Yamaguchi pays respect for Korean victims of Great Kanto Earthquake

September 2 , 2024

On September 1, Chief Representative Natsuo Yamaguchi and other Komeito officials attended a memorial service held on the anniversary of the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake that claimed over 100,000 lives in the Tokyo-Yokohama area. Organized by the Korean Residents Union in Japan with some 300 people attending, the service is held in memory of the thousands of ethnic Koreans who were massacred by Japanese vigilantes, incited by baseless rumors and anti-socialist hysteria, and condoned by the imperial government at the time.

Also in attendance was the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to Japan, His Excellency Park Cheol-hee. He said that to further develop bilateral ties was the responsibility of both Koreans and Japanese for the sake of future generations and that dialogue and humility were keys to forge deeper cooperation between the two countries.

In his speech, Yamaguchi said it was imperative to acknowledge the stark facts of history and called on the people of the two countries to work together in building a society of harmonious coexistence that will never allow similar tragedies from ever taking place again.

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