The United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education: Challenge for the Second Decade Reflecting the Evaluations of the First Decade

The United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education:
Challenge for the Second Decade Reflecting the Evaluations of the First Decade

Kenzo Tomonaga
Director, Buraku Liberation and Human Rights Research Institute

[ Japanese ]

1. Introduction

It has been nine years since the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (“Decade” for short) began on January 1, 1995, with the aim to create a culture of human rights throughout the world.

I had the opportunity to call on the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in March 2002 to have an informal talk with the officer in charge of the Decade when I visited Geneva to attend a meeting of the International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR). During the conversation I raised my opinion that the recent world peace and human rights situation indicated the need for a second Decade. The officer responded to my suggestion, emphasizing that her opinion was a personal one, by saying that, from the perspective of just the future activities of the OHCHR, the end of the Decade would bring about a significant setback in structure and budget. She was afraid that this could also set back individual states’ efforts. Considering the present situation, she believes that initiatives for a second Decade are necessary.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (HCHR) presented its report on the follow-up to the UN Decade for Human Rights Education (E/CN.4/2003/101) to the fifty-ninth session of the Human Rights Commission in 2003, which touched on the importance of a second Decade. A resolution requesting HCHR to consult with all Member States on the achievements and shortcomings of the Decade, which was drafted under the initiative of the Government of Costa Rica, was adopted during the session (Commission on Human Rights resolution 2003/70). Furthermore, in Resolution 2003/5 at the fifty-fifth session of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in August 2003, it recommended that the Commission on Human Rights should recommend to the Economic and Social Council that it should recommend to the General Assembly the proclamation of a second Decade for Human Rights Education.

While the prospects for proclaiming a second Decade are improving, the first and foremost importance rests on evaluation of the current Decade. It is also necessary to identify what should be specifically focused on during the second Decade. This paper aims to contribute to such a process.

2. Background of the UN Decade for Human Rights Education

Before evaluating the first Decade, let us look back to the time it was proposed.

The Resolution for the Decade was adopted by the 49th UN General Assembly in December 1994. In the preceding year, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) held a conference entitled “the International Congress on Education for Human Rights and Democracy” in Montreal, Canada. Also, in the same year, the UN organized the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna, Austria. Both international conferences adopted Declarations and Plans of Action that included provisions emphasizing the importance of human rights education and the need for the Decade.

The “World Plan of Action on Education for Human Rights and Democracy” adopted in Montreal was one of the documents to persuasively underline the need to promote human rights education at the global level, as quoted below.

Certainly, the Cold War has come to a close, walls have come down and some dictators have been deposed. Yet the last decade of the twentieth century is experiencing the recurrence of the most serious human rights violations, caused by the rise of nationalism, racism, xenophobia, sexism and religious intolerance. These recurrences have led to the most abhorrent forms of ethnic cleansing, including the systematic rape of women, exploitation, neglect and abuse of children and concerted violence against foreigners, refugees, displaced persons, minorities, indigenous peoples and other vulnerable groups.... The rise of nationalism and intolerance mentioned above calls for special and anticipatory educational strategies aimed at preventing the outbreak of violent conflicts and the related human rights violations. Incremental changes can no longer be considered satisfactory. Education should aim to nurture democratic values, sustain impulses for democratization and promote societal transformation based upon human rights and democracy.

As is clearly indicated in the above Plan of Action, the world has witnessed frequent outbreaks of ethnic conflicts in the post cold-war era, including the massacre that occurred during the course of civil wars in the former Yugoslavia. Deeply concerned with the serious international situation, the idea for a UN Decade for Human Rights Education was proposed to create a peaceful world, where people do not kill each other and respect for the human rights of all people exists, by promoting human rights education throughout the world.

The international situation in the early 21st century that was characterized by “September 11” and the subsequent occurrences of the “Afghan War” and “Iraqi War”, along with the emergence of neo-Nazis in many parts in Europe, indicate the increasing importance of the Decade.

