Tokyo (AsiaNews/JCW) The United Nations Human Rights Commission's Special Rapporteur, Doudou Diene, has urged Japan's government and society to "fight against social discrimination, rooted and prevalent in the country."
Diene went to Japan as UN representative for a five-day visit in May, starting out from Okinawa, but he is no stranger to Japan: his first visit dates back to July last year, when he had the opportunity to "carefully analyze" the diverse forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
After his first visit, he submitted a report about Japanese society to the United Nations Human Rights Commission. In response to this report, 77 Japanese organizations, including the bishops' committee for justice and peace, issued a joint communiqué recognizing that "racial discrimination and xenophobia do exist in Japan." This statement led to "new collaboration" between signatories who undertook to combat the problem together.
Diene said: "All countries are facing challenges of racism, but each has particular problems. Japan must deal with its historical legacy which leads to current discrimination against the Burakumin (outcast communities) and Ainu ethnic groups.
"Japanese culture is not a monoculture and minorities must be recognized. Fighting discrimination does not only mean protecting individual interests; above all it must support multiculturalism in Japan."
