Colonial Japan mobilized 8 million Korean laborers during the Asia-Pacific War (1931-1945). The laborers were assigned to the most dangerous forms of hard labor. Records show that every major rail road construction sites, explosive factories, bridges and in numerous coal mines were assigned to Koreans. I learned that when the atomic bomb was blasted in Hiroshima in 1945, 40 % of the laborers of a large munitions factory in Hiroshima were Koreans. They were all killed.
The Korean workers’ blood and tears flowed all over Japan. Upon surrendering to the Allied Forces in 1945, Japan nullified the citizenship of Koreans residing in Japan, who immediately found themselves stateless and stranded. Subsequently, the Allied Forces divided the Korean peninsula and the Korean War broke out in 1950.
They immediately built 700 Korean schools all over Japan to teach Korean language and history to their children. This was the beginning of the Korean schools in Japan. Many Koreans who remained in Japan refused to choose between South and North Korea and decided to wait for a united one Korea.
In 2010 the Japanese Government made high school tuition-free, but Korean schools were excluded. In 2019 kindergartens and nursery schools were added to the tuition-free program. Again, Korean ones were excluded.
The Koreans in Japan are now mostly 3rd generation. They are paying taxes and fulfilling their obligations just like Japanese do. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic the Japanese Government provided financial assistance to college students. Korea University students were excluded.
These systemic discrimination amount to criminal violations of basic universal human rights to equal education. We vehemently oppose Japan’s blatant violations against humanity. The racial discrimination prohibited by the UN human rights agreement.
We will gather at the front of the consulate general of Japan in Manhattan to demand the Japanese government stop the horrible discrimination. We will demand Japan stop inhumane policies against innocent minorities in Japan and take steps to remedy these unjust discrimination policies.
Korean Americans and our conscientious American friends in New York will stand together in solidarity with the Korean students in Japan until they go to school without fear of terror by right wing gangsters in the street.
Hope you could join us at 12:00 PM at 299 Park Ave/49th St, Manhattan.
The 6.15 NY Committee for Reunification of Korea and their American friends
October 31, 2023
Korean Chanting:
1. 우리학교 차별하는 일본정부 규탄한다. 규탄한다 3번
2. 조선학교 차별하는 일본정부 규탄한다. 규탄한다 3번
3. 재일동포 탄압하는 일본정부 규탄한다. 규탄한다 3번
4. 민족말살 시책하는 일본정부 규탄한다. 규탄한다 3번
5. 교육인권 유린하는 일본정부 규탄한다. 규탄한다 3번
6. 고교 무상화 즉각 적용하라. 적용하라 3변
7. 유보 무상화 즉각 적용하라. 적용하라 3번
English Chanting:
Japan Stop, the Hate Korean Students
Japan Stop, Racism against Korean Schools
Japan Stop, Anti-Korean sentiments
Japan Stop, Discrimination against Korean Schools
Japan Apply, Free Education for Korean Schools
