What
is Braku Problem ?
1 It is originated from
the social system of feudal society
The Buraku problem originated from the social
system of feudal society． It is an unresolved，in
which some of the people whose rights have been
historically and regionally scorned， including freedom of
occupation，residence and marriage，have been
denied to them，forcing them to live wretched lives．In the
feudal era，the people were divided into the classes
of aristocracd（landlords），plebeians（farmers，artisans
and merchants），and humble people（executioners，people
who deal with dead cows and horses，including
tanners and others）．
In Western European societies，which developed
into modem societies through civil revolutions，the
social system of feudal society ended in principle
and the people became free and equal citizens．
The absolutist Tenno（Emperor）as sovereign
still ruled Japan after it become a modern society，and
no civil rights（human rights）were guaranteed
to the Japanese people as SHINMIN．
In a society where modern civil rights were not
guaranteed，descendants of the humble people（the
people of discriminated hamlets，i．e．Buraku）Were
discriminated against. Buraku people were forced to
live in Wretched residential areas and their
communication with the neighboring residents was
restricted．They were deprived of freedom of
marriage，occupation，going to higher schools，and
poor living was imposed to them．This is the basis
of the Buraku question in the modern Japan，and is
still unresolved today.
2 It is neither a racial nor an ethnic
problem．
The Buraku Liberation League （=Kaido）
misunderstands the Buraku problem and treats it as if
it were an ethnic plrblem，and not a few Japanese
and foreign people have such an understanding of it，But
the Buraku problem is neither racial nor an ethnic，
The Buraku problem in simple terms is a problem of discrimination depending on whether
or not a person is a Buraku person，descended
from the humble class of the feudal era， An end discrimination is
demanded，as now it scarcely matters in Japan
whether a person is or is not a descendant of
warriors（the highest class in the feudal era）．
What is needed is to sweep away the out‐of−date，false，premodern
tradition that puts one’s ancestors’ rank in problem，and to
remove the barrier between the Buraku and the outside
World．
In Japan，there is discrimination against the
Korean people living in Japan， typical of the ethnic
discrimination against foreign citizens，except
those that have become nationalized in Japan，they
are Korean people：On one hand，they should be
respected as foreign citizens，and at the same time
it is necessary to create a situation in which
they can be proud of their own nationality，although
it，is a most serious problem to apply such principles because the
discrimination against them is very severe．
A typical minority among the Japanese people is
the Ainu race，as it which should be called，The
ethnic discrimination against them should be
abolished，and their human-rights guaranteed， including the
preservation and development of their independent
culture；first，as Japanese people，and second as a
minority that differs from the Japanese people，who
form the majority in Japan．
In this way， we see that there are two
sides to respect for human-rights in relation to
ethnic problems．But viewing the essence the Buraku
problem，we see that only the gumantee of human
rights as Japanese people is necessary for the Buraku
people．
In the light of the universal principles
governing human beings，we must make active efforts
to correct discrimination．In this sense，it can be
said that forms of discrimination have much in common with each
other． But each at the same time has peculiarities．There are differences in means and goals
is how discrimination will be corrected and what will
take its place． Administrative and educational conduct and
activities by social movements which neglect
these differences are false and disadvantageous，The
Buraku Liberation League(=Kaido) misunderstands the
essence of the Buraku problem，separates the
Buraku people from the general public，and makes it difficult to
remove the barrier resulting from the social system of feudal
society．This prevents the Buraku problem from being
resolved．
II The Settlement of Buraku
Problem
１ What is the settlement of the Buraku Problem
?
The settlement of the Buraku probrlem， that is
to be rid of the barrier between the Buraku and
outside of the Buraku (reconciliation between the
people) means: 1) Differences in the living
environment, employment, education and other matters
between the Buraku and neighbors are corrected; 2) A
condition is created in society in which unscientific
knowledge of the Buraku question and prejudiced
remarks are not accepted; 3) In the course of
struggling against discrimination of the Buraku, the
historical backwardness in the Buraku people's living
and habits is overcome; 4) In society, free social
communication is developed and reconciliation with
solidarity is.
2 Perspective of Settlement
Nowadays, the correction of differences between
inside and outside of the Buraku is being promoted,
closed societies of Buraku are becoming open, and
social communication is developing. These brighten
the perspective for the liberation of the Buraku.
Discrimination against the Buraku is basically on the
way out.
From the standpoint of promoting national
reconciliation, we will promote democratic education
and enlightenment, so that human-rights are respected
and so that democracy can become fixed as the ethic
local societies. At the same time, we will further
awaken the people inside and outside the Buraku, to
create democratic societies. We are sure that we can
overcome the discrimination against the Buraku by the
end of this century if these movements are basically
promoted.
