Discrimination Against Burakumin

The ethnic group of Japan had several different hierarchal categories within their own race. The lowest social class was discriminated against. The subordinate group was referred to as the Burakumin or “Eta”. The Burakumin held low paying jobs such as street sweepers, leatherworkers, working with the dead, and community service. The Japanese who held a higher economic social status, or the dominate group, treated Burakumin with no respect or equality (Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, n/a). There are various motives or reasons why this inter-group arose. Differences in religious beliefs was an important reason. The majority of Japan supported the teachings of Shintoism. This religion advocated the importance of ritual cleanliness. Japanese people were strongly advised not to come in contact with blood and the dead. When Buddhism developed in later years, it supported the negative associations with the dead. The Japanese government fully supported the teachings of Buddhism, and noted all citizens who have jobs relating
to the dead were not necessarily “clean” jobs. The people who endured these occupations were moved to segregated areas so they would not be in contact with the “clean” population (Everyculture, 2017).
The Burakumin had limited access to economic resources.
The discrimination against the Burakumin supported by the government forced them into poor neighborhoods that were segregated from the rest of the population. The communities were not well kept and similar to ghettos. The segregation of neighborhoods strengthened the discrimination of the Burakumin. The Burakumin were forced to wear different clothes from the rest of the public. This helped others distinguish the Burakumin from the dominant, high economic status Japanese group. When the government put various restrictions on the Burakumin it severely limited their access to economic resources. The government collected most of their money, which left them very little to make a stable living. Once the government emancipated them it was still difficult to assimilate into society. They still made very little money with their careers and could not move to better neighborhoods (Everyculture,
n/d). The Burakumin had little access to political power as a result of the prejudice and discrimination they experienced. The government supported the discrimination and enacted laws so the Burakumin did not have the same rights as the other Japanese people. The government collected most of the money that these people made. The Burakumin would beg on the streets to afford their living expenses. They also had to follow a specific curfew. The government did not allow Japanese to marry the Burakumin as well (Tofugu, 2011). This is a form of boarder patrolling between the dominant group and the Burakumin. The dominant group encouraged others of the same group to only associate, marry, and hold the same occupations as their own. In 1871, the government passed a law that freed the Burakumin, giving these people equal rights and opportunities. This law was enacted as a part of the Meiji Restoration in 1868 which helped advance Japan socially and economically (Huffman, 2003). However, discrimination still continued. The government renamed the Burakumin as the “new commers”, but the Japanese were still able to identify them. This reinforced the segregation of communities (Szczepanski, 2016).
The Burakumin still experience discrimination today in Japan. However, the mistreatment of this group is more subtle now. There are still thousands of poor neighborhoods in Japan that could be classified as communities for Burakumin. If people assume some are to be related to the Burakumin, they still have difficulty finding a good career and intimate relationships. Now the Japanese rarely discuss the lower class using the word “Burakumin” because many people who earn a low income become very upset and offended by this term. It is very hard to combat discrimination between certain groups when it has been a part of society for centuries. Even though the some Japanese still experience discrimination, it has lessened. The people who maintain low-income jobs, will keep fighting for equality and respect (Neary, 2003).