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Community Project: Japan's National Sports Festivals

The KOKUTAI PROJECT

Coordinator: Douglas Shukert
dshukert@yahoo.com
Posted to The Community December 12, 2002. Revised March 6, 2003.
UPDATES May 13, June 18, July 27, August 19, and Sept 9, 2003.
(click on date to page down)

Japan Times column on the Kokutai: "A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD?: National Sports Festival bars gaijin, and amateur leagues follow suit" (Sept 30, 2003)



A) PROBLEM:

The Kokutai is a huge annual athletic event designed to promote physical fitness for Japanese citizens. As such, foreign residents of Japan are restricted or excluded from participating in the event. The exclusion or restriction of these foreigners is a clear violation of the United Nations Declaration Against All Forms of Racial Discrimination that Japan signed in 1995.

In addition:




B) SOLUTION:




C) BACKGROUND INFORMATION

What is the Kokutai?

The National Sports Festival (or Kokutai) is Japan's largest national sports meet. It is held in three sessions annually (winter, summer, and fall). As many as 30,000 Japanese athletes compete each year, and the event can consume more than 50 billion yen in tax money annually (the lion's share coming from the host prefecture). The first National Sports Festival was held in 1946 in the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe region, mainly in Kyoto. Since then, the Festival has been held every year with prefectures competing against one another, with prefectures hosting the festival in succession. In 1961, the National Sports Festival was made an official annual event under the Sports Promotion Law, and since then the festivals have been held jointly by the Japan Amateur Sports Association, the Ministry of Education, and the hosting prefectures.

Sports Held in Each Session (As of May, 1999)
Season
Winter Session Official sports:
Skiing, ice skating, ice hockey

Summer Session Official sports:
Swimming, boating, yachting, canoeing, bowling, golf

Fall Session Official sports:
Track and field, soccer, tennis, field hockey, boxing, volleyball, gymnastics, basketball, wresting, weight lifting, handball, cycling, soft tennis, table tennis, rubber-ball baseball, sumo wrestling, equestrian, fencing, judo, softball, badminton, kyudo, rifle shooting, kendo, rugby football, mountaineering, archery, karatedo, jukendo, clay-pigeon shooting, naginata

Exhibition sports:
High school baseball, sports arts


Referential Web Links

in English:
http://www.japan-sports.or.jp/english/task/festival.html

http://wwwwp.mext.go.jp/eky1998/

http://wwwwp.mext.go.jp/eky1992/

in Japanese:
http://www.nayoro-city.net/kokutai/

http://www.pref.shizuoka.jp/seibun/sb-06/

http://www.japan-sports.or.jp/ibarakiken/02kokutai/0201.htm

http://www.pref.saitama.jp/A05/BA00/kokutai/home.htm

http://www.livex.co.jp/okonomi/9612/top.html


D) THE PLAN

My motto is "All sports for all people". My goal is to eliminate all artificial restrictions (even nationality) in all sports. I see no legitimate reason for preventing someone from participating in sports at any level. Even at the Olympic level, sports are just a game, played for fun. It doesn't matter if you win or lose; the important thing is to participate. Foreigners living in Japan cannot "fly home" every time they want to play some sport. Banning foreign residents is a violation of their rights of equality, freedom, and property (i.e. taxation--see below). Showing Japan's sports organizations that it is okay to ban foreigners is a violation of a foreign person's honor (a right in Asia, but almost impossible to prove in court).

My target is the Japan Amateur Sports Association (JASA) or Nihon Tai-iku Kyoukai. The Monbukagakushou provides financial support; however, most of the money for the Kokutai comes from the prefectures. Every prefecture has an amateur sports association under JASA to coordinate sending their athletes to the Kokutai. In Miyagi it is the Miyagi Amateur Sports Association (MASA) or Miyagi Tai-iku Kyoukai. There are 47 such associations in Japan. They are also targets, but in my case since I live in Miyagi, I can only complain about MASA. Under MASA are the prefecture sports organizations responsible for their individual sports. In Miyagi there are some 73 prefecture sports organizations.

