英語訳
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The Truth Behind Korean Massacres That Swept the Entire Kantō Region (Appendix)
It was recently revealed that the instigator who first spread the rumors of Korean attacks was the socialist Yamaguchi Masanori and others, currently imprisoned for theft, assault, and other crimes in Yokohama. These rumors quickly swept across the entire Kantō region, leading to the tragic persecution and death of several hundred Koreans. The reporting of the truth had been absolutely prohibited by the authorities and police for investigation purposes, but on the 20th of this month it was finally lifted and freedom to report the truth was permitted. Since this was an incident originally caused by rumors, there were many falsehoods in the previous hearsay and public opinion, which had been exaggerated. Therefore, the actual facts were not as extensive as the rumors suggested. However, the most brutal atrocities occurred in Yokohama, the source of the rumors. On the afternoon of the great earthquake, Yamaguchi's rumors spread like alarm bells among the many disaster victims who had desperately fled to the mountains and hills surrounding the city. A murderous atmosphere filled the air terrifyingly, and youth associations took the lead in organizing vigilante groups in various districts that same night, calling for the extermination of all Koreans. From the night of the 1st to around the 4th, approximately 150 Koreans were brutally murdered. The next most violent and cruel incidents occurred in Saitama Prefecture, where 86 were killed in Honjō, 43 in Kumagaya, 35 in Jinbōhara, and one each in Yorii and Tokorozawa, totaling 166 Korean deaths. Among these, the worst occurred in the Honjō and Kumagaya regions. In Honjō town, they had been devoting all their efforts to helping evacuees from Tokyo until September 2nd, but around the 2nd rumors began spreading vigorously. On the evening of the 3rd, when passengers and evacuees handed over six Koreans who had arrived by train to the vigilante group, this became the spark that ignited the violence, and they assaulted and injured them while escorting them to the police. While the police protected the Koreans and the police chief made street speeches with newspaper reporters and veterans' association officials to calm public sentiment, on the morning of the 4th, about 200 Korean laborers captured by vigilante groups in Kawaguchi town, Warabi town, Toda, Minamihirayanagi village and other areas were sent by automobile from Urawa town to safe areas outside the prefecture. The murderous town vigilante groups attacked, and despite desperate attempts by police, fire brigade, and veterans to stop them, they pressed forward with weapons. Once they returned to the police station and sheltered the Koreans in a theater, the vigilante groups attacked again. A group of several hundred people slaughtered the fleeing Koreans indiscriminately, turning the station into a hellish scene. The number of Koreans killed in this atrocity reached 86. In the Kumagaya area, many Koreans who had been under police protection since September 3rd were to be sent to Nagano or Niigata prefectures. Rumors spread that they would travel west on the Nakasendō road, and fire brigades and veterans' groups were on full alert. On the evening of the 4th, somehow the call went out for each household to provide one vigilante member, and vigilante groups quickly formed. A struggle for the Koreans began between police and vigilante groups. Kumagaya police station, with help from fire brigades and veterans' groups, sent the Koreans toward Fukaya and departed, but they were immediately attacked by vigilante groups. More than ten were killed instantly. When police bound up Koreans trying to flee desperately for their protection, this was misunderstood as evidence they were dangerous Koreans, leading to renewed chaos. By around 9 PM that night, a total of 43 had been killed at various locations including inside Kumagaya police station, in front of a ryokan in Honchō 3-chōme, and Tsukuba-chō. The next day, corpses lay piled up everywhere, and the entire area became a sea of blood. Also, at 1 PM on September 4th, a freight truck carrying 15 Koreans accompanied by 3 police officers and 5 fire brigade officials departed from Honjō police station. When it reached the ferry crossing in Kami village, Kodama county, villagers who believed the rumors along with villagers from across the Tone River came rushing with weapons like bamboo spears. The accompanying fire brigade officials fled, and the escort...
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▲Special Notice▲
This book had been prohibited from sale but publication has been permitted due to the lifting of the ban. Our association conducted on-site investigations in various areas at great personal risk from the day of the great earthquake onward and is publishing the truth.
...police officers desperately explained and telephoned the Fujioka Police Station in Gunma Prefecture across the river to negotiate the handover of the Koreans, but the station chief refused. Then a second escort vehicle from Honjō station arrived carrying 21 Koreans, further enraging the villagers and causing disorder. The two vehicles retreated to the front of Jinbōhara village police box. There, Honjō station chief Muradiso rushed by car with reinforcement officers from Kodama, Yorii, and Matsuyama stations to negotiate with Fujioka station and pacify the villagers. During this, over 300 members of Honjō's violent vigilante group, crazed with blood after slaughtering 86 people at Honjō station, came screaming and attacking. Joining with the villagers, they immediately harmed the Koreans, killing all 35 and stabbing two police officers with bamboo spears, causing serious injuries. The violence was beyond description. Station Chief Muradiso, who narrowly escaped death, took responsibility and was suspended. The next extreme vigilante violence occurred in Fujioka town, Gunma Prefecture, where rumors spread widely. On the morning of the 3rd, youth associations and veterans in various areas near Saitama Prefecture organized vigilante groups, armed with weapons and filled with murderous intent. Around noon on the 3rd, Fujioka police station investigated and released a Korean that Onishi town's vigilante group had captured for suspicious behavior, finding nothing suspicious. Fujioka's vigilante group became enraged, saying "How can police release someone who puts poison in wells?" and developed antipathy toward the police. They demanded the handover of 14 Korean construction workers who were being protected at the station at the request of a gravel company. With the station chief absent, station staff said to wait until the chief returned, but they wouldn't listen. Around 6 PM, vigilante groups armed with hunting rifles, bamboo spears, and Japanese swords shouted "Kill them all!" and stormed the police station, destroying the detention facility and bursting in, killing all 14 protected Koreans in just 1 hour and 30 minutes. Public Safety Section Chief Ban from the prefectural police headquarters rushed with over 10 officers by car, but it was like a battlefield with nothing they could do, so they returned. In Chiba Prefecture too, rumors spread widely. In Yaei village, Higashikatsushika county, when Korean workers on the Hokusō Railway construction became endangered, 13 soldiers from Narashino garrison escorted 37 Koreans at the company's request. About 60-70 members of Funabashi town fire brigade and youth groups armed themselves and falsely claimed they would escort the Koreans, took them over, and as soon as the soldiers disappeared, immediately slaughtered them all and buried them near the temporary burial ground in the town's Natsuo area. In Kanagawa, this occurred vigorously from the morning of the 2nd, and over 50 Koreans were killed during the three days of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. Bodies were mainly abandoned near railway tracks, but afterwards more bodies were thrown into fires or the sea, making exact numbers unknowable. Over 80 Koreans employed by a certain company were almost completely annihilated in a single night, presenting an unbearable tragic scene. In Tsurumi 7-8 were killed, in Kawasaki 4 out of 400 were killed. In Tokyo city and vicinity, several Koreans were killed by violent vigilante groups. The perpetrators have already been arrested and are currently on trial, so there is no freedom to report, but as a result of the rumors of Korean attacks spread by Yamaguchi Masanori and others, the tragic incident occurred where approximately 400 Koreans were killed throughout the Kantō region as described above. However, it is true that among these Koreans there were some disloyal elements.
Published by Disaster Prevention Research Association
"Earthquake and Fire Safety Evacuation Methods" - Price: 60 sen, Postage: 4 sen
Appendix: Full of explanations on safety evacuation methods and earthquake/fire-resistant construction methods by various expert doctors and authorities!