Shiga bars non-Japanese speakers from public housing

Shiga bars non-Japanese speakers from public housing

=> http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/news/20020710p2a00m0fp022000c.html

Press Release on Shiga-Ken Sabetsu (July 11 2002)

Thanks to Thomas for putting this issue up. I am having great Netscape difficulties doing this myself. Here is the press release I sent to several mailing lists on the topic:

(freely forwardable)

LANGUAGE BARRIERS:
SHIGA PREFECTURE BARS FOREIGNERS
FROM ITS PUBLIC HOUSING

Hello All. Want to try some people power? Got an issue for you that I think should not be left untouched.

Article from the Mainichi Shinbun yesterday states that Shiga Prefectural government bars foreignerswho do not speak Japanese (even those who bring along interpreters) from its public housing.

Have a look at the English translation I received from a news service. My comments and some contact information (should you wish to make your opinion known to Shiga-ken) follow the article.

===========================================
> Date: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 16:48:16 +0000
>
> Shiga bars non-Japanese speakers from public housing
>
> OTSU -- Foreigners who do not speak Japanese have been barred from
> applying to rent apartments owned by the Shiga Prefectural Government,
> it was learned Wednesday.
>
> Even though the law governing public housing does not require
> Japanese-language ability as a precondition for moving into public
> apartments, the prefectural government enacted its own rules to bar
> foreigners, mainly Japanese-Brazilians, from its apartments.
>
> The prefectural government defends its requirement of Japanese-language
> abilities. "Those who can't handle daily conversations in Japanese tend
> to have disputes with neighbors if they enter public apartments," an
> official of the prefectural government's housing division said.
>
> A support group for foreign residents of Shiga Prefecture criticizes the
> practice as unfair. "It's unreasonable that only foreign residents can't
> enjoy these public services even though they pay taxes."
>
> There are prefectural government-run apartments for 3,100 households in
> Shiga Prefecture. The prefectural government allows local residents to
> apply to enter low-rent public housing on condition that they have never
> failed to pay taxes and that their income is below a certain level.
>
> Currently, approximately 150 households of foreign nationals are living
> in apartments owned by the prefectural government, and about 80 of them
> are Japanese-Brazilians.
>
> Foreign nationals had been allowed to apply to rent public housing if
> they have a one-year or longer residency permit.
>
> In 1994, however, the prefectural government enforced new regulations
> stipulating that those who apply to move in public housing must have
> sufficient ability to handle daily conversations in Japanese.
>
> In accordance with the rules, officials reject applications to rent
> public apartments if they deem that the applicants do not speak
> Japanese. The prefectural government does not even allow those who do
> not understand Japanese to file applications even if accompanied by an
> interpreter.
>
> In sharp contrast to Shiga, the Shizuoka and Aichi prefectural
> governments that have a large Japanese-Brazilian population in their
> territories are actively helping non-Japanese-speaking foreigners to
> apply to rent their public housing.
>
> Aichi Prefecture, with a Brazilian population of some 51,000, holds
> seminars on public housing in Portuguese and has prepared brochures on
> such apartments in four languages, including English. Shizuoka
> Prefecture has also compiled similar brochures in five languages.
>
> The number of Japanese-Brazilians living in Japan to work has been
> rapidly increasing since the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition
> Law was amended in 1990 to grant second- and third-generation
> Japanese-Brazilians permanent residency status.
>
> Many of them desperately need public housing because they have
> difficulties in renting private apartments because their owners require
> tenants to find guarantors. (Mainichi Shimbun, July 10, 2002)
===========================================
ARTICLE ENDS

Comments:
This is a pretty silly move on the prefecture's part. As they say, foreigners are taxpayers too, so they cannot be barred from public (as opposed to private) housing simply because of a language barrier. This was dealt with in the Azumamura Swimming Pool incident (issho.org -&nbspThis website is for sale! -&nbspissho Resources and Information.), where a village in Gunma-ken named Azumamura barred all foreigners from a public pool because of alleged roughhousing by some Brazilians. Once the issue was raised publicly that Azumamura could not legally bar taxpayers (following a flood of emails, telephone calls, and media attention), the pool took down its no-foreigners sign and reopened to all.

