Ko koro -no-Issued March 31, 2015

HibikiLet a culture of human rights bloom from Sakai City!

vol.36

Sakai City Human Rights
Education Promotion
Council Newsletter“Kokoro-no-Hibiki” is issued annually by the Sakai City
Human Rights Education Promotion Council (HREPC),
targeting all residents of Sakai City, to promote theirunderstanding of human rights as part of the Council’s
educational activities.

Table of Contents

1 ........ What is the Human Rights Education Promotion Council?
2 ........ Escalating Cyberbullying – The Current Situation and the Role of Adults (Citizens’ Forum for Human
Rights Protection)

3 ........ Current Situations of the Buraku Discrimination Issue– In commemoration of the 50th anniversaryof the publication of the Dowa Issue Resolution Council Report (Comprehensive Workshop)
World Café in Sakai – Let’s talk about human rights issues! (Comprehensive Workshop)
4 ........ Human Rights of the Elderly (Community Human Rights Promotion Committee Workshop)
Fight against Hate Speech!
5 – 6 ... Residents’ essays – Selected entries from the “My Human Rights Message” essay contest
7 ........ Human rights quiz, etc.
Sakai City Human Rights Education Promotion Council
Editorand(Human Rights Promotion Division, Sakai City Government 3-1 Minamikawara-machi, Sakai-ku, Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture)
Publisher TEL: (072) 228-7420 FAX: (072) 228-8070 E-mail: hibiki1@jinkenkyo.jp URL: http://www.jinkenkyo.jp (in Japanese only)t is the Sakai City Hum
a
h
an R
W
ights EducationProm?
otion Council (HREPC)
Please getinvolved in our
activities!

The Human Rights Education Promotion Council is a civicorganization that was established in July 1979 with the aim of creatinga bright, comfortable society, free from all forms of discrimination,
not least Buraku discrimination.
Through its educational activities, the HREPC drives a grass-roots
human rights campaign aimed at building a peaceful and prosperous
society where the human rights of all people are respected.

Naohiro Kanamaru
Chairperson

Member organizations and groups
・International Youth Sakai
・Sakai City Education Association
・Sakai City Women’ s Group for Social Rehabilitation
・Sakai City Association for Sound Growth of Children
・Sakai City Support Group for Foreign Residents’ Education・Federation of Sakai City Residents’ Association
・Sakai City Social Education Committee
・Sakai City Women’ s Association
・Sakai City Federation of Private Kindergartens
・NPO Sakai Federation of Disabled People’ s Organizations
・Sakai City Liaison Council of Instructors for Youth・Sakai City Human Rights Education and Research Society
・Sakai City Agricultural Cooperative
・Sakai City PTA Federation
・Sakai City Association of Childcare Organizations
・Sakai City Welfare Association forSingle-Mother Families and Widows
・Sakai City Federation of Private Daycare
Centers
・Sakai City Federation of Child Welfare
Commissioners
・Sakai Chamber of Commerce and Industry
・Sakai City Association of Principals ofMunicipal Schools
Street educational activities
・Sakai City Federation of Senior Residents’during Human Rights Week
Clubs
・District Committee of the Sakai City Human
Rights Commissioners’ Association
・Sakai District Committee of Administrative Counselors
・Sakai City Liaison Council of Probation Officers
・Sakai City Council of Social Welfare
・Osaka Prefectural Association of Vocational Schools
・Sakai Branch, Osaka Prefectural Headquarters of Liberal Dowa
Association
・Principals’ Association of Osaka Prefectural Schools in 8 zones of the
4th School District・Semboku Sumai Center, West Japan Branch, UR Community Inc.
・Sakai Branch, Osaka Prefectural Federation of the Buraku Liberation
League・Business Members Committee, Sakai City Human Rights Education
Promotion Council
・Religious Groups Committee, Sakai City Human Rights Education
Promotion Council

