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UPDATED: THE MACHINE-TRANSLATED TEXT WAS GENDER-NEUTRAL, BUT THE SPANISH WAS GENDER-SPECIFIC, AND THIS DID NOT COME THROUGH IN ENGLISH. AMENDMENTS MADE.
Hi Blog. Received this from Debito.org Reader IA, who comments:
This week I read about a horrific case of ijime in Shizuoka Ken, a Peruvian girl was raped by five [female] classmates. The worst part is the authorities just bow the head and said they could only offer money nothing else. I’ll give you more details if you want. I’m trying to find the news in English or Japanese and I also sent an e-mail to the Spanish newspaper where I read about it to get more information in your language. This is awful I want to vomit. If the case was from the opposite side I’m sure the reaction could be different.
No doubt it would. I don’t know about the money part, but this apparently is the rumor circulating around the Peruvian community in Japan. Anyone else heard about this, especially in the J-media? If you haven’t, I bet you also haven’t heard about the Herculano Murder Case, either. I hope it won’t suffer the same fate. Dr. ARUDOU, Debito
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TRANSLATED BY GOOGLE TRANSLATE, ORIGINAL TEXT IN SPANISH BELOW
(Lightly edited. Amendments by Spanish readers welcome)
Five Japanese students reported for sexual offense against a Peruvian partner in Shizuoka
INTERNATIONAL PRESS 18/04/2014 | Category: Community , Shizuoka
The mother knew the facts this week and yesterday has filed a complaint with the police Fujinomiya.
Five [female] students from a school in Chugakko (junior high) Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, have been accused by a mother of Peruvian nationality for having sexually abused her 13 year-old in a terrible case of ijime (bullying).
According knew International Press, the Peruvian girl was raped twice by her fellow [female classmates in a school music club] in a park near the school, who took her by force and using “apparatus” to abuse her.
The incident occurred in May and December 2013, but only became known this week when the girl had had enough and told her mother everything.
The Peruvian, who cares for two children alone, was presented Thursday to the 17 education authorities Township Fujinomiya to tell the tale. Immediately, she was taken to the police to file a formal complaint.
The girl had stopped going to school, begged to be taken to Peru and will djo her mother to prevent his younger brother to enter Chugakko, junior high.
EL BUKATSU (school clubs)
In May 2013, when the Peruvian was a freshman at the Chugakko, his mother complained to the teacher in charge of the music club.
At that time the teacher knew the name of at least one of which pressed harassing and beating Peru to leave the club. The girl was described as a shy and reserved person who wanted to learn to play the clarinet.
The claimed effect did not emerge and the harassment continued despite the girl stopped going to the music club and switched to the drawing club.
Although missing some days to school, she continued going until March this year when she left school entirely. This week the whole truth came out.
The school principals were newly aware of the case yesterday after the mother filed a police report. (Ipcdigital)
//////////////////////////////////////////
Cinco alumnas japonesas denunciadas por ultrajar sexualmente a una compañera peruana en Shizuoka
18/04/2014 | Categoría: Comunidad,Shizuoka
http://es.ipcdigital.com/2014/04/18/cinco-alumnas-japonesas-denunciadas-por-ultrajar-sexualmente-una-companera-peruana-en-shizuoka/ Courtesy of IA
La madre conoció los hechos esta semana y ayer ha presentado denuncia ante la policía de Fujinomiya.
Cinco alumnas de un colegio de chugakko (secundaria básica) de Fujinomiya, provincia de Shizuoka, han sido acusadas por una madre de nacionalidad peruana por haber ultrajado sexualmente a su hija de 13 años en un terrible caso de ijime (hostigamiento).
Según supo International Press, la niña peruana fue violada dos veces por sus compañeras del club de música en un parque ubicado cerca de la escuela al que la llevaron por la fuerza y valiéndose de “un aparato” para ultrajarla.
Los hechos ocurrieron en mayo y diciembre de 2013, pero solo se conocieron esta semana cuando la niña no soportó más y narró todo a su madre.
La peruana, quien cuida a dos hijos sola, se presentó el jueves 17 ante las autoridades educativas del Municipio de Fujinomiya para contar lo sucedido. Inmediatamente, fue conducida ante la policía para presentar una denuncia formal.
