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Buraku Dictionary

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Note:

Many entries are empty and will be completed slowly but surely. Newer entries will be added from time to time while I work on other parts and read more literature

Buraku

部落 

(被差別部落)

buraku (hisabetsu buraku)

The term buraku is often used to refer to someone's village. The locations where the outcaste groups lived where referred as tokushu buraku. Formally they are called hisabetsu buraku and short as buraku.

Burakumin

部落民

 (被差別部落民)

burakumin (hisabetsu burakumin)

This term refers to the people living in the buraku or who are descendants from such. However, you can't know unless they tell you. Be careful when using this term.

Chinzei Impartial Society

鎮西公明会

Chinzei Kōmeikai

Customs Improvements League Association

風俗改善同盟会

Fūzoku Kaizen Dōmei Kai

Don't wake up the sleeping children

寝た子を起こすな

neta ko o okosuna

The idea that if the buraku issue is ignored then it will disappear or will solve itself.

Dōwa Area

同和地区

dōwa chiku

Under the SML, those were the 'designated areas' that were targeted for the dōwa measures.

Due to the exclusion from more than 1000 buraku areas during the SML, dōwa areas do not directly refer to buraku areas.

Buraku Liberation League

部落解放同盟

buraku kaihō dōmei

Central Association for Reconciliation Projects 

(財団法人)

 中央融和事業協会

Chū’ō Yūwa Jigyō Kai

Commoners Safety and Work Association

備作平民会

Bisaku Heiminkai

Denunciation Struggle

糾弾闘争

kyūdan tōsō

The Denunciation Struggle was a tactic of the Suiheisha to confront the discriminators and demand an apology (or more). This was continued by the Buraku Liberation League.

Dōwa

同和

dōwa

Often translated as "Assimilation" or "Harmony". 

The term dōwa is often interchangeably for buraku, thus making the buraku issue the dōwa issue. However, the term is not necessarily a direct reference to the buraku.

Eta

穢多

eta

Directly translates to "a lot of dirt".

The eta were people who one of the groups excluded by the Edo class system. 


This term is derogatory hence why they should only be used in the historical context. 

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