1 Foreword
The Buraku Liberation and Human Rights Research Institute (BLHRRI) was established in August 1968 with the cooperation of the Buraku liberation movement, researchers and the local governments including Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City. It is in its 35th year since establishment this year.
Since its establishment, it has cooperated with the Buraku liberation and other movements and has achieved results in its many efforts in eliminating Buraku discrimination and establishment of human rights.
2 Efforts towards Ratification of the International Covenants and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
In the area of international solidarity, the Institute has developed ratification promotion movements towards ratification of the International Covenants since the second half of 1970’s with the Buraku Liberation League and other organizations. Ratification was achieved in June 1979. We continued to work for the promotion of ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and achieved accession in December 1995.
The Institute continues to monitor the domestic implementation of the Covenants and the Convention, and has compiled NGO reports to be sent to the UN.
We have participated actively in efforts related to the resolution on discrimination based on work and descent adopted in August 2000 by the UN Sub-Commission on Human Rights.
3 Efforts related to the UN Decade for Human Rights Education
The UN has initiated the UN Decade for Human Rights Education since January 1995 to create a global culture of human rights. The Institute has translated related UN documents early on and called for related initiatives on various areas. As a result, the national government set up a promotion Headquarters and elaborated a Plan of Action under the Decade. We also lobbied for similar action to local governments and saw more than 500 of these take up initiatives. In September 2000, the mid-term of the Decade, we elaborated our own plan of action and proceeded with our initiatives.
4 Efforts for the legislation of the Buraku Liberation Fundamental Law
Meanwhile in Japan, a draft of the Fundamental Law for Buraku Liberation was adopted in May 1985, and the Institute acted as the Secretariat in charge of the deliberations. The bill has not been enacted as of this date, but the provisions regarding “education and awareness-raising” included in the draft Fundamental Law came into being in December 2000 as the Law on the Promotion of Human Rights Education and Human Rights Awareness-Raising.
The government drafted a basic guideline on human rights education and human rights awareness-raising in March 2002 pursuant to the Law, and published an annual report in March 2003. The BLHRRI analyzed these and pointed out some points of concern.
We have also studied and made proposal on the need to establish a human rights institution in Japan based on the UN Paris principles regarding the establishment of national human rights institutions. The government submitted a draft Human Rights Protection Bill in March 2003, but the independence and effectiveness of the commission envisioned in the draft did not satisfy the requirements of the Paris principles. Public opinion strongly called for a complete revision, but the government did not respond and the draft Bill was abandoned this October. We are committed to working towards a legislation which includes provision for the establishment of a human rights commission based on the Paris principles, including calling for draft proposal by Diet members.
BLHRRI also proposes the establishment of a human rights law system in Japan.
5 Efforts towards Ordinances for Building a Community which is Committed to Eliminating Buraku Discrimination and Respecting Human Rights
In view of the progress of de-centralization in Japan, we research and issue proposals on legislation of local government ordinances for elimination of all forms of discrimination including Buraku discrimination, and human rights oriented community building. As of September 2003, 15 out of 47 prefectures and 743 out of 3239 cities, towns and villages have such ordinances. Some of these local governments have begun human rights oriented community building based on these ordinances, and we issue policy proposals on these activities as well.
6 Buraku Liberation and Human Rights Lecture Course for Leader Development
Apart from the results introduced above, another achievement of BLHRRI is the development of leaders working on Buraku and human rights issues in various areas, in particular, local governments and private companies. The most important initiative in this aspect is the Buraku Liberation and Human Rights Lecture Courses. These Courses started in April 1974 and will be in its 30th year next year. The Courses have the most substantial content in Japan regarding Buraku and human rights issues.
In recent years, the Buraku Liberation and Human Rights Lectures Courses are held 4 times each year, and approximately 50 people take part in each course. Most of the participants are people working on Buraku and human rights issues in local governments and private companies, and some are members of civil organizations. A course would be about 30 days long, and has a 1 class per week and 2 classes per week course. Of the 30 days, half would be lectures on Buraku and human rights issues. The second half would focus on smaller group discussions. In both the first and second half of the course, there would be a 2 day training trip. Fieldtrips to visit Buraku areas are also included.
