Former Hashima Residents Challenge NHK's Falsified Video of Wartime Labor

On January 9, former residents of Hashima Island (commonly known as Gunkanjima or "Battleship Island") held a press conference in Tokyo. They addressed misrepresentations in NHK's (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) program, "Island Without Green." NHK's program featured footage that the broadcaster claimed showed the Hashima coal mine. However, the content of the film was not from the island.

In December 2024, during mediation at the Tokyo Summary Court, NHK acknowledged that it could not confirm the authenticity of the footage. Previously, South Korean media had misrepresented the authenticity of the video, claiming it was evidence of the inhumane treatment of Korean wartime laborers on Gunkanjima. The former residents' press conference served as a platform to denounce this injustice. However, neither NHK nor South Korean media representatives attended.

Emotional Pleas

"The NHK footage has been referenced as historical fact, spreading a fabricated negative image of Gunkanjima worldwide," one former resident stated, choking back tears.

At the beginning of the press conference, a special video highlighting instances where South Korean media had exploited the documentary was shown. A narrator explained how the footage influenced the 2017 South Korean film The Battleship Island (directed by Ryoo Seung Wan). Ryoo's film depicts scenes purporting to be of wartime Korean laborers being trapped and blown up in Hashima's tunnels.

Jitsuo Tanaka, a 90-year-old former deputy director of the Mitsubishi Coal Mining Takashima Mining Office, criticized the documentary's footage. "For years, people have used this footage to perpetuate false narratives in South Korea," he stated.

*Former deputy director of the Mitsubishi Coal Mining Takashima Mining Office Jitsuo Tanaka.*

Tanaka refuted claims by former Korean workers. These included suffering from gas exposure, having to dig on their stomachs, and carrying coal on their backs. His rebuttal was based on historical records and his own experiences.

Additionally, Tanaka also appealed to the media: "We ask for your strong support to achieve the goals of the former residents."

The press conference also honored Hideo Kaji, a former residents' association president who passed away in November 2024 at age 92. Yoichi Nakamura, an 86-year-old former resident, emotionally expressed the frustration and sadness of those whose hometown had been unfairly defamed.

NHK's Acknowledgment and Lack of Apology

During mediation, NHK admitted that it could not confirm whether "certain scenes, such as footage of tunnels lit by bare lightbulbs, were filmed inside the Hashima coal mine." While NHK's wording was indirect, a lawyer representing the former residents stated, "This essentially acknowledges that the footage was not from Hashima." However, NHK has not issued a formal apology despite requests from former residents.

"The former residents are baffled that NHK refuses even a moral apology," the lawyer remarked.

It has been four years since Hashima's ex-inhabitants first protested against NHK in November 2020. Many, including Kaji, have since passed away.

Calls for Accountability

Koko Kato, Executive Director of the National Congress of Industrial Heritage, which has supported the former residents, criticized NHK. "Why won't they apologize?" she questioned. "If a private company committed fraud, the media would condemn it. They should take responsibility for spreading false information and address the former residents and the public with honesty and sincerity."

*Executive Director of the National Congress of Industrial Heritage Koko Kato.*

While not satisfied with the mediation outcome, Kato highlighted it as a significant step forward. She praised the determination of the former residents. "Amid energy shortages, the people of Hashima drove Japan's rapid economic growth," she stated. "Their pride and unrelenting passion inspire our nation. We must preserve their testimonies and memories for future generations."

(Read the article in Japanese.)

Author: Shimpei Okuhara