The difference is, this time it's not just a pool. It is a place for people to live--a fundamental part of people's lives. Paid for by public monies. It should not be denied like this.

Background data about Shiga, in case you don't know:
===========================================
Shiga-ken is the prefecture next to Kyoto, surrounding Lake Biwako.
Prefectural seat, Otsu-shi, population 1.3 million.
Contact details:
SHIGA PREFECTURAL GOVERNMENT
(Information and Statistics Division)
4-1-1 Kyomachi, Otsu, SHIGAﾂ 520-8577ﾂ JAPAN
Tel.077-528-3382ﾂ Fax.077-528-4835
Website http://www.pref.shiga.jp (Japanese and English)
E-Mail: webmaster@pref.shiga.jp
===========================================

I say feel free to make your discontentment known. This is one way people power can work. It worked in the Azumamura Case. It might work here too.

Arudou Debito
Sapporo
Being proposed as a Community Project
Welcome to The Community

(To ensure this is not a hoax, original article in Japanese from Mainichi website follows
================================================
http://www12.mainichi.co.jp/news/search-news/855286/8ea089ea8ca7-0-1.html

ﾅ陳ｧ窶ｰcﾂ住窶佚ｮﾂ：窶愿ｼ窶ｹﾂ鞘?堙可「窶愿ｺ窶怒ﾅ津ｪﾂ湘ｰﾅ陳渉」ﾂ ﾅｽ_窶ｰﾃｪﾅ陳ｧ窶堋ｪﾅ?Oﾂ坂?伉人窶堙ｰ窶ｹ窶倪?敕崢
2002.07.10

ﾂ ﾅｽ_窶ｰﾃｪﾅ陳ｧ窶堋ｪﾂ「窶愿ｺ窶怒ﾅ津ｪ窶堋ｪﾋ彙窶堋ｹ窶堙遺?堋｢ﾂ」窶堙??堋｢窶堋､窶板昶?燃窶堋ｾ窶堋ｯ窶堙?、窶愿ｺﾅ地ﾆ置ﾆ停?ｰﾆ淡ﾆ停?ｹﾂ人窶堙ｧ
ﾅ?Oﾂ坂?伉人窶堙ｰﾅ陳ｧ窶ｰcﾂ住窶佚ｮ窶堙娯?｢ﾃ･ﾂ集窶佚篠湘帚?堋ｩ窶堙ｧﾂ焦毒?O窶堋ｵ窶堙??堋｢窶堙ｩ窶堋ｱ窶堙??堋ｪ窶｢ﾂｪ窶堋ｩ窶堙≫?堋ｽﾂ。ﾅ津ｶ窶ｰcﾂ住
窶佚ｮ窶堙娯?ｰ^窶ｰc窶堙遺?堙??堙ｰ窶凖ｨ窶堙溪?堋ｽﾅ津ｶ窶ｰcﾂ住窶佚ｮ窶邸窶堙坂?愿ｺ窶怒ﾅ津ｪ窶拿窶氾坂?堙ｰ窶愿ｼ窶ｹﾂ焦?ﾃｮﾂ鞘ぎ窶堙俄?堋ｵ窶堙??堋｢窶堙遺?堋｢
窶堋ｪﾂ、ﾅ陳ｧ窶堙坂?愿?ｽﾂｩ窶堙娯?牌窶氾娯?堙ｰﾂ静昶?堋ｯ窶堙?申窶堋ｵﾂ最ｾ窶堙昶?堙ｰ窶ｹ窶倪?敕崢。ﾅｽx窶ｰ窶｡ﾆ丹ﾆ停?ｹﾂーﾆ致窶堙債「窶慊ｯ窶堋ｶ窶堙ｦ
窶堋､窶堙可静??ｹﾃ?窶堙ｰ窶｢ﾂ･窶堙≫?堙??堋｢窶堙ｩ窶堙娯?堙可、ﾅ津ｶ窶ｹﾂ､ﾆ探ﾂーﾆ池ﾆ湛窶堋ｪﾅｽﾃｳ窶堋ｯ窶堙ｧ窶堙ｪ窶堙遺?堋｢窶堙娯?堙坂?堋ｨ窶堋ｩ窶堋ｵ
窶堋｢ﾂ」窶堙??敕｡窶敖ｻ窶堋ｵ窶堙??堋｢窶堙ｩﾂ。

