Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff Part One: The Japanese Anarchist Women Who Kept Trying to Kill Emperors
Jul 25, 2022
Comedian and podcast host Brodie Reed discusses Kaneko Fumiko and Kanno Suga, two Japanese anarchist women who tried to end the lives of emperors and almost changed history. Topics include the Meiji Restoration, motivations for activism, police raids, conspiracy trial, and the life and death of an anarchist poet.
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Konosuga's Early Life
- Konosuga, daughter of a mine operator, experienced hardship after her father's business failed and her mother died.
- At 15, she was a victim of rape, orchestrated by her stepmother, leading her to find solace in socialist writings.
The Red Flag Incident and Suga's Activism
- The Red Flag Incident, a socialist rally turned violent after police intervention, resulted in Suga's arrest and a shift in her ideology.
- She embraced anarchism, advocating for women's rights and challenging societal expectations on attractiveness and clothing.
The Bomb Plot
- Frustrated with limited activism options, Suga and fellow anarchists plotted to bomb the emperor.
- A Japanese American newspaper in California published an open letter threatening the emperor's life.