In March 1944 in Seoul, an angry speech by Governor Koiso of Japan-occupied Korea called for the “Anglo-Saxon utilitarian worldview” to be shattered and Hakko Ichiu thought to be spread across the world; his rally celebrated the war path of martyrdom and “Banzai to Holy War”
Kuniaki Koiso was the Governor of Japan-occupied Korea from June 1942 to July 1944. He was arguably the most fanatical, hardline governor that Korea ever had under Japanese occupation. He intensified assimilation campaigns against Koreans and was responsible for starting conscription for young Koreans. His particular obsession with young Korean girls led to him to release an edict explicitly prioritizing them in assimilation campaigns (I will transcribe and translate his statements to this effect later), and he constructed internment camps specifically designed to assimilate them to become wives of Imperial Japanese soldiers. When Koreans recount the worst experiences that they ever had under Japanese occupation, chances are that they may be referring to life under his reign. Under his watch, the Keijo Nippo newspaper expanded fawning coverage of Hitler and admiration for German Nazi ideology (I will transcribe and translate the editorial article later). Personally, I think everyone should learn the name “Koiso” and associate it with pure, unadulterated evil, much like the names “Hitler”, “Stalin”, etc.
And yet, Koiso is enshrined and still worshiped at Yasukuni Shrine today. So when Japanese politicians pay respects or donate religious offerings to Yasukuni, like the current Prime Minister of Japan, Kishida, just did last month, they directly endorse the words and actions of Koiso. Think about that. This is just my personal opinion, but I really think that the South Korean government should mention Koiso prominently when they protest Japanese politicians’ visits to Yasukuni. My Google search does not show any statements made by South Korea mentioning Koiso in any protest about the Yasukuni Shrine. Can my fellow Redditors at this subreddit confirm whether Koiso was ever brought up in discussions between the South Korean and Japanese governments?
Source: https://archive.org/details/kjnp-1944-03-22
(my translation)
March 22, 1944 Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo)
40,000 merchants unite for Imperial commerce
Cutting off all selfishness
Seoul Commercial Service Corps Formation Ceremony
The Seoul Federation of National People’s Power has united 40,000 merchants in Seoul to form the Seoul Commercial Service Corps and the Commercial Volunteer Corps, in order to put to rest commercial notions of personal gain, recognize the mission and character of the national organization for the distribution of commodities, and exalt and practice the Imperial Way of Commerce. The ceremony was held at the South Garden of the Chosun Jingu Shrine at 2:00 p.m. on the 21st. [Photo: Formation ceremony of the Seoul Commercial Service Corps and reading of the pledge by Mr. Iizuka, a representative of the volunteer corps]
Deputy Secretary Mr. Kan’gyu from the Korea Confederation, Director of Practical Application Mr. Shigematsu, President of the Seoul Federation Mr. Furuichi, over 30 other official representatives, 10,000 representatives of 40,000 merchants in Seoul, and 400 people selected to be volunteers from trade unions wore military leggings and military hats as they entered the stage. After the national ceremonies, Mr. Furuichi, President of the Seoul Federation, gave a speech. Then Deputy Secretary Mr. Kan’gyu read a speech from the President of the Korea Federation Koiso entitled, “To clean up the Anglo-Saxon spirit of enterprise and its materialistic concept of work of the age of liberal economics, to promote the spirit of service unique to the Imperial State, which is based on the true meaning of the national polity, and to make it the basis of all economic activities, so as to establish a strong moral economic system”. Then Mr. Usui, Vice President of the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry, read the congratulatory message from the President on behalf of the Chamber.
Next, Choi Jae-gwon, the representative of the service members, and Iizuka Toshimi, the representative of the volunteer corps, loudly read out the pledge, ‘We will strive to ensure the proper and smooth distribution of goods, to be kind and fair, to treat the public with kindness, to cultivate a spirit of cheerfulness and friendship, and to do our best to meet the expectations of the nation’, and everyone bit their lips tightly. The ceremony was concluded at 3:00 p.m. with the chanting of the Commercial Service Corps Charter by the leader of the Sanwa Nishidaimon District and the chanting of “Banzai to Holy War” by the President of the Seoul Federation Mr. Furuichi.
