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Colognized by Japan
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- General Public
2026.01.09
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This petition is drafted as an effort to raise awareness and to document the historical record of Japanese colonial rule in Korea and the Japanese occupation of Indonesia during the Second World War. Japanese expansion constitutes a significant chapter in modern Asian history, leaving profound impacts on societies across East and Southeast Asia. Korea and Indonesia, although situated in different geographical and temporal contexts, both endured suffering as a result of Japanese military expansion, which deeply affected the social, economic, and humanitarian conditions of local populations.
Korea was under Japanese colonial rule for thirty-five years, from its formal annexation in 1910 until the end of the Second World War in 1945. During this period, Japan implemented a comprehensive colonial system that penetrated nearly all aspects of life, including the loss of sovereignty, restrictions on the use of the Korean language and culture, the exploitation of labor and natural resources, and the forced mobilization of the population for wartime purposes. These policies had long-lasting effects on Korea’s social structure and national identity.
Indonesia experienced Japanese occupation for a much shorter period, approximately three years between 1942 and 1945, following the defeat of the Dutch colonial administration in Southeast Asia. This occupation was militaristic and exploitative in nature, characterized by forced labor known as romusha, the confiscation of agricultural production, food shortages, famine, and various forms of violence against civilians. Despite its brief duration, the occupation had severe consequences and left deep trauma within Indonesian society.
The experiences of Japanese rule in Korea and Indonesia demonstrate that suffering caused by colonialism and war cannot be simplistically equated, as each region was shaped by distinct contexts, policies, and consequences. Nevertheless, both societies occupied a similar position as territories subjected to the authority of the Japanese Empire and endured structural oppression during this period. Understanding this history accurately requires a careful, evidence-based approach that respects the specific contexts and lived experiences of affected communities.
This petition seeks to emphasize the importance of an honest and proportional understanding of the history of Japanese rule in Korea and Indonesia, while encouraging the view that history should be studied as a source of knowledge and reflection rather than as a tool for oversimplification or conflict. By preserving historical memory in an objective and contextual manner, the experiences of the past can serve as meaningful lessons for present and future generations.
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