backward.

So what should we do when their remains arrive? What should we do for the families of the deceased soldiers? We must take them by the hand and patiently explain things to them so they understand. I don’t know whether the Governor-General’s Office or the Korean Federation of National Power will come up with a concrete plan, but we must come up with a plan as soon as possible and put it into action.

In particular, provinces (do), counties (gun), towns (eup), and townships (myeon) must take action. Otherwise, the pride that Hang-jun felt in his heart when he went to receive his son’s remains would be distorted in some strange way. The pride that Hang-jun held in his heart is precious. He has truly gained this pride by losing his son, by having his son’s blood spilled.

In particular, conscription is being implemented on the Korean peninsula, and there are many young men who are currently undergoing their draft examinations, eager to become second-class soldiers. It is clear that in the near future, there will be many dozens, or even thousands of second-class soldiers like Captain Moon Am. In view of this, the Governor-General’s Office, the provinces, and the Federation must be fully informed of the actual situation, and provide guidance to the counties and townships regarding the proper way to interact with the honorable bereaved families of fallen pioneer second-class soldiers. This is a major task that requires urgent attention.

It would be a problem if the bereaved families were to have even the slightest doubt so as to ask, ‘What did my son die for?’. There are still no plans to build ‘loyal soul’ monuments to the three captains whom I have accompanied.

(Written while staying in accommodations in Seoul on April 24th)

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

(Transcription)

京城日報　1944年4月26日

要は”真心の奉仕”
見倣おう内地の軍援

援護週間に銃後は出征陣没勇士の遺家族に、傷痍軍人に熱き援護を誠を尽くし、後顧の憂いを断つ奉仕救援の手を差しのべねばならない。愛国半島の名を謳われる朝鮮が軍への国防献金が相当額に達しているのは喜ぶべきではあるが、これに引き較べて恤兵金の少ないのはどういうことであろうか。

さきに京城護国神社で初の遺児社頭対面の儀が行われた際、係員のほかは参者の数は少々たるものであったこと。半島が生んだ二階級特進の勇士の遺骨を迎える駅頭の淋しかったこと。ここに幾多反省して過ちを拭わねばならぬ問題がある。半島も今年から徴兵制の実施に依って数多誉れの”兵の家”となるのである。断じて人ことではない。

軍援は物と金で解決されるものではなく、真心の奉仕、真心の援助こそが要請されるのだ。軍援週間に当り、たまたま半島特別志願兵二階級特進勇士の伝記取材のため、来鮮中の作家立野信之氏は二十四日朝鮮軍報道部に左の如き胸うたれる手記を寄せて来た。指導の地位に立つ者軍援の訓練にともに聴かねばならぬ一文である。【写真＝立野氏】

立野信之氏手記

二階級特進の栄に輝く文岩兵長（平北宣川郡新府面）の遺族の許に原隊から遺骨を受け取りに来るようにとの通知が面事務所を通じてあったのは、昨年の十一月二十一日。恰度その日は日曜日で、面事務所にも郡庁にも誰も人が出て居らない。それでどういう処置を取ったらいいか分からないで、まごついた。だれもついて行ってやろうとする者もない。

文岩兵長の父親の恒俊さんは貧農だが、昔の普通学校を出ているので、国語は出来る。そこで誰も頼らずに、自分で行くことにした。そしてその晩の十二時の汽車で、国語の出来ない妻の曲媼さんとその時まだ国民学校の六年生であった兵長のすぐ下の男の子とをつれて出掛けた。しかし国語が出来るといっても、恒俊さんは内地は初めてである。それも遠い〇〇まではるばる行くことを思うと、途中の難儀が思われて不安であった。

釜山で一泊して、弁当にパンを二筒づつ貰い船に乗った。船の中で次男が腹をすかしているのをみかねて、恒俊さんは自分のパンを一筒子供に分けてやり、自分は小さいパン一筒で我慢をした。夕方下関へ着いたが、益益腹が減って仕方がない。しかしどこで食事をしていいのか分からず、まごまごしていたら、船の中で知り合った二人の兵隊～やはり〇〇の兵隊で、原隊へ帰るのだといっていたが見兼ねて、子供と母親をつれて、下関の町の方へ食物をさがしにつれて行ってくれた。

恒俊さんは自分達の荷物と兵隊の荷物を預かって番をしていた。自分は何も食べなくとも兵隊の質朴な親切が身に沁み腹が一杯であった。暫くして兵隊は妻と子供をつれて帰ってきた。どうやら苦労して食物にありついたのである。恒俊さん達は、その兵隊に教わってまた汽車に乗り、大阪で乗り換えた。

しかしまた子供が腹をすかしたので、食物を得るために敦賀で下車してしまった。敦賀じゅうを食物をさがして歩いたが、馴れない街では結局食べ物を得られなかった。そしてまた汽車に乗った。すると汽車の中で親切に座席をあけてくれた内地人の中年のおかみさんが朝鮮服姿の曲媼さんを見て、『あなた方は何処まで何しに行くのか』ときいた。

