Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 03:06:41 +0900
From: Dave Aldwinckle <davald@do-johodai.ac.jp>
Subject: Otaru Onsens Update: PROGRESS AND POLITICAL ACTION
OTARU ONSENS VISIT PART TWO
POLITICAL ACTION AND PROGRESS
(The original forum for this information was Issho
Kikaku. Please note that Issho Kikaku is NOT A PARTY to this lawsuit,
and reference herein to Issho Kikaku should not be construed to assume that Issho
Kikaku has any stance in these matters. Disclaimer
here,)
On Sept 20, I reported to the world about our contingent of 17 people, which had
gone around the previous day to four Otaru onsen, in order to verify information
about entry refusals on the basis of race and/or nationality (cf. http://www.issho.org/BENCI).
Two months later, Nov 22, we repeated that trip. This after meeting with a member
of the City Assembly (Otaru Shi Gikai) and getting his nominal support for our cause.
We realized just how much progress has been made. I think the world should be updated
just so that they know that action by even the disenfranchised does make a difference
in Japan.
First, our lobbying efforts with the City Assembly:
1) MEETING WITH CITY ASSEMBLYPERSON X OF POLITICAL PARTY Y
(Sorry, but I keep the details vague because it has become clear there are internet
trolls out there who have ill will towards this social movement.)
Meeting this gentleman were two symbiotic organizations:
WELCOME HOUSE, a Catholic organization working as a halfway house for non-Japanese
in trouble, represented by Reverend Kobayashi, Reverend Mylet, and Ms Makishita.
And:
ISSHO KIKAKU'S BENCI PROJECT, a task force within NPO Issho
Kikaku, represented by Dave Aldwinckle.
Sitting down with Mr X, we soon realized that he was sympathetic to the case. "I
have read the recent articles (three fat ones appeared in rapid succession in the
Otaru version of Hokkaido Shinbun
on Thurs, Fri, and Sat Nov 18, 19, and 20, plus a "Tensei Jingou" style
short column in the front
page of all papers). I understand this situation is not a good one. The onsens are
discriminating. Those signs should not stay up. However, we should proceed prudently
by collecting information and asking the public's opinion before demanding the signs
come down."
MAKISHITA AND MYLET: That won't do, sir. Welcome House has been involved in
this issue for over a year now, when we first talked to the City government about
taking down these discriminatory onsens last summer. They also said, "wait,
collate, then act". However, over a year later there has still been no action.
Thus there will be no action unless it happens at the City level. Welcome House's
stance is therefore, "Signs down first, then policy." As we all know these
signs are discriminatory, we say let's act on it now.
MR X: But haven't they already taken some signs down? I went for a bath at
Yunohana Onsen the other day and don't remember seeing a sign.
Aldwinckle at this point produced from his files the Oct Doshin newspaper article
with the Yunohana sign (viewable here) saying
in Japanese, English and Russian: JAPANESE ONLY. "It's outside beside the sliding
doors."
Mr X then rose from his chair and called Yunohana to confirm for himself. I wondered
how the onsen must have felt when it picked up the receiver to hear, "This is
Y Party's Mr X. Do you still have the sign up saying JAPANESE ONLY? You do? Okay.
I have some foreigners here which say that you still do. I understand. Thanks."
Click. He returned to his seat and began wavering a bit more:
MR X: But before we take any decisive measures, we have to understand public
opinion. The government enacting policy forcing businesses into bankruptcy would
be very unpopular. We should try to convince the owners to take the signs down, not
force them to.
KOBAYASHI: You cannot convince them. They are not concerned with human rights
or discrimination. They only care about money. They will only listen to orders, and
the City must give them.
ALDWINCKLE: Mr X, I understand your concern with public opinion, as you are
an elected official and your putting your name on an unpopular policy might make
you lose office. But I think you should know what the City bureaucracy is doing with
this issue. On Oct 26, the city sponsored a meeting of international groups to discuss
this problem, and they reached a conclusion that there should be three more meetings:
Meeting B on Nov 5 with onsen owners, then at a later date Meetings C with non-Japanese
and D with regular folks. I phoned them on Oct 23 and Nov 2 before the meetings,
and both times Welcome House and Issho were denied participation because we would
get our opportunity at Meeting C. However, at Meeting B they decided to cancel Meetings
C and D due to lack of time and the urgency to take care of this problem. I confirmed
this turn of events with them by phone and in person on Nov 9.
The points are:
1) At no stage did they allow entry or even invite non-Japanese to give their input
on a problem which is arguably caused by them, or on policy which will ultimately
affect them. This despite being "meetings of international organizations".
This is absurd and irresponsible. Which is why we are making our voice heard to you.
And 2) They are shutting out public opinion by cancelling Meeting D. They have
also turned down our request for a public forum on this issue, which would also have
helped you understand how voters feel. So an unpopular policy might get made
anyway by the City bureaucrats. You may be being set up, so I suggest you take action.
MR X: Actually, we are making moves. In one of our major political organizations,
we are drafting a local ordinance (jourei) on racial discrimination. It is destined
for city governments to resolve this problem.
ALDWINCKLE: That's fantastic! Please make sure that you include punishments
and compensation for victims, for a local law with no punishments [even gomi-poi
ordinances have stiff penalties] is meaningless.
He wrote that and several of our other suggestions down. We made a few more requests,
like sponsoring that precious public forum (which he said he would consider), and
giving us access to the City Assembly records to debates on the issue (which he agreed
to). It was a very productive and valuable forty-five minute meeting.
2) PROGRESS: RETRACING OUR FOOTSTEPS
It was natsukashii city all around. Both BENCI and Welcome House have in parallel
visited and negotiated with the very same onsen, so we drove by to see if the signs
were still up.
Yes. Yunohana, the big family prosperous onsen, was up in bright red. Osupa, the
nasty-looking one which spreads unsubstantiated rumors about foreigners and disease
(viewable here), was up in dirty black.
But at Panorama, the one within the ferry terminal which let both BENCI and Welcome
House in after negotiation, we saw the fruits of our labor.
The exclusionary sign was down. And in its place was a sign with detailed bathing
rules and illustrations. Written in Japanese, Chinese, Russian, and English that
had clearly been proofread by a native speaker, they went:
-------------------------------------------
1) RINSE ALL THE SOAP FROM YOUR BODY BEFORE GETTING INTO THE BATHTUB.
2) DO NOT TAKE A BATH WHILE WEARING YOUR TRUNKS.
3) DO NOT BRING YOUR TOWEL INTO THE BATHTUB.
4) WASH YOUR BODY BEFORE GETTING INTO THE BATHTUB.
5) DO NOT WASH YOUR CLOTHES.
6) SAVE HOT AND COLD WATER [i.e. don't leave the taps running].
7) DRY YOUR BODY BEFORE RETURNING TO THE DRESSING ROOM.
-------------------------------------------
These had been in place since Nov 6, and were enacted because, according to Doshin,
Shin Nihonkai Ferry, the owner of the onsen, didn't want a corporate imaging-down.
Now that's more like it. We were elated. I then made a special trip down to the Shin
Nihonkai Ferry offices, where the person I had talked to on our previous excursion
was out for the day. No matter. I shouted so that the whole office could hear, with
a deep bow:
"Thank you very much for taking the sign down. This is a much better policy.
Together we will make a community where we all can live together."
Their response was warm and that was that.
We are gaining ground.
Dave Aldwinckle
Sapporo
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