Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff Part Two: The Japanese Anarchist Women Who Kept Trying to Kill Emperors
Jul 27, 2022
Comedian Brodie Reed discusses the Japanese anarchist women Kaneko Fumiko and Kanno Suga who tried to kill emperors and almost changed history. Topics include Fumiko's scandalous trial, Japanese colonization of Korea, anarchist life and changing organizations, and resisting injustice through activism.
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Fumiko's Difficult Childhood
- Kaneko Fumiko's father, a classist, misogynist alcoholic from a samurai family, refused to marry her mother.
- He later abandoned them for Fumiko's aunt after squandering the family's money on gambling and brothels.
Fumiko's Trauma
- Fumiko's mother considered selling her to a brothel and one of her mother's boyfriends left her bound and gagged, hanging from a tree.
- The family scavenged for trash in the streets, highlighting her challenging upbringing.
Fumiko's Political Awakening
- Witnessing the crushed March 1st movement fueled Fumiko's anti-authoritarianism.
- She moved to Tokyo at 17, determined to fight against societal injustice through knowledge.