September 1st is not a day for disaster prevention, but a day to remember the “Massacre of Koreans” during the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, according to the Cyber Diplomacy Organization VANK, which is launching a global campaign to raise awareness about the tragic event on its 100th anniversary.
A century ago, on September 1, 1923, during the Great Kanto Earthquake, false rumors spread by the Japanese government falsely accused Koreans of poisoning wells and committing arson, leading to the indiscriminate killing of around 6,000 Koreans by vigilantes and others.
However, even after 100 years, the Japanese government continues to deny the historical truth of the massacre. On August 30, 2023, in a press briefing, Hirokazu Matsuno, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary, reiterated the government’s stance, stating, “There is no record to substantiate claims of mass killings,” without acknowledging any reflection or lessons learned from the tragic event.
In the aftermath of the earthquake, Japan’s Ministry of the Interior had sent out misinformation to local authorities, perpetuating the false narrative of a “Korean uprising.” This revealed that the Japanese government was directly or indirectly involved in the massacre of Koreans.
To build lasting peace in Asia, Japan must confront the historical truth of the massacre and educate the Japanese people about the innocent lives lost during the Great Kanto Earthquake. Yet, the Japanese government continues to commemorate September 1st as “Disaster Prevention Day,” deliberately erasing the memory of the Koreans’ suffering from the collective consciousness of the Japanese public.
In response, VANK is spearheading a campaign to raise awareness that September 1st should not be remembered as “Disaster Prevention Day,” but as the “Massacre of Koreans Day.” The organization will distribute posters in Korean, English, and Japanese through social media to inform the public worldwide.
The posters will include the following message:
“September 1st is not ‘Disaster Prevention Day,’ but the ‘Day of Massacre of Joseon’s people.’ The Japanese government denies that approximately 6,000 Joseon people were massacred by Japanese vigilantes during the Kanto earthquake on September 1st, 1923.”
The distortion of the Great Kanto Earthquake history can lead to racial discrimination and hatred.
On the 100th anniversary of the Great Kanto Earthquake, September 1st must be remembered as the ‘Massacre of Koreans Day.’”
Along with the posters, VANK is circulating a global petition to prevent the minimization and concealment of the massacre’s truth. The petition highlights that the Japanese army and police spread false rumors of “Korean uprisings,” which led to the deaths of approximately 6,000 Koreans. This event has been described as an “Asian Holocaust,” drawing a parallel to the Holocaust carried out by Nazi Germany.
The petition has already garnered support from 3,300 people worldwide.
Global Petition:
http://www.maywespeak.com/massacre