[Japan]: Shutting Down Chongryon

[Owen]

The Japanese Government, now more empowered than ever to implement their will and to take more hardline approaches due to the implementation of the new Constitution have decided that the time is up for the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, also known as Chongryon. This organisation has been operating in Japan for nearly 45 years and its goal is to recruit Zainichi Koreans (stateless, permanent residents of Korean descent in Japan) into the cause of the North Korean regime. It has included operating 140 North Korean schools to indoctrinate children and is generally considered a mouth piece. While previously Japanese Governments have been reluctant to cause international incidents, the new Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi sees them as an affront to the Emperor and will not in anyway support Communists running amuck in Japan.

Last night, the Prime Minister passed legislation through the House of Representatives and the House of Peers declaring that Chongryon is an illegal organisation, including all its subsidiaries and businesses, and that they are not permitted to operate in Japan. In addition, all Zainichi Koreans who have taken up North Korean citizenship will be deported to North Korea. The Prime Minister has stressed that this does not apply to stateless Zainichi Koreans or South Korean citizens and that the Korean Residents Union in Japan (known as Mindan, which is affiliated with the South, will continue to operate as normal. Included in the Chongryon "shut down" would be:

• 3 Kindergartens
• 19 Elementary schools
• 34 Combined elementary and junior high schools
• 5 Combined elementary, junior high, and high schools
• 2 Junior high schools
• 3 Combined junior and senior high schools
• 4 High schools
• 1 University – Korea University (Japan)
• 8 Banks
• Zainichi Korean Science and Technology Association
• Chugai Travel

Roughly 30,000 have taken up North Korean citizenship and would be given their deportation orders, to fly out of Japan to China and onwards to North Korea. Japan would let China and South Korea know about this as many will inevitably attempt to enter China or South Korea illegally. The remaining members of Chongryon would be told that they're on notice and that they can leave Japan for North Korea anytime they like if the North Koreans granted them citizenship but that no one with North Korean citizenship will be allowed to stay in or enter Japan.

Police outside Chongryon headquarters in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo.​