ﾂ ﾅ陳ｧ窶愿?窶堙俄?堙坂?禿ｱ窶啌窶啀窶唹窶唹ﾅ津銀?堙固陳ｧ窶ｰcﾂ住窶佚ｮ窶堋ｪ窶喟窶堙ｨﾂ、ﾂ静??ｹﾃ?窶督｢窶佚倪?拏窶堙｢ﾂ、ﾅｽﾃｻ窶愿ｼ窶堋ｪﾋ?ｪ窶凖ｨ
ﾅ?z窶督｢窶毒ｾ窶堙??喟窶堙ｩ窶堋ｱ窶堙??堙ｰﾂ湘ｰﾅ陳鞘?堙俄?愿ｼ窶ｹﾂ鞘?堙ｰﾅｽﾃｳ窶堋ｯ窶｢t窶堋ｯ窶堙??堋｢窶堙ｩﾂ。ﾅ?Oﾂ坂?伉人窶堙??堙?ﾂ催昶?板ｯﾅｽ窶佛?i
窶啀窶扼ﾋ?按湘｣窶堙遺?堙ｧ窶愿ｼ窶ｹﾂ鞘?堙??堋ｫﾂ、ﾅ陳ｧﾂ住窶佚ｮ窶ｹﾅｸ窶ｹ窶ｹﾅ津ｶﾅｽﾃ絶?堙俄?堙ｦ窶堙ｩ窶堙?、ﾅ陳ｻﾂ催昶?堙固?Oﾂ坂?伉人窶堙娯?愿ｼ窶ｹﾂ
窶堙坂?禿ｱ窶啀窶啜窶唹ﾂ青｢窶佚堕、窶堋､窶堋ｿ窶愿ｺﾅ地ﾆ置ﾆ停?ｰﾆ淡ﾆ停?ｹﾂ人窶堙坂?禿ｱ窶啗窶唹ﾂ青｢窶佚堕。

ﾂ 窶堙??堋ｱ窶堙ｫ窶堋ｪﾂ、ﾅ陳ｧ窶堙坂?唸窶售窶扼窶堙可静昶?堋ｯ窶堋ｽﾅｽﾃｦ窶堙ｨﾋ?ｵ窶堋｢窶牌窶氾娯?堙?、ﾂ「窶愿ｺ窶怒ﾅ津ｪ窶堙ｰ窶愿ｺﾂ湘ｭ窶ｰﾃｯﾋ彙
窶堙嫁ｽxﾂ湘｡窶堋ｪ窶堙遺?堋｢窶凖ｶ窶忸窶堙嫁ｽg窶堋ｦ窶堙ｩ窶堋ｱ窶堙?」窶堙??堋｢窶堋､ﾂ湘ｰﾅ陳鞘?堙ｰ窶凖??ｰﾃ?。窶倪?ｹﾅ津ｻ窶堙?職ﾋ?ｵ窶堋ｪ窶愿ｺ窶怒
ﾅ津ｪ窶堙ｰﾋ彙窶堋ｹ窶堙遺?堋｢窶堙??敖ｻ窶冉窶堋ｵ窶堋ｽﾂ湘ｪﾂ坂?｡窶堙債申窶堋ｵﾂ最ｾ窶堙昶?堙ｰﾅｽﾃｳ窶堋ｯ窶｢t窶堋ｯ窶堋ｸﾂ、窶凖岩?禿ｳ窶慊ｯﾂ静遺?堙??堙個申
窶堋ｵﾂ最ｾ窶堙昶?堙?窶戳窶堙溪?堙??堋｢窶堙遺?堋｢ﾂ。ﾅ陳ｧﾂ住窶佚ｮ窶ｰﾃ帚?堙債「窶愿ｺ窶怒ﾅ津ｪ窶堋ｪﾂ出窶藩??堙遺?堋｢窶堙?、窶愿ｼ窶ｹﾂ焦津｣窶堙俄?ｹﾃ
窶氾猟住窶督ｯ窶堙?暖ﾆ停?ｰﾆ置ﾆ停?ｹ窶堙俄?堙遺?堙ｩ窶ｰﾃや?拿ﾂ青ｫ窶堋ｪﾂ坂?壺?堋｢窶堋ｩ窶堙ｧﾂ」窶堙?静?窶督ｾ窶堋ｵ窶堙??堋｢窶堙ｩﾂ。

