目取真俊の「魚群記」
Medoruma Shun’s “Gyogunki” [Diary of a School of Fish]
JAPANESE TEXT:
Medoruma, Shun. “Gyogunki” [Diary of a School of Fish]. Heiwadōri to nazukerareta machi o aruite. Tokyo: Kageshobō, 2003.
1. Introduction
“Gyogunki” was first published in the morning edition of Ryukyu Shimpo on December 9, 1983, and was later republished in Heiwadōri to nazukerareta machi o aruite in 2003 alongside four other stories. The story follows Masashi, a boy living in a small village in northern Okinawa, who falls in love with a Taiwanese woman working at a pineapple factory. Through Masashi’s daily life, the narrative engages with major historical events such as the Okinawa Reversion Movement and the Koza Riot (1970). It also addresses sensitive issues, including prejudice against Taiwanese women and sexual relationships. Medoruma skillfully depicts the characters’ emotions while examining Okinawa’s postwar relationships with mainland Japan and Taiwan. “Gyogunki” won the 11th Ryukyu Shimpo Short Story Prize in 1983.
2. Character List
Masashi Shima シマ マサシ
Masashi, the protagonist, is a ten-year-old boy from Okinawa who refers to himself as “Boku,” a Japanese first-person pronoun typically used by boys and young men. He and his friends enjoy piercing the eyes of tilapia with needles. When Masashi first sees a Taiwanese woman working at the pineapple factory, he falls in love with her. Despite the disapproval of his father and older brother, he repeatedly visits the factory simply to catch a glimpse of her.
Father 父
Masashi’s father slaps him when he returns from the pineapple factory. He works at the factory and opposes Okinawa’s reversion to Japan, fearing that mainland Japanese investors would purchase the factory cheaply. Toward the end of the story, it is revealed that he is having a relationship with the Taiwanese woman.
Masashi’s older brother 兄
Masashi’s older brother also works at the pineapple factory and treats Masashi violently, much like their father. Unlike his father, he supports Okinawa’s reversion to Japan and frequently argues with him over politics. He is aggressive and hot-tempered, and he is dating the Taiwanese woman whom Masashi loves.
Mother 母
Masashi’s mother worries about him because he is often struck by his father and brother. She demonstrates a strong maternal instinct and offers emotional support.
Taiwanese women 台湾女
The Taiwanese women are seasonal workers at the pineapple canning factory. One woman, in particular, is loved by Masashi, his father, and his older brother. She experiences discrimination from Masashi’s friends. The male characters refer to the Taiwanese workers as “Taiwan inagu.” Although “inagu” means “woman” in Okinawan, it carries a derogatory nuance in the story. Today, however, some Okinawan men use the term to mean “girlfriend.”
Masashi’s friends
Masashi’s friends accompany him to the factory to look for women they like. However, when the woman Masashi loves gives them pineapple cans, they abruptly throw them away and shout at her.
3. Plot Summary
Section 1 (7–12)
Masashi and his friends catch tilapia in the river and play with them. Masashi pierces a tilapia’s eye with a needle. He becomes interested in the pineapple factory by the ocean and thinks about catching tilapia near the factory’s drainage outlet. However, he knows they will be punished if the guards catch them.
Section 2 (12–6)
Masashi and his friends wait near a large gajimaru tree for the Taiwanese women to appear. Some women wave when they notice the boys. One friend performs acrobatic movements to impress them, while Masashi spots the woman he likes. After work, Masashi’s older brother gives a speech to the workers about Okinawa’s reversion to Japan. The Taiwanese workers remain silent as others sing the Anthem of Return. Later, Masashi’s father scolds him for neglecting chores and visiting the factory.
Section 3 (16–9)
Masashi sneaks into the pineapple factory and watches the Taiwanese women at work. As he looks for the woman he loves, she suddenly appears, beckons to him, and gives him a can of pineapple. She already knows Masashi because she is dating his older brother. After she returns to work, Masashi runs to the beach, enjoys the pineapple, and then goes home.
Section 4 (19–22)
Masashi and his friends return to the factory. Masashi separates from them and finds the women’s living quarters. He sees the shadow of the woman, followed by another shadow. As he tries to approach, one friend attempts to flee after spotting a guard. They are quickly caught and beaten. After being released, Masashi returns home and recalls seeing his older brother with the woman, which fills him with resentment.
Section 5 (22–7)
Masashi and his friends play by the river near the factory and watch a school of tilapia feeding on waste. Masashi thinks about his brother and the woman. Later, they encounter the woman, who happily gives them pineapple cans. Her expression abruptly changes when the boys throw the cans away and shout discriminatory remarks. One friend urges Masashi to run, and they escape into a sugarcane field.
Section 6 (27–9)
At home, Masashi’s father finds the pineapple can and scolds and strikes him. Masashi’s brother arrives and calms their father, mentioning that the Taiwanese women will return to Taiwan the next day. Upon hearing this, the father rushes out, and Masashi’s mother comforts him. Masashi goes to the woman’s room but finds it empty. As he lies there fantasizing, a man knocks and calls the woman’s name. Masashi hears her name for the first time and realizes the man leaving the room is his father.
