The Study Of Japanese Colonial Education Policy On Korean

Japan implemented a series of colonial education policies in Korea during its invasion in order to realize permanent rule. The characteristics of Japan’s colonial education vary during different stages. This paper examines changes and nature of the policies Japan implemented from 1910 when it annexed Korea to 1945 when it surrendered as well as Korea’s fight against colonial education. It consists of three parts:introduction, text and conclusion.The introduction part focuses on the purpose and significance of this research, research situation at home and abroad as well as method adopted in this paper.The text includes five chapters.Chapter one reviewed education in Korea before it was annexed by Japan in 1910. to demonstrate the colonial nature of Japan’s education in Korea, this chapter described Korea’s acceptance of modern education at the end of 19th century, the introduction of modern education system by the government and the emergence of modern schools. Before 1910 when Japan set up统监府 in Korea, Korean people had already realized the necessity and urgency of introducing modern education under the influence of Japan, the Qing Dynasty and western missionaries. Under the leadership of royal administration, new school system was launched and private schools were established, laying a foundation for modern education. After 1910, however, Korea virtually lost its sovereignty and its efforts of establishing a modern education system were brought to an end as Japan focused on revising school system and assimilating Koreans into the Japanese empire.Chapter two describes Japan’s implementation of colonial education policies and Korean people’s adherence to national education. Following the annexation of Korea in August,1910, the Japanese administration set up the Governor’s House and began its brutal rule. In 1911, the Governor’s House released the first Korea Education Decree which issued the guideline of "forming loyal citizens who keep pace with times". Under the guidance, japan established an easy yet pragmatic system different from its domestic one by cutting school years and limiting higher education and teacher training. To assimilate Koreans, Japan adopted various measures to promote teaching of Japanese language. In the meantime, the administration attached importance to vocational education in order to train manual labors to work for them while inhibiting the establishment of private school founded by Koreans. Despite the situation, Koreans remained committed to promoting national education and spreading patriotic idea secretly through private and night schools.The third chapter expounds the adjustment situation of Japan’s colonial education policy in Korea after the outbreak of March 1st Movement. Awed by the upsurge of anti-Japanese sentiment of Koreans in the March 1st Movement, also for preparing for the invasion of China, Japan turned to "Cultural Politics" in Korean. On education, the Governor General of Korea released the second Korea Education Decree, advertising to implementing the same education policy with Japan. The specific measures included expanding primary education, establishing Keijo Imperial University, strengthening assimilation education and enterprise education. However, the fundamental purpose of these policies was to strengthen the conciliation and differentiation of the Koreans. Compared with the Japanese in Japan and Korean, the national difference education still existed. In this condition, some far-sighted personages in Korean began to explore a new way of nation liberation. They launched "Power Developing" campaign, including cultivating fighting force through the development of modern national education, and then forming a education boom, establishing private universities and improving academies. During the process, the patriotic students inherited the spirits of national independence and set up all kinds of patriotic groups. They protested the colonial education of Japan through aligned suspension of schooling and launched the 6.10. Movement and Kwangju Student Movement against the colonial rule of Japan.The fourth chapter discusses the "Kominka" education policy implemented by Japan in Korea before the war of aggression against China until the Pacific war. After the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese war in July 1937, in order to turn Korea to a solid rear base, Japan launched an extreme policy of national assimilation, the "Kominka" policy. After the publishing of the third Korean Education Decree, "Kominka" education was implemented toward the Koreans. In the school, the "Kominka" thought was instilled to the students by adjusting the course contents and Settings, such as using common Japanese, adding courses of spiritual education, attending physical education classes and music classes, etc. While outside school, the Mikado System was injected by forcing Koreans to recite "the imperial subjects of the emperor oath", the perform Soshi-kaimei and to visit the shrine, etc. After analyzing the essence of "kominka" education policy, this chapter analyzes the impact imposed by the series of extreme ethnic killing policy to the national spirit of Koreans, and investigates the struggle against the colonial education by Koreans.The fifth chapter discusses the special education policy implemented in Korea during the wartime from Japan’s starting of the Pacific war to its defeat. After Japan’s starting of the Pacific war in 1941, Korea was forced to enter a wartime system. In 1943, the Governor General of Korea released the fourth Korea Education Decree, the basic principle of which is "National Tempered", and education is fully incorporated for serving military and politics. The special education measures including strengthening the spiritual education, expanding the industrial education and strengthening the military education were implemented in Korea by Japan during wartime. In addition, the military mobilization and labor force mobilization further impaired the original function of education and education became a tool serving for the war.Conclusion part summarizes the main point of the thesis, and expounds the characteristics and essence of the colonial education in Korea implemented by Japan.