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Reality of Buraku Discrimination in Japan

History, Situation, Challenge

History 3. Internationalization and Improvement of the Human Rights Situation

After the war, the Buraku liberation movement focused on the responsibility of the government for being at the root of the cause of Buraku discrimination. In 1955, as the movement expanded, the National Committee for Buraku Liberation changed its name to the Buraku Liberation League (BLL). In 1965, through efforts of the BLL, the Cabinet Dowa Policy Council finally made proposals that included the statement that a solution to the Buraku problem rested with the government, and at the Same time it was an issue that all the people of Japan should tackle. In 1969, the first law in a series of laws on special measures was enacted for the purpose of putting an end to Buraku discrimination. The last of these laws will expire in 2002.

During this time, a young innocent man from a Buraku community was falsely charged for murder and he was imprisoned for 31 years and 7 months. Although the judicial authorities released him on parole, to date the door leading to a re-trial of the case has remained closed.

In 1998 it was disclosed that more than 700 companies received confidential personal information about individuals from private detective agencies. As attested by this, Buraku discrimination has not yet been solved.

In the meantime the UN has adopted various international human rights conventions based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Japan ratified the International Covenants in 1979 and following this also ratified the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Convention of the Rights of the Child and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. IMADR, established by the efforts of Buraku liberation movement, has committed itself to the elimination of discrimination based on the social class, racial discrimination, the fight for the rights of indigenous peoples and the protest against human rights oppressions all over the world.

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