Burakumin

[thomas]

Thread split, continued from the thread about ijime...


Very interesting reply!

I don't know enough about ainu, but I heard that many years ago big Japanese companies maintained blacklists with people of burakumin or (semi-)Korean descent. Many of these people have changed their family names as these indicated their origins. I don't know if that's still the case nowadays.

Related link: Buraku Liberation and Human Rights Research Institute

=> http://www.japanreference.com/cgi-bin/jump.cgi?ID=814

Side note: there still seem to be a LOT of prejudices and stereotypical views in regard to burakumin. We know someone of "half-buraku descent" (these classifications sound horrible, don't they?), she literally does everything to hide that fact. Talking about her family is the worst sacrilege imaginable.

We have another friend from Kyushu whose father owns a transportation company. She told us that burakumin in this area are said to provocate traffic accidents in order to sue drivers for smart-money. Urban legends?

 

[moyashi]

hmmm ... split the thread.

the yakuza sue for smart money. You need to understand the traffic law to know what type of accident pays out.

You can also tell who is what regarding the Ainu and Burakumin by their family's address. Well, not exactly, but many areas are heavily populated with such folks which can lead to assumptions.

 

[E. Yamazaki]

so do most people tell who is burakumin or korean or ainu (do native okinawans count for this?) by how they look? or their name?

 

[ET_Fukuoka]

I have asked several people about the "burakumin" in modern Japan. The first was a university student and she said that her father wouldn't let her marry someone who was "burakumin". She said she didn't care, but knowing her would probably honor her fathers wishes. Another one of my friends said that only "Okashii" people care about that but it can have an effect on your life.
It still exists today, but to a lesser degree than it did before. The Japanese have too many other "people" to worry about, like us "Gaijin"....LOL ;-)

 

[nyouyaku]

不楽民は、外国人とは日本人達から思われていません。　その為に、差別も外国人よりかは、社会には受け入れられます。

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Nyouyaku, this part of the forum is for English posts, not Japanese. Please do not post Japanese in the English section any more, and when you do post in Japanese, please proofread before you do so.

 

[kireikoori]

The idea of a burakumin, the idea of "taint" comes from Shinto does it not?
Because the jobs they held were considered unpure by Shinto were they not?
I like Shinto a lot...but this is one of the more sad aspects... :[

 

[caster51]

they held were considered unpure by Shinto were they not?

not Shinto. they are shintonist.
it is because of buddhism by ant-killing animal

 

[Kyoto Returnee]

The whole issue is Taboo in Japan as discrimination is obviously not right.

Having said that, if any forum members are Ainu or Burakumin, guys, I'm here to join the party with you:122:

 

[centrajapan]

i hear there is more burakumin in kansai than in tokyo. i am not sure if this is true or not. kyoto, osaka has a quite large burakumin population aparently.

the samurais or shoguns were at the top of the social hirrarchy and then it was the farmers, then merchants and at the bottom burakunin. but the merchants often had more money than the farmers.

 

[Kyoto Returnee]

i hear there is more burakumin in kansai than in tokyo. i am not sure if this is true or not. kyoto, osaka has a quite large burakumin population aparently.

the samurais or shoguns were at the top of the social hirrarchy and then it was the farmers, then merchants and at the bottom burakunin. but the merchants often had more money than the farmers.

That's true I think..

Large areas in Kansai including Nara.

I also believe Kyoto has a large share of the Samurais..

 

[tokapi]

There is a blood registry named Hisabetsu Buraku Chimei Sokan exposes both Burakumin background and Korean-ancestry.

You can discover " eta " and " hinin " as well. The blood registries are used to ' weed out ' those with ainu ancestry too, to my recollection. There's a whole host of non-desirable subgroups in Japanese society. Konketsu, while a somewhat outdated term, can also fall into the icky-icky keep them away from us category.

 

[hanachan]

Korean and Ainu have nothing to do with the base of this issue.
Historically Buraku means a kind of slum, outcast communities of the feudal era in Japan. People were not allowed to change occupations. If you are born in Samurai family, you will be a Samurai. If you are born in Buraku, you will never leave there and be a Samurai. You must be executioners, undertakers or animal slaughter... anyway considered with death or tainted (people think) things.
The reason why they were discriminated against is only this. They have been made to undertake the work people hate.

Today we can choose any occupation and live anywhere we want. Buraku disappeared for a system. However, it's true that it remains a meaning.
The economical problem was a main thing. Japanese government expended 15 trillion yen since 1969, for the living standards issue in Buraku.

I think that this issue changed. Buraku problem makes big money.
If so-called "Buraku discrimination" is solved, some kind of groups will loose privilege.
Zainichi-Korean problem is the same. If they live as Japanese or they live as same as other foreigners, they will loose Zainichi privilege.

 

[Kyoto Returnee]

I agree with Hana-chan and tokapi:

That list is disgusting and should be destroyed, considering the following factors!

The Baraku system during that time was part of a cast system, similar to that of India and different people in occupations feel into different casts, higher and lower, etc.

It really does not exists today in Japan, the government recognizes the previous wrongdoings, and fully compensates the victims..

It really is part of Japanese history that doesn't exist today, although I guess if you were from the lower cast from a bygone ere, you would still feel the Tabbo-ism around it all and possibly feel a need to hide as it is in no way and open topic of discussion in Japan, hence the term "taboo"