2025/07/13 by Rumi Sakamoto · 1 voice
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Japanese History and Culture #Korean Peninsula Historical and Political Studies #Memory, Trauma, and Commemoration
paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/10357823.2025.2525153
openalex publication_date 2025/07/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/15
East Asian conflict over historical memories is often viewed as a product of clashing nationalisms, not only at the formal state level but also through the involvement of non-state actors and narratives. This article examines the memory activism of the National Congress of Industrial Heritage regarding Japan’s use of Korean forced labourers during World War II. It suggests that transnational and local elements, as well as nationalism, have played a role in the group’s revisionist memory work that negates Korean memories of forced labour on Hashima Island. While it is tempting to dismiss such a group as aggressive nationalists and deniers of history, a close look at the internal structure of its ideology reveals increasingly sophisticated politics of articulation that incorporate different elements into its ideology. Particular attention is paid to the construction of locally based counter-memories and engagement with contemporary global memory culture to add affective force to their political agenda. This study also highlights a relatively under-explored type of memory activism, which aims to generally support, rather than challenge, official state causes and narratives.