Hi All. Sorry to be slow on this issue, but for the record, let me blog a few articles and reactions on this issue without much time right now for comment (will include comments from others). Debito in Youga, Tokyo<\/p>\n
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/<\/p>\n
Ibuki: Japan ‘extremely homogenous’ NAGASAKI (Kyodo) Education minister Bunmei Ibuki said Sunday that In 1986, Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone described Japan as a Speaking at a convention of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s “In its long, multifaceted history, Japan has been governed by the QUICK COMMENT FROM DEBITO: Just like, “In it’s long, multifaceted history, America has been governed by the Americans all the way.”? <\/p>\n Or how about Japan’s postwar SCAP? Oh, that doesn’t count, I guess. The issue is too silly to dwell upon any further. Let’s get to what makes this more problematic: <\/p>\n \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/<\/p>\n Abe sees no problem in education minister calling \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/<\/p>\n Abe fine with ‘homogeneous’ remark Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday downplayed criticism of remarks “I think he was referring to the fact that we (the Japanese public) Ibuki said Sunday at a convention of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Remarks regarding homogeneity have drawn criticism in the past. For \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/<\/p>\n COMMENTS FROM AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AND THE UNITED NATIONS (earlier blog post on debito.org): COMMENTS FROM MATT DIOGUARDI: <\/p>\n \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/<\/p>\n Bunmei Ibuki’s comments were *worse* than I realized. If this isn’t The Japan Times articles did *not* report on other comments that Ibuki makes comments that show on a fundamental basis he He seems to view rights as entitlements sort of handed out by the Minzoku translates as folk, but it’s code words for *race*, as in Ibuki’s opinion is that rights should not be overemphasized at the This is the *same* minzoku that so many Japanese lost their lives This is sort of like saying, yes, it’s nice to have rights, but don’t This is really unbelievable and stunning. The fact that Abe does not Ibuki should resign and Abe should profusely apologize.<\/p>\n Because of the importance with which I see this issue, I’m posting ================================== Japan’s education minister has stunned the country with a gaffe- Bunmei Ibuki, 69, also said that Western-style individualism is Japanese newspapers reported yesterday that Mr Ibuki, a veteran “Japan has stressed the individual point of view too much,” he “If you eat butter everyday you get metabolic syndrome. Human The speech raises questions about Tokyo’s commitment to concepts It is unclear whether Mr Ibuki’s choice of the word “butter” was The term came about because Westerners traditionally had a far Link: http:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/news\/main.jhtml?xml=\/news\/2007\/02\/27\/wjapan27.xml<\/a><\/p>\n ==================================<\/p>\n Here is a link to his comments in Japanese: Some of his comments: 2. \u6a29\u5229\u3068\u81ea\u7531\u3060\u3051\u3092\u632f\u308a\u56de\u3057\u3066\u3044\u308b\u793e\u4f1a\u306f\u3044\u305a\u308c\u3060 The idea that there is some kind of trade off between rights and a If we allow that rights can be curbed at the needs of *society* we Moreover, Ibuki doesn’t seem to grasp that freedom in a political Shall we allow more government physical coercion in in order to The primary function of government is not to create a utopian I’ll note that at least one politician has a nice come back to Ibuki. “As from an international perspective Japan does not have enough of a http:\/\/headlines.yahoo.co.jp\/hl?a=20070227-00000046-mai-pol<\/a><\/p>\n COMMENTS FROM MATT DIOGUARDI END<\/p>\n \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/<\/p>\n EDITORIAL With health minister Hakuo Yanagisawa’s gaffe remark that women are “childbearing machines” still fresh in people’s memory, yet another Cabinet member has put his foot in his mouth. This time, education minister Bunmei Ibuki has voiced objectionable ideas on the general character of the Japanese state and human rights issues.<\/p>\n In his speech about “education resuscitation” in a meeting of a Liberal Democratic Party chapter in Nagasaki Prefecture, Mr. Ibuki said the Yamato race has ruled Japan throughout history and that Japan is an extremely homogeneous country. He also expressed the idea that there should be limits to the enhancement of human rights. Likening human rights to butter, he said, “However nutritious butter is, if one eats only butter every day, one acquires metabolic syndrome. Human rights are important. But if they are respected too much, Japanese society will end up with human rights metabolic syndrome.”<\/p>\n Mr. Ibuki’s comment is ideological. It is known that Japan’s ancient culture, the foundation of Japan’s present culture, was an amalgamation of various roots. No one single race formed Japanese culture. Referring to Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone’s remark in 1986 that Japan is a nation with a “homogeneous race,” Mr. Ibuki said, “I did not say homogeneous race.” Even so, his mentioning the homogeneous character of Japan shows he does not altogether accept Japanese society as a composite also of Korean, Chinese and other foreign residents as well as Japanese nationals who do not identify themselves as members of the Yamato race — Ainu people, for example.<\/p>\n His human rights comment is also troublesome. It is clear that Japan has many human rights problems that must be addressed. Mr. Ibuki should remember that various rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution are the basis of a healthy democracy. Strangely, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe defended Mr. Ibuki, saying his statements are not problematic. Such words will only fuel doubts about Mr. Abe’s integrity as a national leader. ASAHI SHINBUN EDITORIAL, ENGLISH FIRST, THEN JAPANESE ORIGINAL<\/p>\n
\nThe Japan Times Feb 26, 2007<\/b>
\nhttp:\/\/www.japantimes.co.jp\/cgi-bin\/nn20070226a6.html<\/a><\/p>\n
\nJapan is an “extremely homogenous” country, a type of comment that in
\nthe past has drawn criticism.<\/p>\n
\n“homogenous race” nation and faced strong criticism, mainly from Ainu
\nindigenous people.<\/p>\n
\nchapter in Nagasaki Prefecture, Ibuki said, “Japan has been
\nhistorically governed by the Yamato (Japanese) race. Japan is an
\nextremely homogenous country.<\/p>\n
\nJapanese all the way,” Ibuki said in a 40-minute speech on education
\nreform. Ibuki is minister of education, culture, sports, science and
\ntechnology.
