Jeon, Joonho (2024) A Study on the Relationship between Gaya and the Japanese Imperial Family
A Study on the Relationship between Gaya and the Japanese Imperial Family
The Journal of Korean History In East Asia Volume 1 No.1, December 2024 History Wars and New Horizons
"From the Yayoi period, people from the Korean Peninsula began migrating to the Japanese archipelago, with the key players being the Gojoseon people. During the Kofun period, the Gaya horseriding people, who possessed iron culture, expanded into Japan. Numerous iron and horse-related artifacts were excavated from tombs in the Japanese archipelago, yet no evidence has been found to suggest that these originated in Japan. Instead, they can be easily traced back to the iron culture of the Byeonhan region and the Gaya horse-riding people, who were connected to the Xiongnu. Thus, the beginning of the Kofun period in Japan was initiated by the migration of the Gaya royal family. This conclusion is supported by analysis of iron artifacts, horse-related artifacts, Gaya-related place names, and various historical sources, including the Kojiki, Nihon Shoki, and the genealogies of the Gimhae Kim Clan.
The Japanese imperial family originated from the Gaya royal family, who migrated to the Japanese archipelago in the 2nd–3rd centuries and initiated the Kofun period in Japan. This study has demonstrated ample evidence and historical documents that support this claim. Moreover, it has been shown that Myoken, Himiko, and Empress Jingu were the same person, and that she was a member of the Gaya royal family. It implies that the military campaigns of Empress Jingu could not take place in southern Korea, but rather within the Japanese archipelago. Numerous Gaya related place names, artifacts, and relics exist throughout Japan, suggesting that the places Empress Jingu conquered should be identified in the Japanese archipelago, not on the Korean Peninsula.
These facts disprove the Imna-Gaya Theory, which claims that Wae advanced into southern Korea. It is based on a lack of understanding of the basic cultural and civilizational transmission processes between Korea and Japan, as well as the iron and horse-riding culture of the Kofun period. Moreover, it is a preposterous proposal, reversing the reality of Gaya’s expansion into Japan. It is unfortunate that there are still scholars who advocate for this theory, which was crafted by Japanese imperialist historians as part of the Imperial Japanese Colonialist Historiography.
One incident highlights the historical reality of the connection between the Japanese imperial family and the Gimhae Kim Clan. In 1915, the Japanese colonial government invoked a secret directive of the Governor-General’s Office and banned the publication of the Gimhae Kim Clan Genealogy, which traces its origins to King Suro of Gaya. The reason given was that the genealogy posed a threat to Japan’s national security and public order. Why would the genealogy of a Korean family be considered such a threat to Japan? This incident paradoxically proves the deep connection between the Japanese imperial family and King Suro of the Gimhae Kim Clan. If this fact that the Japanese imperial family, once revered as gods, was actually descended from the people of Joseon, who were subjects of Japan at the time became widely known, it would be a major issue, undermining the legitimacy of the Japanese imperial family. Sadly, the history of Gaya has been heavily distorted by colonialist historiography, and it is crucial to correct these misconceptions. Rectifying the history of Gaya is essential to establishing a proper understanding of both Gaya’s history and the historical relationship between Korea and Japan."
Jeon Joonho (2024) A Study on the Relationship
between Gaya and the Japanese Imperial Family pp. 32-33
Reference: https://koreanhistoryjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Jeon-Joonho_FINAL_TWO-COLUMNS21.pdf