March 21, 1944
President of the Korean Federation of People’s Power
Governor Kuniaki Koiso
The Governor’s Address: “Making the Righteous Peninsula Complete”
At a time when the Korean Confederation of the People’s Power has been expounding the Imperial Nation’s original view of business and labor, and forming service corps in important factories and mines, the results of which are gradually becoming remarkable, I have again urged the formation of commercial service corps in all Korean provinces, counties, and islands, and it is my pleasure to announce the start of such corps today.
It is my pleasure to announce that the war has created an opportunity for the creation of a new world culture, and that the ideology and culture of world leadership will be guided by the victorious people. The current war, which is being fought by the brave and powerful people of the world, is aimed at shattering the Anglo-Saxon utilitarian worldview that has dominated the culture of the past century, and to spread a moral worldview throughout the four corners of the world based on the principles of Hakko Ichiu and “coexistence and co-prosperity”. This intention, which has already been made public, is now being put into concrete form in the Declaration of Greater East Asia.
Nevertheless, in order to spread this moral world view throughout the world and to save mankind, it is a prerequisite that it should first be fully realized in our domestic situation and that the living conditions of the people of Japan should be completely adjusted to this system. In other words, the Anglo-Saxon spirit of enterprise and the materialistic concept of work of the free economy era must be cleaned up, and the unique spirit of service of the Imperial State, which is based on the true meaning of the national polity, must be restored to set the tone for all economic activities, and a strong moral economic system must be established. While the production business of the military sector, which is responding to the fierce and decisive war situation, has already strengthened its readiness to serve in both spirit and reality under the national conscription system, the commercial sector is still in the process of changing its essential traditional concepts and customs.
In this transitional period, there is no reason why this should not be done. In the meantime, the need to perfect the economic control based on the measures to lower prices and rationalize the distribution of goods and to strengthen the winning stance of the people’s lives has never been greater than it is today, and we must clearly recognize the seriousness of the mission of this department.
Those in the commercial sector of the Department should be aware of the fact that the commercial concept of personal gain of the past is being abandoned and is being returned to the character and mission of a national organization for the distribution of goods, and should be prepared to contribute to the strengthening of the nation’s decisive battle system by striving to elevate and practice the ideals of Imperial commerce.
In this way, the production and distribution departments will be in harmony with each other, and the spirit of service will be fully realized. Not only should we respect that the strengthening of the nation’s forces must become an inevitability, but we should also not doubt that there are many possibilities to advance into the realm of completing the foundation for constructing a Righteous Korea in this way. I hope that the operation of this organization will be carried out with the ardent spirit and unfailing cooperation of all concerned, and that it will have the effect of establishing a giant road in the process of developing the total power movement.
Today’s Send-off Party for Young Volunteer Soldiers
Ruddy Faces, Reflections of Enthusiasm
On the early spring day of the 22nd, the Seoul Prefectural Government held the grand “Send-off Party for Young Volunteer Soldiers” at the Seoul Sports Grounds starting at 9:30 a.m. to encourage and inspire ten million emotions and the fierce war spirit of the youth of the National High School, Youth Cadets, and Youth Corps in Seoul, who embarked upon a glorious and valorous war path of martyrdom, so that their childlike spirit of enthusiasm would spring to life in the land of the enemy. On this fine sunny day, the scent of young cherry blossoms filled the air as 10,000 people, including students from the schools in Seoul, parents and guardians, gathered around the 500 ruddy-faced volunteers, who could smell the young cherry blossoms. The young volunteer soldiers showed off their vigorous fighting spirit as they dared to go into the field of Holy War. When national ceremony commenced in the sports grounds, the President of the Seoul Federation Mr. Furuichi gave an enthusiastic speech congratulating their shining departure. Then the representative of the current students gave a speech of encouragement, saying “I swear that we will follow the encouragement of our seniors”. In response, the representative of the volunteers gave a powerful and inspiring speech, in which he gave a powerful and inspiring reply breathing fire into the young hearts: “I will surely become a splendid young Imperial soldier set out on the great path of eternity, and meet the expectations of my countrymen”.
