Based on official Japanese government records, this article examines wartime Korean labor mobilization and demonstrates that claims of mass forced abduction are inconsistent with documented facts.

2017-05-03
The following is an article originally published on July 20, 2014.
I began investigating who it was that first fabricated the claim of so-called forced abduction.
The result was shocking, yet at the same time unsurprising.
I will convey this matter to the world at a later date, but even the facts presented below are things that most Japanese people have remained completely unaware of.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Publication Collection No. 10, February 1960, Extracted Materials.
July 11, 1959 (Wednesday), Asia and Oceania Relations I.
Materials concerning the circumstances of the arrival and repatriation of Koreans residing in Japan, particularly wartime conscripted laborers.
It has been claimed and slandered in some quarters that most Koreans who came to mainland Japan during the Second World War, and consequently most Koreans currently residing in Japan, were forcibly brought by the Japanese government to be made to work, but this is contrary to fact.
The actual circumstances are as follows.
As of the end of 1939, the total number of Koreans residing in mainland Japan was approximately one million, but by the time immediately prior to the end of the war in 1945, this number had reached approximately two million.
Of the roughly one million increase during this period, approximately 700,000 resulted from individual migration by those who voluntarily came to mainland Japan seeking employment, as well as natural population increase through births.
Most of the remaining 300,000 came to mainland Japan under free contracts in response to recruitment for mining, industrial, and civil engineering work.
The number of so-called conscripted laborers introduced under the National Mobilization Order was only a very small portion.
Moreover, at that time, prescribed wages and other compensation were paid to them.
Originally, the National Mobilization Order was not limited to Koreans, who were, of course, Japanese nationals at the time, but applied to Japanese nationals in general.
In mainland Japan it had already been enforced in July 1939, but its application to Korea was restrained as much as possible.
Only in September 1944 was it first implemented with respect to laborers sent from Korea to mainland Japan.
Thus, the period during which so-called Korean conscripted laborers were introduced lasted only a short time, from September 1944 to March 1945.
After March 1945, the regular ferry service between Korea and Japan was suspended, making further introduction virtually impossible.
To be continued.