(The "Foreigner as Taxpayer" argument has supporting precedent Tax money is tax money and access to its fruits legally cannot be denied to taxpayers. See AZUMAMURA CASE (1998): Public-sector swimming pool lifts ban against foreign swimmers because they were taxpayers http://www.issho.org/BENCI)



E) FUNDAMENTAL ASSUMPTIONS BEHIND THE KOKUTAI RULES

1. Rights: The question is whether or not foreigners have a right to participate in the Kokutai. An argument raised was that no, the Kokutai is not a business open to the general public. Access to businesses (like bathhouses) that are open to the general public is only one of our rights. The UN Convention on Racial Discrimination also states that exclusion from cultural activities (e.g. the Kokutai) is also a violation of a human rights.

My opinion is, if you are paying for it in taxes, you have a right to participate. The UN Declaration states that governments cannot support groups (like JASA) that practice discrimination.

2. Citizenship: Another argument raised was that the State (i.e. the Japanese government) is free to ignore the UN Declaration in its treatment of citizens and non-citizens. This rule is meant to keep foreigners from voting or getting into politics. JASA and other sports organizations in Japan are non-profit organizations supported by the government, not part of the government. So, I do not believe this rule gives them permission to ban foreign residents from sports.

3. Racial Discrimination: The abovementioned UN Convention states that any distinction that prevents someone from enjoying fundamental freedoms and human rights, but in particular distinctions regarding race, color, or ethnic origin is racial discrimination. One argument raised was that discrimination based on citizenship cannot be considered racial discrimination. My feeling is that it could easily become so, i.e. since many Japanese (particularly those in positions of authority) have express agreement towards Japanese society as homogeneous, they can use (and have used, in my opinion) the citizenship requirement to exclude people who are not like them. Particularly if the rules are only meant to keep inherently "superior" non-Japanese from competing with Japanese, then this clearly borders on racial discrimination.

4. Olympics: Another argument was made that the Olympics routinely choose athletes based upon national origin, therefore sports events which may produce Olympic-level athletes may be justified in banning foreigners (who after all cannot represent Japan in the Olympics). My counterargument: the JOC broke away from JASA in 1992, so that the JOC could concentrate on serious athletes, and JASA could promote sports for the general public, i.e. "Sports for All [Japanese]". JASA should not be using its resources to train athletes for the JOC.

In the end we are talking only about amateur athletics. Since the Olympics allows professionals, most Olympic athletes come from professional sports. If JASA is interested in developing amateur athletes, then prohibiting outstanding foreign athletes from training with Japanese athletes for international competition is in fact the worst thing they could do.

Very few athletic meets produce Olympians. Banning all foreigners from even lower-level competitions, including the Kokutai for this reason is misguided.

My Personal Experience with accessibility in Japanese sports
Author: Douglas Shukert (dshukert@yahoo.com)

(All views herein are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of The Community at large)

I first came to Japan in the summer of 1987. I had played ice hockey most of my life and was lucky enough to get on a team in Yokohama. In America I am a mediocre Senior A player, but in Japan, I am a superstar. In 1988 the team won the Kanagawa-ken championship, qualified for the national tournament, and I got my first taste of discrimination. In those days foreign players were not allowed in the Japan League (Japan's top league) or in any national tournament. So when the team left for the nationals, I was left behind in Yokohama. I fumed, walked off the team, staged a one-man protest, and wrote letters to the International Ice Hockey Federation and the Japan Ice Hockey Federation. At that time I did not fully appreciate what our team manager went through for me, but somehow miraculously he got the rules changed so that two foreign players were allowed on each team in the Japan League and in national tournaments. To me it was still discrimination, but at least I was allowed to play.

