Industrial Economy and Human Rights Problems
- Present Conditions of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises of Buraku and Tasks through Investigations into the Actual Conditions
Mitsuru Tanaka
Professor of Industrial Economics
Faculty of Economics at Kansai University, Osaka, Japan
(Continued from Buraku Liberation News No.121)
IV. Traditional and Representative Buraku Industries
1) Case study ? leather industry in Osaka
In Osaka, many surveys have been conducted to find the actual conditions of the leather industry.29 The Osaka Prefectural Corporation for Promotion of Dowa Integration Projects Meeting Group on the Leather Industry also meets on regular basis to facilitate fact-finding research.
The Osaka Prefectural Corporation for Promotion of Dowa Integration Projects produced a report in 1991 as a result of this research. The report focused on the "tariff quota system", or "liberalisation of the leather industry", being an urgent issue for the local leather industry, which is in the midst of increasingly difficult environmental conditions. Pressure from other countries means that the leather industry of Japan needs to change from being a traditional household industry to what is known as a "total fashion industry".
Mr. Shintaro Yoshida, the chairperson of the Osaka Prefectural Corporation for Promotion of Dowa Integration Projects, also mentioned this in the preface of the report. He writes:
The history of the Japanese leather industry is identical to that of Dowa industry. Without understanding Dowa industrial history, nobody can talk about the current conditions and future prospects of the local leather industry.
This report, however, does not suggest that the local leather industry is exclusively a Dowa industry because the aims of this report are to propose a direction towards possible solutions for the practical problems that need to be addressed quickly, and to show that the industry should aim to be a leader of the total fashion industry, contributing to improvement in the quality of life of the nation. We are confident that we will make a great contribution towards solving the Dowa problem by promoting and supporting the development of the leather industry. The most important issue is that solutions to these problems will lead to improvement in social status of the entire leather industry. This report reflects our visions and opinions, as mentioned above. We will continue our efforts in proposing promotional plans not only for the industry, but also for each specific issue. 30
Thus, the Osaka Prefectural Corporation for Promotion of Dowa Integration Projects Meeting Group on the Leather Industry has continually proposed visions, strategies and plans for the future development of the local leather industry through conducting surveys and analysing the findings (from the perspective of industrial economy, especially the SME issue). (Fig. 5*)
Programs to visit the shoe industry in Italy and Germany have also been organised. 31
2) Study of the meatpacking industry in developed countries in Europe and America
In addition to the leather industry, the meatpacking industry is also considered to be a major Buraku industry. After the import liberalisation of beef and specific beef products, in 1991 and 1990 respectively, the meatpacking industry of Japan has been driven into difficult conditions. As it was strongly felt that it was important to conduct a study into actual conditions of the local meatpacking industry, research and study of the meatpacking industry in developed countries in Europe and America became part of this initiative.
I participated in this mission to see the meat industry and market in Europe from August 25 to September 1, 1996, visiting Austria (Vienna), Germany (Munich) and the U.K. (London).
The purposes of the mission were as follows:
With the import liberalisation of meat and the continuing bad economic situation, the Japanese meatpacking industry has been experiencing structural changes including participation of new businesses in the industry and the distribution of products outside the market. The issue of how the Japanese industry can be encouraged while being faced with these situations has been thoroughly discussed in order to ensure the healthy survival of local meat producers. There is therefore a strong feeling that it is necessity to send a mission to Europe to study the meat industry and market, as well as meat-related food culture, so that we can collect information on which to base future discussions for the promotion of the local meatpacking industry.
Two years prior to the mission, I conducted research into the major European industries and visited some companies during an extended stay in Europe (from April to October 1994) as a Kansai University sponsored researcher. My research focused on both modern and traditional industries. Traditional industries especially included many traditional manual industries similar to those in Japan. However, they are significantly different to those in Japan in the following aspects: whereas those of Japan have been specific to Buraku communities as a result of historical and social discrimination against them, those of Europe have enjoyed good prestige and reputation through their history. Despite facing the severe worldwide business environment, these industries in Europe are fully supported by their own people and governments because of their historical contribution to national life and culture.
Through my visit to these countries as a member of the mission, I confirmed that meatpacking industries of all these countries have invariably contributed to the culture of their respective people as a vital industry, fully supported by history and traditions, and that each national government has actively promoted programs to facilitate development of its local meatpacking industry in order to manage ongoing rapid changes in the global economy.
In short, the European meatpacking industry is totally different from that of Japan in historical, traditional and socio-economic aspects. The former has been fully supported by their people and governments. For the future of the Japanese meatpacking industry, it is essential to learn from the lessons of these European countries. Truly, they depend on state responsibility as well as support from every individual Japanese citizen. I underline that it will eventually become possible to implement drastic and specific policy. Here again, research and studies to find the actual conditions are critically important. 33 (to be continued)
* Due to a lack of space, Figure 5 is omitted from the on-line version of the news.
Notes:
29) Tanaka Mitsuru, 1992, Nihon Keizai to Buraku Sangyo ? Chushokigyo Mondai no Ichisokumen (Japanese Economy and Buraku Industry ? One Aspect of Small Business Problem) ", Kaiho (Liberation) Press (in Japanese)
30) The Osaka Prefectural Corporation for the Promotion of Dowa Integration Projects (Zaidan Hojin Osaka Dowa Sangyo Shinko Kai), 1991, Osaka Shoe Makers' Vision of the 90's (in Japanese)
31) The Osaka Prefectural Corporation for the Promotion of Dowa Integration Projects (Zaidan Hojin Osaka Dowa Sangyo Shinko Kai), 1995, Survey Report on Shoe Making Workshops and International Trade Fair of Leather and Materials (in Japanese) and the Osaka Prefectural Corporation for the Promotion of Dowa Integration Projects, 1998, Report on Study visit to Shoe Research Institute in Germany (in Japanese)
32) The Japan Federation of Leather Industry, 1997, The Leather Industry's Vision of the 21st Century ? Creating an Industrial Culture of Leather in the Coming Century (in Japanese)
33) The Osaka Prefectural Corporation for the Promotion of Dowa Integration Projects (Zaidan Hojin Osaka Dowa Sangyo Shinko Kai), 1997, Report on the Actual State of the Meat Distribution and Food Culture with Meat in Europe (in Japanese)