Gunma Prefecture has initiated the controversial removal of a memorial in the city of Takasaki’s Gunma Prefectural Forest Park (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
TAKASAKI, Jan. 31 (Korea Bizwire) – In the heart of Japan’s Honshu island, Gunma Prefecture has initiated the controversial removal of a memorial in the city of Takasaki’s Gunma Prefectural Forest Park, dedicated to Korean laborers from the Japanese colonial period. This action has sparked a backlash, with some Japanese media outlets calling for an immediate halt on the grounds of unfairness.
The Asahi Shimbun, known for its progressive stance, voiced its concern in an editorial, describing the prefecture’s decision to dismantle the memorial as a “sudden and incomprehensible act of violence.” The newspaper demanded that Gunma Prefecture Governor Ichita Yamamoto stop the removal process immediately.
Highlighting the context, the Asahi Shimbun pointed out that the prefectural authorities refused to renew the memorial’s installation permit after a participant mentioned “forced conscription” at an event held in front of the memorial in 2012, deeming it a political statement.
Despite this, the civic group that owns the memorial refrained from holding rallies for about a decade, and the installation initially received unanimous support from the Gunma Prefectural Assembly.
The paper criticized Governor Yamamoto for citing public interest as a reason for the removal without providing a satisfactory explanation of how the memorial adversely affects residents.
Gunma Prefectural Forest Park closed for construction. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Furthermore, the Asahi Shimbun took issue with a court ruling that upheld the local government’s decision to deny the renewal of the permit, stating, “The judiciary’s decision does not necessitate the removal, and it contains elements that are hard to accept, including a disregard for the adverse effects on freedom of expression guaranteed by the constitution.”
The newspaper suggested that the removal seemed like an attempt to undermine the civic group and advised that if the governor found no issue with the inscription itself but only with operational violations, he should seek a solution that honors the memorial’s original purpose.
The Asahi Shimbun also warned of a dangerous situation where a growing tendency to glorify pre-war Japan and the prefecture’s yielding to protests from certain groups under the guise of political neutrality could contribute to historical distortion.
The Korean laborers’ memorial in Gunma Prefecture was erected in 2004 by a Japanese civic group aiming to foster understanding of the history between the Korean Peninsula and Japan and promote friendship between the two sides.
The front of the memorial bears the phrase “Remembrance, Reflection, and Friendship” in Korean, Japanese, and English, while the back expresses deep remorse for the historical facts of significant harm and suffering caused to Koreans, pledging not to repeat such mistakes.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