At the end of the speech, the participants sang the “Song for Sending Off the Young Soldiers” (YouTube link: https://youtu.be/fnSSXXOBatE) in chorus, singing at the top of their lungs such that they could split the earth and the heavens could hear, “Oh young cherry tree of holy Japan, how glorious is life which is the falling petals of the cherry blossom,” praising their healthy determination and encouraging their meaningful journey, and the party came to a close after 10:00 a.m. At 10:30 a.m., all the participants departed from the Seoul Sports Grounds, a dignified and heroic brass band leading a bold military march through the city. They arrived at the Chosun Shrine to the cheers of the local people, where they made a firm pledge with determination as youth with fighting spirits that soared before the gods, and then they were dismissed.
This event was broadcast live to all of Korea to stir up the passionate spirit of the boys of the peninsula.
（my transcription into modern Japanese orthography with punctuation marks added and modified for clarity)
昭和十九年三月二十二日 京城日報
皇国商道へ四万の業者一丸
一切の”私欲”断つ
京城商業仕奉隊 晴れの結成式
国民総力京城府聯盟では府内の商業者四万人を打って一丸とし、京城商業仕奉隊並びに商業挺身隊を結成、個人的功利の商業観念を清算し、物資配給の国家機関たる使命と性格を認識し、皇国商業道を昂揚実践せしめることになったが、その結成式を廿一日午後二時から朝鮮神宮奉斎殿南庭で挙行した。【写真＝商業仕奉隊結成式と挺身隊員代表飯塚君の宣誓文朗読】
朝鮮聯盟から簡牛事務局次長、重松実践部長、古市京城府聯盟会長ほか官民代表丗余名臨席、府内商業者四万人の代表一万人並びに商業関係組合を単位に挺身隊員として選ばれた四百名は巻脚絆、戦闘帽に身を固めて来場、国民儀礼ののち古市京城府聯盟会長から式辞があって簡牛次長が『自由経済時代のアングロ・サクソン的企業精神並びにその唯物主義的勤労観念を清掃し、国体の本義に出づる皇国独自の仕奉精神を恢弘して経済活動一切の基調たらしめ以て強靭なる道義経済体制を樹立するよう』との小磯朝鮮聯盟総裁の告示を朗々と代読、碓井朝鮮商工会議所副理事長が会頭の祝辞を代読、次いで仕奉隊員代表として崔在権、挺身隊員代表として飯塚利美両君がそれぞれ『物資配給の適正円滑を図り親切公平、衆に接して明朗親睦の気風を養って国家の御期待に副うよう敢闘します』の宣誓を力強く読みあげ、全員に唇を固く嚙みしめた。最後に三和西大門区隊長の先唱で商業仕奉隊綱領を斉唱、古市府聯盟会長の先唱で聖戦万歳を奉唱して同三時閉式した。
昭和十九年三月廿一日
国民総力朝鮮聯盟総裁
