MPVA Did You Know (DYK) Series #11:
DID YOU KNOW THAT some Japanese stood beside Korea for its independence?
At the height of Japan’s colonial rule over Korea, Fuse Tatsuji and Kaneko Fumiko made a bold choice. One was a lawyer. One was an anarchist. Both were Japanese — and both risked everything to stand with Korea’s independence movement.
Fuse Tatsuji, a renowned human rights lawyer, courageously defended Korean students and activists detained after the February 8 Declaration in Tokyo and the March 1st Movement. His most significant case came in 1923: the high-profile trial of Park Yeol, a Korean anarchist accused of plotting to assassinate the Japanese emperor.
At Park's side was Kaneko Fumiko, his Japanese partner and fellow revolutionary. She had deliberately rejected her imperial citizenship to join Korea's struggle—not from mere sympathy, but from deep political conviction. Fuse defended them both, knowing full well the personal consequences he would face.
Their trial became a powerful demonstration of moral resistance. When Park and Kaneko boldly declared they would live and die as equals, Fuse stood firmly with them. For his principles, he was imprisoned and disbarred. Kaneko died in custody under suspicious circumstances at just 23 years old, having refused an imperial pardon that would have separated her fate from her Korean comrades.
In 2004, the Republic of Korea posthumously awarded both Fuse Tatsuji and Kaneko Fumiko the Order of Merit for National Foundation, recognizing their extraordinary courage and solidarity. To this day, they remain the only Japanese citizens ever to receive this prestigious honor.
As Korea and Japan commemorate 60 years of normalized diplomatic relations, the story of Fuse and Kaneko offers a powerful reminder that even in times of grave conflict, individual conscience can transcend national boundaries. Their legacy symbolizes our shared humanity—and demonstrates that meaningful reconciliation must be built on mutual respect for truth, justice, and those who risked everything to uphold them.
📚 LEARN MORE: F4K – Foreign Freedom Fighters for Korea
Fuse Tatsuji and Kaneko Fumiko are two among 76 international figures who have been formally recognized by the Republic of Korea for supporting its independence movement.
Their names are featured in the MPVA’s F4K (Foreign Freedom Fighters for Korea) series — a digital archive that honors the diplomats, journalists, missionaries, and activists from around the world who stood with Korea during its fight for freedom.