'Zainichi' Koreans in Kyoto, Kanagawa prefs. enjoy exchange in face of hate speech, poverty

The Mainichi

22-05-2025

KAWASAKI -- A group of women from the Utoro district of Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, home to many "Zainichi" ethnic Korean residents, visited this east Japan city on May 21 to facilitate mutual exchange between compatriots in the two regions.
Both Utoro and the Sakuramoto district of the city of Kawasaki's Kawasaki Ward, Kanagawa Prefecture, have experienced a spate of hate crimes targeting Zainichi Koreans.
On May 21, elderly Korean women from both regions who have lived through hardship, facing discrimination and poverty, interacted with each other beyond their local communities and shared moments of happiness. The mutual visitation program started in 2023, when a group of Zainichi residents from Sakuramoto visited Utoro, and the latest event marked the second of its kind.
In Utoro, a 22-year-old man set fire to a building in the Korean settlement in 2021. The arsonist was quoted as saying that the attack "was aimed at terrifying Zainichi Koreans." Meanwhile, Sakuramoto has also been targeted in hate speech rallies. In 2020, the Kawasaki municipal Fureai-Kan hall, a regional multicultural inclusivity promotion facility, received a postcard threatening to kill Zainichi Koreans.
During the latest event, women from both Utoro and Sakuramoto recounted their tumultuous lives. A 94-year-old resident of Sakuramoto said that after her husband's death she continued to work until 86 to make a living. She then came across "Toraji no kai," a group of senior Zainichi residents in Sakuramoto. Through the group's activities, she sang and danced to Korean folk songs alongside fellow Zainichi residents of her generation, and petitioned the Kawasaki Municipal Assembly for an ordinance to ban hate speech, which was later introduced. She has also been teaching how to prepare kimchi at a local elementary school. "At 94, I find myself truly happy," she said.
An 84-year-old resident of Utoro said she identified with the woman from Sakuramoto. She recounted that she could hardly attend school due to work and looking after her younger sister, and also struggled financially. "I feel close to her even though we've just met, as she has gone through similar circumstances. The encounters today are a treasure," the Utoro resident said with a smile.
After sharing their stories, the participants engaged in traditional Korean performing arts and sang Korean folk songs. They danced together and promised to meet again.
(Japanese original by Yoshiya Goto, Photo and Video Department)