Section 7 (30–1)
Masashi returns home late and finds a pineapple can in the garden. He tastes the syrup but suddenly vomits when a large black insect flies out of the can. His mother embraces him. His father and brother wake up and begin arguing about the woman. Masashi laughs, spits into the can, and feels hungry.
Commentary
The story portrays a young boy struggling with sexual desire. Adolescents often peek into the rooms of women they admire or fantasize about them, and in this story, Masashi channels his desire through his treatment of tilapia. He believes himself to be masculine and loved by the Taiwanese woman. However, the climax reveals his brother’s sexual relationship with her, followed by the discovery that his father is also involved with her. Masashi realizes that she does not love him, which leads him to question his masculinity. Because the narrator is young and lacks an understanding of sex, the narration is distorted and the ending remains unpredictable.
4. Setting
The story is set in a small village in northern Okinawa, likely Nakijin Village, Medoruma’s hometown. Matsudō Hideki notes that a pineapple factory employing Taiwanese women was established in Gogayama, Nakijin Village, in 1956. Although Medoruma does not name the location, textual clues suggest Nakijin. References to the Koza Riot (December 1970) and debates over Okinawa’s reversion to Japan in 1972 indicate that the story takes place in the summer of 1971.
According to Ryukyu Shimpo, the Gogayama pineapple factory closed in November 1972 due to import liberalization. Matsudō explains that the factory once offered stable, well-paid employment and attracted both local and Taiwanese workers. Despite this, the story depicts discrimination against Taiwanese women, revealing both cooperative and exploitative aspects of Okinawan–Taiwanese relations. The political conflict surrounding reversion and the unstable legal position of Okinawans during the Koza Riot further contextualize the story’s depiction of everyday life amid systemic injustice.
5. Point of View
“Gyogunki” is narrated in the first person by Masashi, who uses “Boku.” The narration is unreliable due to his immature and distorted sexual perceptions. He sexualizes the Taiwanese woman despite her apparent lack of romantic interest. If narrated from her perspective, this discrepancy would be clearer. Masashi’s sexual development is shown to be unhealthy, especially given that both his father and brother are involved with the same woman.
6. Symbolism and Imagery
Tilapia
Tilapia are a nonnative species in Okinawa. According to the National Institute for Environmental Studies, they originate in Africa and Israel and are omnivorous and highly fertile. Ryukyu Shimpo reports that tilapia were introduced to Okinawa in 1955 and spread rapidly. In the story, tilapia symbolize Masashi’s sexual desire. Unable to have sex, he displaces his impulses onto the fish, piercing their eyes and gazing at the blood on his hands (7–8). The school of tilapia also represents the Taiwanese workers—foreign, resilient, and subjected to exploitation. Their gathering near the factory’s waste outlet mirrors the workers’ economic vulnerability (22–23).
Pineapple
Canned pineapple recurs throughout the story. The woman gives Masashi dented cans, suggesting affection without romantic love. The sweet pineapple flesh and syrup symbolize the female body. Masashi opens the can with a knife and devours the fruit like a bird (18–19), mirroring sexual consumption. His older brother’s actions parallel this imagery.
7. Historical and Cultural Background
Anthem of Return「沖縄を返せ」
Factory workers sing the Anthem of Return (14–15), which expresses demands for Okinawa’s return to Japan. According to OTV, the song was written by Dohi Shōzō and Nakashima Sadayoshi in 1956 and later arranged by Araki Sakae. Initially sung on the mainland, it spread rapidly in Okinawa amid tensions with the U.S. military and was quickly embraced by locals.
The Koza Riot
The Koza Riot erupted on December 20, 1970, after an Okinawan was struck by an American driver. According to the Okinawa Prefectural Archives, long-standing anger over crimes committed by U.S. military personnel, many of whom were acquitted, fueled the violence. Tamaki Eriko notes that Okinawans were often perceived as obedient, which masked deep resentment that culminated in the riot.
Seasonal Taiwanese Workers in Okinawa
The story features Taiwanese seasonal laborers at a pineapple factory. Sakumoto Kana explains that their employment followed regulations allowing foreign labor only when necessary for Okinawa’s economy. In 1971, Taiwanese workers numbered 3,716 out of 6,267 total workers. Although Taiwanese workers earned slightly higher hourly wages than Okinawans, they worked long hours. Compared to wages in Taiwan, working in Okinawa offered significant financial incentives, including housing and transportation, making such employment attractive.
8. Criticism
Yamahara, Kimiaki. “Medoruma Shun no Taiwanhyōsyō: ‘Gyogunki’ ‘Ma no mita sora’ o megutte.” Ronkyū nihon bungaku. Kyoto: Ritsumeikan Daigaku Nihon Bungakukai, 2011. No. 95. 65–80. Print.