ﾂ ﾂ坂?倪?忱ﾅ津ｰ窶凖環湘遺?堙債「ﾅ?eﾅ陳ｧ窶堙娯?敖ｻ窶冉窶堙?、ﾅｽﾃ?窶佚披?堙坂?拂ﾋ?ｬ窶堋ｵ窶堙??堋｢窶堙遺?堋｢ﾂ」窶堙??堋ｵ窶堙??堋｢窶堙ｩ
窶堋ｪﾂ、ﾅｽ_窶ｰﾃｪ窶慊ｯ窶罵窶堙俄?愿ｺﾅ地ﾆ置ﾆ停?ｰﾆ淡ﾆ停?ｹﾂ人窶堋ｪ窶伉ｽ窶堋｢ﾋ?､窶冦ﾂ、ﾂ静??ｰﾂｪ窶板ｼﾅ陳ｧ窶堙遺?堙??堙??堙坂?愿ｺ窶怒ﾅ津ｪ窶堙
ﾂ湘ｰﾅ陳鞘?堙坂?堙遺?堋｢ﾂ。窶禿ｱ窶啜窶毒凪?啀窶唹窶唹窶唹ﾂ人窶堙姑置ﾆ停?ｰﾆ淡ﾆ停?ｹﾂ人窶堋ｪ窶堋｢窶堙ｩﾋ?､窶冦窶堙??堙債、ﾆ竹ﾆ停?ｹﾆ暖ﾆ狸
ﾆ停?ｹﾅ津ｪ窶堙??愿ｼ窶ｹﾂ渉静?窶督ｾ窶ｰﾃｯ窶堙ｰ窶堋ｵ窶堋ｽ窶堙ｨﾂ、窶ｰpﾅ津ｪ窶堙遺?堙??售ﾆ谷ﾂ坂?佛津ｪ窶堙姑恥ﾆ停?愴稚ﾆ椎槌鍛ﾆ暖窶堙ｰﾂ催ｬﾂ青ｬﾂ。
ﾂ静??ｰﾂｪ窶堙?窶啜ﾆ谷ﾂ坂?佛津ｪ窶堙姑恥ﾆ停?愴稚ﾆ椎槌鍛ﾆ暖窶堙ｰﾂ催ｬ窶堙ｩ窶堙遺?堙?、窶愿ｺ窶怒ﾅ津ｪ窶堋ｪ窶堙??堋ｫ窶堙遺?喟窶堙??堙?ﾂ申ﾂ青ｿ
窶堙??堋ｫ窶堙ｩﾅｽd窶枠窶堙昶?堙俄?堙遺?堙≫?堙??堋｢窶堙ｩﾂ。

