In the aftermath of the Great Kanto Earthquake of September 1, 1923, which devastated Tokyo and other areas of Japan, rumors spread that Koreans were poisoning wells, setting fires, and planning to overthrow the government. The rumors, often repeated in the mainstream press, led to a wave of mass hysteria and vigilantism, resulting in the massacre of an estimated 6,000 Korean residents by mobs and military forces. The incident remains a dark chapter in Japanese history.

The Great Kanto Earthquake massacre has been the subject of numerous literary works, including poems, novels, and memoirs, that explore the intersection of natural disaster, fear, and ethnic violence. The event has inspired writers to examine the psychology of scapegoating and the role of rumor in fueling mass hysteria, and it has been used as a backdrop for works that critique nationalism and the persecution of minorities. It also serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of fear and the importance of accurate information in times of crisis.