뉴스레터

Q : This year marks the 90th year since the 'Great Kanto Earthquake.' Even though this earthquake occurred in Japan ninety years ago, Koreans still often talk about it. Why is that?

The 'Great Kanto Earthquake' refers to a strong magnitude 7.9 earthquake that occurred on September 1, 1923 in the epicenter of Kanagawa (神奈川) Prefecture and affected the vast surrounding areas including Ibaraki (茨城) and Shizuoka (静岡) Prefectures. The earthquake caused particularly serious damage to Tokyo and Yokohama. Although the exact numbers are still uncertain, it is estimated that the earthquake left about 150,000 people dead, including those who are unaccounted for, and up to 1.9 million people suffering injuries or damage to property.

Q : It is said that many Koreans were slaughtered. Why and how many of them were killed?

Koreans being slaughtered

The specific circumstances and exact numbers surrounding the Korean victims are still unknown. The most recent study suggests 6,600, but this figure may not be accurate either, according to Kang Deok-sang (Director of the History Museum of J-Koreans), an authority in the study of the Great Kanto Earthquake.

The Japanese government declared martial law, but the chaos caused by the earthquake was getting out of control as the communications lines broke down. The frustration of the Japanese people reached the breaking point and was finally vented on Koreans. Koreans became scapegoats of the angry Japanese, the target of ruthless massacre committed by the 'Civil Militia'(自警團: a kind of collective defense group organized to protect themselves from injuries or property damage by using armed force without resorting to juridical means). Working behind this massacre were Japan's fear of Korea's resistance movement against their colonial rule, notably the March 1st Movement in 1919, and their ethnic discrimination against Koreans.

Many innocent Koreans living in the earthquake-affected areas were brutally murdered once they became victims of the vicious rumors and false accusations that they had 'raised a riot,' 'started a fire,' 'put poison in the wells,' or were 'destroying the factories' or 'breaking and entering for looting and raping.' To take the increasingly chaotic situation under control, the Japanese politicians quickly accused Koreans of 'scheming rebellion,' driving many Koreans to death.

Unfortunately, there were few media available to speak for the Koreans and tell the truth; neither telephone nor radio was in popular use yet, and newspaper was not functional either since all but three newspaper companies burned down. That's why the killing of Koreans didn't stop but only increased further.

Q : How did the Japanese identify Koreans so they could kill them?

The main perpetrators of the assault and murder of Koreans were the Civil Militia. They accosted a random passerby and demanded that he should say certain phrases like '15圓 50錢' [Jyugoen Gojitsen], 'Pa-pi-pu-pe-po' or 'Ka-ki-ku-ke-ko.' If his pronunciation was incorrect or unclear even in the slightest bit, they regarded him as Korean and assaulted and/or killed him. This was a clever trick because it was tricky for Koreans to distinguish between soft and hard consonants (e.g. between 'Ko' and 'Go'). Tragically, it also cost the lives of Japanese people, those who were deaf, speaking in dialect or not very clear in pronunciation. Another similar trick used was asking to sing songs or name names that only the Japanese people might know, such as 'Kimigayo [君が代],' Japan's national anthem celebrating the emperor's reign, the folk song called 'Dodoitsu [都都逸]' from the Edo period, or the names of stations on Yamanote [山の手] Line, Tokyo's loop subway line. Anyone who failed at this random test was regarded as Korean and subjected to assault and murder.

Q : How should the 'Kanto Great Earthquake Massacre of Koreans' be addressed and resolved?

As we know, the 'Nanjing (南京) Massacre' committed by the Japanese military immediately after the outbreak of the Sino-Chinese War (1937) is widely known around the world. By contrast, the massacre of Koreans following the Kanto Great Earthquake is relatively not well known. However, it is difficult to imagine that the Japanese government, which denies, distorts, justifies, and whitewashes Japan's atrocities committed during their colonial rule, will address this issue and make apology on their own initiative. Regrettably, since the independence, Korea has not officially addressed this issue with Japan or demanded apology. This may have to do with our ignorance or indifference to the Kanto Great Earthquake Massacre of Koreans simply because it had taken place in Japan. But it is also due to the fact that our nation has not been strong enough to help make our voices heard.

What come to mind first when we say historical issues with Japan may be 'comfort women,' Dokdo, Yasukuni Shrine, textbook controversies and the like. But we must also address other unresolved issues concerning those Koreans massacred in Japan's atrocities committed against humanity during the Kanto Great Earthquake, as well as those Koreans drafted into forced labor or the military and demanding compensation. The truths about the massacre of Koreans that have been buried under the ruins of the earthquake for as long as ninety years must be unearthed and brought to light, and we must demand Japan's apology and compensation.

But making it happen takes more than the work of some scholars alone. It is necessary to collect records of the testimonies and memories of people concerned or related information, hold large-scale academic conferences and publish their results. If necessary, produce TV dramas or films to bring the incident to screen and back to history. As the first step toward this end, the 'National Assembly Forum for Resolving the Massacre of Kanto Koreans' was held at the National Assembly Hall on June 19, 2013. And the NAHF is also organizing an international conference on this issue, scheduled to be held from August 22 to 23, 2013.

For more information about earthquakes in Japan, read the following articles on the Northeast Asian History Foundation News page.
'One Year after the Great Earthquake: Where Is Japan Headed Now? (March 2012)
'Japan's Earthquakes, Catfish and a Brief History' (May 2011)