Mindan Support Center for Refugees from North Korea was established in June 2003. The Center provides humanitarian support for making stable living in Japan for the former fellow Korean residents in Japan (ex-Zainichi) , who moved to North Korea many years ago and recently escaped from North Korea to return to Japan.

Chosen Souren and North Korea conspired to drag in the Japanese government, the Japanese Red Cross, and the mass media to promote the repatriation to North Korea project against the fierce opposition from the Mindan.

It became clear recently that among the repatriates to North Korea (former Korean residents in Japan who moved to North Korea), about 70 people including Japanese wives escaped North Korea and came back to Japan as of February 2005.

They escaped from North Korea because of severe oppression, poverty, and food shortages. The only way to survive was to escape from North Korea.

The ex-Zainichi compatriots who escaped from North Korea and came back to Japan are having various difficulties in Japanese language, finding jobs and housing, and adjusting to Japanese society.

Since many of them left behind their family members in North Korea, they are fearful of appearing in public in Japan. They are afraid of North Korean government’s retaliation against their family. Therefore, they can only act in limited capacity.

North Korea still oppresses the ex-Zainichi repatriates to North Korea. Moreover, if the atrocious food shortages continue, more of the repatriated fellow countrymen including Japanese wives are expected to escape from North Korea and return to Japan.

The Mindan Support Center does not facilitate or support the escapes of the repatriated ex-Zainichi people from North Korea. The Center supports the ex-Zainichi people who already escaped from North Korea and came back to Japan and the future escapees to have decent life in Japan.

We are trying to provide warm and humanitarian support for them. We share common historical background and have strong compassion and understanding for many of the hardships they faced in North Korea.

We are asking for warm support and understanding from the fellow Korean compatriots in Japan and the Japanese people.

People who escaped from North Korea. Most of them cross the border to China which is connected by land from North Korea. They hide in China for a while and then go to South Korea or Japan.

It is estimated that about 100,000 to 200,000 people escaped from North Korea because of severe political oppression and food shortages. But if they are caught by the Chinese authorities while hiding in China, they are sent back to North Korea and face harsh punishments. There is growing consensus for protecting and rescuing the escapees as refugees.

Among the ex-Zainichi repatriates to North Korea (former Korean residents in Japan who moved to North Korea starting in 1959), about 70 fellow ex-Zainichi people including Japanese wives escaped from North Korea and came back to Japan.

Primary reason for mental suffering is as result of death from starvation, torture, and public execution of family, relatives, and friends in North Korea and discrimination against the fact that they came from Japan. Secondly, suffering comes from hiding and being on the run from the authorities and also from betrays from supporters.

Thirdly, even if the ex-Zainichi refugees were able to come back to Japan safely, they are bewildered by some changes of Japanese language from the past and some English words and displays and from the various changes of Japanese culture and people. The escapees also constantly worry about the families left behind in North Korea and many of them suffer from depression and insomnia.

The Center introduces hospitals where they can receive medical examination in Korean language and also cover the medical expenses. Acccording to a Zainichi psychiatrist, many of the refugees are also suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). The Center sometimes visits patients together with doctors and also helps the patients to go to hospitals for medical treatment.

Members of the Mindan who own companies which have company housing provide open rooms to the refugees free of charge.

Negotiate with Japanese ward offices and city halls for available public housing.

Enroll the refugees at Japanese language schools run by fellow Zainichi people (Korean residents in Japan) free of charge (normal rate is 1million yen for 1.5 years). Also introduce to Japanese language schools run by volunteers.

Since many of the escapees left family members in North Korea, they fear appearing in public in Japan. If North Korea finds out their existence in Japan, North Korean government might do harm to the family members left behind. Because of this, most of the refugees can not openly build friendships and relationships and often are isolated.

Hold get-together meetings for the refugees every 6 month. The refugees are very happy to see other refugees and this helps them to talk and share advices about their life in Japan. This also helps them to communicate and learn about the recent situation in North Korea.