1♥

Directors of the Council
Chairperson
Vice Chairperson
Vice Chairperson
Vice Chairperson
Vice Chairperson
Vice Chairperson
Vice Chairperson
Vice Chairperson
Treasurer
Treasurer

Naohiro Kanamaru (Business Members Committee of the Council)
Teruo Kubo (Federation of Sakai City Residents’ Associations)
Noriko Yamaguchi (Sakai City Women’ s Association)
Hitoshi Tanaka (Sakai City PTA Federation)
Tadashi Shiramoto(Sakai City Association of Childcare Organizations)

Masakatsu Ueda

(Sakai City Association of Principals of Municipal Schools)

Takayuki Nakagawa(Sakai Branch, Osaka Prefectural Federation of the Buraku Liberation League)

Sachio Tani (Religious Groups Committee of the Council)
Atsuko Shibata(Sakai City Women’ s Group for Social Rehabilitation)

Mitsuko Ogura(District Committee of the Sakai City Human Rights Commissioners’ Association)

Educational activities in Ward Residents’ Festivals

Gathering of Residents to Protect Human Rights
Sakai City Human Rights Education Promotion Council Newsletter Kokoro-no-Hibiki Vol. 36

Comprehensive Workshop

Talk by Mayuko Watanabe, a media journalist

Escalating Cyberbullying – The Current
Situation and the Role of Adults
On December 3, 2014, the HREPC held the Citizens’ Forum for Human Rights Protection, where
Ms. Mayuko Watanabe, a media journalist, delivered a talk entitled “Escalating Cyberbullying –The Current Situation and the Role of Adults.” She spoke in easily understandable terms, drawing
on her wealth of reporting experience.
■ How cell phones and smartphones have changed bullying

Cyberbullying via cell phone and smartphone is characterized
by anonymity, recording, storing, diffuseness and the absenceof face-to-face contact.
With cell phones and smartphones, comments can beanonymously posted on the internet, sometimes becoming
abusive because those involved cannot see each other. In
addition, there is the hidden danger that anyone can become atarget of bullying by not replying
to messages and comments
quickly enough.

■ Methods of cyberbullying

Cyberbullying using LINE (apredominantly smartphonebased free voice call andmessaging application) includes
the posting of slanderous
messages, the whole groupignoring a particular groupmember’s messages, and theremoval of a specific person from a Line group by creating
another group without telling the person about it.
Recent cases of cyberbullying have also involved therecording and posting on video-sharing sites of bullying victims
being bullied. A more malicious method is sexual bullying, inwhich bullies take indecent pictures or videos of their targets
and post them online along with targets’ personal information.
This can be enormously distressing to the victim and has in thepast led to a victim’s suicide.

■ Measures to protect children

It has become necessary to provide children with internet
literacy education so that they can develop the ability todetermine for themselves whether internet information isreliable or not, and use it properly without blindly believing it.
It is also important to teach them to take care not to post
personal information online and to establish in-group rules. Cell
phones and smartphones for children should be equipped withinternet filtering software. Moreover, education on information
ethics and lessons on the dangers of electronic communicationis also important.

■ Influence of the media

Children are very easily influenced by the media. There isconcern that some programs may encourage children to bully

others, describe bullying in a biased manner, or depict violenceand sexual content that may have a bad influence on children.
To respond to the influence of the media, adults too need tohave media literacy. They need to judge whether information
provided by the media is right or wrong, or reliable or not,before passing it on to children.

