While Koreans in Japan (Zainichi) have been forcibly taken to Japan during the war, some even say that there are many Koreans living in Japan who could not return home even after the war back even if they wanted to return to Korean Peninsula.
Is it true?
Just before the end of the war, nearly 2 million Koreans lived in Japan, of which 1 million came to Japan since 1940.
(Ministry of Interior Security Bureau)
Among them, it is estimated that there are approximately 250,000 group transfer workers.
(Metropolitan Police Department Guard 2 Shinozaki Heiji Police "Korean residents in Japan" Order Statement)
It is said that 520,000 contract workers were sent from Korea to Japan during the three years from 1942 to 1945.
(Edward Wagner: "The Korean Minority in Japan")
During the war, the number of soldiers and military personnel who were responded to by the Koreans were 365,263 people, including the Army and Army.
(Survey of Vacancies Bureau)
Immediately after the end of the war, the Koreans in Japan (Zainichi) rushed to the ports of the lower Seki, Senzaki, Hakata, Sasebo, Maizuru, Hakodate, Uraka, shouting "Liberation of the people and returning to their country".
the Koreans in Japan (Zainichi) got on board a Japanese boat, pulling it out from Busan etc. to Japan.
On September 2, 1945, Follow directions from SCAP, the Japanese government continued its planned withdrawal such as the formation of extraordinary trains, the addition of vehicles, the burden of transportation expenses, and the support of boarding areas It was.
By August 1945 by around the end of February in 1946, about 930,000 people were withdrawn by a planned ship made by the Japanese government, and they were withdrawn by a temporary ship other than the regular route About 400 thousand people were lifted by a total of 1.34 million Koreans.
Follow directions from SCAP, the Japanese government has the Koreans, Chinese people, main islanders and their domicile in Kagoshima Prefecture or Kagoshima Prefecture south of Northern latitude (including Kanoshima) or Okinawa Prefecture in March 1946 Establishment order of things "promulgated.
By doing this, the Japanese government decided to investigate whether there is a person who desires to withdraw and make a planned repatriation. (Hereinafter referred to as Ministry of Health and Welfare)
A total of 647,006 Koreans in Japan (of which 3,595 sentenced inmates)
Among them, 514,060 applicants who wish to return to South Korea (of which 3,373 sentenced inmates)
Among them, 9,701 applicants who wish to return to North Korea (of which 289 sentenced inmates)
The Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP) warned the Koreans in Japan as follows:
"Those who wish to withdraw must start at the time the Japanese government instructs.
Otherwise the privilege of withdrawal by the cost of the Japanese government will be lost and we will have to wait until the convenience of commercial transport is possible.
On April 5, 1946, Deputy Director of the Retrieval Support Institute issued a notice of "Regarding the repatriation of non-Japanese people" to the Regional Secretary,
We strictly advised thoroughly not to leave those who wished to return home, and warned that we could not return home due to the responsibilities and expenses of the Japanese government, missing this opportunity.
In addition, due to such circumstances, we anticipated that a considerable number of people will be flooded at one time, decided Senzaki Port and Hakata Port as the sending port, set up a transportation plan for each municipality, and made every effort. (Tone of Ministry of Health and Welfare)
At that time the Japanese government made arrangements in general although it was under difficult circumstances.
However, surprising things have happened.
Return shipping vessel and extraordinary transportation train operated with leaving many vacant seats.
Number of returnees in 1946 (according to Ministry of Health and Welfare)
60,917 from Hakata
9,917 from Senaki
205 people from Hakodate
286 from Sasebo
Total 82,900
This was only 16% against the number of registrants who wanted to return.
Regarding applicants who wish to return to North Korea, on March 19, 1946, through the conclusion of the US-Soviet agreement,
"The one that will be withdrawn to North Korea from Japan will be set to be 10,000 Koreans living in the northern latitudes north of north latitude and born in the same area."
In addition, SCAP,
"The lifting of up to 10,000 North Koreans in Japan (Zainichi) will be carried out from 9th to 15th March 1947."
This 10,000 people were born in North Korea north of 38 degrees north, 9,701 Koreans who registered their return home before 18 March 1946
And those who were born in North Korea and did not register before March 18, or who wish to return home who changed their intention afterwards, other Koreans. "
In fact, there were only 351 Koreans who came aboard a withdrawal ship to North Korea. Only 4% of the number of registrants was merely less than.
The Japanese government "From this opportunity, we can not repatriate under the responsibility of the Japanese government until commercial navigation becomes free in the future"
After repeatedly receiving a warning, after knowing this, already Korean residents in Japan had already canceled their return home while already completing their registration for return home.
Whether SCAP returned home to Korea or resided in Japan, they took policies to give themselves to each individual's free will.
As a result, the Japanese government was in a difficult situation without being forced to return home.
