Buraku Liberation News, September 1997 issue (N0.98)
3.Discriminatory Remarks in Cyber Space
In cyber space, including Web pages and bulletin boards of computer networks, remarks slandering Buraku people and other discriminated-against people are increasing in number.
In May a certain Taro Tokumoto, who led the Organization for the Protection of the Yamato Race (major race of Japanese), constructed his own Web page starting with a slogan, "Let's protect the tradition, pride and dominant heredity succeeded from our ancestors, and pass them down to our descendants."
Until the end of that month, the BLL received information about this Web page from several sources, including prefectural federations and the Buraku Liberation Research Institute. After the BLL protested about the discriminatory contents to a Web page provider where Tokumoto constructed his home page, they deleted his page based on their bylaws.
This Web page consisted of 15,000 letters and was an outright discriminatory writing, slandering people with disabilities and Buraku people.
In his propaganda, he lamented about the present situation of Japan, saying that there are a lot of physically deformed minors, sitting in wheelchairs, and asking for welfare and donations in the street. He said that physically deformed people and people with hereditary diseases recently increase in number.
In addition to that, he made critical remarks about Buraku people and the Buraku liberation movement. "Buraku people tried to eliminate inequality by superficially denouncing discrimination, although they shelved their own behaviors and background, and ignored genetics and preventive medicine. That was wrong." "Wherever we go, we can see many nice buildings built by our tax, such as Buraku liberation halls and public schools located in Buraku areas. Buraku people propagate excessive campaigns by presenting themselves as victims. We think that signboards appealing to the elimination of discrimination is an exaggeration. They are tools of extracting money (from administration) by presenting the Buraku people's image as victims." "The government sacrificed a large number of Japanese for the sake of Buraku people."
After repeatedly stating such discriminatory remarks, he suggested as follows. "If we do not have any organization to counter such a situation, members of the Yamato Race, who posses dominant genes guaranteed by the excellent blood succeeded from our ancestors, will be extinguished."
Another incident in cyber space was an inquiry about the location of Buraku areas transmitted into Nifty-Serve, a commercial computer network, by a man in November 1995 (please see No. 92 issue of the Buraku Liberation News).
On the other hand, the Buraku Liberation Study Circle, Osaka University students' circle, created a bulletin board on their Web page in July 1996 to facilitate free discussions on Buraku issues. After a month, an anonymous letter first appeared on it, saying that they have to extinguish bad blood. Many people reacted to the letter, criticizing the opinion. Through many discussions and efforts at enlightenment by the people concerned, including a staff member of the Buraku Liberation Research Institute, the writer finally felt remorse and apologized for his remarks.