La niña había dejado de ir a la escuela, rogaba para ser llevada a Perú y le djo a su madre que impidiera que su hermano menor ingrese al chugakko, la secundaria básica.
EL BUKATSU
En mayo de 2013, cuando la peruana cursaba el primer año de chugakko, su madre presentó una queja ante la profesora encargada del club de música.
En aquella oportunidad la maestra conoció el nombre al menos de una de las hostigadora que presionaba y golpeaban a la peruana para que abandonara el club. La niña fue descrita como una persona tímida y reservada que deseaba aprender a tocar el clarinete.
El reclamó no surgió efecto y el hostigamiento continuó a pesar que la niña dejó la música y se pasó al club de dibujo.
Aunque faltaba algunos días a clases, siguió acudiendo hasta que en marzo de este año dejó la escuela totalmente. Esta semana se supo toda la verdad.
Los directores de la escuela recién se han enterado del caso ayer luego de que la madre interpuso denuncia policial. (ipcdigital)
ENDS
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UPDATE APRIL 23, 2014: PERUVIAN EMBASSY GETTING INVOLVED. MACHINE-TRANSLATED ARTICLE FOLLOWS, THEN ORIGINAL SPANISH IPC ARTICLE.
Peruvian Consul says that direct the actions to support the mother of girl raped in Fujinomiya
21/04/2014 | Category: Community , Shizuoka | Courtesy of IA
Consul Cardenas reported Tuesday visit the home of the Peruvian in Shizuoka.
Consul General of Peru in Tokyo, Julio Cardenas, announced today that “personally direct the actions of support” for the Peruvian mother whose daughter was raped by five classmates in the town of Fujinomiya, in the province of Kanagawa. [sic]
The consul told Cardenas Press International that “tomorrow” (Tuesday 22 April) visit the house of his compatriot to directly offer their support to the mother and daughter.
“Today I had telephone contact with the lady and I found a very acute emotional state. I offered all my solidarity and full understanding as a human being and as consul, “said Peruvian authorities.
After hearing the testimony of the mother, the consul said, “It was totally touching as a human being if I get and would have the same reaction that she (with anger and thirst for righteousness),” he said.
Asked about the number of cases of ijime (harassment) against Peruvian school coming to your office, Cárdenas, revealed that the first time you receive a letter and a formal complaint. “I have been informed that people talk, but we have not heard more so with a letter, to this day,” he said.
For Fujinomiya was revealed last Friday by International Press after the mother requested support to face the drama of her 13-year-old sexually assaulted twice between May and December 2013 by her fellow club music school .
Last Thursday police Fujinomiya accepted the case as “complaint” which may not be processed in the arrest of the attackers because they are under 13, according to Japanese authorities said the mother.
“We will call the girls and their parents, they will severely draw attention to know that fact harm. Maybe you can receive financial compensation for parents of girls. More can be done, “said the Japanese police, he told the Peruvian.
Woman reccionó with outrage at the police response because it offers a real serious case of rape has destroyed the life of his daughter solution.
The action of the school has also been disappointing. Last Friday, the Peruvian stated his case to the principal and vice-principal. They listened with bowed head, but instead of offering immediate psychological help for the girl and own shares, preferred to hide behind the police report and keep silent.
It is expected that the participation of Peruvian Consul help the Japanese authorities put real interest in such a rugged case. (Ipcdigital)
ENDS
=====================
ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
Cónsul peruano dice que dirigirá las acciones de apoyo a la madre de niña violada en Fujinomiya
INTERNATIONAL PRESS 21/04/2014 | Categoría: Comunidad,Shizuoka |
El Cónsul Cárdenas informó que este martes visitará la casa de la peruana en Shizuoka.
El cónsul general del Perú en Tokio, Julio Cárdenas, ha anunciado hoy que “dirigirá personalmente las acciones de apoyo” a la madre peruana cuya niña fue violada por cinco compañeras de escuela en la localidad de Fujinomiya, en la provincia de Kanagawa. [sic]
El cónsul Cárdenas dijo a International Press que “mañana mismo” (este martes 22 de abril) visitará la casa de su connacional para ofrecer directamente su respaldo a la madre y a su hija.