3. How human rights education is defined in the Decade

Now, let us look at the definition of human rights education made in the Decade. As human rights education has quite a broad concept, the basic UN documents concerning the Decade included certain definitions for human rights education. One such definition was found in the resolution concerning the Decade. It reads, “human rights education should involve more than the provision of information and should constitute a comprehensive life-long process by which people at all levels in development and in all strata of society learn respect for the dignity of others and the means and methods of ensuring that respect in all societies.”(A/RES/49/184)

It should be noted that the above definition clearly defines that human rights education is not something special for certain groups of people on certain occasions, but rather it is for all people on any possible occasion throughout their lives. It is also important that the definition clarifies that human rights education is not a process by which people simply gain knowledge, but it is rather a process by which people learn means and methods of ensuring respect for the dignity of all people.

The other definition was found in the Plan of Action for the Decade transmitted by the UN Secretary-General to the General Assembly. It defines human rights education as “training, dissemination and information efforts aimed at the building of a universal culture of human rights through the imparting of knowledge and skills and the molding of attitudes”. (A/51/506/Add.1)

The above definition importantly defines that human rights education does not only take the form of training, but also of dissemination and information efforts. This becomes more significant in the context of the arrival of an information-oriented society. It is also important that the above definition clarifies that human rights education should not only impart knowledge and attitudes, but also skills that contribute to the establishment of human rights. In addition, it importantly clarifies the aim of human rights education that it is to build a culture of human rights throughout the world. In other words, it aims to create a world where human rights constitute essential part of daily life for all people.

4. Essential points of the Plan of Action for the Decade

The Plan of Action for the Decade (A/51/506/Add.1) is extensive, consisting of 99 paragraphs. Here, I would like to pick up eight points that are considered to be vital.

The Plan calls for making efforts to disseminate international human rights standards including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for the realization of human rights. While understandings of the contents of human rights education can vary, it stresses the dissemination of international human rights standards towards the realization of human rights. This is especially important in the present time during which globalization is accelerating the movement of people. For reference, there are 27 human rights conventions that have been adopted by the UN alone. Japan has ratified only ten of these 27, including the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenants on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. (Annex 4)
The Plan calls for special importance to be placed on oppressed and disadvantaged people when promoting human rights education. To be specific, it calls for efforts to empower and eliminate prejudice against people who face discrimination. Naturally, it emphasizes the importance of promoting literacy programs.
The Plan calls for special attention to be given to teachers, government officials, lawyers, judges, medical practitioners, social welfare personnel, military officers, managers of business entities, trade union officers, NGO activists and mass-media people as subjects of human rights education. This is due to the fact that the results of their professional work significantly depend on their understanding of human rights.
Human rights education should be imparted not only through school education, but should also be imparted at every possible opportunity through home education, social education, job training and life-long learning. The mass media is also expected to play an important part. This is also emphasized in the UN’s definition of human rights education, as mentioned above.
It is important to promote human rights education at the international, regional, national and local levels. Human rights education should be promoted and carried out at all levels through the unique efforts of people at those levels. However, if the objective of the Decade is to build a culture of human rights throughout the world, efforts at the local level where almost all people live their everyday lives (i.e. efforts at the municipal level) will be most important.
The Plan calls for the creation of a committee consisting of people from different sectors of society to develop plans of action for the entire ten-year period. Promotion of the Decade requires development of plans of action for the entire decade. In doing so, it will be imperative to understand actual conditions and needs as well as to invite people from different sectors of society to join in developing plans of action, and to conduct periodic reviews of the plans.
The Plan calls for the development of a framework to promote the Decade, setting asides budgets for promotion and establishing a focal point. To successfully promote such a large undertaking, it will be essential to build a framework, secure substantial resources and create a center to collect information and disseminate updated information.
The Plan calls for developing methods, materials and curricula for developing human rights education. It is essential to develop methods, materials and curricula for the effective promotion of human rights education.

5. Efforts made by the UN and other countries

The Decade has been promoted at different levels since it started in January 1995. First, let us look at the efforts made by the UN.

Efforts made by the UN include: 1) preparation of training materials for the law enforcement officers and professionals whose responsibilities are deeply connected with human rights; 2) collection of information regarding efforts made at the national level and preparation of the guidelines for developing a national plan of action; and 3) provision of support to promotional efforts in developing countries using the UN technical assistance program.