In 1990 I moved to Salzburg, Austria and ran into the same kind of discrimination. In Austria almost every league at every level is restricted to having two foreign players per team. The problem in Austria was that it was easy for teams to recruit outstanding players from Czech or Germany, pushing other residents like me into the bowels of mediocre ice hockey. In other words I was forced to play in a league well below my ability because of the fierce competition for the few available foreign player spots.

I moved to Sendai in April of 1999 and hoped to continue my hobby of playing ice hockey. Ice hockey in Miyagi is controlled by the Miyagi Ice Hockey Federation (MIHF). Hockey for adults is split into two leagues, one league of 8 teams for serious players and a second league of about 12 teams for women, the handicapped, people learning how to skate, and foreigners. No foreigners were allowed in the top league. The winners of the top league went on to represent Miyagi-ken in national tournaments and the Kokutai (where foreigners are also not allowed); and therefore, there was no need to allow foreigners into the league at all. So again I complained, wrote letters, etc. and two things happened. First, I was banned from hockey in Miyagi (not formally of course, because that would be more problematic) and second, foreigners were allowed to play in the competitive league. Now, there is exactly one foreigner player in that league, and he is there to show everyone that MIHF does not discriminate.

The Law on Human Rights

Japan signed the UN Declaration Against All Forms of Racial Discrimination in 1995. The law says that sports organizations cannot discriminate on the basis of "National Origin." Does "National Origin" mean a foreigner, or does it mean a Japanese Citizen who was a foreigner? The fine print says that the laws are only applicable to people who have the right of citizenship. If the law against racial discrimination is only applicable to Japanese Citizens, then it has no meaning, because the equality of all Japanese is already guaranteed in Article 14 of the Constitution.

In Japan, human rights are granted by the Constitution. In America, human rights are universal; that is, if you are born a human, then you have human rights. Laws are only made to protect people's rights. The basic concept behind human rights is that all people are equal, and their rights are equal. The only trouble occurs when one person's rights clash with another's. Since all humans are equal, there is no question that one's rights do not depend on one's nationality, country of residence, salary, color or anything else.

Of the basic human rights, the three most commonly acccepted are: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. All other rights are just outcomes of these three. Since no one understands the concept of the pursuit of happiness, I like to replace it with the right of property or the right of ownership, in other words it is my right to "own" things. When we talk about breaking the law, we are talking about breaking other people's rights. If I steal money from someone, it is against the law. Not because stealing is bad and the Bible says so, but because I have violated someone's right of ownership (by taking something that belongs to him).

In the case of Japan's sports organizations, they are taking money in the form of taxes from foreign residents and using that money to support sporting events that those same foreign residents are not allowed to attend. It would be as if there were a Christmas party at work, the cost of which was deducted from everyone's salary, but only Japanese employees were allowed to attend. It is a violation of the foreigner's right of ownership, and therefore, should be against the law.

Personally, I see absolutely no difference between banning foreigners from some private sports club in Shinjuku and banning foreigners from the annual Kokutai. The only difference that I can see is that in the case of the sports club, foreigners are excluded before they pay. In the case of the Kokutai, foreigners pay (with taxes) and then they are excluded.

UPDATE MAY 13, 2003

To: communityinjapan@yahoogroups.com
From: Douglas Shukert <dshukert@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2003 16:58:53 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [communityinjapan] Kokutai Update

I had a big day in court yesterday.

Just when I thought the judge was going to throw out my case, he surprised everyone and all but demanded that Miyagi Ice Hockey Federation's (MIHF) president, Mr. Isawa, appear in court and clarify all the discrepancies between depositions that Isawa has filed with the court and the 104 pages of evidence that I presented last month. Actually, since the judge cannot demand the appearance of a witness, after MIHF's attorney refused to call Isawa, the judge asked me to do it. He even faxed me a copy of the form I need to fill out to call a witness. Sometimes it pays to be a foreigner, because I am sure that the same service would not be extended to a Japanese plaintiff. The judge also made it very clear that if I did not have any questions for Isawa, then the judges would ask a few. They even seem to be anxious, as they set the next meeting for June 17. (The judges had wanted to meet on June 3, but there were too many schedule conflicts.)

