The following address is a remarkable admission by the Governor-General of Korea that Korean conscripts had filed complaints about being discriminated against. However, the Governor-General dismissed these complaints and reasoned that, if there was anti-Korean prejudice everywhere, then that must mean that the Koreans themselves were mostly responsible for the discrimination that they experienced. Sadly, this talking point is still widely used among the far-right in Japan today. 

However, what is definitely not embraced by the far-right in Japan today are the contrived talking points about the common origins of Japanese and Korean mythology which appear in this article, along with the rest of the propaganda lines about Japanese-Korean unity, unification, and common ancestry which the far-right in Japan would rather conveniently forget about.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) February 23, 1944

Take the initiative and set a good example

The Governor-General’s instruction to the conscripted students

The third batch of conscripted students, who had undergone rigorous training for two weeks at the Army’s First Volunteer Training Center and completed their training on February 17, returned home from mainland Japan under the special warm hospitality of Governor-General Koiso. Kneeling before the knees of their parents, they immediately pledged their firm determination to serve as industrial warriors, and they returned to the training center on the 22nd.

Governor-General Koiso addressing the Korean conscripts at their training center.

Shortly after 1:30 p.m. on the same day, Governor-General Koiso arrived at the training center accompanied by Secretary Kobayashi to give encouragement to the conscripted students. Director Kaida and his staff welcomed the Governor-General to the small auditorium, where he was bathed by the warm sunlight that shone brilliantly through the windows. He quietly took the podium in front of the students, all of whom were determined to be on the front lines of production warfare, with their faces tensed from the rigorous training they had undergone even during that short period of time. The Governor-General stared into each student’s face with the warmth of a loving father. This was the third time that he had addressed the conscripts. Governor-General Koiso has fiercely instructed and encouraged the first, second, and third batches of students, one after the other, who left their nest like young sweetfish. The Governor-General suddenly spoke up.

“It is truly a joy to see the students who are about to rise to the forefront of increasing their war potential this autumn, in the face of an intense war situation, when we must establish a posture of victory and undefeatability that must definitely prevail. I would like to express my personal opinion to those students who are advancing to the forefront of society, as well as to those who should lead the front line of production reinforcement as bold individuals,” he began.

“The current administration of Korea has been governed by successive Governors-General who have ruled with the same great benevolent spirit in accordance with the imperial decree given at the time of the annexation of Korea in 1910. Compared to those days, Korea has made remarkable progress and development. Furthermore, there are no traces of the past Goryeo and Yi dynasties. Now, even in mainland Japan, there are few people who have not developed their national spirit. Japan, having awakened from its dream of national isolation, rapidly adopted a material culture in response to the global situation.

If Japan had grasped its spiritual tone along with this development, it would have become even more robust. Regrettably, however, there were Japanese who preferred Western culture over their own, and there were many Westerners who wore masks pretending to be Japanese. We should not follow the example of these misguided Japanese. Human beings are the spiritual heads of all things. Humanity does not live within laws and regulations. Laws and regulations are things that were created by human beings, and human beings must live with inspiration.

However, there are some of you who boast that they have studied at a higher education institution, but this is wrong. There are some mainland Japanese people who mistakenly believe that Korea is a colony, but what about the colonial policies of Britain and the United States? They set up financial institutions in Burma, India, the Dutch East Indies, French Indochina, the Philippines, and even in China, which is not a colony, and the funds in these institutions did not come from the home countries.

The funds were extracted from the people of China. With this money, they built factories and companies in China and put coolies to work. All the profits were brought back to their home countries. The home countries exploit other peoples for their own pleasure. This is their colonial policy. If we follow such countries, the development of East Asia will be hindered.

Just as the East Asian peoples were about to wipe out these colonial policies and build a unified East Asian nation, an obstacle stood in their way. It was Confucianism. Confucianism in Korea is an admirable existence. However, the fault lies in the fact that the Koreans were enthralled by the superficial ideas of China and did not grasp the true essence of Confucianism.

Then Christianity entered the picture. The person calling himself a priest or an evangelist would hold the cross of love in his right hand. But behind the scenes, he would try to overturn the basis for the annexation of Korea because Britain’s colonial policy would be doomed to failure if Korea were governed successfully under the great benevolent spirit.“

Here, the Governor-General revealed the true nature of Dangun Joseon and Gija Joseon based on their histories, and asserted that Dangun was Susanoo-no-Mikoto or his son Isotakeru-no-Mikoto, and that there was no doubt that the Japanese and the Koreans have the same ancestors and roots. He then went on to say with increased emphasis that Japanese-Korean unity is so obvious that it is needless to mention it.

