Hansen's Disease and Those Labeled 'Foreigners' in Japan

This exhibition highlights the experiences of people of overseas origin who were confined to Hansen's disease sanatoriums in Japan. It focuses primarily on materials relating to Korean residents, who comprised the largest group among those of overseas origin. Bringing these materials together for the first time, the exhibition features tools used in forced manual labor, records of the struggle to secure pension rights after 1959, objects documenting efforts to preserve Korean cultural identity, traditional dance costumes and musical instruments, and literary works. It also introduces the lives of residents with roots in Russia, Indonesia, and Taiwan. Through these materials, the exhibition explores how people from diverse backgrounds resisted Japan's discriminatory segregation policy while striving to preserve their dignity and cultural identity. It offers an opportunity to deepen understanding of the history and legacy of Hansen's disease in Japan and to reflect on the ongoing challenge of building a society that embraces ethnic and cultural diversity. * Throughout this exhibition, the term "Korean" is used to refer collectively to people holding either Joseon nationality or South Korea nationality.