Graduates of the Courses number over 3,000 today and they play an important role in local governments and private companies in working with Buraku and human rights issues.
7 Establishment of the Osaka Liaison Conference for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism, and the Asia-Pacific Human Rights Information Center
BLHRRI cooperated with various groups including the Buraku Liberation League, local governments such as Osaka City and Osaka Prefecture and universities located in Osaka to organize the Osaka Liaison Conference for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in March 1984. In January 1988, it also played a central role in creating the International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination (IMADR), to eliminate discrimination from this world. It also played a significant role in the establishment of the Asia-Pacific Human Rights Information Center (HURIGHTS OSAKA) in July 1994, to promote regional protection of human rights in the Asia-Pacific.
Japanese
【Additional Material 2】
1 Buraku Issue
Buraku issue is an issue of discrimination arising from discriminated class constructed within the class structure built in the feudal society in Japan. In international comparison, it is similar to discrimination arising out of the caste system in South Asia including India.
According to statistics published by the government, there are currently 4,300 Buraku communities and 900,000 Buraku people in Japan today, but liberation movement organizations and researchers claim that there are 6,000 and 3 million respectively.
2 History of Buraku Liberation Movement and Efforts towards Eliminating Buraku Discrimination
In 1867, Japan became a member of modern states after the Meiji Restoration, but the discrimination against the discriminated class created in the feudal society was not abolished, and the class was marginalized during the modernization process, to become targets of new discrimination.
This lead in March 1922, to the creation of the Zenkoku Suiheisha (National Levelers’ Association), an organization with the objective to eliminate Buraku discrimination and to bring about a society, in which human rights were established. The Suiheisha Declaration which was adopted at the inauguration meeting, is looked upon by many people in Japan today as the Japanese Human Rights Declaration.
The Zenkoku Suiheisha denounced the discrimination which existed openly, appealed to the society on the unfairness of Buraku discrimination. The denunciation even covered discrimination within the military.
In the 1930’s, Japan seriously began to invade China and other neighboring countries and brought about the Asia Pacific War. The Zenkoku Suiheisha was persecuted during these times, and in the end, was forced to cooperate with the war. It is a painful part of its history.
In August 1945, after causing intolerable damages to the people in the neighboring countries, and itself becoming victim of atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan was defeated.
In February 1946, shortly after the end of the war, the Buraku liberation movement was rebuilt. From the mid 1950’s the movement boldly confronted local governments for improvements in the miserable conditions that Buraku communities and Buraku people face. They claimed that it was the result of discrimination. The movement, which was rebuilt and popularized after the war changed its name to Buraku Liberation League in the meeting in August 1955 and remains so today.
In August 1965, the Cabinet Dowa Policy Council submitted its report, which stated that the responsibility to solve the Buraku issue was on the state, and at the same time a national challenge. In July 1969, the Law on Special Measures for Dowa Project was enacted, and it continued after various changes in names for 33 years until the end of March 2002. During this time living environment in the Buraku communities were improved significantly. The rate of students entering high school education also increased. Initiatives to establish accurate awareness on Buraku issues in schools and society also grew.
But there are still several percentage points discrepancy in the high school enrolment rate, and university enrolment remains at approximately 60% of total enrolment rate. Discrimination in marriage and employment still remain, and graffiti and letters of hate speech, such as those calling for the annihilation of Buraku people, as well as discriminatory propaganda and incitement on the internet are on the rise.
In November 1975, the incident involving the existence of a list of Buraku area was exposed and revealed the serious discriminatory attitude of the Japanese companies. The ensuing denouncements and confrontations lead to trainings in private companies on Buraku and human rights issues.
In August 1979, discriminatory statements by Japanese participants in the Third World Religion Peace Conference lead to further denouncements and today, religious organizations in Japan conduct training on Buraku and human rights issues.
3 Challenges towards Elimination of Buraku Discrimination
To eliminate Buraku discrimination further efforts are needed in the following areas.
- Efforts to close the existing gaps in education and labour.
- Strengthening education and awareness activities to eliminate discriminatory attitudes towards Buraku.
- Improvement of legal system regulating malicious discrimination and providing remedies for victims.
- Promotion of human rights oriented community building which improves not only Buraku but surrounding areas as well.
