Japanese ethnology and Chosen people during Japanese annexation period

Seo, Hong Gwan; Shin, Jwa Seop

Abstract

Japan extended her territory since the end of 19th century, Sahalin island northward, Ryukyu islands southward. Japan annexed Chosen in 1910. The task of Japanase ethnology was how to describe and define the people of many races in Japanese territory. On the other hand Japanese ethnology was a confrontation of Japanese about the sense of superiority of the West. Japanese ethnology was the background of exploitation and discrimination of other Asian countries and their people. In that sense Japan imitated Western countries in an age of imperialism. Japanese ethnologist adopted two theories; one was an anthropology and another was the theory of evolution. They classified races into two categories, evoluted one and primitive one. Japanese government intended to utilize Asian people in respond to the advantages and disadvantages of each race. Kubo, Koganei, Kyono, and Hasebe were those who studied Chosen people. Kubo, a professor of department of Anatomy of Kyungsung Junior Medical College, was the most productive one in anthropology of Chosen people. He describes Chosen people as a primitive one. His prejudice about Chosen people was very closely related with so called "Kubo abusive words case". It was a symbolic happening rather than a personal defect in the perspective of the idea of Japanese ethnology about Chosen people.