そこで恒俊さんが、実はこれこれで、〇〇の原隊まで遺骨を受け取りに行くのだ、と話した。するとそのおかみさんは『ああそうですか』と言って、起ちあがり敬虔な面持で恒俊さん達に向かって丁寧に頭をさげて『ご苦労さまです』と言った。

恒俊さんは胸を打たれた。内地の婦人は、三等車に乗っている普通のおかみさんですらこのように礼儀正しく、態度も立派である。これだから日本は戦争に強いのだと淡々感じた。

そして朝、夜が明けて間もなく汽車の窓から見ると、田圃には百姓のおかみさんが白い手拭をかぶって点々と稲こぎをしている姿が認められた。恒俊さんは妻の曲媼さんの袖をひいて、いった。

『見なさい。内地の女は、皆ああして朝早くから男のやる仕事をしている。女がこんなにも勤勉だから日本は戦争に強い。これに比べて今まで半島の女は何をしていたか。男だけが野良へ出て働き、女はみな内房でゴロゴロ遊んでいたじゃないか。恥ずかしいことだ。朝鮮中の女がみな内地の女を見習うようにならなければ、朝鮮はよくならない』

二日間、恒俊さん達は殆ど何にも食べなかった。だが恒俊さんは、はじめて見た内地の風物が激しい戦争の最中だというのに、少しも乱れず、整然としていて、むしろ余裕綽々たる有様に胸が一杯で、別にひもじいとも思わなかったのである。そういう恒俊さんの眼には、内地の駅々に巡査の姿が一人も見当たらぬということもまた驚異であった。

原隊に出頭して見ると、宿舎もちゃんと取ってあり、そこではじめて恒俊さん達は寛ぐことができた。遺骨を受け取り、見送られて、こんどは二等車に乗せられて帰路についた。大阪や下関で乗り換えの時、駅長が先導してくれた。大阪や下関の駅は人で目まぐるしいほどの雑沓である。しかし恒俊さんが駅長に先導されて遺骨を抱えて行くと、雑沓している群衆はサッと左右に分かれて、皆一斉に立ち停まって敬礼をする。将校までが立ち停まって敬礼してくれた。巡査も敬礼する。

恒俊さんは内地の、その統制ある奥ゆかしい礼譲を目の当りに見て、感嘆した。息子を死なしたが、少しも惜しくはない。いや日本国民として、日本兵氏として立派に陛下に生命を捧げたのだという誇りが胸に湧いたのだった。恒俊さんはその誇りを故郷の宣川の駅に降り立つまで堅く待ちつづけてきた。

だが、宣川駅で見たものは何であったか。電報を打って置いたのに。或いは打ち方が悪かったかも知れぬが。出迎えの人は見当たらず、相変わらず統制のない雑沓ぶりで、遺骨を抱えた恒俊さんに道をあけようともしないばかりか、恒俊さんは遺骨を抱えたまま群集の雑沓の中に押し込まれて、もみくちゃにされてしまったのだった。その無智と無統制な群集を見て、恒俊さんは、

『わが半島の民度はこんなにも後れているのか』と今更に気づき、情けなくて涙が流れた。恒俊さんが悟った如く、半島の民度はまだまだ非常に低い。

それだけに、遺骨がきた時にはどうすべきか。軍人遺家族に対してはどうすべきか。噛んでふくめるように手を取って教えなければならぬ。それの具体案は総督府が立てて実行するのか、総力聯盟がやるのか知らぬが、ともあれ早々に案をたてて実行に移さなければならぬ。

殊に道、郡、邑、面は身を以ってそれに当らなければならぬ。さもないと、恒俊さんが内地へ遺骨を受け取りに行って、胸の中に確固として抱いてきた『息子は陛下のお役に立った』『これで日本人になれた』という誇りは、妙な所でひき歪められてしまう。恒俊さんが胸に抱いてきた誇りは尊いものである。息子を失い、息子の血を流させて如実に得たものである。

殊に半島では今度徴兵が実施され、二階級特進の兵につづかんの熱意に燃える壮丁が、現に徴兵検査をうけつつある。もっとも近き将来に第二の文岩兵長が何人、何十人、何千人と出るだろうことは明かである。それを思うとき、先駆者たる二階級特進の栄ある軍人遺族に対する対し方というものは、総督府なり、道なり、聯盟なりが充分実情を知らして面や郡を指導しなければならぬ。これは火急を要する大きな仕事である。

遺族に『伜は何のために死んだのか』という疑いを少しでも抱かせたら問題である。私が歩いた三人の兵長のところでは、まだ忠魂碑を建てる計画さえも無かった。

（四月二十四日京城の宿舎にて記す）

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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】