Japanese Policy Towards Korea 1910 – 1945

Abstract

Korea is the crossing and bridge that connects Japan to the countries of Asia. Most cultures and religions came to Japan through Korea. The first country to be invaded by Japan was Korea, which was the starting point for the Japanese expansionist military tendency, especially during the period of World War I and World War II, where Korea faced the most violent means and the most severe occupation by the Japanese army, which wanted Korea to be a (Manchukuo) state, meaning a government system subordinate to Japan. I divided my research into several sections. The first section was entitled The Historical Roots of Japanese-Korean Relations. We talked about the geographical location of Korea, which is considered a bridge linking Japan and the Asian mainland. We also talked about the first beginnings of Japanese control over Korea. The second section dealt with Japan’s policy towards Korea 1910-1939. We addressed the American-Japanese agreement on Korea and the American recognition of Japanese interests in Korea, as well as the stages of the Japanese occupation and the Korean resistance to that occupation. As for the third section, it was entitled Japan’s loss in World War II and Korea’s independence. In it, we discussed the Japanese withdrawal from Korea, the entry of American and Soviet forces into Korea, international discussions about Korea during World War II, and the declaration of Korea's independence.