■ What adults can do for children

It is important to share information on internet crimes among
schools and homes. We needto talk with children on a routine
basis to share such information,and be proactive in telling themthat we are interested in their useof the internet and that we wantthem to tell us immediately if they
have any problems. It is important
to make them feel they can easily
talk with us.
In addition, adults often
misunderstand the victims ofbullying. There are three major misconceptions: 1) victims ofbullying have problems; 2) victims of bullying are weak; and 3)
victims should have taken the initiative in consulting someone
before committing suicide due to bullying.
Bullying is not attributable to its victims, but to bullies’
understanding of it. Children who committed suicide haveexpressed such departing words as “I can’t hit my friends.
If I hit them, we can’t be friends any longer.” These children
were not weak; they had true strength. Instead, it is the bullies
themselves who are immature and mentally weak because theycannot control their desire to bully others. Children have pride.
As long as adults have a negative image of bullying victims,
children will not seek help from them, especially their parents,
because more than anything they want their parents to thinkthat they are ordinary children.
It is important for adults to correct their misconceptions
about bullying victims and to talk with children about bullying
on a routine basis. We need to make children understandthat it is bullies, and not their victims, who are completely toblame; that victims of bullying are not weak, but that bullies
are both weak and immature; and that victims of bullying
should stand tall and feel confident that they can talk withadults about their problems.

Sakai City Human Rights Education Promotion Council Newsletter Kokoro-no-Hibiki Vol. 362♥Current Situation andIssues of Buraku Discrimination

R
Comp eport fromrehenst
ive Woherkshop– In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the publication of the Dowa Issue Resolution Council Report
What is the Dowa Issue Resolution Council Report?
In December 1961, the Prime Minister inquired of the Dowa Issue Resolution
Council of the basic strategies required to resolve various social andeconomic issues related to Dowa areas. In response to the inquiry, theCouncil submitted the Report in August 1965. It consisted of a preamble,
the first, second and third parts of the body, and a conclusion. In thepreamble, the Report was declared that rapidly resolving the Dowa issue isthe responsibility of the state and the task of the people.
In the Comprehensive Workshop held on August 28, 2014, Mr. Kenzo Tomonaga, Director Emeritus at the
Buraku Liberation and Human Rights Research Institute, delivered a lecture entitled “Current Situation andIssues of Buraku Discrimination – In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the publication of the Dowa
Issue Resolution Council Report.”
The Dowa Issue Resolution Council Report, submitted in August
1965, was drawn up through discussions over a long period of time
and was based on a thorough investigation of the actual situation.
The Report was epoch-making in that it pointed out that the
Buraku issue was not the fault of people in Buraku areas, and that
resolution of the Buraku issue was the responsibility of the state aswell as the task of the people, because it was the fault of those who
discriminated against people in Buraku areas.
In the third part of the Report, it was indicated thatcomprehensive and well-planned efforts to improve living
environments, promote social welfare, stabilize industry andemployment, advance education, and protect human rights werenecessary. Amongst these tasks, the implementation of measures
for the protection of human rights is lagging behind the most. The
insufficiency of legal regulations on discrimination leads to low
public awareness of the actual state of discrimination and its impact
on those suffering discrimination. Consequently, it is not sufficiently
recognized that discrimination is a serious social evil.
To eliminate Buraku discrimination, the following basic
strategies are important: 1) prohibiting discrimination by law;2) bringing effective relief to those suffering discrimination; 3)

improving the deplorable state of discrimination by taking special
measures; 4) dispelling discriminatory ideas through education andpublic awareness initiatives; 5) respecting the individuality of people
in Buraku areas and living together with them; and 6) reviewing
the customs and legal systems that make it difficult to eliminate
discrimination and establish human rights.
The year 2015 is a major milestone for the Dowa issue,
because it is the 50th anniversary of the publication of the Report
as well as the 20th anniversary of Japan’s joining the International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination,
the international treaty which most strongly relates to the Buraku
issue. This year also marks the 70th anniversary of Japan’s defeat
in World War II, a time for Japan to reconsider how it should viewand reflect upon the issues of war, especially World War II. The mostimportant thing is to recognize that elimination of discriminationand protection of human rights will ensure lasting peace.
To build a true peace, we need to eliminate discriminationand completely protect human rights. If people understand theevil of discrimination and the importance of human rights, they
will be unable to kill each other. This will lead to a true peace,lasting peace.