Anyway, it's a good sign. But as I tried to explain to the judge, just because Isawa is put in the hot seat (so to speak) doesn't mean he will suddenly start telling the truth. The most likely outcome is that Isawa will lie in court, we'll file for perjury, and since perjury cases are rarely tried in Japan (according to my lawyer), that will be the end of it.

There was another interesting outcome, Miyagi Ken admitted that even though foreigners are not part of the "Kokumin" they are part of the "Kenmin". Up till now, I thought that Miyagi would claim that since foreigners are not on the "Juuminhyou" they are not legal residents and therefore cannot be considered to be "Kenmin". But to my surprise, Miyagi did not try that argument. It is an important point, because when the Kokutai was put on trial ten years ago in Fukushima, the judge declared that the Kokutai was an event for the "Kokumin" and the "Kenmin". In other words, if foreigners are "Kenmin" and the Kokutai is for both "Kokumin" and "Kenmin" then the Kokutai should be for foreigners, too.

The argument I am getting from Miyagi Ken is since the purpose of the Kokutai is not racial discrimination, then the exclusion of foreigners cannot be considered to be illegal. Anyone have any thoughts on this? (To me, it is kind of like involuntary manslaughter, that is, they don't mean to do it, but it happens.)

Best regards from Sendai,
Douglas Shukert (dshukert@yahoo.com)

P.S. If anyone wants to have a mini rally at the upcoming fall Kokutai in Shizuoka, I would be very happy to organize something. Because I will be there at any rate.

UPDATE JUNE 18, 2003

To: communityinjapan@yahoogroups.com
From: Douglas Shukert <dshukert@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 17:01:31 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Community] Kokutai Update

Kokutai Update 2003.6.19.2003

It's all over but the verdict. Miyagi Ice Hockey Federation's president, Heiichi Isawa, presented testimony to Sendai's High Court on Tuesday, June 17 during the final meeting in Sendai. The verdict will be delivered on July 25, and then it's off to Tokyo and the Supreme Court. As we suspected, Isawa lied shamelessly, even though I had tried hard to structure our questions so that he would not have to lie. Several times he contradicted evidence that had already been presented. Several times he even contradicted himself. He even mumbled something about being "under oath" and therefore, could not tell a lie. I almost burst out laughing. But this leads me to an interesting point. I do not know what Debito's experience is, but I have been amazed at how the Japanese (who have a reputation of being honest and law-abiding) lie like dogs in court. And yet, lawyers and judges take it all in as if it was standard practice. I wonder if judges are experts at telling who lies and who doesn't, or (as Isawa feebly tried to point out) they must believe everything a witness says simply because he is under oath.

In my case with the police, not only have the police lied by creating an elaborate fictional variation of the event, they have gone so far as to fabricate evidence to back up their story. If the police are immoral enough to falsify evidence in a civil case, what is there to prevent them from doing the same in a criminal case? It's a pretty scary thought.

But, it's all under the bridge, now. The only thing left to do is wait for the verdict. We made some good points and some not-so-good points. I would sure like to write a critique of Isawa's testimony before the verdict, but I guess that will have to wait for the Supreme Court. My feeling is that the court will decide that Isawa had legitimate reasons for banning foreigners (e.g. keeping out overpowering Canadian and Russian players in order to allow Japanese players to develop), and therefore, banning foreign athletes cannot be considered "irrational discrimination" and they will uphold the lower court's ruling. But I could be wrong.

By the way, did everyone order your 2003 Kokutai opening ceremony tickets? Sale ends 7/15. You can call Shizuoka Prefecture's office at 054-221-3683 or visit http://www.pref.shizuoka.jp/seibun/sb-06/profile/index.htm I have not received mine yet. I imagine ticket requests from Sendai are being carefully scrutinized. And any of you athletes out there who want to compete (Joel?), just go down to your prefectural amateur sports association and ask for an application form. I did yesterday. By law, they cannot refuse you on the basis of nationality.