“Hoy he tenido contacto telefónico con la señora y la he encontrado en un estado emocional muy agudo. Le he ofrecido toda mi solidaridad y plena comprensión como ser humano y como cónsul”, declaró la autoridad peruana.
Tras escuchar el testimonio de la madre, el cónsul dijo que “ha sido totalmente conmovedor, como ser humano me pongo en su caso y tendria la misma reaccion que ella (de indignación y sed de justicia)”, comentó.
Preguntado sobre la cantidad de casos de ijime (hostigamiento) escolar contra peruanos que llegan a su oficina, Cárdenas, reveló que es la primera vez que recibe una carta y una queja formal. “He tomado conocimiento porque la gente habla, pero no hemos sabido más, así con una carta, hasta hoy”, explicó.
El caso de Fujinomiya fue revelado el pasado viernes por International Press luego que la madre solicitara apoyo para enfrentar el drama de su hija de 13 años, ultrajada sexualmente dos veces, entre mayo y diciembre de 2013 por sus compañeras del club de música de la escuela.
El jueves pasado la policía de Fujinomiya aceptó el caso como “queja”, que no podrá transformarse en la detención de las atacantes porque se trata de menores de 13 años, según dijeron las autoridades japonesas a la madre.
“Convocaremos a las niñas y a sus padres, les vamos a llamar severamente la atención para que sepan que hecho un daño. Usted puede recibir quizá una compensación económica de los padres de las niñas. Más no se puede hacer”, dijo la policía japonesa, según contó la peruana.
La mujer reccionó con indignación ante la respuesta de la policía porque no ofrece una solución real a un gravísimo caso de violación sexual que ha destruido la vida de su hija.
La acción del colegio también ha dejado mucho que desear. El viernes pasado, la peruana expuso su caso ante el director y vice-director de la escuela. Ellos escucharon con la cabeza gacha, pero en vez de ofrecer inmediata ayuda sicológica para la niña y más acciones propias, prefirieron escudarse tras la denuncia policial y mantener silencio.
Se espera que la participación del Cónsul Peruano ayude a que las autoridades japonesas pongan interés real en un caso tan escabroso. (ipcdigital)
ENDS
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UPDATE APRIL 24, 2014, AGAIN, GOOGLE MACHINE TRANSLATED WITH CONFUSING SENTENCES LEFT INTACT AND GENDERED PRONOUNS LIGHTLY EDITED, CORRECTIONS WELCOME:
Peruvian girl family abused by her classmates by fear leaves Fujinomiya
IPC 04/24/2014 | Category: Community , Shizuoka | Courtesy of IA
It is suspected that the girl has been filmed and photographed when she was abused.
The sexual abuse that was inflicted upon a Peruvian girl (13) by five [female] Japanese classmates in the town of Fujinomiya, Shizuoka, is taking as rough road as the event itself. The girl was not abused in a nearby park as stated in the beginning but all have occurred within the school, and the facts have been filmed and photographed.
These data were revealed to International Press by the mother of the girl, who has begun to understand much more the state of terror in which she finds her daughter. [The daughter] had received threats from the aggressors if her mother and her younger brother should denounce the abuses.
The girl was told under threats have been abused more times than I said and within the school between July 2013 and March 2014, when she left school completely and asked the help of her mother.
Fear is installed in the house because of the Fujinomiya police so far has not given strong signs that they want to protect the family, and have no confidence in the school due to the bad management of the case so far.
PERUVIAN CONSUL’S VISIT TO THE POLICE AND SCHOOL
Police and school have shown only real concern of the problem on Tuesday when they saw on April 22 parked in front of their premises a car with diplomatic plates, with the consul general of Peru in Tokyo, Minister Julio Cardenas, aboard.
The head of the Central Police Station Fujinomiya assured the Peruvian Consul to give priority to the investigation and assured they would treat the case as if it were any Japanese.
That same day, following the visit of Consul Cárdenas, an agent of the police revealed that the International Press rape investigations are underway and that four of the five alleged attackers, including her parents, had passed by the police station, although all have denied the allegations.
At school, the Consul was greeted by the vice-principal, and his presence in the school caused an unusual stir. The manager promised to take action and collaborate as needed.
