Grasping the Reality of Today's Buraku
Towards a Post-Special-Measures Solution to the Buraku Problem
- Part 4 (2)-
| In March 2001, around the time when the Law on Specific Budgetary Measures concerning Projects designated for Area Improvement became invalid, the local government of Osaka Prefecture released a report entitled, "Study of Actual Conditions of Dowa districts towards a Solution of Dowa Problem." The study was conducted for the purpose of collecting the most up-to-date and precise data and information concerning the Buraku problem and analyzing the collected data in the hope that it will provide the local government and other concerned bodies with a basis for developing strategies in combating Buraku discrimination in the post-Special-Measures era. Here we will focus on a report that examines living conditions in Dowa districts. The report is one of several reports(1) that were produced on the basis of the study's findings. It is a broad-based report, so we will pick up some of more interesting chapters in this series(2) in the hope that they will be relevant to the interest of our readers. Part 4 (2) of this series focuses on use of the Internet. |
IV. Information
2. Computer Ownership
(1) Rate of Ownership of Computers
22.3% of Dowa district households have computers for private or business use. According to the consumer trend survey, conducted by the Economic Planning Agency in March 2001, the rate of home-ownership of computers was 38.6% nationally and 38.4% at the Kinki regional level. The corresponding percentage for Dowa districts is far below these numbers. As the above results from the consumer trend survey did not cover "single families" and "foreigner families," the numbers collected in Osaka survey also exclude these groups.
Table 4-5: Home ownership of computers
| Applicable proportion | Own | Do not own |
| 6019 households | 1345 | 4674 |
| 100.0% | 22.3% | 77.7% |
Note: The "applicable proportion" did not include those whose response was unknown, those of single families, or those who live with foreigners
(2) Rate of Computer Ownership and Household Type
As demonstrated in the consumer trend survey, the rate of home-ownership of computers in Dowa districts corresponds to family income. The rate is also low for elderly households, households with disabled persons, single parent households and households receiving public assistance. Thus, the spread of computers is not even across different groups.
Among the same income levels, computer ownership rates for Dowa districts are generally lower than the national rates. The lower ownership rate in Dowa districts is attributable to higher proportions of low income families and "elderly, disabled, single parent and recipient of public assistance" households.
Table 4-6: Computer ownership rates by annual household income
| Osaka survey | National survey | |||||
| Total households | Own (%) |
Do not own (%) |
Unknown (%) |
Own (%) |
||
| Below 3 mil | 3,598 | 8.5 | 91.2 | 0.3 | below 3 mil | 12.8 |
| 3 - 4 mil | 852 | 18.9 | 80.6 | 0.5 | 3 - 4 mil | 21.8 |
| 4 - 6 mil | 1,299 | 27 | 72.8 | 0.2 | 4 - 5.5 mil | 31.9 |
| 6 - 8 mil | 709 | 33 | 66.7 | 0.3 | 5.5 - 7.5 mil | 44.7 |
| 8 - 10 mil | 460 | 36.3 | 63.5 | 0.2 | 7.5 - 9.5 mil | 50.8 |
| 10 - 15 mil | 333 | 46.2 | 53.5 | 0.3 | 9.5 - 12 mil | 57.3 |
| Over 15 mil | 144 | 59.7 | 40.3 | - | over 12 mil | 66.3 |
| Total | 7,720 | 19.5 | 79.6 | 0.9 | National average | 38.6 |
Notes: 1) National survey: "Consumer Trend Survey" 2000
2) "Unknown" responses in the question regarding annual family income in Osaka survey were not included. (n=325)
Table 4-7: Composition of households by family type and computer ownership
| Total households | Own (%) |
Do not own (%) |
Unknown (%) |
|
| Elderly households | 1,246 | 2.7 | 96.9 | 0.4 |
| Disabled persons | 1,558 | 13.9 | 85.2 | 0.8 |
| Single parent (mother) | 187 | 15 | 84.5 | 0.5 |
| Single parent (father) | 53 | 15.1 | 84.9 | - |
| Public assistance | 684 | 1.8 | 97.8 | 0.4 |
| Total | 7,720 | 19.5 | 79.6 | 0.9 |
3. Internet Use
(1) Rate of Internet Use
The rate of Internet use in Dowa districts is 14.4%. According to the Government's "2000 White Paper on Telecommunications", the national rate of individual use of the Internet is 28.9%. The rate in Dowa districts is half the national average. (The rate of individual use of the Internet in Dowa districts is measured for those aged between 15 and 69 in order to be comparable with the national survey)
(2) Uneven Distribution of Internet Users (ages 15 - 69)
As is the case with the spread of computers, Internet users are also unevenly distributed. There are less female users than male users by 4.9 points, while percentages for middle to old-aged people are lower than that for young people. By educational background, the rate for those who have "junior college or higher educational backgrounds" is 37.6%, while that of those who progressed "up to junior high school" is 4.1% and that of those who progressed "up to high school" is 16.0%. By disability, the percentage for people with disabilities is 5.8%, which is one third of the rate for people without disabilities (15.1%). By annual family income, while the rate of Internet use is 7.4% for households with an income of less than 3 million yen, it was 33.8% for those with incomes of more than 15 million yen.