Best regards from Sendai,
Douglas Shukert

UPDATE JULY 27, 2003

To: communityinjapan@yahoogroups.com
From: Douglas Shukert <dshukert@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2003 17:04:08 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Community] Strike Two

Well, the verdict is in, and it is not pretty. Sendai's High Court upheld the district courts decision in its entirety. Foreigners have no right to participate in sports in Japan, the government can use our taxes for any purpose it desires and "reasonable" discrimination of foreigners cannot be considered to be illegal. The reasoning being the decision is as follows:

1. As many people on the list have already pointed out, since the average Japanese is not as capable in sports, it is unfair to expect them to compete against bigger, stronger and smarter foreigners.

2. As someone else on this list already pointed out, it is the sovereign right of kings, dictators and fascist governments to use people's taxes as they see fit. This includes using your taxes to support sporting events and organizations that you are not allowed to join. You may consider your taxes as "gratitude" for being allowed to live in this wonderful country with all its social benefits.

3. All laws in Japan are flexible. As someone else has already pointed out, even though Japan signed the Declaration Against All Forms of Racial Discrimination in 1996, how faithfully that treaty is followed will be determined by the people and the courts.


So now it is up to Japan's Supreme Court to decide if I am allowed to play ice hockey in Japan or not. It is hard to say where this trial went wrong. My feeling is that it is just too much to chew in one bite. A lawsuit may not have been the best way to attack this problem. Japanese courts do not necessarily follow law or logic. My impression is that the verdict is decided first, and then the reasons. Judges may be constrained by civil law #90, which states that decisions cannot be contrary to society. Since the government and government organizations supposedly represent the people, judges may be reluctant to make decisions against those government organizations. I believe Debito is running into the same situation in his case against the city.

Someone on this list also suggested that the courts can be used by anyone. From my experience, my advice is to avoid the courts as much as possible. Even if you are successful, it is a long, expensive, frustrating process. And the social stigma attached to being in court is not worth the effort.

Best regards from Sendai,
Douglas Shukert

CLARIFICATION AUG 19, 2003

To: communityinjapan@yahoogroups.com
From: Douglas Shukert <dshukert@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2003 21:04:28 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Community] Re: Kokutai Case

I just wanted to clear up a few points from a previous posting. Scott mentioned that courts are not meant to force teams to befriend everyone. He also said something about the use of taxes. I just have 2 points to make:

1) These teams, leagues, tournaments and sports associations are supported in part by everyone's taxes. That is the main point of this case. In some cases (e.g. the Kokutai, Kokutai qualification tournaments, the Miyagi Amateur Sports Association, the Japan Ice Hockey Association, etc.) they are supported almost entirely by taxes. I do not think that making me pay for something I am not allowed to participate in is right.

The funny part is that independent teams (that is, teams that are not in part supported by taxes) welcome everybody, because they need the revenue.

2) Teams cannot reject players for illegal reasons, i.e. because I am a "gaijin." Both the UN Declaration Against Racial Discrimination and the Law for the Promotion of Human Rights Awareness make it illegal for even individuals to practice or promote racial discrimination. (But, of course, as we all know, "racial" discrimination as defined by the Japanese does not exist in Japan.)
(snip)

Best regards,
Douglas Shukert
President of the Association to Abolish
Racial Discrimination in Sports, AARDS

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 9, 2003

To: communityinjapan@yahoogroups.com
From: Arudou Debito <debito@debito.org>
Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2003 09:14:40 +0900
Subject: Re: [Community] Ministry of Injustice

At 5:01 PM -0700 03.9.8, Douglas Shukert wrote:
> Last week I went to the District Attorney's office to
> file perjury charges against Detective Chiba for his
> false testimony on 2/13, 4/24 and 7/10 and against
> Miyagi Ice Hockey's president, Heiichi Isawa, for his
> false testimony in court on 6/17. I could have filed
> charges at police HQ, but since the police have failed
> in 1 1/2 years to do anything about the criminal
> charges I filed on 2001.4.5, I thought I would be
> smart this time and file directly with the DA.