World Café in Sakai –Let’s talk about human rights issues!

In the second part of the Comprehensive Workshop, entitled “World Café in Sakai –Let’s talk about human rights issues!” attendees enjoyed discussions on human rights
issues. In the World Café discussion format, participants are divided into small groups
and repeatedly change seats to facilitate discussion.
First, the participants were provided an opportunity to introduce themselves andplay simple games, so that they could easily communicate with each other. They thendiscussed the kinds of situations in which human rights violations occur, and what
measures would be effective in eliminating those violations.
Feedback from participants included comments such as “We were able to engage
in an honest discussion about human rights,” “By showing my real self I was able tounderstand both myself and other people better,” and “It was very helpful to listen toothers’ experiences.”
The workshop provided a good opportunity for participants to remember and shareepisodes of human rights violations and discrimination that they had experienced or
felt and in so doing, better understand various human rights issues and reconsider what
human rights really are.

3♥

Sakai City Human Rights Education Promotion Council Newsletter Kokoro-no-Hibiki Vol. 36

Community Human Rights Promotion Committee Workshop
Every year between October and November a workshop
on human rights is held in each of Sakai City’s sevenwards. The workshops are attended by members of theCommunity Human Rights Promotion Committee as wellas many members of the general public.
* Who are the members of the Community Human
Rights Promotion Committee?
Representatives of the Community Human Rights
Promotion Committee and its members belong to

Personal Rights ofthe Elderly(Dementia)

the Human Rights Education Promotion Council.
The members are recommended by community
representatives of the Federation of Sakai City
Residents’ Association from among officials ofcommunity residents’ joint associations, presidentsof unit residents’ associations, members of variousorganizations in school districts, and people whoare enthusiastic about human rights education
activities in individual school districts.

On October 22, Dr. Hideki Yamamoto from the Osaka Branch, Alzheimer’s
Association Japan, delivered a lecture at the Sakai City Nishi Cultural Hall(Westy) entitled “Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early Dementia – What should
we do when memory loss begins?”
Since the number of elderly people with dementia is expected to increase
due to Japan’s rapidly aging society in recent years, it is increasingly importantthat we eliminate prejudice towards people with dementia and their families,
and remedy the lack of understanding about the condition. He talked about
how we as caretakers should communicate with people with dementia andwhat we should do to slow the progression of dementia, based on his own

experiences as a physician.
Do people in your family regard elderly people as a nuisance due totheir physical disabilities, or act or speak in ways that might harm theirself-esteem? Do you know of elderly people who are prevented fromdoing housework or helping out despite wanting to?
Even though their physical performance declines as they age, it isimportant to recognize elderly family members as an important part of
the family and to respect their independence, placing importance oncommunication with them in their daily lives, in order to protect theirdignity.
The number of elderly people living alone or in households in which
everyone is old is increasing. Accordingly, we need to build a cooperative
society in which the whole community provides support for the elderly,
including exchanging greetings with them and helping out neighbors inneed.

Fight against Hate Speech!
Recently, demonstrations have been held in whichrights, correct mistaken perceptions, see human rights

people call for the expulsion of specific national andissues as our own problems, and take action to build aethnic groups, express contempt for them, or promotesociety where hate speech is not tolerated.

discrimination and foment hatred against them.

It is important for us to work together to build a multi-

Such behavior is called hate speech. It results in a

cultural society where all

sense of anxiety or ill will in those who are targeted, deeply

can live a comfortable life,

impairs their dignity, and inspires discriminatory feelings inunderstanding and respecting

others.

one another’s culture andWe need to recognize that hate speech infringes

customs, and to develop

human rights and be strongly motivated to fight against it.

and promote a human rights

We should increase our understanding of humanculture from Sakai City.

