Vladimir Tikhonov
10 h ·
This is the statement of the Japan Branch of the ISKS (International Society for Korean Studies; I have the honour of currently serving as the president of its European Branch) concerning
the deplorable attempts by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to de facto censure historical materials pertaining to the massacre of resident Koreans (and Taiwanese) in the wake of the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake.
Me and my colleagues are deeply concerned about the spread of the far-right historical denialism, in Japan and elsewhere, in the atmosphere of raised geopolitical tensions and hardening nationalism. Now, when the imperialist war in Ukraine is attracting worldwide condemnations, the truth on the past atrocities of all imperialisms, the Japanese one included, is more topical than ever:
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A Demand that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Recognizes the Historical fact of the Massacre of Koreans after the Great Kanto Earthquake
March 21, 2023
To: Ms. Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo
Recent news reports have confirmed that Ms. Yuriko Koike, the Governor of Tokyo, has not sent condolence messages to the memorial ceremonies for the Korean victims killed after the Great Kanto Earthquake since 2017.
Stating that “it is for historians to unravel the truth,” she has not revealed her opinion on whether or not the massacre actually occurred.
Furthermore, last year, a film based on the accounts of Koreans who were hospitalized in a mental institution before World War II was refused permission to be screened in a facility affiliated to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
The film includes a scene where a historian states that a significant number of innocent Koreans were killed after the Great Kanto Earthquake.
It is now clear that an official from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Human Rights Department had sent an email expressing concerns about the screening of the film, citing Governor Koike's aforementioned attitude.
This implies that Governor Koike's failure to address the massacre of Koreans immediately after the Great Kanto Earthquake has led to a situation close to censorship.
We believe that this case poses a serious problem.
First, it is an undeniable fact that many Koreans were killed by Japanese who believed in the false rumors of Koreans’ uprisings in the aftermath of the Great Kanto Earthquake. Not only were accounts transmitted by those who lived through the experience, but the massacre is the consensus among historians. The massacre is also taught in Japanese compulsory education to prevent such an event from occurring again.
However, this response on the part of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government could lead to the perception that the massacre of Koreans did not occur or that there were good reasons for Koreans to be killed. This in turn could make it difficult to speak about the fact of the massacre of Koreans and mourn the victims. It could also foster prejudice against Koreans.
Artistic expression should be free unless it poses a risk of violating the rights of others. For a public institution to prevent the public display of a work of art based on its content is not an acceptable attitude. The fact that metropolitan officials have cast doubt on a historical fact that has been confirmed by specialists, and is extremely important when considering discrimination and prejudice, leads to fears that the promotion of respect for human rights may not be prioritized in the Metropolitan Government's policies.
We, therefore, strongly urge the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to recognize the fact of the Kanto Massacre of Koreans and permit the screening of the film.
Noriko Ijichi
President of the Japan Branch
International Society for Korean Studies
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