New Books from Japan #5: "Chosenseki: A History of the Legal Marker of Koreans in Postwar Japan"

New Books from Japan #5

『歴史のなかの朝鮮籍』

Chosenseki: A History of the Legal Marker of Koreans in Postwar Japan　

Presenter: 鄭栄桓 (Chong Young-hwan, Meiji Gakuin University)

Discussant: Sayaka Chatani (National University of Singapore)

On May 2, 1947, the concept of "Chosen nationality" appeared in the Japanese alien registration system for the first time, and has continued to exist until the present day. The history of this strange "nationality" given to Koreans who continued to live in Japan after liberation from colonial rule is elucidated through a close reading of primary source documents, including diplomatic correspondence between Japan and Korea; administrative documents of the Ministry of Justice and local governments; court records; and documents left behind by political parties and ethnic solidarity organizations.

1947年5月2日、日本の外国人法制に登場し、今日に至るまで存続している「朝鮮籍」。植民地支配からの解放後も日本で暮らし続けた朝鮮人たちに与えられたこの奇妙な「国籍」の歴史を、日韓の外交文書、法務省や地方自治体の行政文書、裁判記録、そして政党・民族団体の残した文書などの一次史料を精緻に読み解くことで明らかにする。