Training materials have already been published for the use of police, prison officials, teachers of elementary and junior high schools, judges, lawyers, members of parliament and journalists. The Human Rights Education Information Centre was created in the “Palais Wilson” in Geneva, where the OHCHR is located, as part of the work of collecting information on promotional efforts being made at the national level and compiling this information into a database. Guidelines to promote efforts at the national level were prepared and presented before the UN General Assembly in October 1997 by the Secretary-General (A/52/469/Add.1 and A/52/469/Add.1/Corr.1). The guidelines outline six steps to follow in promoting human rights education at the national level. These are: 1) creation of a national committee for human rights education; 2) conducting a basic survey; 3) prioritizing programs and identifying groups that require human rights education; 4) preparation of a national plan of action: 5) implementation of the national plan of action; and 6) review and revision of the national plan of action.

In the Asia-Pacific Region, workshops, conferences and meetings have been organized to promote human rights education. For example, the Asia-Pacific Human Rights Information Center (“HURIGHTS OSAKA”) located in Osaka, Japan, has organized many workshops and meetings in the region to promote human rights education in schools. Also, in December 1998, the International Conference on Human Rights Education in the Asia-Pacific Region, at which the “Osaka Declaration” was adopted, was held in Osaka to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The OHCHR publishes collected information about the efforts and achievements that have been made at the national level as of December 2001 on its website (http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu6/1/initiatives.htm). It includes information from 86 countries including 17 African, 7 from Arabian, 11 Asia-Pacific, 35 European and North American, and 16 Central and South American countries.

I would like to focus on the efforts made in the Philippines and France that have attracted much attention.

In the Philippines, the National Human Rights Commission has developed a comprehensive national plan of action for the period from 1998 to 2007. It has also organized national meetings to make the plan more substantial, gathering participation from different sectors and groups such as Amnesty International Philippine Section. In the Philippine context, we can see the results of their rich experience through the so-called “People’s Power” that led to collapse of the Marcos regime. Promotion of human rights education is articulated in the Philippine Constitution as well as Presidential Decrees. Accordingly, human rights education is systematically included in training programs for military personnel and police as well as in school education. Human rights education has also been proven as effective approach in the civil movement.〔1〕

In France, the National Commission for the Decade was organized by the UNESCO National Commission and the State Human Rights Advisory Committee, including representatives from 11 related government offices. The French National Commission has been given missions to conduct a survey to examine past and present programs and activities in the field of human rights education, as well as to assess the need and develop a plan of action for promoting human rights education. Four working groups have been set up in the national commission to carry out its missions. These include: 1) primary and secondary schools, 2) universities and higher education, 3) adult education including police, military and professional groups such as judges, teachers and social workers; and 4) NGOs, civil groups and labor unions. In addition, the National Human Rights Information and Training Center was founded in November 1996.

6. Efforts made by the Japanese Government

The Japanese Government created the Headquarters for the promotion of the Decade on December 15, 1995 under Cabinet decision during the Murayama administration. It is chaired by the Prime Minister and vice-chaired by the Cabinet Chief Secretary, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Education (currently, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports and Technology) and the Director-General of the Management and Coordination Agency (currently, the Minister of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications). It also designated the vice-ministers of all ministries and agencies as senior staff. Its Secretariat is located at the Cabinet Councilors Office on Internal Affairs (currently, in the office of the Assistant Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary).

On July 4, 1997, the Headquarters announced a National Plan of Action after it was partly revised in response to public comments from various sectors. The plan consists of five parts: 1) basic ideas, 2) promotion of human rights education at all levels, 3) priority agenda, 4) promotion of international cooperation, and 5) implementation of the plan. Among them, the item 2) clearly states that human rights education shall be promoted through schools, social education, education for the business sector and other sectors in society, and education for professional groups such as prosecutors, teachers, social educators, medical practitioners, social service personnel, police personnel, self-defense force members, public employees, and the mass-media. In connection with item 3), the plan highlights the rights of women, children, the aged, persons with disabilities, Buraku people, Ainu people, foreigners, persons with HIV/AIDS and persons who have completed prison terms.

