This composite image shows pictures of the building that housed the Keijo Nippo as well as Maeil Sinbo, published in the Keijo Nippo Dec. 26, 1938. Courtesy of Exposing Imperial Japan
Korea was a colony of Japan for 36 years, from 1910 to the end of World War II in 1945. However, there is a distinct lack of information available about this period, especially in English. One emerging resource is Japanese-language newspapers of the era, published in Korea.
An anonymous Japanese American blogger, who goes by the online handle "tpjv86b," has been translating this content into English as part of his Exposing Imperial Japan project.
"As I explored online resources, I noticed that there was hardly any comprehensive material available in English about this critical era," he told The Korea Times. "This period profoundly shaped modern Korea, yet much of its nuance and everyday realities remained obscured to English-speaking audiences."
The project began after tpjv86b discovered an extensive collection of old newspapers, including issues of the Keijo Nippo, or Gyeongseong Ilbo, dating from 1909 to 1944, hosted on the Internet Archive website. Published in Seoul, the Keijo Nippo was considered a de facto mouthpiece of the Japanese governor-general.
Through his website exposingimperialjapan.com, tpjv86b has been sharing his own translations with commentary of the articles.
"When I began reading through these newspapers, it felt like stepping into a time machine," tpjv86b, 44, said. "The pages were filled with stories and articles that vividly captured the day-to-day lives of Korean citizens under Japanese colonial rule. These were not just dry records of statistics or detached accounts of historical events — they were deeply personal, raw snapshots of life, including the propaganda that shaped public perception at the time. It had the power to bring history to life in a way few other resources could."
The topics he covers range from unsettlingly banal to outright horrifying.
"Korean Woman in Hanbok Detained by Imperial Police in 1944 Seoul for Wearing the 'Wrong' Clothing in Violation of Wartime Attire Regulations," is the title of one recent blog post, published Dec. 30. "Colonial regime called for intensified Imperialist training to make Koreans more ‘Japanese' to address low morale, high turnover rates, and black market activities among Korean forced laborers in 1944 Japan," read the title of one post from Aug. 29.
A promotional image for the Keijo Nippo (Gyeongseong Ilbo) newspaper shows an illustration of the Korean Peninsula. Courtesy of Exposing Imperial Japan
"I felt a strong sense of urgency," tpjv86b said. "If these stories were not shared, they risked being forgotten as time passed."
He said his research has led to several surprising discoveries.
"For instance, I had no idea about the depth of the religious justifications used to enforce Japanese-Korean unification under State Shintoism. The colonial regime taught that Koreans were descendants of the Shinto god Susanoo, the younger brother of Amaterasu, the sun goddess and ancestor of the Japanese imperial family. This narrative framed Koreans as inherently Japanese, claiming that they had simply forgotten their true heritage and needed to be 'reawakened' to their Japanese identity. I had some awareness of ideological messaging, but I never knew it extended to such granular and deeply embedded beliefs," he said.
"Another shocking revelation was the level of humiliation embedded in the colonial propaganda. While I had known there was an element of humiliation, I did not realize the depth of it until I delved into the materials. Koreans were consistently portrayed as inferior — as children or younger brothers — who needed to look up to 'older brother' Japan for guidance and leadership ... The sheer scale and intensity of this messaging were truly unsettling."
A comic strip titled “The New Age has Arrived” depicts a very condensed and accessible vehicle for the narrative Imperial Japan wanted to promote, published in the Xinshenbao newspaper Jan. 1, 1942. Courtesy of Exposing Imperial Japan
Initially, the source of the uploaded occupation-era newspapers was a mystery to tpjv86b, but eventually, someone claiming to be the original uploader made contact. He called this a "pivotal moment for my research," opening up access to an even greater collection of historical materials, which he said were "sourced from a proprietary, paid database, making them inaccessible to most people without specialized access."
"I am not at liberty to reveal this individual's identity, but I can share that he is an academic affiliated with a Western university," tpjv86b said.
