Should
Children Know About the Buraku Problem?
Introduction
“If your boyfriend or girlfriend from
Buraku society, will you get marry with him or her?” This was one of the
questions that I was asked in a class of high school. I got confused by this
question because it was the first time that I recognize the Buraku problem. In
other words, I had never heard of the word, “Buraku” until I became a high
school student.
According to S. Kitaguchi and G.
Groemer, Buraku was accepted as one term of social class eta, or impure, which was not included the traditional hierarchy of
Shi-nou-kou- shou (samurai or
warriors, farmers, artisans, and merchants) during the period of Tokugawa (1603-1867)
(cited in Gordon 2) and people in Buraku are started to be discriminated. However,
it is not just a history, but the effect of the term is still continuing as
Buraku problem in some parts of Japan even in these days.
To abolish the problem, school curriculum
should be changed to teach this issue more positively. Thus, during their
junior high school lives, children should know about the Buraku problem through
classes. It is because the problem might be prevented and abolished by giving
children the correct knowledge from their childhood.
Ⅰ． The Current Situations
In 1871, Meiji Emancipation Edict (Ordinance No. 61) was created to
abolish the hierarchy of Shi- nou- kou-
shou, but discriminations to Buraku people are not completely removed yet
(Kitaguchi 3). For example, marriage is one essential problem which still
continues. There are cases that relatives disagree to the marriage of a person
who wants to marry his or her partner from Buraku. Although a situation is
getting better than past, it cannot be ignored that some people are suffering
from the effect.
As it is written in the first
paragraph of this essay, I did not know the existence of Buraku problems until
I became a high school student. According to Gordon, Buraku problems are not so
noticed in Kanto area (79).
(need survey
According to Ministry of
Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japanese government
guides to give special respect for Buraku problem in social studies class and
ethic class. However, it can be known that there is no specific guide for study
of Buraku problem.
(need to continue)
Ⅱ. Opinions of people
It is important to recognize the
opinions of adults, who are responsible for children’s education.
(no data yet) adults, buraku kaihou doumei, oppositions, etc.
Ⅲ. Possible Solutions
MEXT mentions that the social studies class and ethic class are structured
to respect and be the keys for solution of the Buraku problem. These are
basically agreeable ideas, but these curriculums should be changed to make them
direct guides to solve the issue. For instance, in social studies class, MEXT leads
teachers to teach the importance of fundamental-human-rights during the study
relates to the Constitution of Japan. In this case, MEXT does not directly lead
to learn about the discrimination. Ethic class is another possible solution for
the issue. In ethic class, students learn the fair attitude toward people. These
are good way to grow the fair attitude of students, but not so direct way to
teach of Buraku problems. Therefore, it is much better to teach the history of
issue and mention the problem in the ethic class. Combination of these two
classes can be the solution
Moreover, there is one strong way to solve the issue; visit the Buraku
and see the current situation of Buraku. In his book, McLauchlan mentions that “the
most popular solution offered during the interviews was that people need to
witness the reality of modern buraku” (160). If there are chances to visit the
Buraku areas, it might be a great experience to learn about the real situation
of the Buraku problem for both students and teachers.
Conclusion
Present school curriculum is not positive enough to teach of the Buraku
problem or discrimination in Japan. Without correct knowledge, it is impossible
to solve not only the Buraku problem, but the other issues, too. Thus, it is
important to teach such issues to students, who will lead Japan in the near
future without hesitating. It is the sign that Japan start to overcome one negative
issue and make it a part of history.
“Works
Cited”
Gordon, June
A. Japan's Outcaste Youth Education For
Liberation. London:
Paradigm Publishers, 2008. Print.
Paradigm Publishers, 2008. Print.
Kitaguchi,
Suehiro. An Introduction to the Buraku
Issue. [Nyumon Buraku
Mondai: Ichimon Ittou]. Trans. Alastair McLauchlan. Japan Library, 1999.
Print.
McLauchlan, Alastair. Prejudice and Discrimination in Japan- The Buraku Issue.
The Edwin Mellen Press, 2003. Print.
Mondai: Ichimon Ittou]. Trans. Alastair McLauchlan. Japan Library, 1999.
Print.
McLauchlan, Alastair. Prejudice and Discrimination in Japan- The Buraku Issue.
The Edwin Mellen Press, 2003. Print.
MEXT http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/hakusho/html/hpad199601
/hpad199601_2_100.html
/hpad199601_2_100.html
