Special Features
Rethinking of medical research before and during World War II
Praise and censure to Haruo Mizushima as a conductor of Korean life tables
2020 Volume 86 Issue 5 Pages 209-223
Details
2020 Volume 86 Issue 5 Pages 209-223
We overviewed a series of studies on life tables and infant mortality in pre-WWII Korea under imperial Japan conducted by Haruo Mizushima, who have studied life tables as a professor of hygiene at Keijo Imperial University.
Mizushima et al. recognized that there was a problem with the accuracy of infant mortality in Koreans from the perspective of multifaceted demographic issues, also recognized of the “new vital statistics” in Korea after 1938 (Showa 13). However, he had still doubted the accuracy of infant mortality in Koreans as a demographic expert.
In addition, the results of their research were shared by demographic experts even after World War II, and new estimates and research were made based on them.
