[KS] Fuji Kawashima

[robinson at icu.ac.jp]

Dear Colleagues,

When I arrived at International Christian University, in Tokyo, to begin
teaching in the Division of Social Sciences, I was concerned about the
library's collection of Korea-related materials.  Soon I found the full
set of the "ChosOn wangjo sillok" (1971) and the full set of the
"SUngjOngwOn ilgi" (1972).  Then I found the six-volume "ChosOn sa," the
"Hanguk sa," that multi-volume set prepared by the Kuksa P'yOnch'an
WiwOnhoe, and volumes from Kukp'yOn's "Hanguk saryo ch'ongsO" series. 
Several months later, while casually exploring a book storage area
otherwise locked, I found several more titles, including "Kukcho pangmok,"
that reproduction of the rosters of examination passers published in 1971,
and the "Ch'OngsOngo," that under-appreciated and under-utilized
three-volume set published in 1972.  And among the journals were full runs
of "Sahak yOngu" and "YOksa hakpo."  My worries were greatly alleviated.

I noted the clustering of publication dates in the first half of the
1970s, but thought little of it until I learned that Fuji Kawashima had
been an Assistant Professor of History in the Division of Social Sciences
at ICU from September 1972 through August 1976.  Five weeks after taking
up duties at ICU Fuji delivered a campus-wide lecture entitled "Korean
History and the Japanese."

Fuji graduated from the Division of Social Sciences of International
Christian University in March 1961.  The university newspaper published
photographs of the graduating seniors and included short biographical
notes for each student.  Below his photograph - he looks sharp in suit and
tie - is recorded the title of his Senior Thesis: "Tai-Kan Minkoku ni
okeru Beikoku taigai enjo no kenkyuu."  His English title for the thesis
was "A Study of United States Aid in the Republic of Korea."  His parting
words for the undergraduate students following him were, "Please fully
absorb the international spirit at ICU and seek for a path on which you
serve God and people."  For his "plans after graduation," Fuji wrote
"desire to study abroad" ("ryuugaku shibou").  He soon entered Yonsei
University's graduate school, becoming, as Professor Yong-ho Ch'oe has
recently mentioned, the first Japanese to study in South Korea after
liberation.  He also was the first Japanese to receive an advanced degree
from a South Korean university, I am told, graduating from Yonsei in 1964
with the M.A. degree in political science.

Three months before his graduation from ICU, Fuji appeared in the
university newspaper.  I translate the article in full below.

"Movement Launched to Invite South Korean College Students

After returning to Japan having participated this spring [1960] in a work
camp in South Korea as representatives from Japan, Kawashima Fujiya and
Hiramoto Noriko* have launched the 'Let's Invite South Korean College
Students to ICU' movement with support from ICE and UNESCO.  A committee
to lead this movement was established on November 14.  The current members
are Kawashima Fujiya, who is the Chairman, and seven others.  The
committee's goals are fund-raising (40,000 yen on campus) and seeking
cooperation from the [university's] New York foundation office, the
Kankoku Zainichi Daihyoubu Nihon, the South Korean Christian Council, and
other organizations."

[This article was published on page 1 of the November 22, 1960, edition
(no. 49).  (* With apologies, I am not confident in this reading of the
given name.)]

An announcement for that campus-wide lecture on October 5, 1972, stated,
"While a student at ICU, Dr. Kawashima became one of the first Japanese to
visit Korea after that nation gained its independence, and subsequently he
led a successful movement to bring Korean students here."  On June 26,
1973, he helped coordinate a "Study Meeting on Korean History" that
focused on "Thought and Institutions in Choson Dynasty Korea –
Government and Heterodoxy."  His presentation was entitled "Clan System
and Bureaucracy."  Two other scholars also offered papers.

I still recall the excitement with which Fuji told me during a bus ride
through the Korean countryside that his name had appeared in the ICU
newspaper while an undergraduate.

I thought list members might enjoy these vignettes.


Ken Robinson