III Shifts and Present
Situation of Buraku Problem
１ Situation Pre-War and Wartime
The Meiji Restoration was the beginning of modern
Japanese society. Because of the "Liberation Law
for Humble People", which was promulgated in
1871, the feudalistic humble rank legally disappeared.
But the Buraku people were not liberated from their
miserable conditions, based on discriminations
against them: Under the absolutist Tenno (Emperor)
system, the parasitic landlord-ownership system, and
Japanese capitalism that had a specific structure
linked with the two systems, political and material
fundamentals that maintained and supported
discriminations against the Buraku existed in the
political, economic, and social systems. For example,
under rule by large landowners in rural areas,
tenants were forced to pay ground rent in kind almost
as high as in feudal society, suffering from non-economic
compulsion. In this situation, in a certain sense it
is natural that only the Buraku people, existing at a
lower level than tenants, were not liberated.
In 1922, the Buraku residents aiming at liberation
from discrimination, founded the All-Japan Levelers
Association (Zenkoku Suiheisha), putting forward a
high ideal: "Warmth in human societies, light
given to human beings." The movement of Zenkoku
Suiheisha, with the banner of democracy flying,
spread all over the country. The settlement of the
respective phenomena of discrimination was advanced
by this movement, but the condition for a drastic
settlement did not mature until after the World War
II.
2 Changes of Post-War Society
Japan accepted the Potsdam Proclamation of the
Allies in August, 1945, the beginning of the new post-war
history.
In 1946, the absolutist Tenno system was abrogated,
and a new constitution based on people's sovereignty
was established.
The new constitution lays down peaceful,
democratic articles as its principles, including
sovereignty vested in the people, the abandonment of
war, protection of fundamental human rights,parliamentary
democracy, and local autonomy.
The constitution of Japan guarantees the people's
fundamental human rights as "permanent and
inviolate", and says expressly that "All
people are equal under the law and there shaI1 be no
discrimination in political, economic or social
relations because of race, creed, sex, social status
or family origin." In addition, a series of
democratic reforms were introduced, including
farmland reform, dissolution of the big financial
combines, the establishment of freedom to rally,
association plus expression, equality of the sexes,
and abolition of the patriarchal family system.
That the semi-feudalistic landowner system, i.e.,
the parasitic landlord system, basically collapsed,
meant that the political, and social foundation
maintaining and supporting discrimination against the
Buraku had basically collapsed.
In this way supported by a new system based on the
democratic constitution and the drastic advance of
the people's democratic awareness and movements, the
perspective was favorable for the settlement of the
Buraku problem.
3 Changes of the Buraku Post-War
Discrimination against the Buraku has been
drastically reduced and overcome in the past thirty
years. This is firstly because the subjective
conditions were developed: the generations given
democratic education in the post-war period are
increasing and democratic consciences and attitudes
at the level of the people's living have spread and
taken root among the people.
Secondly, the development in social productive
capacity, on one hand, has ruined nature and the
people's living, threatening lives, but at the same
time it has greatly helped to break down semi-
feudalistic social relationships, which were
undermined by post-war reforms: This created the
objective condition for the solution of the Buraku
problem.
In addition, resolution of the Buraku problem
depends largely on the Buraku people's own efforts
for improvement of living, the Buraku liberation
movement, assimilation education and assimilation
administration which reflect it, and broadly speaking,
the "struggle to be free" (Constitution,
Article 97).
4 Present Situation of Buraku
The Buraku once stood in an economically, socially,
and culturally inferior position. It is
characteristic in the present situation of the Buraku
that such a general inferior condition is being
turned into a specific question of certain districts,
ages, and ranks, because of various aspects,
including the Buraku people's own efforts, the
advance of the Buraku liberation movement, the
implementation of a project based on special measures:
20-year- project (some 10 million yen) for
assimilation based on the special measures law since
1969. This is historical progress, improving
conditions for the settlement of the Buraku problem.
We should take account of the fact that the remaining
differences in districts around the Buraku are not
the result of feudalistic discrimination; they are
linked deeply with the contradictions in modern
society.
Residential and living condition
The Buraku were at one time so inferior in
residential and living conditions as could be seen at
a glance; houses were very small, dilapidated and
overcrowded, and the people lived in unsanitary,
unhealthy, and closed conditions, clearly different
from the neighboring districts. As a project for
assimilation, about 120,000 houses were reformed or
built as public housing, and combined with a loan
system for new-building or reform of houses, which
covered 200,000 houses, the residential condition of
the Buraku was greatly improved.
Employment and living
The overwhelmingly majority of the people in the
buraku were once workers with precarious employment,
such as petty farmers and daily laborers. Their types
of occupations were part time. But now the types of
occupations of the Buraku people are varied, and the
employment situation is basically becoming similar to
employment in other districts.
Educational Condition
Concerning educational conditions, there are now
no unschooled children at the compulsory education
level; such children used to be found in the Buraku.