After that, 16,990 Koreans living in Japan returned home in North Korea during the three years from February 1947 to May 1950.
These people were people who lost the opportunity to withdraw due to the burden of the Japanese government, but after hearing the circumstances, I took up from Sasebo Port at the burden of the Japanese government.
Meanwhile, as a result of the Korean War broke out, 627 people left Japan because they wanted to withdraw from Maizuru, who wanted to return home from North Korea because of the outbreak of the Korean War.
On November 19, 1950, the Occupation Forces instructed the Japanese government that "From today onwards, voluntary withdrawal of non-Japanese (Koreans in Japan) is the responsibility of the person himself / herself."
Based on this instruction, the Government of Japan completed the withdrawal work.
Well, why did 440 thousand Koreans in Japan (Zainichi) cancel the raising while registering for their return home?
At that time, the inflation rate in Japan has risen sharply, the food situation has deteriorated, and in urban areas it was in a state of semi-starvation.
However, since the end of the war, the Koreans in Japan (Zainichi) belonged to the side of the Allies (victorious side), so they did not suffer from half starvation like the Japanese.
Furthermore, Koreans in Japan (Zainichi) have been granted extraterritorial rights.
How comfortable it was for Koreans living in Japan? It was because I was able to immerse in Japanese superiority.
Koreans in Japan were able to immerse themselves in superiority not only mentally but also materially.
At that time, while the Japanese lived, there were no clothes to wear, while hunger was hurting, I was able to make a profit in the black market by using the privilege.
For Koreans living in Japan, Japan has become a paradise.
Not only stopped returning home to my country, but even though I returned home, some people came back to Japan again.
This will be the beginning of the postwar embarkation.
In April 3, 1948 , the uprising of the islanders in Jeju island of South Korea (Korea). Korean troops and police acted, 60,000 inhabitants of the island were slaughtered, 70% of the island was burned out. (Jeju uprising)
In June 25, 1950 , North Korean army invaded Seoul. (Korean War)
Two days later, South Korean President Syngman Rhee Massacre slaughtered political prisoners and civilians who are imprisoned for over 114 million people when escaping from Seoul. (Bodo League massacre)
There were many Koreans who smuggled into Japan from Korea in order to escape from the Jeju Island four or three incidents and the League of Leadership Association.
Later in Japan, in 1956, due to the reduction of welfare expenses, due to depression in the bottom of the pod from 1957 to 1958, life became painful and some people who wanted to withdraw to North Korea came out.
However, the Korean side desperately opposed Korean residents in Japan to return to North Korea.
The Japanese Red Cross Society considers Switzerland's International Committee of the Red Cross to think that Japan, Korea and North Korea can only cooperate in order to solve the return problem of the Koreans in Japan (Zainichi).
The International Committee of the Red Cross is not a judicial body, it is not an arbitrating body, it is an organization that acts to solve problems from a humanitarian point of view, not to the power authority.
Later, on August 13, 1959, "Japan-Korea Red Cross Agreement on the return of Koreans in Japan" was concluded between the Japanese Red Cross and the North Korean Red Cross.
Under this agreement, the way of returning to North Korea, such as the Koreans in Japan who wish to return home (including Koreans who acquired Japanese nationality) and their spouse (including those with inner relations) and their children It was opened. (Returning Koreans in Japan project)
General Association of Korean Residents advertised North Korea as "Paradise on Earth", "There is no worry about food, clothing, shelter," and sent many of his compatriots to North Korea.
On the other hand, the Korean people fought strongly against it. That was why they violated their jurisdiction over Koreans in Japan (Zainichi).
The Korean government sent a large number of agents to Japan and formed North Korea repatriation agent.
North Korea repatriation agent blew up plans for the Japanese Red Cross and assassinated natural persons in naturalization projects.
(Niigata Japan Red Center Center explosion plan)
For Japan, there are three main reasons for promoting this return Project : reduction of the burden of welfare expenses to Koreans in Japan, high crime rate of Koreans in Japan (six times as much as Japanese), Koreans in Japan It was a Concern about collaboration between Koreans in Japan (Zainichi) and Japanese leftist activists.
As many as 440,000 Koreans in Japan who voluntarily remained after the war.
After that, Koreans in Japan returned home to North Korea.
Koreans in Japan who smuggled from South Korea.
Even though there are Koreans living in Japan who smuggled from the Korean Peninsula after the end of the war,but There were no Koreans living in Japan who could not return even if they wanted to return to Korean Peninsula.
Reference book
"The truth of Korean residents returning to Japan" Japan Red Cross Society
August 20, 1956 Mr. Mutaro Inoue, Foreign Director
image
Until the end of the war, "2nd Kimigayo Maru" which operated between Jeju and Osaka and carried many migrant workers from the Korean Peninsula