> Well, the DA is even worse than police HQ, as the DA
> would not even register my complaint until they
> complete an "initial investigation." In other words
> there will not even be a record that I filed a
> complaint. The result is, here are 5 more Japanese
> criminals who will not appear on any criminal statistic report.

Douglas S, for what it's worth, I heartily commend you for your
follow-through on this issue. I bet they never expected you to go so far as
to file a complaint for perjury, and it's very good you did, even if it was
rejected. So file again.

Did you or your lawyers let the media know about this? That's what they're
for at a time like this. Now it's time for the media (and yourself) to keep
pressure up for a clarification of a timeframe for that "initial investigation".
Keep filing until you get that timeframe. Once you have an
approximate date, the clock starts running, and it's all grist for the mill
later when it becomes clear that they don't intend to keep their promises.
Clearly the DA is not going to cooperate with prosecuting one of their own.
But the fact you made that clear matters. Now make it as public as you can
by staying the course.

Think of the Otaru Onsen Racial Discrimination Lawsuit, for example.
When I wrote my Sept 4 Statement for the Sapporo High Court, remember, there
was years of water under the bridge, and lots of evidence that the City of
Otaru did nothing, and even avoided doing something (to the point of even
excluding foreigners from their shingikai) about discrimination in their
jurisdiction. But the fact that we were completely refused any inputs into
the deliberation process is what may come back to bite Otaru in the end.
Maybe (and probably) not, but it's better than the alterative of not having
that evidence to cite.

Douglas S, don't let the frustration get you down. The stonewalling is
precisely what you must expose. It may even work in your favor if you can
get a media record of it. The more stonewalling there is, the more patterns
will emerge. And the more third parties will start studying what you're
doing. The Otaru Case is attracting a lot of academic attention, for
starters, and the media is referring to it all over again with the recent
discovery of a new Monbetsu onsen refusing foreigners. (Big news yesterday
morning in the papers and on the TV yesterday afternoon. Report from me to
follow.)

You are doing the right thing, Douglas S. Keep it up. Arudou Debito in Sapporo


REFERENCE MATERIAL: Japan Times column on the Kokutai: "A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD?: National Sports Festival bars gaijin, and amateur leagues follow suit" (Sept 30, 2003)

日本の競技スポーツは日本人の為ですから、外国人は必要ない
ザ・コミュニティ
「こくたいプロジェクト」
案内サイト


　以降のテキストは私の友達 Douglas Shukert 氏が取り組んでいる問題です。

　皆様が知っているかどうかは分かりませんが、日本の最大な全国スポーツ大会の「国民教育大会」は外国人の参加を断っています。これは「国民だから仕方がない」と思うかもしれませんが、税金を使う大会が外国生まれまたは国内生まれの納税者を拒否していることとなります。子供が国籍がないのみで友達と競技できないこともかわいそうだし、国体の準備の競技またはその他のスポーツリーグも外国人お断りすることも正当化となっております。

　仙台のスポーツリーグから排斥されたシューカートさんの裁判で相手取るケースは以降の通りです。まもなく法廷で取り組みますので、ご取材をご検討下さい。シューカートさんのメールは<shukertjp@yahoo.co.jp>。宜しくお願い致します。有道　出人

シューカートさんの言い分：
-----------------------------------------------------

日本の競技スポーツは日本人の為ですから、外国人は必要ない

　　日本のトップスポーツ団体は約60年間日本での競技スポーツ界に外国人は要らないという世界を作っています。今、仙台高等裁判所（仙台市青葉区片平1ー6-1、4F）である日本に住んでいるアメリカ人が「外国人が自由に日本のスポーツに参加出来るように」という目的で裁判を起こしています。次の法廷は平成15年6月17日10：30−12：00です。

