Tuesday, October 14, 2008

The Beginning of Eclipse Rising


Welcome, Youkoso, Oso-oseyo


We are a brand new Zainchi Korean Women's group based in the San Francisco Bay Area.


"Zainichi" literally translates to "permanent residents" of Japan who have retained their foreign nationality. Koreans are the largest minority group of Japan and have lived in Japan as a result of Japanese occupation in Korea between 1910 and 1945. Although multiple generations of Koreans have been born in Japan, one was still a Korean until the 1980s when a new law allowed foreigners to apply for Japanese citizenship.


Korean and other ethnic minorities in Japan still suffer many forms of discrimination to this day. Our organization was formed to recognize the history and contributions Koreans in Japan have made and to work toward social justice for all minorities in Japan.


We would like to share information and perspective about our unique history through this blog.


This group was born in the winter of 2008. Seven zainichi Korean women from the Bay Area came together and decided to create this organization to enrich the cultural awareness of Bay Area residents.

The name "Eclipse Rising" is meant to counter the imperialist Japanese flag with the "rising sun." The Eclipse, though through few occurrences, is able to cover the sun completely and change the perspective. We would like to view the eclipse as a symbol of Koreans in Japan rising up against its oppressors.

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