A free and democratic society can continue to exist only when it operates under the “rule of law”, a principle that the dignity of all individuals is respected and individual’s opportunity to take the initiative in actively participating in the political decision-making process is guaranteed.
Lawyers are those who defend and realize the “rule of law”.
Zainichi Koreans are people who were forced to live in Japan by Japan’s invasion and colonization of Korean Peninsula in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Japanese government, however, has never taken its responsibility even after the war, and further denied the fact that Zainich Koreans have strived to survive as a unique and proud ethnic group in Japanese society. The Japanese government has adhered to the policy of assimilating Zainichi Koreans into Japanese society or eliminating them therefrom. Such assimilation or exclusion policies are still in place, and the dignity of Zainichi Koreans is not respected. Many of them remain excluded from the Japanese political process. The Japanese government, the parliament, and the court that have been neglecting this situation should be held accountable.
After the war, Zainichi Koreans have been struggling with difficult living conditions. Their unprecedented efforts, however, made them succeed in preserving their ethnicity, and many Japanese people have supported this. We must not forget this story of our predecessors.
We Zainichi Korean lawyers are the product and descendent of such history and efforts of our predecessors during that time. As a lawyer is a person who takes the responsibility of defending and realizing the "rule of law" that serves the preservation of individual’s dignity and the participation in the political process, it is a historical inevitability that the lawyers are generated by the Zainichi Korean community that had been excluded from the “rule of law” in Japan.
Realization of the “rule of law” for the Zainichi Koreans
The first purpose of establishing the Lawyers' Association of ZAINICHI Korean is to bring together the Zainichi Korean lawyers who are the historical products of the Zainichi Korean and Japanese society and to realize the "rule of law" for Zainichi Koreans. This includes, among others, elimination of discrimination against Zainichi Koreans, protection of the rights of Zainichi Koreans, restoration of ethnicity including assurance of ethnic education, and securing the right to participate in the political decision-making process (rights to vote and hold public office).
Advocacy for the rights and freedoms of all minorities
Zainichi Koreans are an ethnic minority group in Japan. The exclusion of Zainichi Koreans from the application of the "rule of law" also means the exclusion of other ethnic minorities from the “rule of law” in Japan. Therefore, the realization of the "rule of law" for the Zainichi Koreans must also be aimed at the realization of the "rule of law" for all minority groups including other ethnic minorities. The Lawyers' Association of ZAINICHI Korean serves as a pioneering legal group for all minorities in Japan. This is the second purpose of establishing the Lawyers' Association of ZAINICHI Korean.
Unifying all Zainichi Korean lawyers
Zainichi Korean lawyers were generated by the Zainichi Koreans and their community. Therefore, the Zainichi Korean lawyers must act in every field related to the Zainichi Korean and their community. To this end, the Lawyers' Association of ZAINICHI Korean aims to bring together lawyers from all legal fields, and develop their legal skills as lawyers. This is the third purpose of establishing the Lawyers' Association of ZAINICHI Korean.
Solidarity with all Koreans of the world
Zainichi Korean lawyers are members of the Korean people. Therefore, we will endeavor to establish friendship and cooperation with Koreans, especially Korean lawyers and their organizations, which exist widely in the world, and to realize solidarity among Korean people. This is the fourth purpose of establishing the Lawyers' Association of ZAINICHI Korean.
The Lawyers' Association of ZAINICHI Korean is the core group of Zainichi Korean legal professionals, which was formed for the first time in more than half a century after the end of Japanese colonization. Through this group, we aim to realize the "rule of law" for Zainichi Koreans and other ethnic minorities in Japan and transform the Japanese society into an open society that is tolerant of minorities. We are confident that the realization of such tolerance and openness will provide immeasurable benefits to the entire Japanese society.
To that end, we hope that many Zainicih Korean lawyers will join the Lawyers' Association of ZAINICHI Korean.
June 2001
Founding members of the Lawyers' Association of ZAINICHI Korean