\n\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
\nENDS<\/p>\n
\nJapan ‘homogeneous’
\nTOKYO, Feb. 26 KYODO<\/b>
\nPrime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday downplayed
\ncriticisms over his education minister’s remarks a day
\nearlier and said there was nothing wrong with the
\nminister calling Japan an ”extremely homogenous”
\ncountry.
\n”I think he was referring to the fact that we
\n(the Japanese public) have gotten along with each
\nother fairly well so far,” Abe said when asked to
\ncomment on the remarks by education minister Bummei
\nIbuki. ”I don’t see any specific problem with that.”
\nAbe, who has been hit by a series of gaffes by
\nmembers of his Cabinet recently, added, ”Of course
\nthere have been battles in our history, as in the
\nSengoku (warring states) era, but it was rare that one
\nside would completely wipe out their opponents, so I
\nbelieve we’ve cooperated well with each other through
\nhistory.”
\nChief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki, the
\ntop government spokesman, also said he did not find
\nthe remarks ”specifically problematic” but warned
\nthat ”Cabinet ministers must be responsible for their
\nown words.”
\nIbuki said Sunday at a convention of the ruling
\nLiberal Democratic Party’s chapter in Nagasaki
\nPrefecture that ”Japan has been historically governed
\nby the Yamato (Japanese) race. Japan is an extremely
\nhomogenous country.”
\nRemarks regarding homogeneity have drawn
\ncriticisms in the past, such as in 1986 when then
\nPrime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone described Japan as a
\nnation with a ”homogenous race.” He faced strong
\ncriticism mainly from Ainu indigenous people.
\nIn his 40-minute speech on education reforms,
\nIbuki, who is minister of education, culture, sports,
\nscience and technology, also said, ”In its long,
\nmultifaceted history, Japan has been governed by the
\nJapanese all the way.”
\nIbuki also issued a warning about paying too much
\nrespect to human rights, illustrating his remark by
\npointing out what happens if one eats too much butter.
\n”No matter how nutritious it is, if one ate only
\nbutter every single day, one would get metabolic
\nsyndrome,” he said. ”Human rights are important, but
\nif we respect them too much, Japanese society will end
\nup having human rights metabolic syndrome.”
\n==Kyodo<\/p>\n
\nThe Japan Times Feb 27, 2007
\nhttp:\/\/www.japantimes.co.jp\/cgi-bin\/nn20070227a9.html<\/a><\/p>\n
\nby his education minister the day before and said there was nothing
\nwrong with Bunmei Ibuki calling Japan an “extremely homogenous” country.<\/p>\n
\nhave gotten along with each other fairly well so far,” Abe said. “I
\ndon’t see any specific problem with that.”<\/p>\n
\nchapter in Nagasaki Prefecture that “Japan has been historically
\ngoverned by the Yamato (Japanese) race. Japan is an extremely
\nhomogenous country.”<\/p>\n
\ninstance, Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone faced a strong backlash,
\nmainly from Ainu indigenous people, when in 1986 he described Japan
\nas a nation with a “homogenous race.”
