Eclipse Rising

Eclipse Rising is a US-based Zainichi Korean group founded in the winter of 2008, by a diverse group of Zainichi Koreans who came together to recognize and celebrate the rich and unique history of Koreans in Japan, promote Zainichi community development, peace and reunification of the Korean peninsula, and work for social justice for around the world in solidarity with all minorities of Japan.

<<code class="unknown_macro"><<What is Zainichi?>></code>> "Zainichi" literally translates to "outside residents" of Japan and it can apply to any person who lives in Japan with a foreign nationality.

Koreans were 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 will maintain the nationality of their parents unless they apply for Japanese citizenship - which continues to be a long and frustrating process. The Japanese government allowed Koreans in Japan to apply for Japanese citizenship even before the change of Nationality Act in 1984. But this Act made it easier mainly by changing the way to grant Japanese citizenship to children of Zainichi from only paternal line to both paternal and maternal lines. However, this law has tighter conditions for the people to apply for Japanese citizenship. The main purpose of this law was to have more half-Zainich children to be Japanese citizen, thus encourage assimilation to Japan rather than having them keep their Korean nationality and fight against the discrimination. Since Japanese assimilation policy and discrimination is based on nationality.

Recent trend is that more and more people in younger generation have Japanese citizenship, but cannot find their identity. Zainichi situation has become more complex than two decades ago.

We consider Zainichi Koreans to be anyone of Korean descent from Japan whose family ended up in Japan as a result of colonization.

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.

<<code class="unknown_macro"><<What is Eclipse Rising?>></code>> 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. Now we have expanded and diversified with members of different genders, sexual identities, nationality, racial-background, linguistic abilities, educational backgrounds, ages, and locals.

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.

<<code class="unknown_macro"><<Our Mission>></code>>

1. Liberating our minds from Japanese and U.S. imperialism and colonialism

2. Developing a strong sense of community among Zainichi Koreans in North America

3. Educating the larger society about the system that oppresses various groups of people in Japan and around the world

4. Cultivating close relationships with other oppressed groups in Japan, including Buraku, Okinawan, Ainu, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer and Questioning people

5. Achieving peace, self-determination, and a socially just reunification in the Korean Peninsula