Nanjing Massacre Memorial Events in Vancouver, and Jeju 南京大虐殺追悼集会 in バンクーバー、そして済州島

On December 11, Vancouver Save Article 9 and Peace Philosophy Centre hosted an event: Remembering the Nanjing Massacre. Over forty people filled the small room at Roundhouse Community Centre in Downtown Vancouver - Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and European Canadians and more. 

We watched a film "Nanking" together, a film that is now available on Snagfilms. https://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/nanking

Satoko Oka Norimatsu introduced the event and the film: 

Thank you so much for coming to this event, Remembering the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre.

Film "Nanking"

This event is organized by Vancouver Save Article 9 and Peace Philosophy Centre. Vancouver Article 9 was established in 2005, and it is a citizen’s group that upholds and promotes the spirit of the war-renunciation clause of Japan’s post-war constitution. Peace Philosophy Centre is a peace education organization established in 2007. I am Satoko, and I am Co-chair of Vancouver Save Article 9 and Founding Director of Peace Philosophy Centre.  

I would like to first acknowledge that we are holding this event on the traditional and sovereign territories of Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil Waututh nations.  

Just as I recognize the colonial history of this land, I would like to stress that this event also recognizes the colonial history of the Empire of Japan and the suffering that it brought. 

Nanjing Massacre refers to a series of atrocities including massacre, rape, pillage and arson committed by the Japanese Army and Navy against Chinese civilians, wounded and surrendering soldiers, prisoners of war and stragglers who had given up arms. These crimes violated the international law of war and international humanitarian law. They happened during the time of the Japanese Army’s Nanjing Campaign and subsequent occupation of Nanjing, which started in the beginning of December 1937, and ended in March of 1938. This year marks the 81st anniversary. 

Film Nanking was released in 2007, produced by then vice-chairman of America Online Ted Leonsis and directed by Academy-award winning directors Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman.  I recommended this film for today’s occasion, because this film is neither a docufiction or docudrama, but a documentary, a well-balanced mix of news reels, photographs, testimonies by the surviving victims and former Japanese soldiers, and the staged reading of the actual words of the Westerners who were in Nanjing at that time to help save the lives of the Chinese people. So it is real history, presented in this film. 

Weaving activity for reflection,

facilitated by Youki

In the debriefing, I talked about my past two trips to Nanjing (2007 and 2017, to attend the 70th and 80th memorial event, respectively), particularly how I was touched by the kindness of the people I met there. The questions and comments from the audience included the collective memory of the history in the people of Nanjing in the present time, how the history is taught (or not) in China and Japan. 

Of course, Nanjing Massacre is a very heavy history to learn, and for many, it is hard to come up with any word to describe the feeling after watching such a film. Youki, an expressive art therapist facilitated an weaving activity as we reflected on our experience with the film and the history. 

This occasion in Vancouver is also linked to the annual Nanjing memorial event in Jeju Island, Korea. I sent a solidarity message to the people  there: 

A Solidarity Message from Canada

Back in 2016, I was shocked to know that people of Jeju Island commemorated the Nanjing Massacre on December 13, out of the sense of responsibility for the fact that Alddreu Airfield on Jeju island was then used as a launchpad for the Imperial Japanese air attacks against Nanjing and other places, during Japan’s aggressive war against China from 1937 to 45.

Of course, the people of Jeju Island at that time had no control over the deeds of Imperial Japan under its colonial rule. Many residents there were even forcefully mobilized to work on the construction and fortification of the Japanese airfield. In that regard, the people of Jeju were victims of the war more than anything else, as were the people of Nanjing and other places under the Japanese occupation.

Yet, the people of Jeju still commemorate the Nanjing Massacre today. This deeply moved me, and at the same time, shamed me. While these people of the victimized island remember the history, the vast majority of people in Japan are oblivious of it, and many, including some key government officials and politicians, even deny that it happened at all.

Omura Airfield in Nagasaki was also used for air attacks against Nanjing, but I have never heard of any effort there to remember the history in the way that those on Jeju Island do. In fact, the war memory of Nagasaki overwhelmingly revolves around that of the U.S. atomic-bombing of the city on August 9, 1945, and very few people there know or want to know anything about the aggressive character of the region.

I also felt ashamed about myself. Although I act as one of the leaders of an international study tour to Hiroshima and Nagasaki every year, I have only hosted or participated in commemorative events for the Nanjing Massacre three or four times in the past decade.

It was out of this sense of shame and responsibility, and with inspiration from the people of Jeju, that I pledged to myself that every December from now on, I would never miss remembering and mourning the hundreds of thousands of Chinese POWs and civilians who were unlawfully and brutally massacred, raped, and deprived, for weeks and months from the beginning of December 1937 till around the end of March 1938, the series of horrific war crimes called the Nanjing Massacre.

