Kyodo News "No Words of Remorse... Concerns Over Historical Distortion" Pointed Out
With the 100th anniversary of the Kant? Earthquake approaching on the 1st of next month, Hirokazu Matsuno, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, is expected to spark controversy by officially stating that there are no records related to the massacre of Koreans at that time.
According to Kyodo News on the 30th, Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno avoided commenting when asked about the massacre of Koreans during the Kant? Earthquake at a morning press conference, saying, "There appear to be no records within the government that ascertain the facts." Kyodo reported that Matsuno also gave a negative response when asked whether the government intended to investigate the facts at the official level.
Kyodo pointed out that Matsuno did not express any words of remorse, stating, "There is concern about historical distortion as stories that question or deny the facts related to the massacre are spreading."
However, seemingly aware of the ongoing 'hate speech' against Korean residents in Japan and others, he gave a somewhat general response, saying, "Discriminatory remarks intended to exclude people of specific ethnicities or nationalities cannot be tolerated in any society. Efforts to eliminate discrimination against foreigners are being carried out through social networking services (SNS)."
Meanwhile, as the 100th anniversary of the Kant? Earthquake approaches on the 1st of next month, voices demanding a government-level apology for the Koreans who were victims are growing louder within Japan.
After the Kant? Earthquake occurred on September 1, 1923, rumors related to Koreans spread throughout Japanese society, resulting in the killing of an estimated 6,000 Koreans. However, the government does not acknowledge this, stating that there are no records to ascertain the facts.
Earlier, on the 9th, the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan held a press conference demanding that Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo, send a memorial statement for the Koreans who were victims. They pointed out, "For the past six years, the Tokyo Governor has not sent a memorial statement related to the massacre of Koreans during the Kant? Earthquake."
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