ﾂ 窶唸窶唹窶扼窶堙個出窶愿ｼﾂ坂?佛?ﾃ??板昶?邸窶ｰﾃｼﾂ青ｳ窶堙??愿ｺﾅ地窶啣ﾂ、窶啌ﾂ青｢窶堙??堋ｻ窶堙娯?ｰﾃ??伉ｰ窶堙俄?凖ｨﾂ住ﾅｽ窶佛?i窶堋ｪ窶戳
窶堙溪?堙ｧ窶堙ｪﾂ、ﾂ就ﾋ廱窶禿壺?廬窶堙??藩??愿ｺ窶堋ｷ窶堙ｩ窶愿ｺﾅ地ﾂ人窶堋ｪ窶ｹ}窶伉敖。ﾂ青ｻ窶伉｢窶ｹﾃ??堋ｪﾂ青ｷ窶堙ｱ窶堙闇ｽ_窶ｰﾃｪ窶堙??堙?窶ｹﾃ
窶ｹEﾂ催??伉ｽ窶堙娯?禿ｱ窶啀窶毒督人窶堙娯?愿ｺﾅ地ﾆ置ﾆ停?ｰﾆ淡ﾆ停?ｹﾂ人窶堋ｪ窶彑窶堋｢窶堙??堋｢窶堙ｩﾂ。

ﾂ 窶堋ｵ窶堋ｩ窶堋ｵﾂ、ﾋ廣窶佚鯛?｢ﾃ崢湘伉人窶堋ｪ窶｢K窶牌窶堙遺?督ｯﾅ?ﾃ披?堙娯?凖?窶佚敖住窶佚ｮ窶堙俄?愿ｼ窶堙ｩ窶堙娯?堙坂?愿ｯ窶堋ｵ窶喟ﾂ、ﾂ従窶ｹﾃ
ﾋ?ｵ窶板ｾ窶堙遺?堙??堙?青ｶﾅ?ﾋ?。ﾆ椎?ﾆ湛ﾆ暖ﾆ停?ｰ窶佚篠湘帚?堙俄?堙遺?堙ｨ窶堙｢窶堋ｷ窶喟ﾂ、ﾅｽdﾅｽ窶凪?堙??堙??堙?窶堙可住窶ｹﾂ鞘?堙?ﾅｽﾂｸ窶堋､
窶堙遺?堙?青ｶﾅ?ﾋ??堙坂?｢sﾋ??窶凖ｨ窶堙?、ﾅ津ｶ窶ｰcﾂ住窶佚ｮ窶堙問?堙姑男ﾂーﾆ炭窶堙債坂?壺?堋｢ﾂ。

ﾂ 窶慊ｯﾅ陳ｧ窶堙??愿ｺﾅ地ﾆ置ﾆ停?ｰﾆ淡ﾆ停?ｹﾂ人窶堙ｰﾅｽx窶ｰ窶｡窶堋ｵ窶堙??堋｢窶堙ｩ窶嗄窶嗤窶嗜ﾂ（窶敕ｱ窶ｰc窶藩懌?枠ﾂ織ﾂ）ﾂ「窶愿ｺ窶怒ﾆ置
ﾆ停?ｰﾆ淡ﾆ停?ｹ窶堙､ﾂー窶喟窶堋｢ﾆ値ﾆ鍛ﾆ暖ﾂ」窶堙俄?堙ｦ窶堙ｩ窶堙?、窶倪?ｹﾅ津ｻ窶堙??ｰﾅｾ窶佚寂?堋ｷ窶堙ｧ窶堋ｵ窶堙??堙?窶堙ｧ窶堋ｦ窶堙遺?堋｢ﾆ単ﾂー
ﾆ湛窶堋ｪﾅ津｣窶堙ｰﾂ静｢窶堋ｽ窶堋ｸﾂ、窶佛?窶冖窶堙俄?藩??堙??愿ｼ窶ｹﾂ鞘?堙ｰ窶ｹ窶倪?敕帚?堋ｳ窶堙ｪ窶堋ｽﾂ湘ｳ窶ｹﾂｵ窶堙ｰﾋ彙窶堋ｵ窶堙遺?堋ｪ窶堙ｧ窶ｹﾆ停?堋ｫﾂ出
窶堋ｵ窶堋ｽﾂ鞘?板青ｫ窶堙?窶堋｢窶堋ｽ窶堙??堋｢窶堋､ﾂ。窶佚｣窶｢\窶堙個渉ｼﾋ?､ﾂ坂?壺?堋ｳ窶堙ｱﾂ（窶啌窶啜ﾂ）窶堙債「窶藩??愿ｺ窶堋ｵ窶堋ｽﾆ置ﾆ停?ｰﾆ淡
ﾆ停?ｹﾂ人窶堋ｪ窶愿ｺ窶怒ﾅ津ｪ窶堙ｰﾅ?w窶堙披?堙娯?堙坂?懌?凪?漏窶堋ｾ窶堋ｪﾂ、窶堋ｻ窶堙娯?楼窶堙俄?愿ｺ窶怒ﾂ人ﾅｽﾃ絶?ｰﾃｯ窶堋ｪ窶ｹ窶伉静｢窶堋ｵ窶堙??堋｢
窶堙ｩﾂ」窶堙??敕｡窶敖ｻ窶堋ｵ窶堙??堋｢窶堙ｩﾂ。ﾂ ﾂ【窶｢ﾂｽ窶禿ｬﾅ津ｵ窶擢ﾂ】