小磯 国昭
”道義半島の仕上げ” 総督告辞
国民総力朝鮮聯盟が奕に皇国本然の企業観、勤労観を闡明して重要工場鉱山に仕奉隊を結成し、其の成果漸く顕著なるものあらんとする時機に際し今又全鮮府郡島単位に商業仕奉隊の結成を促し、茲に本日を以て之が発途を劃するに至れるは本総裁の欣快とする所なり。
由来戦争は新世界文化創造の契機を蔵し、世界指導の思想文化は勝利の国民に依りて開導せらるるを常とす。而して世界の勇強国民を挙げて戦いつつある現大戦は、旧世紀文化を支配せるアングロ・サクソン的功利思想を基軸とする世界観の根柢を打砕し、我にありては八紘為宇、共存同栄の理念の下、道義世界観を四疆に布覆せんとするを目的とし既に公明なる之が意図は奕々潤史的なる大東亜宣言の具体化に依って立説せられつつあり。
然りと雖も、この道義的世界観たる、之を世界大に拡延して人類を匡救せんがためには、先ず我が国内態勢の上に剰す處なく之を具顕し、皇国国民の生活実態をして悉くこの体系に整備するを以て前提要件となすは論を俟たず、即ち自由経済時代のアングロ・サクソン的企業精神、並びにその唯物主義的勤労観念を清掃し、国体の本義に出ずる皇国独自の仕奉精神を恢弘して、経済活動一切の基調たらしめ、以て強靭なる道義経済体制を樹立せざるべからず。苛烈なる決戦の戦局に即応する軍点部門の生産事業が既に国民徴用制運行の下、精神実態共に仕奉の態勢を鞏うしつつあるに対し、商業部門は其の本質的伝統上観念習俗の更改尚未だ容易ならざるの過程に在り。
之れ過渡的時期に於いて或いは已むを得ざる理由無きに非ずと雖も。内に低物価策と物資配給の合理化を基本とする経済統制の完璧を期して国民生活の必勝態勢を強化するの要、今日より大なるはなきの秋、本部門職域の任務甚だ重大なるを明かに認識せざるべからず。
宜しく疆内商業部門の人士は旧時に於ける個人的功利の商業観念を一敗し、物資配給の国家機関たる性格と使命に帰納しつつある事実を認識して皇国商業道念を昂揚実践するに努め以て国家の決戦体制強化に貢献するの覚悟に欠くる所なきを期せらるべし。
斯くの如くにして生産部門と配給部門と相呼応し、仕奉精神の全面的徹底を見るに至らんか。国家戦力の増強が必至の敬たるべきのみならず、道義朝鮮建設の基盤はこれによりて完成の域に前進するの可能多きを疑わず、本総裁は本組織の運営が関係諸員の熱烈たる気魂と遺漏なき協力によって行われ、総力運動伸展途上に巨大なる一道摽を樹つるの効果を収めんことを望んでやまざるなり。
きょう少年兵志願者壮行会
紅顔・尽忠に映ゆ
陸に海に空にいざ征かん
いざ征けよ、皇国少年兵ー尽忠の童魂は蹶然新州の火を噴き撃敵の陸に海に空に少年兵として志願した京城府内国民学校高等科、青訓、青年隊、児童の殉国の征途に勇みたつ熾烈な戦意を千万無量の感激こめて激励鼓舞する京城府主催『少年兵志願者壮行会』は春浅き廿二日午前九時半から京城運動場で盛大に挙行、栄光の首途を逞しく飾るのだ。この晴れの日若桜の香り匂える紅顔の少年兵志願者五百名を囲んで、府内学校生徒児童をはじめ、関係者父兄など一万相集い、聖戦の場に敢然と赴かんとする少年兵志願者の旺盛な士気を振るい、たたせる大会は国民儀礼に始まり、次いで古市京城府尹が輝く出陣を祝って熱烈な壮行の辞を述べ、続いて在校生代表は”誓って我らも尽忠の先輩の励ましに続かん”と壮行の言葉を贈る。之に応えて志願者代表が”必ずや、立派な皇国少年兵となって、悠久の大道に馳せ参じ、郷党の期待に副います”と烈々童心火を吐く感激の答辞を力強く表明。
最後に一同は天にもとどけ、地も裂けよと声高らかに”ああ神州の若さくら、散りて栄あるこのいのち”と『少年兵を送る歌』を大合唱、健気な決意を讃え、意義深き壮途を力づけて同十時過ぎ盛況裡に閉会する。さらに大会に錦上花を添えて引き続き全員は午前十時半京城運動場を出発、隊伍も凛々しく勇壮の吹奏楽隊を先頭に歩武堂々と市街を行進、府民の歓呼の嵐を浴びて朝鮮神宮に到り、神前に高鳴る闘魂を秘めた少年の蹶然たる決意を固く誓って解散する。
なおこの大会は全鮮向け実況放送が行われ、半島少年の鬱勃たる少年の熱魂をゆすぶる。
