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1. Coal-Mine Town
The new city named "Kama City" was born in 2006, as a merger
of Yamada City and 3 towns of Kaho County.
It is located on a small basin in the middle of Fukuoka prefecture, about
50 km east of Fukuoka City and near Iizuka City and Tagawa City. Its population
is about 43,000 (as of June, 2010). Its name is after former Kama County,
and former Yamada City is the stage of the following story.
- - - - -
It was Yamada Town when Kyozo Wozumi dedicated himself there as a member
of Work Patriotism Corps voluntarily in 1943 during the Pacific War.
Why and how did Kyozo decide it then?, .....
2. Go to a Coal Mine
Kyozo Wozumi could not realize his wish to help the country as a soldier
due to the after-effect of overwork during the long sea life. In the result
he applied to Work Patriotism Corps in 1942 at his age of 42.
The doctor's diagnosis was no good, either. "You have an internal
disease. You are not good for military service."
This is what Kyozo expected anyway, so he wouldn't have backed down. Pushing
through his will not budging an inch, they had to accept him at last.
It was really a rare case, though a reverse could be imagined. The call-up
to the Patriotism Corps was ordered for each town by a quata, so the office
was more than delighted.
"No match for Kyozo."
Half in a surprising face, his will was admitted.
Caught in the crossfire were men around his age. There were several men reluctantly had to follow him, in the result of which Miwasaki met its quota at a stretch and the office people were relieved.
Meanwhile, town residents were made well known about the delivery of money
and goods by official reports and the bulletin board of the city office.
But "it takes a thief to catch a thief". There were as many loopholes
as the number of residents.
Sometimes something like searching houses thoroughly was done for each
home. However the searchers were also not pure, so they adjusted everything
reasonably.
On the other hand, Kyozo was really pure. Though unwelcome to town officers,
he delivered every money and goods earned hard in Arafura Sea. The rest
was only Kuma, himself and three young children.
"Omahama, you should not do so much. Everything is out now. They say
you are a fool."
Kuma complained in a give-up face. Ten years with him were good enough
for her to understand the nature of her husband, but she was a woman after
all, ...
Kuma just hid the pearl wedding ring. Knowing it or not, Kyozo overlooked
it.
His destination was decided to be Yamada Coal Mine, Fukuoka prefecture
in Kyushu. Every coal mine was said to be under inferior working conditions
with hard work, so Kyozo did not think he would be alive and back.
He briefly drank farewell cups of water with Kuma, and then started off
for Kyushu leaving her a message "Bring up the children splendidly
for them to be helpful to the country."
3. Coal Miner
There were nearly 20 entrances to mining places at Yamada Coal Mine.
Kyozo Wozumi began working from the next day of his arrival.
"One block of coal knocks one enemy down." Such posters were
put on walls here and there in the mine in order surely to inspire the
spirits of workers. Not to mention, the work was extraordinary.
However, it was not a hard work a bit for him, compared to the days in
Arafura Sea. Good enough only to dig forward. Just after learning the ropes,
he figured out the right way and shapes of a chisel and a hammer with his
natural eagerness of study.
His working way spread to other workers, and helped easiness to use and
the improvement of efficiency. Then the story was known by the executives.
Since they had no such way and could not figure out any idea themselves,
it was a sudden happy news to them.
A vice leader in charge of efficiency came down to the working place swaying
a saber accompanied by two subordinates. He is a build man of around 50s
with grey head, thick beard, broad round face and potbelly. He might not
know how to lose weight in the circumstances of austerity.
The man in charge at the place speaks a little nervous to Kyozo.
"Mr. Wozumi, the vice leader would like to ask you something about
tools."
Kyozo notices it and stop working. He sees the visitors, taking off the
cap and wiping off the sweat on his forehead.
The vice leader senses at once that this worker is poor at formality, so
speaks to him casually before the worker's greeting,
"I am Matsunaga. Nice to meet you."
For Kyozo bowing to him, he adds.
"I have heard well about you. I know you are working so hard."
Making a rumpled plump face, he wipes his fogged glasses.
Then he stops Kyozo trying to stand up by hand and says squatting.
"Isn't it comfortable to sit and talk?"
"Could you talk with me for a little while?"
After the introduction,
"I mean, about tools. Did you work them out yourself?"
Kyozo also seems back to his usual way. Wiping the sweat in slow motion
again, he focuses his narrow eyes on the vice leader and answers.