ﾂ［窶突??愿ｺﾂ新窶｢ﾂｷ窶啖ﾅ椎ｽ窶啀窶唹窶愿ｺﾂ］ ( 2002-07-10-15:01 )
================================================
ENDS

Sorry that the Japanese didn't come out! Take my word for it that the Mainichi article is legit (smile). Arudou Debito in Sapporo

You just have to change the encoding in your browser to view the Japanese text.

This is outrageious!! maybe some one should take the shiga prefecture goverment to court on grounds of "abuse of local powers and discrimination against tax paying persons" and everything else that they can think of, this would obviouly be too big a case for the average person but some form of goverment body such as "legal rights or equal rights" should step forward and take this case all the way to the high courts. ( I'm unfamilar with japanese goverments or goverment bodies, but there must be some form of action that must be taken before this is accepted as part of life in this fore mentioned prefecture)

just my thoughts on the subject

Update: Shiga-ken Governor orders revision of public housing rules

Hello All. Got some pretty good news.

I wrote you a couple of days ago about Shiga Prefecture (the one around Lake Biwako, near Kyoto), and its rule that only people with Japanese language ability may apply for prefecturally-run housing. This despite the fact that foreign residents pay prefectural taxes too. (Background at
The Community: The Shiga Prefecture Public Housing Language Discrimination Case (1994-2002))

Well, according to the Mainichi Shinbun, Osaka Branch, July 11, morning edition, page 28, the Governor of Shiga-ken has officially ordered a revision to this policy.

Got the text of the article from the Mainichi Osaka Honbu this morning. News this good should be widely distributed, not buried in a local choukan. The article in Japanese follows, with my translation below it:

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
(if this comes out garbled, see
The Community: The Shiga Prefecture Public Housing Language Discrimination Case (1994-2002))