Just Thursday morning, the mother received a phone call from the Board of Education and school district offering psychological support for the Peruvian girl, but she has lost all confidence in them. A private psychologist in charge of treatment is small.
ONLY LIVED FOR THEM: THE MOTHER
The mother tries to get her courage to the drama that has affected their lives, and complains about not being able to support her child on time. “I am mortified and hurt, I wanted to go back in time and be there to protect her,” she confessed in tears in a meeting with CPI.
“My daughter is quite reserved. Chiquita my brothers told me it was quite coy, that anyone could take her without her claimed “he said and I was like well cared for.
“I worked until three in the afternoon to be with my children,” she said, “we live austerely, but that is to be with them.” This happened until she lost the job due to a fall in production and started to work until 5pm.
Still, every day she brought her children to school, even though the tutor asked her not to do so, and each time she would also pick them up. “I was afraid that something had happened to them. I was afraid that she would be kidnapped as read in the news in Japan or hit by a car on the streets. Everyone knows who lived for them,”s he said.
She took care of both children to the point where, her own mother once scolded, that “she was a very overprotective mom”, and asked to leave them freer to learn how to defend themselves.
That was until in March 2013, when the girl began to have changes in her character. Besides being reserved she became even more distant from her mother, became cranky, and could go days without bathing. Everyone thought it was stuff of adolescence and needed patience.
The first warning that she was victim of ijime (harassment) occurred in May 2013. A group of friends beat and demanded to leave the music club where Peruvian learned clarinet. The mother filed a complaint and then accepted for the moment her move to the drawing club.
FEAR AND OUT OF FUJINOMIYA
Since then the facts were supposedly worse without anyone noticing at school. Five Japanese girls her age molested the Peruvian in a ritual that was filmed and photographed.
The mother believes that her daughter endured all that, and in silence, for fear that these people do harm to your family. She had asked her mother not to send her younger brother to study in that school.
Now, the goal is to surround the small images that give security. Her father, who had divorced his mother for some time, has returned home to protect her. Took time off work, although it was reported yesterday that he had been fired despite having explained the situation the manager of the company.
The presence of the consul Cardenas helped decisively. After that, she had more details that will help in the police investigation. The same diplomat brought mother and daughter to Tokyo on Tuesday for a consultation with the renowned Japanese lawyer Kotaro Tanaka.
Yet fear and trauma was beyond endurance. In hours this afternoon, the mother usumió decisive action to safeguard the physical and psychological integrity of his family. She put in the car a change of clothes and left in an unknown direction from Fujinomiya out of fear. The famous Japanese safety has collapsed for them.
“We are now leaving Fujinomiya” the father said to International Press, while his former wife was driving with her two children on board. They only become increasingly requires the police. They want justice. (Luis Alvarez / ipcdigital)
ENDS
=================================
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Familia de la niña peruana ultrajada por sus compañeras de clase deja Fujinomiya por temor
24/04/2014 | Categoría: Comunidad,Shizuoka | Courtesy of IA
Se sospecha que la niña haya sido filmada y fotografiada cuando fue abusada.
http://es.ipcdigital.com/2014/04/24/nina-peruana-violada-por-sus-companeras-en-una-escuela-de-fujinomiya-puede-haber-sido-filmada/
El abuso sexual al que fue sometida una niña peruana (13) por cinco compañeras de clase japonesas en la localidad de Fujinomiya, en Shizuoka, está tomando un camino tan escabroso como el propio acontecimiento. La niña no fue abusada en un parque cercano como se dijo en un principio sino que todo habría ocurrido dentro de la escuela y los hechos habrían sido filmados y fotografiados.
Estos datos fueron revelados a International Press por la madre de la niña, quien ha empezado a comprender mucho más el estado de terror en que se encuentra su hija. Ella habría recibido amenazas de las agresoras contra su persona, su madre y su hermano menor en caso denunciara los abusos.
La pequeña ha contado que bajo amenazas ha sido abusada más veces de las que dijo y dentro de la escuela entre julio de 2013 y marzo de 2014, cuando abandonó la escuela totalmente y pidió el auxilio de su madre.
El miedo se ha instalado en la casa de la peruana porque hasta ahora la policía de Fujimiya no ha dado muestras contundentes de que quiere proteger a esa familia y no hay confianza en la escuela por la pésima gestión del caso hasta el momento.
