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The Burakumin Discrimination
issue and its
origin
Imai Kazuichi
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TO: THE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN IN CHRIST STRUGGLING
AND LIVING TOGETHER WITH THE OPPRESSED PEOPLE
The
problem of buraku discrimination (the mikaiho or un-liberated communities) in
Japan is unique in all over the world. It was created within the social
structures of Japan's particular history, economics & culture including its
religion. This report is divided into four sections and is sent with the prayer
that the Kingdom of God may come on earth as it is in heaven.
The Origins of the
Buraku
The origins of the "discriminated
communities" (hisabetsu buraku) began about 400 years ago based on the
various political, economic and social regulations of Japan's feudal society.
These people were concentrated in certain areas and were forced to live in
these designated communities. Various explanations concerning the origins of
the buraku have circulated and they include origins from: (1) other races, (2)
other ethnic groups, (3) other tribal groups and (4) religious occupations
involved with religious taboos. But these explanations are all put forward to
perpetuate discrimination and have no basis in fact.
The ruling
authorities, in order to more easily control the people, intentionally created
a status system to divide and rule, fixing a class of the poor at the very
bottom. They then regulated every phase of social life, determining the occupation
place of living, marriage, inter-personal relations and clothing. As a policy,
they established a class who were less than human: persons who were outside the
human sphere;
communities, which were a society
outside society. At that time, the emperor became the economic and political
authority.
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The Solution to Discrimination
About 100 years ago (1871) at the
beginning of our country's modernization under the reforms of the Meiji
Restoration, Japan declared an Emancipation Proclamation. This was for
appearance' sake at the time the country was being opened to foreign relations.
The status system was abolished, the emperor became the head of the nation, a
new status system of family registry was organized and the Burakumin, 3 million
persons in 6,000 buraku communities were kept out of important sectors of
modern industrialization including manufacturing. They were not provided with
any regular employment (my own parents were among them) their children had no
guarantee of an education; they were deprived of civil rights respect to
freedom of marriage and so forth. There was no change from feudal times.
On March 3, 1922, the Burakumin, seeking
liberation by their own power, organized a nationwide
Levelers' Society. The word "leveler" implied equality and freedom
& their symbol became the crown of thorns; the sign of our Lord is suffering.
The desire for liberation spurred them on total commitment in a
self-sacrificing struggle. But after Japan entered World War II the military
pressure brought the movement to a halt.
On August 6, 1945, the atom bomb was
dropped on Hiroshima. 2.7 kilometers from the epicenter of the bombing, there
was a discriminated community with a population of 6,037 at that time. All
houses were destroyed with a heavy toll of death and injuries. Persons from the
mainstream society were able to relocate in other areas, but the Burakumin,
deprived of the right of other places to live, were subject to secondary
exposure to radioactivity. Knowing all along that there was danger, the
Burakumin were forced to return to their former area many times sooner than
society in general. As a result the number of atomic victims who emerged where
twice the rate of mainstream society. Even though buraku discrimination has the
power
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of an atomic bomb, it persists with lasting
effects and many problems remain without solutions.
In 1969, the government enacted the
Integration Policy Counter-measures Act and began to tackle the solution to
discrimination. But closely related to this effort as a form
of backlash, was the appearance of "Directories of Buraku Place
Names" both of the former names and the current names. Till now
nine different types of these books have been published describing the number
of households, occupations, etc. They are sold illegally and used as resource
material by personnel departments of companies in order to exclude Burakumin
from employment — thus depriving them of their right to a livelihood. Because
this is the most vicious kind of discrimination, the buraku problem is the most
basic expression of discrimination in Japan and remains contained within the
confines of the buraku communities.
An incident at the Third
"World Conference on Religion and Peace
At the Third World Conference on Religion
and Peace, which convened at Princeton Theological Seminary in America from August
29, 1979, representatives from India and Canada raised the subject of the
buraku problem in Japan. The General Secretary of the National Christian
Council in Japan explained the actual conditions and it was included in one of
the section reports. However, at that point, one of the Japanese delegates
requested that it be deleted. Rev. Machida, chairperson of the All Japan
Buddhist Council, stated three times over, "There is no buraku
discrimination in Japan. It's only a case of a few people who are stirring up
trouble using the buraku problems as an excuse. "He also emphasized that,
for the sake of Japanese honor, he wanted to have the reference to buraku
deleted. For a long time the chairperson had a deep concern for Japan's buraku
problem. But because the other Japanese delegates did not object, Rev.
Machida's request to
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delete the reference to the
buraku issue was inevitably accepted and the subject was resolutely deleted
from the Conference Declaration because even the mention of the word “buraku”
would draw attention to the country of Japan.
Moreover, Japanese representatives and
the newspaper reporters at the Conference made no mention of Rev. Machida's
maneuver after they returned to Japan. It was only when the issue became
sensational. Since then a number of (denunciation) meetings were held between
the representatives of the discriminated Buraku communities and Conference
participants as well as representatives of related organizations. At those
meetings, all the Conference participants agreed that the report in the
above-mentioned religious paper is factual. Groups in Japan committed to the
liberation movement and voices from the religious world, academic scholars,
labor unions and citizens' groups directed strong protests against Rev. Machida.
Rev. Machida belongs to a particular Zen
Buddhist sect which before the Emancipation
Proclamation gave discriminating post-mortem names to the Burakumin such as
beast, skin, lower of the lowest, filth, etc. Isn't this deceitful attitude of
Rev. Machida also found among other religious sects and leaders? They avoid
touching on the Buraku issue. Question should be asked as to how far those
Japanese attending Asian and international conferences are conscious of the
human rights issues and are prepared to live together with the oppressed
people. They only talk about beautiful principles while doing nothing or not
being involved in their own country.
Japan's culture is said to be a shame
culture, and we take seriously the way we appear to outsiders. The Emancipation
Proclamation mentioned earlier and the adoption this year of the International
Covenant on Human Rights, were due to external considerations and not because
Japan stands on its own respect for human rights.
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How the Christian
Community in Japan is coming to grip with Buraku Liberation
At the time when the Ban Against Christianity was revoked in 1870, Christians were
also a discriminated minority. There emerged those who were concerned for
buraku evangelism, there was a small number of Japanese who proceeded along the
road to imperialism, and militarism, centering in the emperor system, the
church followed the same course. The Christian community cut off its relations
with the buraku and propagated its faith more among the middle class.
About 20 years ago, the Association of
Christians for Buraku Liberation was founded. About 100 members have joined as
individuals. In 1975, the United Church of Christ in Japan organized a
Committee on the buraku issue. Among the 15 districts, there are 10, which have
organized special committees. A small number of local congregations have taken
up the cause endeavoring to truly eliminate discrimination by sharing together
the groans of their neighbors until we achieve full liberation. In order to
provide a permanent structure to deal with the issue of buraku liberation, the
Special Committee of the United Church proposed to organize a Buraku Liberation
Center and the 21st General Assembly of the United Church, held in January 1981
finally passed the resolution to set up the Centre.
Through buraku liberation we want to
achieve solidarity with the worldwide struggle for human rights, and we make
this report with the prayer that we may become witnesses for our Lord Jesus
Christ together with the young men and women in the World Student Christian
Federation, which is seeking the freedom and equality, the peace and abolition
of war which is the hope of all humanity.
____________________
Taken from Praxis No. 1, 1981.