　　過去の外国人差別に対する裁判は次の通りです：

　　平成７年３月23日東京地方裁判所が「外国人をスポーツクラブから締め出してはいけない」と判決しました。平成11年10月12日静岡地方裁判所が「外国人を商店から締め出してはいけない」と判決しました。平成14年11月11日札幌地方裁判所が「外国人を温泉から締め出してはいけない」と判決しました。逆に平成14年11月25日仙台地方裁判所が「外国人を日本の競技スポーツから締め出しても良い」と判決しました。

日本の競技での外国人差別

　　仙台での裁判の原告、ダグラス・シューカート（45歳、アメリカ国籍）は平成11年から今まで宮城県での競技アイスホッケーリーグに出場出来るように、宮城県アイスホッケー連盟（以下「MIHF」と書く）と喧嘩中です。MIHFは外国人が出られない日本の国民体育大会（国体）を例として、「外国人を競技スポーツから締め出しても良い」と考えています。

　　仙台地方裁判所が「国体の目的は、広く日本国民の間にスポーツを普及し、アマチュアリズムとスポーツ精神を高場して国民の健康推進と体力の向上を図り、併せて地方スポーツの振興と地方文化の発展に寄与するとともに、国民生活を明るく豊かにようとするものである。国体は地方スポーツの振興の観点から都道府県別対抗割戦という制度を取っている。国体は事実上、国際競技大会の代表選手の発掘、選考の場としての役割も果している。国体の目的及び役割を達成するため、国体要項細則において外国人の参加制限を設けることには合理性があり、外国人を不当に差別するものとはいえない。したがって、外国人が国体やその予選会を兼ねる東北総合体育大会に参加できないことをもって違法ということはできない。」と判決しました。

　　ダグラスは子供の頃から今まで30年間以上アイスホッケーをやって来ました。キーパーとして、アメリカでの一番強い社会人アマチュアリーグにまで入ってアイスホッケーをやった事があります。日本でも、ダグラスが入ったチームが1988と1989年２回神奈川県で優勝し、全日本大会にも出場した事があります。平成11年４月１日ダグラスが家族と一緒に仙台へ引越しました。40代に入っても、ダグラスはまだまだアイスホッケーをやる元気があるので、仙台でアイスホッケーをやる事を楽しみにしていました。宮城県でのアイスホッケーは2つのリーグに別れていて「県リーグ」と「MIEリーグ」です。県リーグはレベルが高く熱心にやる選手達の為で、正しいアイスホッケーをやります。県リーグは全日本大会や国体冬季大会等、強い日本人の選手を育てる為のリーグです。今、県リーグには８つのチームと約100人の選手（含む外国人１人）がいます。その８つのチームの中の５つのチームは学校関係のチームです。県リーグは長い間（平成12年まで）外国人選手を締め出すルールがあったので、今でも外国人は１人しか入っていません。

　　県リーグの下はMIEリーグです。MIEリーグは初心者や女性や中学生や外国人や様々な選手が入っている、楽しみの為のリーグです。MIEリーグのチームはAとBのグループに別れて、12のチームと選手120人位がいます。ルールとして県リーグよりやさしいアイスホッケーをやります。MIEリーグは私的にやっていますから、誰でもお金を払えば入れるリーグです。ですから、以前から外国人選手が多かったのです。