\nENDS<\/p>\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.debito.org\/?p=239<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n
\nbig news, in my opinion, it *should* be. If I have time I will blog
\non this tomorrow. I hope others do as well.<\/p>\n
\n*did* get reported in the Japanese press. Searching around I did find
\nthat some of these comments got reported in at least one English
\nnewspaper, the Telegraph.<\/p>\n
\nmisunderstands constitutional government.<\/p>\n
\ngovernment. However, these rights can be overemphasized and to the
\ndetriment of the minzoku.<\/p>\n
\nYamato Minzoku.<\/p>\n
\nexpense of the minzoku. And he explicitly identifies the Yamato Minzoku.<\/p>\n
\nover during WWII.<\/p>\n
\nforget that the heart and soul of Japan is the Yamato minzoku, our
\nhomogenous race heritage.<\/p>\n
\nsee a problem with these comments is also political miscalculation he
\nhopefully will suffer for.<\/p>\n
\nthe entire Telegraph article:<\/p>\n
\nMinister’s human rights rant shocks Japan
\nBy Colin Joyce in Tokyo
\nLast Updated: 6:39am GMT 27\/02\/2007<\/b><\/p>\n
\nstrewn speech in which he claimed that too much emphasis has been
\nput on human rights.<\/p>\n
\ndamaging Japan, while he praised Japan’s racial homogeneity and
\nappeared to denigrate minorities.<\/p>\n
\npolitician who worked at the Japanese embassy in London for four
\nyears in the 1960s, implied in his speech in Nagasaki that problems
\nwith Japan’s education policy stemmed from the fact that it was
\nimposed by the US occupation authorities after the Second World War.<\/p>\n
\nsaid. He also argued that a society gorged on human rights was like
\na person with an obesity-related illness.<\/p>\n
\nrights are important but a society that over indulges in them will
\nget ‘human rights metabolic syndrome’,” he said.<\/p>\n
\nsuch as human rights and democracy, which Japanese commentators
\nnote were brought to Japan by defeat in the war rather than created
\nindependently by domestic reforms.<\/p>\n
\nintentional or unfortunate, but it echoes an old disparaging
\nJapanese expression for Western ideas: “stinking of butter”.<\/p>\n
\nhigher dairy content in their diet than Japanese and hence were
\nthought to smell of butter.<\/p>\n
\nhttp:\/\/headlines.yahoo.co.jp\/hl?a=20070226-00000022-mai-pol<\/a><\/p>\n
\n1. \u4eba\u6a29\u3060\u3051\u3092\u98df\u3079\u904e\u304e\u308c\u3070\u3001\u65e5\u672c\u793e\u4f1a\u306f\u4eba\u6a29\u30e1\u30bf\u30dc
\n\u30ea\u30c3\u30af\u75c7\u5019\u7fa4\u306b\u306a\u308b
\nningendake wo tabesugireba, nihonshakai wa ninken metaborikku shoukougun
\n“If we (eat) partake too much of human rights, our society will
\ndegrade as the human body does when it partakes of unhealthy food.”<\/p>\n
\n\u3081\u306b\u306a\u308b\u3002\u3053\u308c\u304c\u4eca\u56de\u306e\u6559\u80b2\u57fa\u672c\u6cd5\u6539\u6b63\u306e\u4e00\u756a\u306e\u30dd
\n\u30a4\u30f3\u30c8
\nkenri to jiyuu dake wo furimawashite iru shakai wa irzure dame ni
\nnaru. kore ga konnkai no kyouiku kihonn houkaisei no ichiban no pointo
\n“If we only brandish our desire for freedom and rights, then society
\nbecomes useless. That is the number one point of our educational
\nreforms.”<\/p>\n
\n“good” society is completely misconstrued. A good society is one
\nwhere people have rights and those rights are protected, period.<\/p>\n
\nintroduce a random variable that can be interpreted however one wants
\nto interpret it. We *all* have different views on what a *good*
\nsociety would be. This is why we have democracy.<\/p>\n
\nsense *only* means freedom from (physical) coercion. The government
\ncannot grant freedom in any other sense of the word. We accept that
\nthe government will have to use a limited amount of (physical)
\ncoercion to carry out its job, this is why we recognized the
\nfundamental danger inherent in governmental power.<\/p>\n
\nsupport the Yamato minzoku. This is absurd. And its coming from the
\nminister of education!<\/p>\n
\nsociety, be it the Yamato minzoku, or some extreme form of Islam or
\nChristianity. The *fundamental* function of government is to
\n*protect* our rights. Through the exercise of those rights, we might
\nbe able to help society, physical coercion should not shape those
\ndecisions.<\/p>\n
\nKiyomi Tsujimoto stated:
\n\u300c\u65e5\u672c\u306f\u4eba\u6a29\u610f\u8b58\u304c\u8db3\u308a\u306a\u3044\u56fd\u3060\u3068\u56fd\u969b\u7684\u306b\u898b\u3089\u308c
\n\u3066\u3044\u308b\u3002\u30e1\u30bf\u30dc\u30ea\u30c3\u30af\u3069\u3053\u308d\u304b\u6804\u990a\u4e0d\u8db3\u3060\u300d
\nnihon wa ninken ishiki ga tarinai kuni da to kokusaiteki ni mirarete
\niru. metaborikku dokoro ka eiyou busoku da.<\/p>\n
\nhuman rights sense of consciousness, I’d say as far as human rights
\nrather than having a human rights syndrome, we’re undernourished.”<\/p>\n
\nBeating the Yamato drum
\nThe Japan Times March 1, 2007<\/b>
\nhttp:\/\/search.japantimes.co.jp\/cgi-bin\/ed20070301a1.html<\/a><\/p>\n
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\nENDS<\/p>\n