LA VISITA DEL CÓNSUL A LA POLICÍA Y ESCUELA
Policía y escuela solo han mostrado preocupación real del problema el día martes 22 cuando vieron estacionarse en la puerta de sus locales un automóvil con placa diplomática con el cónsul general del Perú en Tokio, ministro Julio Cárdenas, a bordo.
El jefe de la comisaría central de Fujinomiya ha asegurado al Cónsul Peruano que dará prioridad a esta investigación y garantizó que tratarían el caso como si fuera de cualquier japonés.
Ese mismo día, tras la visita del Cónsul Cárdenas, un agente de la policía reveló a International Press que las investigaciones de la violación están en marcha y que cuatro de las cinco supuestas atacantes, incluidos sus padres, habían pasado por la delegación policial aunque todas han negado los hechos.
En la escuela, el Cónsul fue recibido por el vice-director y su presencia en el centro escolar causó un revuelo inusitado. El directivo prometió tomar acciones y colaborar en cuanto haga falta.
Recién la mañana de hoy jueves, la madre recibió una llamada telefónica de la la Junta Educativa del Municipio y de la escuela ofreciendo ayuda psicológica para la niña peruana, pero se ha perdido toda la confianza en ellos. Una psicóloga privada está encargándose del tratamiento de la pequeña.
SOLO VIVÍA PARA ELLOS: LA MADRE
La madre intenta sacar fuerzas de flaqueza ante el drama que vive y se reprocha por no haber podido apoyar a tiempo a tu niña. “Me siento mortificada y dolida. Cómo quisiera regresar en el tiempo y estar allí para protegerla”, confesó entre lágrimas en un encuentro con IPC.
“Mi niña es bastante reservada. De chiquita mis hermanos me decían que era muy calladita, que cualquiera se la podía llevar sin que ella reclamara”, dijo y así fue como la cuidó.
“Yo trabajaba hasta las tres de la tarde para estar con mis hijos. Dije, ‘vamos a vivir austeramente, pero que sea para estar con ellos’”, siguió contando la madre. Así ocurrió hasta que perdió el trabajo por una caída de la producción y empezó a trabajar hasta las 5 de la tarde.
Aún así, todos los días llevaba a sus niños a la escuela, a pesar de que la tutora de pedía que no lo hiciese, y cada vez que podía también los recogía. “Yo temía que les pasara algo. Tenía miedo que los secuestraran como se lee en las noticias de Japón o que un carro los atropellara en estas calles. Todos saben que vivía para ellos”, declaró.
La mujer cuidaba tanto de los chicos, que su propia madre le reprochó alguna vez que “era una mamá muy sobreprotectora” y le pedía que los dejara más libres para que aprendieran a defenderse.
Así fue hasta que en marzo de 2013 su niña empezó a tener cambios en su carácter. Además de reservada se volvió aún más distante de su madre, respondía de mal humor y podía pasar días sin bañarse. Todos pensaron que se trataba de cosas de la adolescencia y que necesitaba paciencia.
El primer aviso de que era víctima de ijime (hostigamiento) ocurrió en mayo de 2013. Un grupo de amigas la golpeaba y le exigía que saliera del club de música en donde la peruana aprendía clarinete. La madre presentó una queja y luego aceptó pasarla al club de dibujo.
MIEDO Y LA SALIDA DE FUJINOMIYA
Desde entonces los hechos fueron a peor sin que supuestamente nadie en la escuela lo notara. Cinco niñas japonesas de su misma edad habrían abusado sexualmente de la peruana en un ritual que era filmado y fotografiado.
La madre entiende que su niña soportó todo eso, y en silencio, por temor a que esas personas hicieran daño a su familia. Ella había pedido a su mamá que no mandara a su hermano menor a estudiar a esa escuela.
Ahora, el objetivo es rodear a la pequeña de imágenes que le den seguridad. Su padre, divorciado de su mamá hace algún tiempo, ha vuelto a casa para protegerla. Pidió permiso en el trabajo, aunque ayer fue comunicado de que había sido despedido a pesar de haber explicado su caso al gerente de la empresa.