ﾂ【ﾅ断ﾂ催壺?愿ｺﾂ】 2002 窶扼 07 ﾅ椎ｽ 11 窶愿ｺ ﾂ【ﾅｽ窶?ﾅｽﾂ鞘?督ｼﾂ】N 窶佚･ﾂ催｣窶卍ｩﾅ?ﾂｧ 28窶｢ﾃ
ﾂ【窶ｹLﾅｽ窶凪?敕板坂??ﾂ】 090
ﾂ【窶禿看ｽﾃｭﾂ】 41 ﾅｽﾃ絶?ｰﾃｯ ﾂ【窶｢ﾂｪ窶氾楪】
ﾂ【ﾅｽﾃ環図ﾂ】 窶督ｳ
ﾂ【窶厖慊催ｬﾅ胆ﾂ】 窶猫
ﾂ【ﾅ陳ｩﾂ出窶堋ｵﾂ】
ﾅｽ_窶ｰﾃｪﾂ・ﾅ陳ｧ窶ｰcﾂ住窶佚ｮ窶｢ﾃ･ﾂ集窶佚篠湘帚?堋ｩ窶堙ｧ窶愿ｺﾅ地ﾂ人窶搜ﾂ焦督 窶冦ﾅｽ窶凪?堋ｪﾅ陳ｩ窶卍ｼ窶堋ｵ窶堙ｰﾅｽwﾅｽﾂｦ
ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−窶怒 窶｢ﾂｶﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−ﾂ−
ﾂ 窶愿ｺ窶怒ﾅ津ｪ窶堋ｪﾂ出窶藩??堙遺?堋｢窶堙??堋｢窶堋､窶板昶?燃窶堙?、ﾅｽ_窶ｰﾃｪﾅ陳ｧ窶堋ｪﾅ陳ｧ窶ｰcﾂ住窶佚ｮ窶堙娯?愿ｼ窶ｹﾂ鞘?｢ﾃ･ﾂ集窶佚篠湘帚?堋ｩ窶堙ｧ窶愿ｺﾅ地ﾆ置ﾆ停?ｰﾆ淡ﾆ停?ｹ
ﾂ人窶堙ｧ窶堙ｰﾂ焦毒?O窶堋ｵ窶堙??堋｢窶堋ｽ窶禿｢窶佚ｨ窶堙?、ﾂ坂?伉渉ｼ窶榔ﾅｽﾅｸ窶冦ﾅｽ窶凪?堙坂?啀窶唹窶愿ｺﾅ津淒津｣ﾂ、窶愿ｺ窶怒ﾅ津ｪ窶拿窶氾坂?堙ｰﾅｽﾃｳ窶堋ｯ窶｢t窶堋ｯﾅ?ﾃｮﾂ鞘ぎ窶堙
窶堋ｵ窶堙??堋｢窶堙ｩﾅ陳ｧ窶堙固ｽﾃｦ窶堙ｨﾋ?ｵ窶堋｢窶牌窶氾娯?堙ｰﾅ陳ｩ窶卍ｼ窶堋ｷ窶堙??｢\窶督ｾ窶堋ｵ窶堋ｽﾂ。ﾆ椎?ﾆ湛ﾆ暖ﾆ停?ｰ窶堙俄?堋ｨ窶堙鯛?堋ｦ窶堙遺?堋ｪ窶堙ｧﾂ従窶ｹﾃ??ｵ窶板ｾ窶堙??｢ﾃｩ
窶堙ｧ窶堋ｷ窶愿ｺﾅ地ﾆ置ﾆ停?ｰﾆ淡ﾆ停?ｹﾂ人窶堋ｽ窶堋ｿ窶堋ｪﾂ、ﾋ??窶凖ｨ窶堋ｵ窶堋ｽﾂ青ｶﾅ?ﾋ??堙個湘ｪ窶堙ｰﾅ?m窶｢ﾃ帚?堙??堋ｫ窶堙ｩ窶慊ｹ窶堋ｪﾅ?J窶堋ｩ窶堙ｪ窶堋ｽﾂ。
ﾂ ﾂ坂?伉渉ｼ窶冦ﾅｽ窶凪?堙坂?凖ｨ窶氾｡窶ｰﾃｯﾅ陳ｩ窶堙?「ﾂ（窶突??愿ｺﾂ新窶｢ﾂｷ窶堙娯?啀窶唹窶愿ｺ窶納ﾅ?ﾂｧ窶堙娯?｢ﾃｱ窶慊ｹ窶堙ｰﾅ陳ｩ窶堙?）窶儡窶懌?毒ｽﾃ停?堙嫁?m窶戳窶堋ｵ窶堋ｽ窶堙ｧ
ﾂ、ﾂ『窶ｹﾃ溪?氾猟住窶督ｯ窶堙??堙娯?禿｢窶佚ｨ窶堋ｪ窶喟窶堙ｩ窶堋ｩ窶堙ｧﾂ』窶堙??堋｢窶堋､窶堋ｱ窶堙??堋ｾ窶堙≫?堋ｽ窶堋ｪﾂ、ﾅ陳ｩ窶卍ｼ窶堋ｵ窶堙ｰﾅｽwﾅｽﾂｦ窶堋ｵ窶堋ｽﾂ」窶堙?述窶堙冷?堋ｽ
ﾂ。
ﾂ 窶慊ｯﾅ陳ｧ窶｢Fﾂ債ｪﾅｽs窶堙?畜ﾆ停?ｰﾆ停?愴弾ﾆ達ﾆ但窶堙?津ｪﾅ?w窶ｹﾂｳﾅｽﾂｺ窶堙ｰﾅ?J窶堋ｫﾂ、ﾅ陳ｧ窶愿?ﾂ催敖住ﾅ?Oﾂ坂?伉人窶堙固ｽx窶ｰ窶｡ﾅ?ﾋ??慊ｮ窶堙ｰ窶堋ｵ窶堙??堋｢窶堙ｩ
窶愿ｺﾅ地窶啣ﾂ青｢窶堙姑置ﾆ停?ｰﾆ淡ﾆ停?ｹﾂ人ﾂ、ﾆ停?ｹﾆ歎ﾆ但窶ｰﾅ凪?伉ｺ窶堋ｳ窶堙ｱﾂ（窶售窶啀ﾂ）窶堙債「ﾅ陳ｩ窶卍ｼ窶堋ｵ窶堙坂?懌?凪?漏窶堙?、窶凅窶堋｢窶喟窶堙ｧ窶堋｢ﾂ。ﾅｽﾃ?
窶佚披?堙ｰ窶拂ﾋ?ｬ窶堋ｵﾂ、ﾅ?Oﾂ坂?伉人窶堙ｰﾅ?ﾃ懌?堙溪?堋ｽﾅ?X窶堙??喟窶堙ｨ窶堙ｰﾂ進窶堙溪?堙??堙吮?堋ｵ窶堋｢ﾂ」窶堙??牌窶転窶堋ｵ窶堙??堋｢窶堙ｩﾂ。ﾂ
ﾂ【窶｢ﾂｽ窶禿ｬﾅ津ｵ窶擢ﾂ】

