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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 three 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 comes from the former Kama
County, and former Yamada City is the stage of the following story.
- - - - -
It was still named Yamada Town when Kyozo Wozumi voluntarily dedicated
himself there as a member of the Work Patriotism Corps in 1943 during the
Pacific War.
Why and how did Kyozo make this decision?, .....
2. Go to a Coal Mine
Kyozo Wozumi could not realize his wish to help the country as a soldier
due to the after-effects of overwork during his long life on the sea. As
a result he applied to the Work Patriotism Corps in 1942 at the age of
42.
The doctor's diagnosis was not good. "You have an internal disease.
You are not good for military service."
This is what Kyozo expected anyway, but he would not back down. Pushing
through his will to join the Work Patriotism Corps, and not budging an
inch, they had to accept him at last.
It was really a rare case, though it could be perceived in a dfferent way.
The call-up to the Patriotism Corps was ordered with a quota for each town,
so the town office was more than delighted to accept him.
"No match for Kyozo."
Half surprised, his determination was admitted.
Caught in the crossfire were many other men around his age. There were
several men who reluctantly followed him, and as a result Miwasaki just
barely met its quota and the office people were relieved.
Meanwhile, the town residents were informed about the requirement to deliver
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 houses were searched thoroughly from home to home. However, often
the searchers were not pure, so they made "reasonable" adjustments.
On the other hand, Kyozo really was pure and honest. Though unwelcome to
town officers, he delivered all of his money and goods that he had earned
hard in the Arafura Sea. Only Kuma, himself, and three young children remained.
"Omahama, you should not do so much. Everything is gone now. They
say you are a fool."
Kuma complained with a reluctant 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. Whether ke knew it or not, Kyozo
overlooked it.
His destination was Yamada Coal Mine, Fukuoka prefecture in Kyushu. Every
coal mine was said to have inferior working conditions with hard work,
so Kyozo did not think he would come back alive.
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 twenty 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 to inspire the worker
spirits. Not to mention, the work was extraordinarily hard.
However, it was not hard work for Kyozo, compared to the days in the Arafura
Sea. It was good enough only to dig forward. Just after learning the ropes,
he figured out the right way and the shapes of a chisel and a hammer with
his natural eagerness to study.
His way of working spread to other workers, and helped the ease of use
and improved efficiency. The story of his work came to be known by the
executives. Since they had not known of such a way and could not figure
out any idea by themselves, it was unexpectedly happy news to them.
An assistant leader in charge of efficiency came down to the working area
swaying his saber, accompanied by two subordinates. He was a stock man
of around 50s with a grey head, thick beard, broad round face and potbelly.
He apparently did not know how to lose weight even in the circumstances
of austerity.
The man in charge at the place spoke a little nervously to Kyozo.
"Mr. Wozumi, the assistant leader would like to ask you something
about tools."
Kyozo takes notice and stops working. He sees the visitors, takes off the
cap and wipes off the sweat on his forehead.
The assistant leader senses at once that this worker is not comfortable
with formality, so speaks to him casually before the worker's greeting,
"I am Matsunaga. Nice to meet you."
After Kyozo bows to him, he adds.
"I have heard good things about you. I know you are working so hard."
Making a rumpled plump face, he wipes his fogged glasses.
Then he raises his hand to stop Kyozo from standing up and says, squatting.
"Isn't it comfortable to sit and talk?"
"Could you talk with me for a little while?"
After the introduction, he says,
"I mean, about tools. Did you work them out yourself?"
Kyozo also goes back to his usual way. Wiping the sweat in slow motion
again, he focuses his narrow eyes on the assistant leader and answers.
"Well, ..., yes, sir."
The assistant leader also looks at him in a friendly way 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 with his eyes following the forefinger of the assistant leader.
The conversation between the earnest worker and the broad-minded leader
is a little slow, in a 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 words for
me about how you got your idea and how you changed?"
The assistant leader was not pushy, just talking at tea time. There must
be some consideration so that the workers are not pressured too much.
Kyozo continues to answer simply. He says, holding one 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 assistant 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 in width. It
should never be hit wrong, sir."
"I see."
The assistant 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 that 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 has just said a natural thing, the assistant leader
with round glasses and plump looks opens his mouth blankly looking perplexed.
Coming to himself, he recovers his happy-looking face and makes an admirable
response, rubbing his beard awkwardly.
"You are really a nice guy. Do your best."
Kyozo gets back to work and the assistant 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 chat. 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 was his usual way.
When and where this odd person is away, the other workers take a rest sometimes
and joke with each other. They are not lazy, but would like to relax at
times. Every working place is lively during this time.
Occasionally some trouble occured. A fight may go too far to turn back, and this would cause difficulties. Even reluctantly, the executives might penalize them for causing inefficiency.
One thing leads to another and what goes around comes around, and Kyozo
might sometimes be asked to be an adviser.
Why was such a silent man who has no power used to mediate such problems? Was it because his personality was well known due to the story of his ideas about tools? Perhaps it was the better part of wisdom to avoid having information leaked to those in authority, but in any case it was a strange situation.
He did not particularly listen to any claims of either side, or try to
persuade them. He just would appear at the scene.
When the so-called nice guy appears wiping sweat and blinking his narrow
eyes, the fight quiets down by itself with the fighters raising their eyebrows
reluctantly, "It's him again."
Kyozo may be a shady character for them at such a time, but they have no objection about the arrangement and the way it works.
Just once something unusual happened. When a buddy with 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 and his cool response right after the
incident.
4. Surviving
Three years after beginning to work in the Yamada Coal Mine, Kyozo coughed
up bloody phlegm. Paying no attention, he kept it a secret. But after several
days in this situation, blood gushed out from his mouth and dirtied his
place. He could not hide it this time. The group around him got upset.
They carried him to a simple medical ward.
He returned to his place after a couple of days, brushing aside their attempt
to stop him. "I am going to die, let it be here," he said..
He vomitted blood continuously, but the coal mine had to shut their eyes
due to their quota requirements. Kyozo made a last-ditch effort with 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, to avoid further
trouble.
It was late in 1946. He was 46 years old.
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