<ARTICLES>Creativity of the Narrative of Suffering of Korean A-Bomb Survivors: How reconciliation and redress might be achieved

Abstract

The purpose of this essay is to consider how the suffering caused by Japanese colonization and invasion could be eased in an East Asian context and how transnational solidarity among citizens might be possible without getting caught up in excessive nationalism and ethnocentrism. Looking into the politico-cultural landscape in East Asia today, we easily recognize the heightened tension between Korea, China and Japan. In the modern history of East Asia, the Empire of Japan exercised hegemony over other nations. It colonized Korea at the beginnig of the last century. It also invaded China with much bloodshed and set up a puppet regime in the northeastern China, Manchukuo. This history caused indescribable suffering and great animosity and resentment among the victimized people in East Asia. It clearly led to the present anti-Japanese sentiment in Korean and Chinese society. Then, how could these sufferings caused by state violence be healed? How could we, the citizens of East Asia reconcile with one another? Seventy years or more have passed since Japan's defeat and many war-victims have died without any compensation or apology from Japan; however, some survivors such as Korean A-Bomb sufferers (hibakusha) began to speak out about painful experiences in order to restore their violated human dignity. How should their voices be heard and how can their lost human dignity restored? And lastly, how might the reconciliation between those peoples be reached? When an individual victim requests positive measures of redemption for past suffering, there emerges a community of suffering. In this community, each personal oral narrative would be repeated and stylized. This study will focus on this point and examine its creative potential.