Sakai City Human Rights Education Promotion Council Newsletter Kokoro-no-Hibiki Vol. 36

4♥The 35th Essay Contest“My Human Rights Message”
From selected entries
The Moon Moves Water

Adult (3rd-year student enrolled in a junior high school evening course)5♥

Did you know that the moon moves the water? I did not know

When I was 19 years old, I married my husband, who

this before I learned it in a science class. When I first heard

was 23 years old, after an arranged marriage meeting. My

that the tides are caused by the moon’s gravity, I thoughthusband was young and sometimes he would spend too

ah, so that’s the way it is. I make it a habit to walk my dog

much on entertainment, and not bring any of his salaryalong the bank of the Yamatogawa River every evening.

home. We were not blessed with a child at first and I was

One day, seeing the water in the river flowing upstream, I

told by my mother-in-law that even if he had a baby with

automatically looked up at the moon. I then realized that

another woman, I had to raise it as my own. My first, long-

was just what I had learned in class. I will never forget how

awaited baby, died three days after his birth. I have neversurprised I was. Just as the water flowed back, I will lookbeen sadder than when he died. A daughter was then bornback on my life.

to us, and our family bonds became stronger. I was happy

I was born to Korean parents in Osaka. Although I was

in some small way, living with a husband who doted onvaguely aware, even as a child, that I was a Korean, I had

our daughter and a mother-in-law who cared about mynever been told that by my parents. After entering elementary

physical condition. However, life did not get easier and I

school, I was told by my classmates “Koreans go home”,

was always busy, juggling helping with the family business,and realized that yes, I was a Korean. Despite that, since

doing housework, and raising our daughter. One day a tax

some classmates took my side, telling those who bullied

official came to our store and told me to show him ourme not to say such things, I had a reasonably good time atbooks. Since I had not even completed elementary school,elementary school. However, by the time I went into the 4thanything resembling records was only in my head. I was

grade, my family was too poor even to pay for school meals.

very distressed and told him that if he wanted to see ourSince I hated the derision my lack of lunch money drew, I

books, he would have to split my head in two. This was, offinally stopped going to school. Instead, wanting to support

course, not acceptable to him.

my mother financially, I found work behind the scenes at a

After reaching the age of 60, I had fewer financial

pachinko parlor. I earned only around 200 yen a day for a

problems, and my daughter recommended I take an evening

whole day’s work. I went to work every day, though, even if

course at Tonobaba Junior High School. Since I was not sure

I had a fever, since I wanted to receive the perfect attendance

if I could keep up with my studies at school, I did not make up

award. I also did various other jobs, including collecting ironmy mind to try until I was 71 years old.

scraps and shaving bricks. Since others around me worked as

Now, I am enjoying my studies a great deal. WheneverI did, I did not think of it as all that bad. Considering that my

I read a newspaper or listen to the news, I feel like I am

mother came to Japan knowing no Japanese, I did not think ofconnected to the world. I will go to school tonight as well, tomy circumstances as hard at all.

study under the moonlight.

Sakai City Human Rights Education Promotion Council Newsletter Kokoro-no-Hibiki Vol. 36

Delightful Relay Race
Second-year elementary school student
I have a friend named A-kun. He has a congenital leg

him. I practiced running every

disability. When we were in the senior grade at kindergarten,

evening so that I could run

we had a chance to participate in a relay race. Our teacher

much faster for him. Then, ourexplained about the race and said that A-kun would run a lapteam members talked together

around the track. He and I were on the same team. When weabout the race and decided thatbegan to practice for the race, our team lost the practice race

A-kun would run half as far as the other members.

by about two laps. No matter how many times we practiced,

On the relay race day, A-kun ran as fast as he could.

we always lost the practice races. Other team members then

When it was my turn, I ran at full speed. Our team finishedbegan to say, “It’s A-kun’s fault we always lose. He should

second. Although we always finished fourth during practices,

move to another team.” When I heard them say that, it

we were able to finish second on the day because everyone

seemed wrong and I spent some time thinking about it.

