ABSTRACT
‘The Anatomy of Korea-phobia in Japan’, Ryuta Itagaki elucidates the historical and theoretical aspects of Korea-phobia in Japan. He shows that racialization can exist without phenotypical differences and can instead be based on the belief in the unchangeable heredity of ‘differences’ in behavior, character, abilities, and descent. The discussion begins with hate incidents against a school in Kyoto, from which Itagaki synchronically and diachronically unfolds the issue. He asserts that the Japanese oppression of Korean schools arises from East Asia's current inability to overcome the legacies of colonialism and the Cold War. Specifically, he posits that Korea-phobia in Japan is a product of long-term ruptured relationships in the region.