"Well, ..., yes, sir."
The vice leader also looks friendly at him and continues.
"I see and agree. The tools you improved are this and this, and ...
here."
Pointing them out,
"They are a chisel, a hammer and a shovel, am I right?"
"..., yes they are, sir."
Kyozo answers so with his eyes following the forefinger of the vice leader.
The talk between the earnest worker and the broad-minded leader is a little
in a slow, lazy way.
The subordinates and several other people are fixing their eyes on the
two men.
"Well, could you explain the point of your idea in simple word for
me about what you got by what and how you changed?"
The vice leader was not pushy, talking just like in a tea talk. There must
be some consideration not to give the worker extra tension.
Kyozo continues to answer simply. He says holding each tool at a time,
"A chisel, a hammer, a shovel, ..., for every tool I only modified
a grip to match the fingers. For the chisel grip I put cloth on it, like
this. ..."
The vice leader holds each tool the same way and nods again and again.
Kyozo holds a chisel again and says.
"The hitting spot of a chisel by a hammer was double widened. It should
never be hit wrong, sir."
"I see."
The vice leader notices something and says in a plausible response,
"I remember someone got injured by hitting wrong. Even a tiny matter,
we should not decrease efficiency."
After a moment,
"Well, is it all?"
He seems to listen more to the worker.
Kyozo blinks out of habit, saying,
"Yes, that's about all, sir. But one more thing. I changed the tip
of a shovel a little bit so as to dig more easily, and,..."
He continues his talk more loudly in a hoarse voice.
"When the work is over each day, every tool has to be cleaned by water.
It is important. Rust is an enemy."
Though the earnest man just says a natural thing, the vice leader of round
glasses and plump looks opens his mouth blankly looking perplexed. Coming
to himself, he recovers the happy-looking face and makes admirable response
rubbing his beard embarrassingly.
"You are really a nice guy. Do your best."
Kyozo gets back to work and the vice leader proud of his beard goes back
cheerfully.
- - - - -
The talk between the two was promptly announced at the executive meeting.
Then all the tool specifications were changed in the whole mine.
Kyozo does not like to have an idle talk. He is cheerful and not unfriendly,
but does not talk long with anybody. It may be natural that he has nobody
to make a joke with.
He works hard in silence except during lunch time. It is his usual way.
When and where this odd person is away, the workers take a rest sometimes
and have a joke each other. They are not lazy but would like to be relaxed
anyway at times. Every working place is lively during the time.
Occasionally some trouble happens at last. When it might go to a fight
too far to turn back, it would be a difficult matter to them. The executives
might give them a penalty due to lessening efficiency, even reluctantly.
One thing led to another and what goes around comes around, Kyozo might
sometimes be asked to be an adviser.
Why is a silent man not showing any power pulled out to mediate such problems?
Is it probably because his personality is known well due to the story of
his idea about tools before? Though it is surely their last wisdom not
to be leaked to the executives, it must be a strange result.
He does not listen to any claims of each other nor persuade them. He just appears at the scene.
When the so-called nice guy appears wiping sweat and blinking the narrow
eyes, the fight quiets down by itself with the fighters saying in a boring
atmosphere, "It's him now."
Kyozo may be a shady character for them at such a time, while they have
no objection about the arrangement and way of the work.
Just once such a thing happened. When a buddy in bloodshot eyes was about
to threaten some others with a knife, Kyozo quickly snatched it from him
without a word. That moment astonished the others. They never forgot Kyozo's
unusual sharp look at the instance and his cool look right after it since
then.
4. Lived through It
Three years after beginning to work in Yamada Coal Mine, Kyozo coughed
up bloody phlegm. Paying no attention, he kept it secret. But after several
days of this situation, blood gushed out from his mouth and got his place
dirty. He could not hide it this time. The group around him got upset.
They carried him to a simple ward.
He returned to his place after a couple of days brushing aside their attempt to stop him. 'Die at the place' was his will.
He vomitted blood continuously, but the coal mine side had to shut their eyes due to their quota. Kyozo made a last-ditch effort in a thin and weak body.
The end of the war saved him from death.
Thanks to the executives and colleagues who knew his work and personality,
he was forced to go back to his hometown Miwasaki in Shingu City in spite
of his unwillingness. He had to accept their consideration thinking of
further trouble.
It was late in 1946 at his age of 46.
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