This year, on December 11, my colleagues of Vancouver Save Article 9 and I will host a local event to remember the victims of the Nanjing Massacre, and renew our pledge that we will never allow such history to repeat, for the sake of humanity and justice. Here I engage myself deeply in solidarity with the people of Jeju, as well as people of China, Japan, and around the world, in our joint efforts to eliminate violence and create a peaceful and sustainable world.

December 4, 2018

Satoko Oka Norimatsu 

Co-Chair, Vancouver Save Article 9

Director, Peace Philosophy Centre

Editor, the Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus

The Nanjing 81st events in Jeju 

My friend, artist and activist Choi Sung-Hee translated my message into Korean.

캐나다로부터의 연대 메시지

2016년, 나는 제주도민들이1937년부터 1945년까지 있었던 일본의 대 중국 침략 전쟁 기간, 제주도 알뜨르 비행장이 당시 난징과 다른 장소들을 공격하기 위한 일제의 발사대로 쓰였다는 사실을 알고 책임을 느끼며 12월 13일 난징대학살을 기념한다는 것을 알고 충격을 받았다.

물론 당시 제주도민들은 식민 통치 아래 일제의 행태에 대한 어떠한 통제도 갖지 못했다. 그 곳의 많은 주민들은 심지어 일본 비행장 건설과 요새화를 위해 일하도록 강제로 동원되었다. 그런 점에서, 제주도민들은 무엇보다 전쟁의 희생양이었다. 난징과 다른 곳의 사람들이 일본 점령 아래 놓여있었던 것처럼

그럼에도 제주도민들은 오늘날 난징 학살을 아직도 기념한다. 이는 나를 깊이 움직였다. 그리고 또한 동시에 나를 부끄럽게 했다. 이 희생된 섬의 사람들이 역사를 기억할 때 일본 대부분의 사람들은 그 것을 의식하지 못한다. 그리고 핵심 정부 관리와 정치인들을 포함하여 많은 이들이 그것이 일어났다는 것조차 부인한다.

나가사키 오무라 비행장 또한 난징을 침공하는데 쓰여졌다. 그러나 나는 제주도의 사람들이 역사를 기억하는 방식으로 그 곳이 노력한다는 소식을 듣지 못했다. 사실 나가사키의 전쟁에 대한 기억은 1945년 8월 9일 그 도시에 대한 미국의 핵폭탄 폭격에 관한 것이 압도적이다. 그리고 지역의 호전적인 성격에 대해 뭐라도 알거나 알려고 하는 사람은 거의 없다.

나 또한 내 자신이 부끄러웠다.비록 내가 매년 히로시마와 나가사키로 가는 국제 연구 여행 지도자들 중의 한 사람으로 활동하지만 지난 10년 동안 난징 학살 관련 기념 행사들을 서너번 주관하거나 참가했을 뿐이다.

이렇듯 부끄러움과 책임감에서, 그리고 제주도민들로부터 받은 감화에서, 나는 12월 초부터 1938년 3월 마지막에 이르는 몇 주 몇 달 동안 난징 대학살로 불리는 끔찍한 전쟁범죄 시리즈에서 불법적으로, 야만적으로 학살 당하고 강간당한 중국 전쟁 포로들과 시민들을 기억하고 애도하는 것을 결코 잊어버리지 않겠다고 스스로에게 맹세했다.

올 해 12월 11일 밴쿠버 세이브 9조 에서 같이 일하는 동료들과 나는 난징 학살의 피해자들을 기억하는 지역 행사를 가질 것이다. 그리고 인도주의와 정의를 위해 그러한 역사가 반복되는 것을 결코 허용하지 않을 것이란 우리의 맹세를 새롭게 할 것이다. 나는 이 곳에서 제주도민들과 또한 중국, 일본, 세계 곳곳의 사람들과 함께  폭력을 근절하고 평화롭고 지속 가능한 세계를 만들기 위한 공동의 노력에 깊게 연대하는 마음으로 참여할 것이다.

2018년 12월 4일

사토코 오카 노리마츠 (Satoko Oka Norimatsu)

밴쿠버 세이브 9조 공동 의장

평화철학센터 감독

아시아-태평양 저널: 재팬 포커스 편집장

See a Facebook post by artist and activist Sung-Hee to report the Jeju event.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/691041570975396/permalink/2041302082615998/
This is another friend and activist Kaia's report of the day.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/691041570975396/permalink/2042207705858769/