<研究ノート>在日韓国・朝鮮人の「若い世代」の台頭と民族教育の新しい展開

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyze the history of ethnic education of Koreans in Japan, and to describe the emergence of the "Minzokugakkyu" (ethnic class in Japanese school) movement among the young Koreans in Japan. There are over 650, 000 Koreans living in Japan. Most of them are former refugees and their descendants who had been driven out of their homeland in Korean peninsula during the Japanese colonial period. After coming to Japan for their living, they have experienced severe discriminations in the Japanese society. Ethnicity can be easily obtained by social difference and discrimination. It seems ironical that their hard conditions of being discriminated by the Japanese and the Japanese society have provided a base for relatively clear ethnic boundaries for the 1st and 2nd generation Koreans in Japan. But, today, the ratio of population of the younger (the 3rd and 4th) generations has become about 40%. And their sensitivity toward discrimination has rapidly changed since most of them have been culturally Japanized. Thus, the young generation Koreans feel difficulty in distinguishing themselves from the Japanese and the Japanese culture. Although culturally Japanized, they have to register as foreigners, something which makes them suffer identity crises. In this condition, "Minzokukyoiku" (ethnic education) meant to cultivate the pride of ethnic identity to the children of an ethnic minority group would be an effective alternative. But, the "Minzokukyoiku" which has been led by "Soren" (one of the organizations of Koreans in Japan that is close to the North Korean Government) is not free from the extreme nationalistic discourses of North Korea. At this point, "Minzokugakkyu", a relatively new type of ethnic education, which aims to cultivate egalitarian minority life in Japan with ethnic pride would become an alternative.