Both tpjv86b and the uploader at the Western university keep their true identities hidden.
"This is a deliberate choice made in light of the significant risks associated with releasing critical or negative information about Imperial Japan," tpjv86b said. "The historical realities of this period remain contentious, and addressing topics such as colonial rule, forced labor or comfort women often invites intense backlash from denialists and nationalist groups."
He cited the cases of Uemura Takashi, a former journalist who was vilified by nationalists for writing two articles in 1991 about Kim Hak-sun, the first South Korean victim of wartime sex slavery to publicly share her story, and historian Paula Curtis who in 2021 triggered a ferocious online backlash from denialists merely for retweeting an article in The New Yorker about the debate over Japan's wartime sex slavery.
"These incidents illustrate the real-world dangers of engaging with these topics," tpjv86b said. "Scholars and individuals who explore the darker aspects of history often face not only public vilification but also professional and personal risks. My anonymity allows me to continue this work without jeopardizing my family or career and ensures that the focus remains on the history itself rather than on me as an individual. My goal is to shed light on these critical issues, and staying anonymous allows me to do so safely and effectively."
He added that Japanese society should not be seen as monolithic, and while the oppression and hardships of Korea under Japanese colonial rule are often considered an awkward and unpleasant topic in Japan, he believes there is a silent majority who do not take a pro-imperialist stance.
A promotional image for the Keijo Nippo (Gyeongseong Ilbo) newspaper shows an illustration of a rail map of the Korean Peninsula. Courtesy of Exposing Imperial Japan
"While denialist voices in Japan can be quite vocal and assertive, I believe there is a silent majority who recognize that historical revisionism is ultimately a form of wishful propaganda. These individuals may not always speak out, but their awareness and quiet acknowledgment suggest a more nuanced perspective within the broader population. This gives me hope that dialogue and understanding can continue to grow, even in a context where these discussions remain sensitive and challenging," he said.
One personal detail that tpjv86b was willing to share about his own background was that he spent a year studying in Germany under an exchange program.
"That year abroad left a lasting impression on me, particularly in how Germans approach their history — a process they call 'Vergangenheitsbewältigung,' or coming to terms with the past," he said.
"In Germany, I witnessed a deeply introspective and transparent approach to confronting historical atrocities. Whether addressing Nazi-era crimes or the surveillance and oppression under the East German Stasi, Germans have sought to open archives, document oral histories, and make the past as accessible as possible. This level of accountability and willingness to examine even the most painful chapters in minute detail struck me as a mature and responsible way to deal with history. It inspired me to imagine a similar approach being adopted in Japan," he said. "My work on Exposing Imperial Japan is in part a reflection of these influences."
A promotional image for the Keijo Nippo (Gyeongseong Ilbo) newspaper / Courtesy of Exposing Imperial Japan
Although tpjv86b has visited Korea, he confessed a lack of understanding of Koreans' own perspectives and memories of the occupation era.
“As I am not Korean, my understanding of the Korean perspective is limited, and I would like to learn more about how this history is viewed from within Korea,” he said. "What I hope is that through the translated articles and materials, Koreans can gain a clearer picture of the structures that perpetuated oppression during this period. I hope the materials I provide can contribute to a nuanced and informed understanding of this complex history. I hope it can evolve into a more polished, collaborative resource curated by professional historians, with features like contextualized primary sources, analysis and multilingual content."
In the time since he started the project, the National Library of Korea has made high-quality scans of the Keijo Nippo available to the public. This comes after tpjv86b encouraged readers on his site to ask the staff at the National Library of Korea to add Keijo Nippo to its digital reading hall. While he didn't take credit for this development, he praised the library for it.
"The library's decision to make this collection publicly available is a huge step forward in preserving and sharing historical records from the colonial period. I hope this inspires further efforts to fill in the gaps, such as locating and digitizing missing issues or improving scans where the pages are incomplete," he said.