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BRIEF TRANSLATION (any errors are those of Arudou Debito)

SHIGA-KEN GOV ORDERS REVISION OF PREF HOUSING APPLICATION
PROCEDURES WHICH EXCLUDE NIKKEIJIN
(Mainichi Shinbun, July 11, 2002, Osaka Morning Edition, page 28)

Addressing the problem of Shiga Prefecture excluding Nikkei Brazilian applicants for prefecturally-run housing because of their lack of Japanese, Governor KUNIMATSU Yoshitsugu announced on the afternoon of July 10 that there would be a review of prefectural standards vis-a-vis Japanese language ability and applications.

This will open a path for Nikkei Brazilian workers, who live in fear of corporate restructuring when residing in company dormitories, to secure more stable lives.

At a regular press conference, Governor Kunimatsu stated, "(Having seen the Mainichi article, July 10 evening edition), I have confirmed this situation with the people in charge. They said that 'there are problems with neighboring residents', but I ordered them to review (mi naosu) this situation again."

At Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture, Lucia Okumura (42), a nisei Nikkei Brazilian who opens volunteer language classes and other support activities for foreign prefectural residents, said, "A review is obvious, and it's about time. I hope that they will grasp the real situation and create an environment which will include non-Japanese."
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COMMENT:
Now that's what I call a fast turnaround--within hours of the press releasing this information, the Governor issues a directive to remedy this situation. And I'm sure all the letters and emails sent by people like us to the Prefectural Office helped too.

Bravo for the Mainichi Shinbun for exposing this silly system, which had been in place since 1994, and forcing its revision not even overnight!

Who says activism and getting social problems out in the public eye does nothing to correct social wrongs?

Arudou Debito
Elated in Sapporo

(Some additional materials at
The Community: The Shiga Prefecture Public Housing Language Discrimination Case (1994-2002))

Resistance isn't futile...

"Resistance isn't futile"

God, It DOES feel like it sometimes doesn't it though?!!!!

Hi All. Japan Times did an extensive article on the whole Shiga shebang on Saturday, June 20.

http://www.japantimes.com/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20020720b4.htm

Talks about how arbitrary the rules are and how foreign taxpayers are often denied access to public facilities such as housing. Have a look!