Yamahara argues that Medoruma portrays Okinawans not as victims but as aggressors in “Gyogunki” and “Mā no mita sora.” The tilapia symbolize Taiwanese female workers, and Masashi’s violent treatment of the fish reflects the psychological harm inflicted on the women. Yamahara interprets the eye-stabbing scenes as metaphors for sex and even rape. While Okinawan literature often depicts Okinawans as victims, Medoruma instead exposes their role in perpetuating discrimination.
9. Themes
Discrimination against Taiwanese Women
Okinawa and Taiwan share histories of Japanese colonization and migration. Although the story is told from Masashi’s perspective, it reveals how Okinawans discriminated against Taiwanese women. Characters use derogatory terms such as “Taiwan inagu,” influenced by adult behavior. The woman’s anonymity—identified only as “K” late in the story—underscores her dehumanization. Taiwanese workers are segregated, monitored by guards, and confined to repetitive labor, reinforcing their marginalization.
Sexual Harassment toward Taiwanese Women
Medoruma depicts distorted male–female relationships through Masashi’s perspective, avoiding explicit sexual scenes. Instead, tilapia and pineapple symbolize sexual violence and consumption. Masashi’s brother treats the woman as a sexual object, showing little emotional attachment. Masashi’s father similarly uses her to satisfy desire. These behaviors shape Masashi’s own unhealthy sexual development, culminating in violent fantasies and laughter at the final revelation.
10. Discussion Questions
1. Who narrates the story, and how does the point of view distort Masashi’s environment?
2. Where and when does the story take place, and what textual clues indicate this?
3. What does Masashi do and feel in the opening scene, and why?
4. Why do Masashi and his friends visit the pineapple factory?
5. What terms do they use for the Taiwanese women, and why?
6. How do Masashi’s father and brother treat him, and for what reasons?
7. How does Masashi perceive the relationships between the woman and his family members?
8. Why does Masashi laugh during the final argument?
9. How do tilapia and pineapple function symbolically?
10. How would the story differ if told from the woman’s perspective?
11. How does Masashi change by the end of the story?
12. What does the story reveal about postwar discrimination in Okinawa?
13. How are discrimination and sexual desire interconnected in the narrative?
11. Works Cited
“Anohi no Okinawa.” Okinawa Prefectural Archives, Accessed, 4 September. 2023.
Higashi, Mineo. “Okinawa no shōnen” [Child of Okinawa]. Okinawa no shōnen. Tokyo: Bungeishunju Ltd., 1971. 7-86.
Matsudō, Hideki. “Sabitsuita tatemono ni nemuru hanseikimae no monogatari painshukaku saiseiki no Nakijin.” Ryukyu Shimpo, 1 November 2021.
Medoruma, Shun. Fūon: The Crying Wind. Tokyo: Ritorumoa, 2004.
---. “Gyogunki” [Diary of a School of Fish]. Heiwadōri to nazukerareta machi o aruite. Tokyo: Kageshobō, 2003.
---. “Gyogunki” [Diary of a School of Fish]. Ryukyu Shimpo, 9 December 1983.
---. “Henoko gētomae kōgikōdō.” Uminari no Shimakara, 17 April 2023.
---. “Mabuigumi” [Spirit Stuffing]. Mabuigumi. Tokyo: Asahibunko, 1999. 7-45.
---. “Suiteki” [Droplets]. Suiteki. Tokyo: Bungeishunjū, 1997. 7-50.
“Nairu tirapia.” National Institute for Environmental Studies, Accessed 18 July. 2023.
“Naze konnaironi? Okinawa no kawade ‘kiniro no tirapia’ hakken [shimaneta chosa han].” Ryukyu Shimpo, 30 September 2019.
“Okinawa o kaese okinawa e kaese: fukki o shiru, Vol.5.” YouTube, uploaded by OTV Okinawa Terebi, 14 May, 2023.
Sakumoto, Kana. “Medoruma Shun ‘gyogunki ron’ Taiwanjin jokō o meguru seigi keizai yokubō.” Okinawa bunka kenkyū. Tokyo: Hōsei Daigaku Okinawa Bunka Kenkyūjo, 2015. No. 41. 297-326. Print.
Tamaki, Eriko. “Naze beigun sharyō ni hiwo [sengo saidai no minshū hōki] shinsou wo saguru josei tachi no koza bōdō.” Ryukyu Shimpo, 20 December 2020.
Wikipedia contributors. “Koza riot.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 23 May. 2023. Web. 19 Jun. 2023.
---. “Shun Medoruma.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 16 May. 2023. Web. 19 Jun. 2023.
Yamahara, Kimiaki. “Medoruma Shun no Taiwanhyōsyō: ‘Gyogunki’ ‘Ma no mita sora’ o megutte” Ronkyū nihon bungaku. Kyoto: Ritsumeikan Daigaku Nihon Bungakukai, 2011. No. 95. 65-80. Print.
Original report by Nagomu Wakugawa. Edited and revised by Kasumi Sminkey.