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Reality of Buraku Discrimination in Japan

History, Situation, Challenge

History 1. From the Early Modern to the Modern Ages

During the Tokugawa Regime (1603 to 1867), people were placed under the rigid feudal class system.The senmin (humble people), who consisted of the eta (extreme filth) and hinin (non-human), were placed at the bottom of this system. The eta were assigned duties such as disposing of dead cattle, leather production, being security guards and sweeping, while the hinin made their living as security guards, executioners and performers. The senmin class remained until the promulgation of the "Emancipation Edict" in the late 19th century when the Meiji Restoration, or the modernization revolution of Japan, took place.

However, the promulgation of the edict did not help solve the problem utterly. Furthermore, the modernization of Japan saw the establishment of a new social class system with the Emperor at the top and the Buraku people on the bottom, and blood connection was given the same importance in social practices as it had been given during the feudal era. Buraku people were thus driven into poverty, which resulted in intensified prejudice and discrimination against them in social situations such as employment, marriage, education and military service. Buraku people united and founded the Zenkoku Suiheisha (National Levelers Association) in 1922 to face these social injustices. They adopted Japan's first declaration of human rights, called the "Declaration of the Levelers Association". It stated "we shall liberate ourselves through our respect for humanity", and initiated modern Japan's human rights movement.

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