“History and tradition cannot be ignored. I feel sorry for the people of the Goryeo and Yi Dynasties. The traditional spirit that was nurtured in those times has not been successfully removed from Korea. You must have felt discriminated against when you went to mainland Japan. This is due to the lack of education among mainland Japanese people in the first place, but I have heard people in Manchuria and Northern China say that they are troubled by Koreans. They say that Koreans have no sense of responsibility, tell lies, have no patience, and so on. I partly agree with them, but I wonder who gave the Koreans such a spirit. It was ultimately due to the evil governance of the Yi Dynasty. In other words, it was due to the exploitative governance of the Yi Dynasty.

But that is not the true essence of the Korean people. In order to grasp the true essence, the Koreans must be thoroughly penetrated in the true meaning of national identity. Some people laughed at me when I first arrived at my post, saying that I was possessed by the gods, but it seems that they have now understood. You will understand why I, the Governor-General, call on our 24 million Korean compatriots to be thoroughly penetrated in the true meaning of national identity at every opportunity.“

The Governor General’s words were sharp and piercing. He promised the students, “Since we do not have time to discuss the true meaning of national identity here and now, I will give you an assignment to read carefully what I, the Governor-General, said in my speeches, which were published in Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) from the 16th.“

He continued, “Some of you did not volunteer to become volunteer soldiers because I did not give you enough guidance. It is not your fault. I must again, give guidance to such people. That is why I made you stand on the front line of increasing the war potential. Life in the training camp holds a clue to grasping the true essence.

If any of you think that conscription is a punishment, then the spirit of the Yi Dynasty still remains within you. Some of you still have wrong ideas, as shown in your writings. That is not the way to go. Such an attitude will not allow you to succeed in any task that you undertake.” The Governor-General’s tone was fervent and intense as he repeatedly admonished them as if they were his own children who took the wrong path.

“The responsibility for this lies solely with me,” he blamed himself. Finally, he lowered his tone and said,

“You are about to take the initiative as industrial warriors, and your words and actions must be a model for others. You must strive to remake yourselves as human beings. Do it in a manly manner, with a pure heart, as if you were mirrors to each other. We must cleanse away anyone who harbors vestiges of the Yi Dynasty within them. All of you must take the initiative in striving to reach a place where there is no discrimination between Koreans and Japanese, both mentally and materially. I want you all to take the initiative in taking the lead in this effort with the virtue of humility and with an awareness of the true essence of yourselves as spiritual beings, without being boastful about being graduates of higher education institutions.“

He then looked around at everyone and said, “How about it? Will you work with us in that spirit? I’m counting on you“. He then turned to Director Kaida and asked him with concern, “Are there any sick people here?” All the participants bowed to him, and he concluded his talk with some cheerful words, “Have a good day. Take care of yourselves.” Then he left at 3:30 p.m.

[Photo: Governor-General Koiso giving his instructions to the conscripted students.]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1944-02-23

(Transcription)

京城日報　1944年2月23日

率先模範たれ

総督徴用学徒に訓示

陸軍第一志願兵訓練所で二週間に亘って厳正なる訓練を受けて去る十七日終了した第三次徴用学徒〇〇名は内地から真っすぐに入所したのを小磯総督の特別の温情で帰郷。直ちに産業戦士として挺身せんとする固き決意を父母の膝下で誓い、二十二日再び訓練所に戻った。

この日午後一時半過ぎ小磯総督は徴用学徒激励のため、小林秘書官を伴って来所。海田所長以下職員の出迎えを受けて小講堂に臨み、窓から燦々と射し込む四温日和の温かい陽光を一ぱいに受けて総督は、短期間と雖も厳格なる訓練に一だんと引きしまった面に生産戦の第一線に起たんとする決意を漂わせる学徒全員を前に静かに登壇。慈父の如き温容をもって一人一人の顔をじっと見つめる総督は徴用学徒に説くことこれで三度目なのだ。第一回徴用学徒から二回、三回と清新溌剌と若鮎の如く次に巣立ち行くこれら学徒に踵を接して烈々説き来り激励する小磯総督である。総督はおもむろに口を切る。

『苛烈なる戦局に直面し断じて勝たねばならぬ必勝不敗の態勢を確立する秋、その戦力増強の第一線に起って行かんとする諸子に接するは洵に欣快である。堂々たる一個の人間として生産増強の最前線に指導者たるべきと共に社会の陣頭に進む諸子に対して私見を述べたい』と冒頭して、

『朝鮮における現下の統治に就いては明治四十三年韓国併合に際して賜った詔により歴代の総督が一視同仁の大御心を体して統治し来ったのである。朝鮮はその当時に比して現今は格段の進歩発展を遂げている。さらに高麗、李朝時代から見ると全く昔の面影を留めていない。現在内地の人々でも精神の陶冶されていぬ人が少ない。鎖国の夢から醒めていた日本は、世界の情勢に目ざめて急激に物質文化を取り入れた。