The proportion of entries of the Buraku people to
high school and universities was only half that of
the general public 20 years ago, but the difference
is now much less: the difference in the proportion of
entries to high schools is 7 percent, and in
universities, 11 percent.
Circumstances Surrounding Marriage
Freedom of marriage is, in principle, based on
"the mutual consent of both sexes".
Viewing seeing the promotion of social
communication between inside, and :outside of the
Buraku, with the focus on marriage, according to the
result of "Research on the Actual Situation and
Consciousness'", cases of both husband and wife
living in the Buraku are from the Buraku position 50.2
percent; cases of one of the couple from outside the
Buraku stand at 34.1percent, and cases of both being
from outside the Buraku stands at 9.4 percent.
Viewed respectively by age, the proportion of
couples both in their twenties and both from the
Buraku is 9.4 percent, the lowest figure. In the
higher age group, the higher proportion of the
couples who are both from the Buraku should at 65.8
percent in their seventies. The proportion of couples,
one of whom is from outside the Buraku is highest at
60.2 percent in their twenties, and the lowest, 15.8
percent, in their seventies. This research reveals
that among these ten years younger, ten percent more
marriages are between people from inside and outside
the Buraku. The younger they are, the social
exchanges between inside and outside of the Buraku on
the phase of marriage are greater.
"Research on 'Actual Situation and
Consciousness"
A 1989 survey in 35 districts throughout the
country by the All Japan Federation of Buraku
Liberation Movement.
Change of proportion of entries into high-ｓchools
and universities
(Research by Education Ministry)
Proportion of marriages of two types
(Research by management and coordination agency, in
Buraku districts, 1985)
(Excluding marriages of both from outside the Buraku)
Tanaka District, Kyoto City, in the 1950s, in
the 1990s
The Tanaka District population was 2,000 people of
518 families in 1956, the people being forced to live
in overcrowded, confined, and very inferior living
conditions. The overwhelming majority of occupations
of householders there in those days were unstable, as
unskilled workers; "skilled workers,
manufacturing workers, and unskilled workers" (44.2
percent) and "unemployed" (28.2 percent).
Compared with the average ratit) in Kyoto City of
high school entries, which was 65.0 percent, that of
the Tanaka District was only half of that, i.e. only
33.3 percent. But with the implementation of a
project for the improvement of residential conditions
based on the project for assimilation, the number of
the people living in the district was 1,571 of 57
families in 1984. 555 families (97.3 percent) out of
them came to live in modern municipal houses. 51.5
percent of those who had occupations were municipal
workers with the City Office, employment rate had
risen. The proportion of entries to high schools of
the people at ages from 15 to 24 reached 72.8 percent
(male), 80.2 percent (female), reducing the
difference from the city average, which was 94.1
percent.
Changes in Living and Residential Condition
Higashi-Sanjo District, Kyoto City,
from the 1950s, to the 1990s
In the Higashi-Sanjo District, 1,800 people of 464.
families lived these in those days of 1956. 47
percent of them lived in houses, each less than 16.5
meters squares, and 26 percent were one-room houses (in
1953). The occupations of householders were "skilled
workers, manufacturing workers, unskilled workers"
(51.3 percent) and "unemployed workers":
Unstable, unskilled workers accounted for 70.3
percent o1' the tolal. The proportion of entries in
high schools in the district was 19.3 percent, which
was at a very low level, compared with the average of
the city. But with the implementation of the
assimilation project, the population of the district
became 1,207 people of 425 families in 1984, lind 92.3
percent of them were living in modern municipal
housing. Concerning employment, 45 percenl of those
who had jobs were municipal workers. The proportion
of entries in high schools at the ages from 15 to 24,
reaching 73.2 perccnl (male) and 83.8 percent (female),
nearer to the city average, which was 94.1 percent.
Kibi Town, Wakayama Prefecture, the first
half of the 1970s to the latter hall' of' the 1970s
The Buraku in Kibi Town were about 10 percent of
the population of the whole town as of 1970, 74.1
percent ot' the houses were inferior, and the average
number of rooms per house in the Buraku was 35, while
that of the town was 4.7.
In addition, the houses were congested, there were
some houses in which several families lived together.
But with the implementation of the project for
assimilation, public housing was built. Building
their own new houses suitable to the rural area was
also promoted helped by the low interest loan system.
As a result, the residential condition improved
greatly. In addition, street improvements, and
construction of an assembly hall, a children's hall,
a health care center for mothers and children, a
public work place for handicapped people and others,
were carried out which changed the town beyond
recognition.
Kibi Town: As is clearly shown by the "Number
of accepted cases of infringement of human rights"
(cases accepted by the Civil Liberties Bureau of the
Justice Ministry), related to the discriminations
againsl the Buraku, it is characteristic that
discrimination against the Buraku does not take place
generally, as daily affairs, it being only I percent
of all, and decreasing.
