청일전쟁 전후 일본 규슈(九州) 구마모토(熊本) 지역 국권주의 정당의 조선 ‘진출’ 논리의 전개 －자명회(紫溟會)-구마모토 국권당(熊本國權黨)의 여론 조성 활동을 중심으로－

Abstract

Shimeikai(紫溟會), which was Japan’s Kumamoto Kokkento(熊本國權黨), was organized mainly by traditional influential people within the area after the Seinan Senso(西南戰爭, Satsuma Rebellion) to claim to support the reconstruction of Kumamoto(熊本). They took precaution against the introduction of Western trends of thoughts in Japan and, at the same time, promoted a new political order around the emperor by overthrowing the Meiji oligarchy government. It was the concept of “expansion of national sovereignty” that they mobilized as the logic to keep the traditional order in the area and face the Meiji oligarchy government. Their logic behind Japan’s “advancement” into Joseon(朝鮮) was argued against this backdrop. For them, “advancement” into Joseon was a measure to maintain their vested rights in the area while following the traditional theory of contempt for Joseon. Following the Sino-Japanese War, Kumamoto Kokkento, which was a political party under Shimeikai, engaged actively in the activity of “advancing” into Joseon by jumping on the bandwagon of Japan’s political superiority to Joseon. They used “advancement” into Joseon to maintain their vested rights in the area. For this, they tried to move local people of Kumamoto to Joseon for economic gains and corrode the Japanese influence over Joseon. These efforts of Kumamoto Kokkento were systemized by the foundation of “Josenkai(朝鮮會)” comprised of the local community leaders of Kumamoto. They believed that the local people of Kumamoto should take the lead in Japan’s advancement into Joseon. It was possible to approach Kumamoto Kokkento’s theory of “advancing” into Joseon after the Sino-Japanese War through their newspapers including Kyushu nichinichishinbun Newspaper(九州日日新聞) and Hanseongshinbo(漢城新報). They considered the “assimilation” of Joseon people as an essential requirement for their influence to settle down in Joseon completely. It was their belief that Joseon people should be Japanized so that both Japan and Joseon could gain from it. There was, of course, their intention to fulfill the goal of Japanese people’s stable “advancement” into Joseon behind their perception rather than their care for Joseon people. In addition, Kumamoto Kokkento tried to exercise their influence on Japanese officials by taking the lead in the integration of social opinions among Japanese people living in Joseon whose communities were established around open ports around Joseon. These positions of Kumamoto Kokkento played huge roles in the formation of a Japanese community in Joseon and the basis of their opinions that had enormous impacts on Japan’s colonial policies.