ABSTRACT
The ‘Dowa problem’ is the offi cial euphemism used to refer to those Japanese usually called burakumin, who are believed to be descendants of the outcaste communities of the Tokugawa period (1600-1867). Although freed from formal restrictions in 1871, they have continued to be victims of stigma that has prevented their complete social integration. As we will discuss in greater length below, exactly how many Japanese are presently liable to such prejudices is a matter of debate, but it could be as many as three million people. Some Japanese people may genuinely be unaware of the extent of this problem, especially those who live in the area around Tokyo or places to the north, but most Japanese living in central and western Japan will be conscious of the problem, even if they are reluctant to admit it. There is some disagreement about the extent of the prejudice and discrimination that remains. Even the most radical of the burakumin activists would accept that the situation has improved over the last forty years. Discrimination is no longer as blatant as it was in the 1950s and before. Living conditions in the buraku communities are no longer as impoverished as they were. Such improvements lead some to argue that the ‘problem’ has been solved, although others suggest that discrimination is now taking on new, less obvious forms such that more subtle policies are required to deal with it and more sophisticated research is needed to enable us to accurately assess the current situation.