There are also lower rates of Internet use among women, the elderly, people with low educational backgrounds and people with disabilities. The low rate of computer use in Dowa districts is attributable to Dowa district conditions such as comparatively high rates of people with poor educational backgrounds and high proportions of elderly residents.
Table 4-8: Internet use in Dowa districts (ages 15 - 69)
| Internet User | Non-user | Unknown | Applicable number | |||
| At school or at workplace | At home | Both | (Total) | |||
| 353 | 405 | 216 | 974 | 5,770 | 40 | 6,784 |
| 5.2% | 6.0% | 3.2% | 14.4% | 85.1% | 0.6% | 100.0% |
Table 4-9: Internet use by resident category
| Applicable proportion (Number) |
Use (%) |
Do not use (%) |
Unknown (%) |
||
| Sex | male | 3,309 | 16.9 | 82.5 | 0.7 |
| female | 3,475 | 12 | 87.5 | 0.5 | |
| Age | 15-19 years old | 497 | 25.4 | 74.2 | 0.4 |
| 20-29 | 1,142 | 31.1 | 68.7 | 0.2 | |
| 30-39 | 1,122 | 20.9 | 78.7 | 0.4 | |
| 40-49 | 1,116 | 14 | 85.8 | 0.2 | |
| 50-59 | 1,504 | 5.3 | 93.8 | 0.9 | |
| 60-69 | 1,403 | 1.6 | 97.2 | 1.1 | |
| Education | never entered school | 3,155 | 4.1 | 95.8 | 0.2 |
| completed up to primary, junior high or high school |
2,264 | 16 | 83.9 | 0.1 | |
| completed junior college/ college |
849 | 37.6 | 62.3 | 0.1 | |
| Disability | have disability | 534 | 5.8 | 93.3 | 0.9 |
| no disability | 6,247 | 15.1 | 84.4 | 0.5 | |
| Annual income | less than 3 mil yen | 2,856 | 7.4 | 91.9 | 0.7 |
| 3-4 mil yen | 802 | 15.8 | 84 | 0.1 | |
| 4-6 mil yen | 1,255 | 17 | 82.9 | 0.1 | |
| 6-8 mil yen | 684 | 23.1 | 76.6 | 0.3 | |
| 8-10 mil yen | 442 | 20.6 | 79.2 | 0.2 | |
| 10-15 mil yen | 322 | 29.2 | 70.5 | 0.3 | |
| more than 15 mil yen | 136 | 33.8 | 66.2 | - | |
| Total | 6,784 | 14.4 | 85.1 | 0.6 | |
Note: The total number for "use" consists of "use only at offices, facilities or schools", "use only at home" and "use both at home and at offices or schools".
4. Highly Information-Oriented Society and the Dowa Problem
The arrival of a highly information-oriented society has brought opportunities to realize a wealthier and more fulfilling lifestyle for many citizens. It was indicated in the White Paper on Telecommunications that "As the Internet resolves problems of time and distance related restrictions and creates effective access to convenient and abundant communications and diverse information, it is expected to promote social participation for the elderly who have limited social participation opportunities, thus bringing about changes to their lives", and "By making effective use of the Internet and mobile telecommunications, people with disabilities can more easily expand their scope of communication and access necessary information. Internet use will promote independence and social participation for people with disabilities, leading to improvements in their quality of life."
However, as the White Paper notes, "In the current highly information-oriented society, an information gap exists between elderly and non-elderly, and disabled and non-disabled. This may lead to a social and economic gap", Internet use is starting to widen the rift between those who can make use of information tools and those who cannot. As a result, "It has become necessary to provide an 'information barrier-free' environment for all people, including elderly people and people with disabilities" (White Paper). The elderly and disabled, however, are not the only ones to be facing this problem. As demonstrated in the literacy problem in Dowa districts, such information gaps have significant effects on all aspects of life for all those affected.
The actual conditions in view of the use of computers and the Internet in Dowa districts coupled with educational background and aging issues in this highly information-oriented society lead to an "information gap" problem, which is now a widespread issue in modern society.
Will the new age that the advancement of scientific technologies has created accelerate social inequality, or will it contribute to further opening the door to equal social participation for all citizens? The reality for Dowa districts that have experienced the literacy problem and are currently facing new problems in this highly information-oriented era clearly represents a challenge for the realization of a highly information-oriented society with sensitivity to human rights.
<to be continued>
Note (1) Some of the reports are available (Japanese version only) on the website of the Osaka Prefectural Government: http://www.pref.osaka.jp/jinken/measure/tyosa/index.html
(2) Previous articles in this series can be found at http://blhrri.org/index_e.htm