Languages & Cultures of East Asia
Trad 101, Sections
18-19-20-21 Fall 2000
Lecture Outline, 10/25/00 - Koreans in China and Japan
Review: Marginalized groups in Japan
Ainu
Where do they live?
Ainu people
Language
assimilated to ethnic Japanese
Okinawans
Okinawa, other Ryukyu islands
1 million people
language (Ryukyuan)
little political autonomy; poor
burakumin ("village" + "person")
outcast/untouchable
identical to other Japanese racially, ethnically, culturally, linguistically
not linguistic minority
2-3 million (the largest minority group)
discrimination
employment, marriage opportunities
poverty, low education, unemployment (50%), crime, alcoholism
Koreans in Japan
immigration started in 1910 (the annexation of Korea to Japan)
brought to Japan unwillingly between 1938-1945 (war)
cheap laborers and soldiers
suppression and assimilation policy
did not have the rights/privileges of Japanese citizens
treated as second-class nationals
Korean language and culture suppressed
forced to abandon their ethnic identity
had to assimilate to the Japanese norms
had to use Japanese
after the war, many Koreans stayed
the chaotic situation in Korea
limitations imposed by the American occupational forces
the outbreak of the Korean War
690,000 (plus 100,000 naturalized)
mostly alien residents
widely scattered, Korean ethnic ghettos in big cities
most do not know Korean
only 20% children go to ethnic schools
no government funding
government discourages it
identity: many change names to Japanese, low self-esteem
high rate of intermarriage, but many problems
negative self-identity
Koreans in China
immigration started in 1880s
accelerated after 1910
1.8 million
most live in northeastern region 42% in Yanbian
most born in China
political autonomy
ethnic schools at all levels, funded by the Chinese government
maintain a high level of ethnicity, culturally and socially
maintain their language, 90%
maintain traditional customs, sports and values
ethnic identity
proud of being Korean
consider themselves to be Koreans rather than Korean Chinese
factors contributing to different levels of ethnicity
1. minority policy
China: recognizes the value of ethnic diversity
encourages maintenance of minority languages and customs
Japan: has not recognized Koreans as a minority group
reat them as aliens
most have chosen to remain as unnaturalized aliens
no welfare benefits, not eligible for pensions
no funding for Korean schools, abolished many Korean schools
2. immigrant vs. colonized minorities
Japan: a majority of them moved there involuntarily
looked at as second-class citizens
China: went there for economic reasons
accepted as equals
3. territorial base
China: 40% of Koreans in Yanbian, an isolated area
provides a territorial base for ethnic autonomy
encourages interactions among Koreans
Japan: widely scattered
4. influence from Korea
China: close contact with Korea
physical and political proximity
exchange visits
cultural exchange programs between North Korea and Yanbian
Japan: has not kept close connections with Korea
physical and political distance between Japan and Korea
in China: maintained high levels of ethnic autonomy and positive identity
in Japan: have lost most of their cultural tradition, suffered from negative ethnic
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