Approximately 100,000 Zainichi (Korean residents in Japan) moved to North Korea

Started with 975 Zainichi compatriots going to Cheong-jin port of North Korea by ship on December 14, 1959.

By December 1967, the number of Zainichi moving to North Korea increased to 88,611 with 155 shipping trips. It was suspended for sometime but resumed in May of 1971. The total number of Zainichi (Korean residents in Japan) including Japanese wives moving to North Korea reached 93,000.

Korean residents in Japan (Zainichi compatriots) were having difficulties living in Japan due to severe poverty and discrimination. By taking advantage of this situation, the Chosen Souren (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea = North Korea) carried out untrue propaganda that North Korea is paradise on earth and is the fatherland of the socialist countries.

The Mindan declared a statement in December 1959 by the name of 「National Committee for Opposing the Repatriation of the Zainichi Compatriots to North Korea」. 「We as fellow countrymen with deep compassion and great sorrow, want to declare to the world about the illegal and brutal plan of the Japanese government to deport the Zainichi compatriots in Japan by force to North Korea」.

Japanese government’s 「getting rid of the nuisance」, expelling the Zainichi people

Foreign Ministry of Japan made open to public certain documents recently. It confirmed that the Repatriation to North Korea project was carried out because the Japanese government wanted to get rid of the nuisance, the Korean residents in Japan.　The documents were made open to public based on information disclosure law by the request from Mr. Takamine Kawashima, assistant professor of information communication division of Meiji University.

Professor Kawashima first requested the disclosure of information from the foreign ministry on August 20, 2001. By October 31, 2003, 2,000 pages of documents were released to public.

From the 2,000 pages of documents, Professor Kawashima analyzed 550 pages which had significance regarding the decision making process to reach the agreement on repatriation of the Zainichi (Korean residents in Japan) to North Korea signed between the Japanese and North Korean Red Cross. The process was from February 13, 1959 to the opening of Geneve conference on April 13.

Release of the secret document titled 「Inside information on the process of Japanese cabinet' s decision making」was the first time and gathered much attention. It reveals that the Japanese government inhumanely hurried the repatriation to North Korea of the Zainichi compatriots in spite of the strong opposition by the Korean government.

The main reason for the repatriation was said to be security concerns. The document states that crime rate of the Zainichi people was 6 times that of the Japanese people and it argued for fast solution for this problem. It further argues and shows hostility against the fact that the number of Zainichi household receiving financial support was 19,000 households with 81,000 people and it costs the national and the local government 1.7 billion yen per year.

No mention of re-entry to Japan

Mr. Masutarou Inoue, a high-ranking official of the Japanese Red Cross' foreign division, who was negotiating with North Korea regarding the repatriation of the Zainichi compatriots sent a telegram to Japan from Geneve on March 24, 1959. According to the telegram, Mr. Inoue thought that confirming the Zainichi people's willingness and understanding of the repatriation to North Korea was very important.

Up to the very minute of the embarkation, Mr. Inoue argued for the necessity of asking the Zainichi compatriots questions such as 「Do you fully understand the terms and conditions of the repatriation?」,「Do you know that you will not be able to return to Japan ever again?」. But unfortunately, it seems that these questions were not properly asked to confirm their willingness to go to North Korea.

Professor Kawashima said 「According to the documents released, there was no mention about the Zainichi compatriots ‘ rights to re-enter Japan」.

It was obviously one-way ticket. There was no evidence of investigation for how the Zainichi people would be treated in North Korea which was an important issue.

It concluded that the Japanese government chose to reduce the Zainichi people themselves rather than to make efforts to decrease discrimination against the Zainichi people in Japan.

<Volunteers for making living in Japan>
①Japanese language education
Teacher certificate is not required. If you can have everyday conversation in Japanese with the refugees, that will be a big help.
②Means of everyday life
Volunteers for teaching how to use various transportation, how to use banks, how to go shopping, and other necessary knowledge about everyday life.

Please register for volunteers.
Help! The refugees need your support.
Mindan Support Center for Refugees from North Korea

The refugees need your support.

Mindan Support Center for Refugees from North Korea