Among efforts made at the national level, it should be noted that the Law on th e Promotion of Human Rights Education and Awareness-Raising was promulgated and enforced on December 6, 2000. This law originated from the education/awareness-raising section of the bill for a “Buraku Liberation Fundamental Law”, the enactment of which has been called for since 1985 through an extensive national campaign.

The purpose of the law is to promote human rights education and awareness-raising for all people and at all levels of society at every possible opportunity, with the objectives of eliminating discrimination against Buraku and other groups and the realization of human rights. For this, the law stipulates mandates for the State, local governments and nationals with regard to human rights education. Especially for the State, the law stipulates its responsibilities in the formulation of basic plans and preparation of annual reports (Annex 6). As is required by this law, the “Basic Plan for Human Rights Education and Awareness-Raising” was endorsed by the Cabinet on March 15, 2002, and the annual report entitled “White Paper on Human Rights Education and Awareness-Raising for 2002” was published in March 2003. 〔2〕

7. Efforts made by municipal governments

Municipal level efforts are decisively important in creating a culture of human rights. In comparison with other countries, efforts being made at the municipal level in Japan are relatively advanced. For instance, as of January 2003, 39 of Japan’s 47 prefectures have established a structure to promote human rights education in their respective prefectures, and 35 have prepared their own plans of action. (Annex 7)

In analyzing efforts made for the Decade at the prefectural level, it is noticeable that many prefectural governments have created councils, which include representatives from a variety of different sectors as members, to discuss and prepare plans of action.

The plans of action prepared by prefectural governments each reflect the prefectures’ unique characteristics. For instance, the plan prepared by the Nara Prefectural Government in March 1998 is comprised of the following articles: 1) Introduction, 2) Basic Ideas, 3) Current Situations and Challenges of Human Rights Education and Awareness-raising of Nara Prefecture, 4) Improvement of the Environment for Human Rights Education: 5) Promotion of Human Rights Education at All Levels, 6) Priority Agenda, 7) Promotion of International Cooperation, and 8) Implementation of the Plan of Action. Item 4), Improvement of the Environment for Human Rights Education, places stress on the improvement of the learning environment, development of human resources, improvement of learning approaches, provision of information regarding effective awareness-raising methods, and good liaising between relevant government bodies (national and local), non-governmental organizations and private corporations.

Promotional structures have also been set up and plans of action have been prepared at the municipal level. According to a survey conducted by the Buraku Liberation and Human Rights Research Institute (BLHRRI) in June 2002, about 530 local governments have made plans of action. For instance, almost all the municipal governments in Saitama, Osaka, Tokushima, Kagawa and Oita Prefectures have set up promotion structures and prepared plans of action. In March 1997, the Osaka Prefectural Government became the first local government to develop its own plan of action. In March 2001 it developed a revised version of the plan for the last half of the Decade, based on the evaluation of the first half of the Decade, establishing it as the basic plan in accordance with the newly enacted “Law on the Promotion of Human Rights Education and Human Rights Awareness-Raising” (http://www.pref.osaka.jp/jinken/measure/jinken/kouki10.htm).

As one of features of efforts made at the municipal level, it can be pointed out that while many local governments have enacted ordinances for the elimination of Buraku discrimination and other forms of discrimination, or ordinances for the realization of human rights in their respective communities, preparation of plans of action for the Decade embodied educational provisions contained in such ordinances. (Annex 8)

8. Efforts made by the private sector

In Japan, the private sector has played an important role in encouraging the national and local governments to take initiatives for the Decade. For example, BLHRRI, which I work for, was the first organization to translate and publish basic documents concerning the Decade. BLHRRI has also consistently produced publications to help in the promotion of the Decade as well as consistently focusing on the Decade in a series of seminars it has periodically organized. In September 2000, BLHRRI made its own plan of action for the Decade.

The Liaison Committee for the Promotion of the Decade was formed through joint efforts among Buraku Liberation League, the Japan Teachers Union, the National Dowa Education Research Council and the National Liaison Council for Rimpo-kan (community centers in Buraku districts) as a nation-wide non-governmental center to systematically monitor government efforts and raise opinions and proposals to the government.

