Japanese Korea

Japanese Korea
Conventional long name	Korea under Japanese rule
Era	Empire of Japan
Year start	1910
Year end	1945
Event start	Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910
Date start	August 22
Event end	Surrender of Japan
Date end	August 15
P1	Korean Empire
Flag p1	Flag of Korea (1882–1910).svg
S1	United States Army Military Government in Korea
S2	Soviet Civil Administration
Flag s2	Flag of the Soviet Union (1923–1955).svg
Symbol type	Imperial Seal
Image map caption	Map of Chōsen in 1927.
Capital	Keijō (Seoul)
Common languages	Japanese (official), Korean
Currency	Korean yen
Title leader	Emperor
Leader1	Meiji
Year leader1	1910–1912
Leader2	Taishō
Year leader2	1912–1926
Leader3	Hirohito
Year leader3	1926–1945
Title representative	Governor-General
Representative1	Terauchi Masatake
Year representative1	1910–1916
Representative2	Minami Jirō
Year representative2	1936–1942
Representative3	Koiso Kuniaki
Year representative3	1942–1944
Representative4	Nobuyuki Abe
Year representative4	1944–1945

Japanese Korea refers to the period when the Korean Peninsula was under the colonial administration of the Empire of Japan, following the formal annexation in 1910 until the end of the Second World War in 1945. This era was characterized by direct rule from Tokyo through the office of the Governor-General of Korea, which implemented policies of economic extraction, political repression, and cultural assimilation. The period concluded with Japan's surrender to the Allied Powers, leading to the peninsula's division and the subsequent Korean War.

Background and annexation

The path to annexation began with Japan's victory in the Russo-Japanese War, which solidified its regional dominance and led to the 1905 Eulsa Treaty, establishing a protectorate over the Korean Empire. Key figures like Itō Hirobumi, the first Resident-General of Korea, oversaw the consolidation of control, culminating in the forced abdication of Emperor Gojong. Following Itō's assassination by An Jung-geun in 1909, the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910 was signed under Terauchi Masatake, formally annexing Korea and ending the Joseon dynasty's sovereignty.

Colonial administration

The territory, officially named Chōsen, was governed by a military-led Governor-General appointed by the Emperor of Japan. Early administrators like Terauchi Masatake and Hasegawa Yoshimichi ruled under a strict "military police" system, suppressing dissent through instruments like the Peace Preservation Law. The administration was centralized in Keijō (modern Seoul) and extended its reach through a reformed bureaucracy, a modernized military apparatus, and infrastructure projects like the Gyeongbu Line railway, all designed to facilitate control and integration into the Japanese Empire.

Economic exploitation and development

The colonial economy was restructured to serve Japan's industrial needs, focusing on agricultural extraction and later wartime industrialization. Major corporations like Mitsubishi and Nippon Steel controlled resources, while rice production was intensified for export to the Japanese archipelago, contributing to local shortages. Infrastructure such as the Sup'ung Dam and the port of Busan was developed to support resource transfer. The wartime economy under Minami Jirō further mobilized Korean labor for industries in Manchukuo and mainland Japan, often under coercive conditions.

Cultural policies and assimilation

Policies aimed at erasing Korean identity intensified, particularly under Governor-General Minami Jirō and the wartime mobilization. The 1937 campaign to "Japanize" names, known as Sōshi-kaimei, forced Koreans to adopt Japanese surnames. The use of the Korean language was suppressed in education and media, with Shinto shrines like the Joseon Shrine erected to promote State Shinto. Educational reforms through institutions like Keijō Imperial University aimed to create loyal imperial subjects, while Korean cultural heritage was often appropriated or dismantled.

Resistance and independence movement

Resistance took many forms, from the nationwide non-violent protests of the March 1st Movement in 1919, which led to the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai, to armed struggles like the Battle of Fengwudong and the Battle of Qingshanli waged by the Korean Independence Army. Key leaders included Kim Gu, Syngman Rhee, and Kim Il Sung, while organizations like the Korean Patriotic Legion carried out operations against colonial officials. The Korean Liberation Army was later formed to fight alongside the Allies.

End of colonial rule and legacy

Colonial rule ended abruptly with the Surrender of Japan on August 15, 1945, following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet invasion of Manchuria. The peninsula was subsequently divided at the 38th parallel north into American and Soviet zones of occupation, a decision made at the Potsdam Conference and later solidified at the Moscow Conference. The period left a deep legacy of trauma, including issues of forced labor, comfort women, and collaboration, which continue to affect relations between South Korea, North Korea, and Japan. The division directly led to the establishment of separate states and the devastating Korean War.

Category:Former countries in East Asia Category:History of Korea Category:Empire of Japan