　　上記に書いた平成12年までは、外国人は県リーグに入れないルールがありまして、ダグラスはしかたが無いと思って、平
成11年４月12日に「勝山オフィサーズ」というMIEリーグのチームに入りました。平成12年より外国人は県リーグに入っても良いとのルールの変更がありましたが、実際には県リーグの８つのチームの中の1つ、「メッツ」というチームにしか外国人選手を入れませんでした。その8つのチームの中には、メッツとJETSとスクラッパーズという3つの社会人のチームがあります。平成12年のルール変更の後でも、まだまだ外国人を締め出す意識が残っています。　　平成12年10月ごろ、ダグラスは外国人を宮城県のアイスホッケー界から締め出すのは法律違反である事を知り、MIHFへ苦情の手紙を出しましたが、MIHFの会長伊澤がその手紙の内容に怒って、ダグラスと伊澤との長い喧嘩が始まりました。平成12年12月９日MIHFとダグラスとの打ち合わせで「MIHFが外国人を差別していないが、国体の為には外国人をスポーツから締め出しても良いので、ダグラスの苦情には、根拠がなくて、ダグラスを県リーグに入れる事は出来ない。」と言われました。ダグラスはいつか仙台で自分のレベルに合ったアイスホッケーをやることを出来るようにする為には、裁判を起こす以外に方法がないと考えました。その時から、伊澤との裁判が始まりました。

　　MIHFとの会議でダグラスは1つの事が分かりました。それは日本体育協会（以下「JASA」と書く）や日本アイスホッケー連盟や宮城県が全日本大会や国体大会等から外国人を締め出しているから、MIHFも外国人を締め出しても良いとの考え方を持っているのだという事です。

　　国体とはわが国最大の国民スポーツの祭典です。昭和21（1946）年、京都を中心とした京阪神地方で第１回大会が開催されました。以来、都道府県対抗、各都道府県持ち回り方式で毎年開催され、昭和36（1961）年からは、国のスポーツ振興法に定める重要行事の１つとして、日本体育協会・文部省・開催地都道府県の３者共催で行われています。

　　仙台地方裁判所が以上の通り、「日本のスポーツ団体は自分の目的を達成する為に外国人の参加を制限するのは不当な差別とは言えない」と判決しました。ダグラスはその裁判を上告して、今その裁判は仙台高等裁判所に続いています。この裁判が始まった時から、ダグラスは必要なら、日本の最高裁判所まで上告するつもりでした。この重要な裁判は下の裁判所が判決することではありませんから。ダグラスの考え方には２つのポイントがあります：

　　　１）「合理的な差別及び妥当な差別」という物は有りえません。日本国民は平成８年に国連の「人種差別撤廃条約」を日本の法律として定め、人を国籍により差別してはいけないと決めました。JASAが日本の住民を国籍によりスポーツ大会への参加を制限するのは日本の国民の希望と反している事です。

　　　２）国体のような大きな大会は日本の住民の税金で動きます。日本に住んでいる外国人も税金はいっぱい払っています。税金を払う人はその税金に使っている事業に参加する権利があるはずです。

　　裁判を上告した時、ダグラスは仙台高等裁判所へ新しい証拠を出す約束をしました。平成15年３月11日に最初のミーテイングで裁判長がダグラスに4月のエンドまで証拠を出せとの命令をしました。ダグラスは4月30日に104頁の証拠書を出して、その中の58頁はダグラスが頼んだ探偵社とMIHFとの話の写しです。その話はどのようにMIHFが外国人と日本人を区別しているかを立証しました。つまり、日本人はだれでも県リーグに歓迎されたが、外国人は県リーグに入れないように、色々な理由を言われます。ダグラスが出した証拠は以前MIHFが出した陳述書との矛盾点が多いので、5月13日の裁判のミーテイングで、裁判長がその矛盾を解明する為に、MIHFの会長の伊澤を証人として6月17日に裁判所へ出頭するように言いました。ダグラスは今その証言の為の疑問点を準備しているところです。

　　この裁判が日本の最高裁判所まで控訴出来たら、ダグラスは証拠として、日本の国民の意見を出したいのです。「こういう理由で外国人は国体に参加させないべきです。」又は、「こういう理由で外国人を国体に参加をさせるべきです。」について、皆さんが意見を書いてくれましたら、とても有り難いです。shukertjp@yahoo.co.jp

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