The Center for Human Rights Affairs, which is to serve nation-wide, has translated documents related to the Decade. At the prefectural level, centers to promote human rights education and awareness-raising were established in Mie, Tottori and Fukuoka Prefectures. These centers provide services such as collection and dissemination of information as well as leadership training courses.〔3〕

Another example of the private sector’s efforts is the foundation of an NPO called DASH (http://www.npo-dash.org) in Izumi City, Osaka Prefecture, that aims at the promotion of human rights education. DASH organizes human rights education programs for citizens and receives visitors from all over the country for field trip programs in the local community.

9. Achievements and difficulties of the first Decade

In the above I have reviewed the efforts for the Decade made by the UN, the Japanese government, Japanese local governments, the private sector in Japan, and countries other than Japan. Analysis of these efforts reveals the following results that have been achieved under the first Decade.

The Decade has, to a certain extent, contributed to increase public recognition of the importance of human rights education internationally and nationally.
Where human rights education was promoted individually in school education, adult education and job training in the past, the Decade has provided an opportunity to promote human rights education comprehensively and systematically under the broad objective of the creation of a culture of human rights.
In promoting human rights education, oppressed groups in different countries have been spotlighted, while the importance of human rights education for professionals has been more strongly recognized.
Structures to promote human rights education and plans of action have been developed at all levels of society to a certain extent.

On the other hand, there still remain the following challenges〔4〕:

There are some countries that have not taken any initiatives for the Decade. In Japan, there are some local governments that have done nothing for the Decade. Among those that have taken initiatives, some have not given priority to the Decade with sufficient resources.
Even among those local governments that have prepared plans of action for the Decade, many set no numerical goals nor implementation plans with budgets. Furthermore, only a few local governments have conducted periodic evaluations and reviews of their respective plans of action.
Among professional groups, human rights education for parliament/council members and judges is insufficient. Also, among private corporations and religious groups, no remarkable initiatives have yet been taken for the Decade.
Ideas regarding human rights education are not well linked to actual human rights violations or human rights measures. Due to this, administrative measures are not reviewed from a human rights perspective. The human rights perspective is also not linked to community building.
Plans of action fail to fully respond to implications of the arrival of the information-oriented society, especially with regard to the wide spread of Internet. To be more specific, plans of action do not encourage the promotion of human rights education by taking advantage of Internet, nor do they address the problem of human rights abuses on the Internet.

10. Initiatives for the second Decade

As was mentioned in the Introduction, when we look at the international human rights situation after “September 11”, we must admit that the missions entrusted to the Decade have gained more significance.

This is also true for Japan. Under the lingering economic stagnation after the collapse of bubble economy, the number of unemployed in Japan’s post-war period has reached record numbers. Suicides number more than 30,000 a year and there is an increased in the rate of homelessness. Abuse of child and elderly people continues. Vicious crimes committed by juveniles show no sign of significant decline. Through the most advanced communication tool available, the Internet, discrimination against Burakumin has been incited with messages such as “Exterminate Burakumin”. The anti-foreign-resident tendency, which has often manifested as anti-Korean and anti-Chinese sentiment, is getting stronger. Human right violations committed by law enforcement officers and government officials also need to be addressed, as was represented in the Nagoya Prison Case in which prison officers caused the death and injury of inmates.

Indeed, the Decade and the Law on the Promotion of Human Rights Education and Human Rights Awareness-Raising are highly significant for Japanese society today.

Consequently, both within Japan and on an international level, it is vital to reinforce efforts towards achievement of the Decade’s goals in the last year of the Decade. At the same time, the need for a second Decade is becoming more urgent.

When we take into account the problems encountered during the first Decade, as were described above, it becomes apparent that the following challenges need to be tackled in the remaining time of the first Decade and in the second Decade.