この発展と共に精神的基調をしっかりと把握して行ったならば日本は更に剛健なるものとなっていたであろう。然し遺憾乍ら一にも西洋、二にも西洋と西洋かぶれになり、日本人の面を被った西洋人が多かったのである。これら誤れる日本人に見習えというのではない。人間は万物の霊長である。人類は法令の中に住むものではない。法令や規則は人間が作ったものであり、人間は感激をもって生きて行かねばならぬ。

然し諸子の中には自分は高等学府に学んだ者だという自慢を鼻にかけている者がいるが、そんなことでは駄目だ。内地人の中で朝鮮は植民地だと間違った観念を抱いている間違った者がいるが、ここで英米の植民政策は如何なるものか。ビルマ、印度、蘭印、仏印、比島を初め植民地でない支那に入って来てさえ金融機関を設け、この中にある資金は本国から持って来たのではない。

みな支那民衆から搾取したものだ。この金で支那に工場や会社を建てて苦力を使って働かせる。この利益はみな本国に持って行く。本国は享楽せんがために他民族から搾取するのである。これが彼等の植民地政策である。こんなものに追随していては東洋の発展は阻害される。

これを一掃して東洋民族が渾然一体となって建設しようという時に邪魔が入った。それは儒教である。朝鮮の儒教は立派な存在である。然し支那の表面的思想に憧憬してその儒教の真髄を把握しなかったところに欠点があるのだ。

そこに又キリスト教が入り込んで来た。神父とか伝道者と称して右手は愛の十字架を持ち、その裏面からは朝鮮において一視同仁の統治がうまく実行されたら英国の考える植民地政策が失敗に期するので韓国合併の根本を覆えさんとしたのである』

総督はここで檀君朝鮮と箕子朝鮮の歴史によってくるその本質を明かにして、檀君とは素戔嗚尊かまたはその御子五十猛神であり、内鮮の同祖同根に就いては疑いのないものであると喝破。今さら内鮮一体など言うまでもないことであると語を一だんと強めるのであった。

『歴史と伝統は蔑ろに出来ぬ。高麗、李朝時代の人達は気の毒であった。その時代に培われて来た伝統精神が今だに朝鮮から脱け切らぬのである。諸子は内地に行って恐らくは差別待遇を感じて来たことであろう。それはもとより内地人の教養が足らぬものであるが、満州、北支でも朝鮮人には困るという声を聞くのである。責任観念が無く、嘘を言い辛抱強くない等々である。私は一部において是認するが、誰がこのような精神を与えたか、それは結局李朝時代の悪政によるものである。搾取政治がそうさせたのである。

然し本質はそうではない。その本質を把握せんがためには国体の本義に透徹することだ。小磯は神がかりだと世間で笑うものが着任当初はいたが、今では分かってくれたらしい。諸子も総督が何故に機会ある毎国体本義の透徹を二千四百万同胞に呼ぶか分かるであろう』

総督の語気は鋭く肺腑を衝かんばかりだ。『今ここで国体本義を説く時間がないので総督が講話したものが去る十六日から京日に掲載されているから、それを熟読することを宿題する』と学徒と約束した。

さらに『諸子が志願兵へ志願しなかったことは小磯の指導が足らなかったのである。諸君が悪いのではない。小磯はそれ等の者を再び指導せねばならない。故に諸子を戦力増強の第一線に起たしめたのである。訓練所生活はその本質を提む糸口である。

諸子の中に徴用を懲罰だと思っている者があったならば未だ李朝時代の精神が残存するものである。諸子の感想文等に見ると一部の者は未だ間違った観念を持っている。そういうことでは駄目だ。そんな考えではどんな仕事をやっても成功はしない』と諄々道を踏み過った我が子を諭す総督の語調は熱を帯びて激しいが、

”その責任はみな私一身にある”と自己を責める小磯総督である。最後に口調を落として、

『諸子はこれから産業戦士の陣頭に起つのであるが、その言動は活模範たらねばならない。人間の再編成のために努力するのだ。お互いが鏡の如き清い気持ちで男らしくやれ。李朝時代の残滓が腹にあるものは一掃するのだ。精神的、物的にも内鮮無差別の所に到達するために諸子が陣頭に起って努力せねばならない。最高学府を出たということを鼻先にちらつかせることなく、謙譲の美徳を持ち、霊的存在である自己の本質を弁えて率先陣頭に起って貰いたい』と結びグッと一同を見廻して、

『どうだ。その積りで働いてくれるか。しっかり頼むぞ』と力強く激励して壇上を降りた総督は海田所長に向かって『この中に病人はいないか』と心配げに訊ねたのち、全員の敬礼をうけつつ”御気嫌よう。身体を大切に”明るい言葉を残して三時半引き揚げた。

【写真＝徴用学徒に訓示する小磯総督】