did their best. Everyone on the team was really happy. A-kun

I also wanted to win the race. However, A-kun was

and I were also delighted. My mother cried her eyes out. Allunable to run as fast as other members, no matter how hardteam members including A-kun ran with all their might in the

he tried. I thought about it for many days, and came up withrace. I can still remember it now.

the idea that I would run much faster to compensate for

Bullying
First-year junior high school student
it! I can’t stand this any longer!” With that, my heart felt a

I have experienced being bullied.
I was very quiet and couldn’t join any of the groups oflittle lighter.

kids at school, and was subjected to a torrent of abuse by

When I went to school the following day, the boys whoboys during breaks between classes. Although I put up withhad teased me apologized to me. I was delighted. I realized

the bullying at first, I finally reached my limit and beganthat all it takes for people to change is a bit of courage andskipping school. I did not talk to my parents because I did

hope.

not want to worry them. I cried every day and was filled with

I gradually became more actively involved in everythinganxiety. However, no matter how hard I cried, nobody helped

and started talking to classmates. Through that, I started

me. It hurt a lot.

making friends too.

One day, when I was reading a comic book as usual after

Since I have been bullied, I will never tolerate bullying. I

coming home from school, I realized that the heroine of thebelieve that there is never any excuse to bully another. To me,

comic book was exactly like me. Although she was also

those who see bullying but turn a blind eye to it are the samebullied, she was filled with a sense of justice and eventuallyas the bullies. When I see someone being bullied, I will reachstood up to the bullies and made them stop.

out to him or her. I would like to break the bullying cycle,

I realized that if I was always absent from school towhich seems to continue forever.

escape from the bullying it would never stop, and that I had totell them not to bully me if I did not want to be bullied.
The following day, when I went to school, I was teased by
the boys again. Honestly speaking, I was filled with anxiety.
However, I mustered up the courage to shout at them, “StopSakai City Human Rights Education Promotion Council Newsletter Kokoro-no-Hibiki Vol. 36

6♥Human Rights Quiz

Give it a go! How do these shapes look?
(The answers are at the bottom of the page.)

Q1. Which center circle is larger?
A

Q2. Which rectangle is longer,
A or B?

B

A

B

Never Allow Discrimination!
The Constitution of Japan stipulates that “All of thepeople are equal under the law and there shall be nodiscrimination in political, economic or social relations
because of race, creed, sex, social status or family origin.”
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the
publication of the Dowa Issue Resolution Council Report.
During the past 50 years, various actions have been taken
to quickly resolve the Dowa issue, and the harsh living
environment in Dowa areas has improved to some extent.
However, discriminatory incidents that infringe humanrights are still happening all around us.
As a recent example, a ward office received a phone
call in which a person asked whether there were any
Dowa areas in that ward. He wanted to know because heplanned to move to the ward and his parents wanted him
to avoid Dowa areas. In another case, the city government
received a document stating that Sakai City should cut off
the Dowa areas from the rest of city. These incidents showthat some people want to avoid Dowa areas based on a
deep-rooted sense of discrimination. This must not be

Human Rights Quiz
Q1.
Q2.

tolerated in our society.
It is important for all of us to obtain a basic
knowledge and concept of human rights and see humanrights issues as our own problems, and then show ourintention to respect human rights by fighting against
discrimination through our attitude and our actions.

Answers

The center circles A and B are exactly the same size.
The rectangles A and B are exactly the same size.
How did you do? In Q1, the circle A appears to be much larger, doesn’t it? In Q2, the rectangle B
appears to be much longer, doesn’t it?
The shapes teach us how important it is for us to look at things from more than one angle. We always
need to think about how we perceive, recognize and judge things in our interactions with others,
and consider whether or not we are making a wrong assumption or being prejudiced.

7♥

Sakai City Human Rights Education Promotion Council Newsletter Kokoro-no-Hibiki Vol. 36