What is needed at the international level:
1. The UN and other international agencies must increase awareness of their role in promoting human rights education, and give higher priority to the Decade in terms of allocation of budgets and human resources.
2. A promotion committee for the Decade must be created in every country, and national plans of action must be prepared. Experts and representatives of civil society including NGOs, the business sector and trade organizations should be invited as members of such committees.
3. Regional meetings must be convened for the purpose of promoting the Decade in every country of the world. Experts and representatives of NGOs should be invited to such meetings in addition to government representatives.
4. The United Nations must continue to prepare and publish training materials in different languages for human rights education for professional groups that have important roles in the promotion and protection of human rights.
5. Multi-national corporations must be urged to engage in human rights education.
6. Plans of action that respond the arrival of the information-oriented society and the wide spread of Internet must be prepared.
7. A system must be established by which information regarding efforts made by international agencies, governments and NGOs in conjunction with the Decade is collected and disseminated. The operations of the Information Center for Human Rights Education under the OHCHR, as well as contents of its web-site, must be improved for this purpose.
8. The UN must organize a meeting of experts and NGO representatives to evaluate the first Decade and to make proposals for the second Decade before the next session of the UN Human Rights Commission.
What is needed in Japan:
1. Efforts made for the Decade at all levels must be evaluated, and issues regarding the second Decade must be discussed. Such evaluation includes: i). summary of actions taken; ii). evaluation of the actions taken (including good results and future tasks); iii). accurate understandings of the present circumstances and clarification of new problems; and iv). future direction (including short-, mid- and long-term).
2. A study must be carried out to examine the actual state of the realization of human rights. The findings would be useful in the promotion of human rights education. Information about discriminatory practices and human rights abuses that have taken place in Japan must be collected and the findings must be analyzed.
3. Plans of action for the Decade and the Basic Plan for the Law on the Promotion of Human Rights Education and Human Rights Awareness-Raising developed by the national government and local governments must be revised and improved. Also, plans of action must be elevated to plans of implementation, and these must be linked to specific administrative measures and community building. It should be noted that compared to the “Basic Plan for the Law on the Promotion of Human Rights Education and Human Rights Awareness-Raising”, the plan of action for the Decade developed by the national government is more comprehensive as it includes; i). the right to education; ii). human rights education in the business sector and in society at large; and iii). international solidarity.
4. A task force must be created to conduct a fact-finding survey and revise and improve the existing plan of action for the Decade and the Basic Plan for the Law on the Promotion of Human Rights Education and Human Rights Awareness-Raising. In organizing such a task force, representatives from different sectors should be invited.
5. The national government must create a secretariat for the Decade and a secretariat for the “Law on the Promotion of Human Rights Education and Human Rights Awareness-Raising” within the Cabinet Office, and reinforce the structure.
6. Human rights training materials for professional groups that are in particular position to effect the realization of human rights must be prepared, and human rights training must be incorporated into the existing training curricula.
7. Local governments must establish promotional systems, develop plans of action for the Decade and the Basic Plan for the Law on the Promotion of Human Rights Education and Human Rights Awareness-Raising, and create centers for the promotion of human rights education and awareness-raising.
8. Human rights education must be given a clear position in school education, adult education and life-long education. A graduate school that specializes in doing research in human rights and training practitioners in the field must be created.
9. Efforts for the promotion of human rights education in the business sector, civil organizations, religious groups, the mass-media, legal professionals and parliament/council members must be reinforced.
10. An international conference must be organized in Japan in 2003 under the auspices of the UN on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for the purposes of evaluating the first Decade and making proposals for the second Decade.

(Endnotes)

- This article was written in September 2003.

- Japanese translations of the “World Plan of Action on Education for Human Rights and Democracy”, the UN General Assembly resolution to declare the start of the UN Decade for Human Rights Education, its Plan of Action and Guidelines for National Plans of Action were published and disseminated by the Buraku Liberation and Human Rights Research Institute and its associate organizations.

As for the Japanese publications introducing human rights education in the Philippines, Mariko Akuzawa, Why People Learn Rights? Human Rights Education in the Philippines”, 2002.
For the shortcomings of the Basic Plan for the law on the Promotion of the Human Rights Education and Human Rights Awareness-Raising and the White Paper on Human Rights Education and Awareness-Raising for 2002, I presented articles in Japanese in 2002 to the “Human Rights” monthly magazine nos. 171 and 173 respectively.
The Year Book on Human Rights (Japanese) that is annually published by the Buraku Liberation and Human Rights Research Institute contains a directory of Human Rights Centers across Japan.
For more details, see articles by Suehiro Kitaguchi, Tomoya Yoshida and Kazuhisa Takagi, in the Japanese monthly journal, “Jichiken”.