Soda Kaichi

In this Japanese name, the surname is Soda.

Soda Kaichi (曽田 嘉伊智, October 20, 1867 – March 28, 1962) was a Japanese Protestant missionary and social activist. He is remembered fondly in South Korea for his charitable work in Korea under Japanese rule, particularly through the Kamakura Orphanage (Template:Lang-ja; now Youngnak Borinwon) that he founded. He reportedly cared for around a thousand Korean orphans from 1921 to 1945.

Biography

Soda was born on October 20, 1867 in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Empire of Japan. In his youth, he worked a variety of jobs. He was an elementary school teacher, a coal miner, and a sailor. He worked in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. In 1899, he fell over while drunk on a street in Taiwan. A Korean took pity on him, and took him into an inn. The Korean paid for his meal and took care of him. Soda, moved by this experience, reportedly resolved to help others. He reportedly never learned the name of his benefactor, but moved to Korea in June 1905 to help the country of the man who had helped him.

In Korea, Soda began teaching Japanese at the Hwangsŏng Christian Youth Association (now the YMCA Korea). While there, he met and was inspired by Yi Sang-jae. He then converted to Protestant Christianity. In 1909, he married his wife Ueno Takiko (Template:Lang-ja), who taught English at Sookmyung Girls' High School and Ewha Girls' High School.

In 1911, during the outbreak of the 105-Man Incident, several of Soda's colleagues at the YMCA were arrested by the colonial government. Soda urged the Governor-General of Chōsen Terauchi Masatake to release them. During the 1919 March First Movement protests, he provided medical aid to and advocated for the release of Korean protestors. His advocacy activities invited scrutiny from other Japanese people, who reportedly viewed him as a traitor. He also received criticism from some Koreans, who viewed him as a potential spy for the Japanese Empire.

In 1913, he founded the Kamakura Orphanage in Keijō (Seoul). In 1943, he was invited to a Japanese church in Wonsan, Kankyōnan-dō (South Hamgyong Province). He left his wife in charge of Kamakura, and went to the church.

Soda was in Wonsan during the 1945 liberation of Korea. As Soviet troops began to occupy the northern half of the peninsula, Japanese citizens feared for their lives and went to the church for safety. In October 1947, Soda led the Japanese community to Seoul, and began arranging for their return to Japan. While Soda would return to Japan, his wife remained in Korea in order to keep caring for the orphans. She would eventually die at the age of 72 in January 1950; as Korea and Japan had no diplomatic relations at the time, Soda was unable to visit her grave in Korea.

In Japan, he advocated for Japanese people to repent on how Korea had been treated during the colonial period. A Japanese reporter for The Asahi Shimbun reportedly learned that Soda had been unable to visit his wife's grave in Korea, and published a column in which they advocated for Soda to be allowed to. South Korean pastor Han Gyeong-jik (한경직) also joined in the advocacy. They managed to secure a plane for him; Soda returned to Korea in May 1961, where he would spend the rest of his life.

Death and legacy

He died, aged 96, on March 28, 1962 at the Youngnak Borinwon. A funeral was held for him on April 2 at the building Bumingwan. Reportedly around 2,000 people attended the funeral. South Korean leader Park Chung Hee and Japanese Foreign Minister Zentarō Kosaka sent flowers to the ceremony. In 1961, he became the first Japanese person to be awarded the South Korean Order of Cultural Merit.

Soda and his wife are the only Japanese people to be buried in the Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery. His grave is marked with a cross, and reads: "Loving father to orphans. The grave of Soda Kaichi sensei" (Template:Lang-ko). He is buried alongside his wife.