Tokyo human rights center Part 2: Dealing with burakumin discrimination in Tokyo

Continuing from our last post, let's consider discrimination that takes place specifically in Tokyo. Although much more toned down, it is an issue that resonates to this very day. Just jump on a 2chan aggregator or twitter and search for 同和問題 (dowa mondai, i.e., problem of discrimination based on real or perceived class difference) or 同和地区 (dowa chiku, i.e., areas where lower castes were once forced to live) to see the recent chatter.

The dowa chiku of Osaka (could not find a similar map for Tokyo)

I will try to make the translation as faithful to the original without embellishing in order to give an idea of what is being taught. I have added the original Japanese so you can check for yourself. Corrections are welcome. Let me know if you have any.



東京でおきている差別①
同和問題は、まだ解決していません。
私たちの住む東京でも、さまざまな差別が今も起きています。

◆差別的な落書き等
●公共施設や大学などで、同和地区出身者に対する差別的な落書きや張り紙が見つかっています。
●また、最近では、匿名性を悪用しインターネットの提示版に同和地区暴露や差別意識を助長するような無責任な書き込み　も見つかっています。

◆連続大量差別はがき事件
●同和地区出身者の自宅などに、平成15年から翌16年にかけて、差別はがきなどが送られるという事件が発生しました。「えた、非人は人間ではないので人権はない」「死ね」「殺す」「住めないようにしてやる」というような誹謗・中傷・脅迫する内容の差別はがきが大量（全国で400通に及んだ）に送りつけられる事件でした。

犯行の手口も、
・被審者の自宅や近所に差別はがきなどを送りつける。
・被審者の名前をかたり物品を被審者宅に着払いで送る。
・被審者の名前をかたり、ハンセン病療養所に差別手紙を送りつける。
－など悪質なものでした。
「エタ、非人」の語は、江戸時代の身分制度が撤廃された後も、部落（同和地区）の人々を差別する言葉として使われ、当時者からは厳しい抗議がされてきました。この手紙でも「人間ではない」などと、きわめて差別的に使われました。
☆この事件の犯人は、平成16（2004）年10月に逮捕され、懲役2年の刑が確定しました。

このような行為は、被審者の名誉を傷つけ、生活を脅かし、精神的苦痛を与えるだけでなく、新たな差別を助長するもので、決して許されるものではありません。

Discrimination in Tokyo (1)
The dowa mondai is still not resolved to this day.
In Tokyo, many types of discrimination take place even today.

◆Discriminatory graffiti
●Graffiti and posters with discriminatory messages aimed at people from dowa chiku have been found in public facilities, universities and more.
●Irresponsible messages claiming to "disclose" dowa chiku and awareness of discrimination can also be found online, where these users abuse the anonymity of Internet forums.

◆Case of discrimination using postcards
●Discriminatory postcards were sent to homes of persons from the dowa chiku between 2003 and 2004. The postcards included slanderous, hurtful and threatening messages including "Eta and hinin are not human beings so you have no human rights," "Die!," "I'm going to kill you," "I will make it so you can't live there anymore."

How the criminal act was carried out:
・Postcards sent to the homes and neighborhoods of victims
・Items ordered under the victims' names and sent COD
・Discriminatory letters sent under the victims' names to Hansen's Disease (leprosy) treatment clinics
－and other vicious acts

The words eta and hinin were used to discriminate against people in the buraku (dowa chiku) areas even after the Edo era class system was abolished and people of the time severely objected to them. The letters included very discriminatory messages, such as "You are not human" and more.
☆The perpetrator of this crime was arrested in October 2004 and received a two year sentence.

This behavior is unforgivable because it not only disgraces victims, threatens their life and causes emotional pain, but also encourages new forms of discrimination.



東京でおきている差別②
◆就職にかかわる差別
企業等が従業員を採用するときには、本人の仕事への適性や能力のみで決められるべきです。同和地区の出身という理由で採用されないなどということは絶対に許されません。
しかし、実際には同和地区出身の人々に対する就職差別は起きています。
これまで、本籍地や家族の職業など、本人の仕事への適性や能力に関係ないことを履歴書に書かせたり、面接の際に聞いたりする事例がありました。

★6月は就職差別解消促進月間です。
就職は、生活の安定確保や労働を通じた社会参加など、幸せに生きていく上で基本となるものであり、採用選考は応募者本人の適性と能力に基づいて公正に行わなければなりません。
東京都では6月を「就職差別解消促進月間」とし、就職差別をなくし、就職の機会均等の確保を進めるため、東京労働局及び公共職業安定所と連携して様々な啓発活動を展開しています。

◆結婚に見られる差別
結婚は、結婚するふたりの意思によるものであり、憲法でもその権利と自由が保証されています。
平成11年に東京都が実施した世論調査では、子供の結婚相手が同和地区出身者と分かった場合、53.9％の人が「子どもの意志を尊重する」としているものの、約23％の人がなんらかのかたちで「反対する」「認めない」と答えています。
同和地区出身の人々に対する結婚にかかる差別意識は根強く残っています。


Discrimination in Tokyo (2)
◆Discrimination in the workplace
In selecting new hires, companies should base their decision solely on the individual's competence and abilities. It is totally unacceptable for a company not to hire someone due to the fact that they are from dowa chiku.　
Nevertheless, there are people from dowa chiku that experience discrimination in terms of employment.
There have been cases of companies asking potential hires to include on their resume location of their family registry (honseki), occupation of other family members and other information unrelated to job competence and abilities. People have also been subjected to this line of questioning at interviews.

★June has been designated "Month to eliminate employment discrimination."
Being able to seek employment is something fundamental to human happiness by allowing them to hold down a stable lifestyle and take part in society through work. When selecting potential hires, organizations must utilize a fair system based on competence and abilities.
June is designated "Month to Eliminate Employment Discrimination" in Tokyo and the Tokyo Labour Bureau partners with the Employment Security Bureau of MHLW (Hello Work) to implement educational activities that promote elimination of job discrimination and equal opportunity in the workplace.

◆Discrimination in marriage
The Japanese constitution ensures couples the right to freely enter into marriage based on their choice.
A 1999 survey conducted by the Tokyo metropolitan government found that 53.9% of parents would respect the wishes of their children if they decided to marry someone of dowa chiku origins. Meanwhile approximately 23% said they would oppose the marriage or not allow it.
Discrimination against people of dowa chiku origins in the case of marriage is deeply-rooted.

For more about buraku discrimination, see the Headquarters of Buraku Liberation League or this great buraku resource in the Harvard Human Rights Journal.

In our next post, we will talk about foreigners in Japan and the Ainu.