Japan Press Weekly

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2023 August 30 - September 5 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Memorial services held for Korean victims of the massacre 100 years ago

The Korean Residents Union in Japan (Mindan) on September 1 held a memorial ceremony under the auspice of the ROK government to commemorate the Korean victims who were killed in the Great Kanto Earthquake 100 years ago and the subsequent slaughter of Korean residents.

On behalf of the Japanese Communist Party, Secretariat Head Koike Akira attended the memorial service and offered flowers. He exchanged greetings with South Korean Ambassador to Japan Yun Doc-min who made a speech at the ceremony.

On this day, marking the 100th year of the Great Kanto Earthquake, civil groups hosted a memorial service to mourn Korean victims. JCP members of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly Satoyoshi Yumi, Hara Junko, and Harada Akira took part in the event. Satoyoshi delivered a speech at the service.

In the burning sun, many citizens participated in the memorial event and called on the Japanese government to find out the whole truth behind the massacre and to offer an official apology.

The participants vowed to continue to talk about and pass on details of the incident to future generations in order to never allow such behavior to be repeated. They criticized the Japanese government for not admitting to the horrendous facts and Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko for refusing to send a eulogy to the ROK-supported memorial service. Many of them also voiced concern about growing xenophobia in Japan.

After the 1923 Kanto earthquake, rumors such as "Koreans put poison into wells" circulated and drove the Japanese military, the police, and vigilantes to engage in a mass killing of Koreans, Chinese, and socialists. It is estimated that more than 6,000 Koreans were massacred.

In the ceremony which was held with the attendance of Korean and Chinese bereaved families, JCP member of the House of Representative Miyamoto Toru along with JCP Secretariat Head and member of the House of Councilors Koike Akira attended the ceremony.

Past related article:
> Gov’t should fully investigate and offer formal apology for 1923 Korean massacre [August 29, 2023]