ABSTRACT
Japan proclaims itself a homogeneous society of a unique and distinctive character. It is true that by the standards of most large countries, Japan is relatively homogeneous. Nevertheless, out of a total population of 125 million about six million or over 6 percent of the population are minorities. Official Japan was forced to concede the existence of minorities when Prime Minister Nakasone in September 1986 claimed that Japan had a high intellectual level because it had no minorities. Within Japan, the study of minority issues throws light on the peculiarities of Japanese society as a whole. Among the other minorities, the status and activities of the Burakumin have the most direct bearing on those of the Korean community. The case of the Korean community poses a wide range of issues. Whereas other minorities have Japanese nationality and at least formal legal equality, including vote, freedom from deportation, and full social welfare, the 700,000 non-naturalized Koreans have few of these rights.
