Japanese teenagers are increasingly embracing far-right ideologies, as revealed in an upcoming documentary by KBS 1TV. The film will showcase youth singing the national anthem, Kimigayo, while waving the Rising Sun flag at Yasukuni Shrine. Notably, a 16-year-old South Korean national has joined local right-wing groups, which justify Japan's colonial rule and assert claims over the disputed Dokdo territory.
Set to air at 10 p.m. on October 15, the episode titled highlights right-wing groups in Tokyo, where teenagers don uniforms and engage in street propaganda and rallies. They advocate for the revival of the imperial constitution and the protection of the emperor.
In a pre-released video, a 16-year-old member expressed enthusiasm for anti-communist patriotic activities while holding the Rising Sun flag and singing Kimigayo. Another 17-year-old shared that their parents drove them to the shrine at 4:30 a.m., indicating familial support for these activities.
The investigation also confirmed the involvement of a South Korean youth in right-wing activities. Sixteen-year-old K, who moved to Japan as a child, attended a rally wearing patches of the South Korean and Rising Sun flags on his clothing. In an interview, K stated, "Japan built roads and schools in Korea, reducing illiteracy. Without Japan, Koreans could never be happy," defending the theory of colonial modernization and asserting claims over Dokdo.
The documentary will juxtapose these teenagers' activities with testimonies from a 100-year-old survivor who was conscripted as a kamikaze pilot during World War II. The survivor's accounts of being trained to sacrifice for the emperor will shed light on how Japan's long-standing economic stagnation and rising xenophobia are distorting patriotism among future generations.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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