I had 2 great experiences and these experiences made me think that Zainichi Koreans or any other Koreans are the same as we(Japanese) are. However, as we watched movies (Pacchigi and Go), there are still people who discriminate Zainichi Koreans in Japan. But, in this cultural activity(below) we did in a school, Japanese can make friends with them and we can have better understand about them so I hope that many schools do some kinds of activity.

First, I went to an elementary school that is next to “Kongougakuenn”. “kongougakuen” is a school that only Zainichi Koreans and other Korean go to and we had many chances to talk to them and do a lot of activity. We did Korean culture together such as ”Kyusyougatu”(Korean New Year). In Korea, there are another new year celebration time. Like this, Japanese and Koreans go together and hang out.

Second, in a junior high school, some friends belonged to a club that people talk about their mothers or fathers and do Korean culture. They don’t keep secrets. Also, in a school, Japanese didn’t discriminate those Korean people and Koreans are very proud of their father and mother. In the movie, Japanese hate and discriminate them. However, in my school, it doesn’t happen. I know that some people still hate Korean or Chinese people in Japan, but there are many human and we shouldn’t decide where they are born.

Finally, When people discriminate or speak ill of them, they just don’t have better understanding about others. Therefore, as I experienced above, we need to communicate and hang out together at the early stage of your life. Sometimes people say that learning culture or languages and hang out them is not really important, but doing these things in your elementary school or junior high school gives a lot of effect in your life especially when they are young. If you have those friends (even if they are not Zainichi Koreans such as dark-skinned people or other), you cannot do stupid things.
Japanese who don’ t well understand foreigners hurt them badly as we see the lecture slides. For example, they don’t throw ocha or natto away. I really hope that Japanese don’ t do things like that in the future.

Zainichi is now one part of Japan. Not like as past, the Zainichi`s status changed a lot in decades. The reasons for that, we can raise high popularity of Kpop singers, actor and actresses recently. Korean culture became poplar in Japan and those affected Japanese change their images to Korean. Compare to the past, now some of Japanese admire Korean and visits Korea tons of times. Not only that Korean entertainment movement, the real Zainichi success in Japan affected many to take a look at the situation of Zainichi. Not only to Japanese but also Korean as well. Here I want to discuss two successful Zainichi, Masayoshi Son, the CEO of Softbank;the biggest mobile phone industry, and Chungsung, Lee; soccer player.

Masayoshi Son is now inevitable character when we discuss Japan`s economy. Outstanding planning and design for advertisement made successful development of Softbank. Many books are sold which tells the stories of Masayoshi. He is 3^rd generation Zainichi. His grandfather compulsory moved to Japan. Like the other Zainichi, Masayoshi also bullied from other Japanese children. However, his father always told his son, Masayoshi, that he could do anything and he is the best. This great education made him strong and leads him to study abroad in USA. He then, it was the first time in his lifetime which he faced equal society. In the USA, all the people are treated same and they were estimated by their abilities not their nationalities. In the circumstance, Masayoshi can concentrate on studying IT and economy, which lead the one of the top company in Japan

Chunsung Lee, is also the Zainichi. Unlike Masayoshi, he has faced more discrimination. That was because he raised as he is Korean, he endured every tackles of Japanese. However, when he could enter Korean team, Korean pointed him as Japanese as using the word “Chokbari”; the bad word used in Korea when criticizing Japanese. He then shocked from the reality. What he had believed to be his country did not welcome him. He was in the other words, homeless. He belonged nowhere. Now, he came back to Japan.

Those two successful people tell us that why Japan and Korean cannot catch up USA and lack of knowledge among Zainichi. In reality, Korean does not handle about Zainichi problem in children education. Sometimes media focus them, however sooner or later they are forgettable. It is a very sad reality. Therefore, there is no way but more Zainichi to learn and successful and become inevitable characters in Japan like those two, who have very influential on every movement and saying.

son jungwee -http://100.naver.com/100.nhn?docid=777197

by. Sujin Kim