Reading IO: Reproduction of Zainichi ton-po/dōhō Cultural Identity

Abstract

Zainichi or resident Koreans in Japan, spanning up to fifth generation, grow ever more diverse. As the first generation fades into memory, a constructed cultural memory provides a place of identification for the following generations. A site of active memory, remembering as a personal and cultural experience, is found in the Zainichi Ch?sen-jin ton-po/d?h? (community), a distinct segment of Zainichi, whose existence depends on the legacy of the first generation. This community is the focus of an ethnic magazine called IO. The magazine emphasizes “continuation” and reminds the younger generation of their “ethnic roots and history.” Its themes provide a connection, a bond of individuals that consciously live within a communal identity. Within assimilation into Japanese society, Zainichi identification is a matter of choice. This article argues that the identity of Zainichi Ch?sen-jin ton-po/d?h? is an active, everyday life - a life in progress and practice whose cultural identity relies upon a sense of common heritage, tradition, customs, and values of a constructed collective community. This identity is not something of the past but a living past that continues in the present and will be carried on to the future through active remembering of a shared ton-po/d?h? history.