La presencia del cónsul Cárdenas ayudó decididamente. Tras ello, la niña contó más detalles que ayudarán en la investigación policial. El mismo diplomático trajo a madre e hija el martes hasta Tokio para una consulta con el conocido abogado japonés Kotaro Tanaka.
Aún así el temor y el trauma superan lo soportable. En horas de esta tarde, la madre usumió una acción decidida para salvaguardar la integridad física y psicológica de su familia. Puso en el carro alguna muda de ropa y dejó Fujinomiya con rumbo desconocido por temor. La famosa seguridad de Japón se ha derrumbado para ellos.
“Estamos ahora mismo saliendo de Fujinomiya”, dijo el papá a International Press mientras su ex esposa iba al volante con sus dos niños abordo. Solo volverán cada vez que la policía lo requiera. Quieren justicia. (Luis Álvarez/ipcdigital)
ENDS
29 comments on “IPC: Five female Japanese students reported twice raping a Peruvian classmate in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka”
That is truly disgusting, and offensive on so many levels.
My heartfelt sympathy for the girl, and her family.
The text in English doesn’t clarify if the attackers are boys or girls. The Spanish one say they were girls… :/ it is ambiguous…
— This is indicated by the gendered language of Spanish that did not come out in the English machine translation.
It’s so sad and the worst thing is that it was allowed to build up that far over a period of months. The teachers at the school and the family could have stopped this earlier if they had noticed.
Awful and infuriating. Especially the attitude of local police really disgusts me. No wonder they are being distrusted by the general public today.
Very sad, tragic piece of news. What’s makes it sadder is I rarely read of abuse by Japanese against non-Japanese in Japan (whether it be physical or other abuse), though I know of many cases of abuse of non-Japanese – some of it first-hand knowledge…Apparently, neither the Japanese media nor the English-language foreign media have seen fit to publish anything about this (yet)…My humble opinion is that these kinds of ugly things need to brought to people’s attention (respecting, of course the victim’s wishes if she or he desires anonymity). I think that the more people there are who know about these kinds of atrocities lessens the chances that similar atrocities will occur in the future.
According to the spanish article the attackers are girls from her school’s music club but they can’t do much legally because they’re minors.
I speak Spanish, so I took the liberty of skipping the English translation.
This sort of article would never make it into mainstream Jnews…
— “This sort…” Why not?
@debito
Because the victim isn’t “Japanese”? If it was the other way around the reaction from the media would be very different IMHO.
I come to your site often to read what others are afraid to write about. Keep it up debito-san!
— Gotcha. And thanks!
Poor girl.
I’m willing to bet my bottom dollar that the bullying was racially motivated – bullying cases often begin with what the victim is rather than anything they have done. Now, if the local media can be made to see it that way…
The family has left Fujinomiya in fear, new developments and information has been revealed
http://es.ipcdigital.com/2014/04/24/familia-de-nina-peruana-ultrajada-por-sus-companeras-de-clase-deja-fujinomiya-por-temor/
Hi
I read the information posted in http://es.ipcdigital.com (Spanish is my native language), among a lot of details it appear that she was filmed by the girls who sexually assaulted her… this is beyond horror.
I fear this is going to increase as Japan gets poorer and society gets more two tier. Shit rolls down and increasingly impoverished Japanese are going to start taking their frustrations out on the foreigners, especially because they have no outlet for their frustrations in terms of political representation, genuine options for good employment outside the salaryman/komuin system or emigration. Given the military style hierarchical culture plus institutionalised fear/stereotype of the “other”, and you have a really bad situation RE bullying
I know a few NJ living here who are specifically trying to follow these kinds of news stories, in order to figure out whether or not the proverbial “canary in the mine” has died and it’s time to get out before things get really out of hand. The scary thing is that if it’s not reported, it’s hard to know when the threshold has been reached and bigotry and racial abuse become more acceptable against non-Japanese.
Just the other day, I was walking around in a mall and a group of kids started shouting “kaere!” in my direction and laughing at me before the elevator doors closed in front of them – making it impossible for me to approach and talk some sense into them. I know they were just kids but I kept thinking, “If this sort of thing has become an ‘okay thing’ for kids to do in public now, how long do I have before it becomes okay for Japanese adults too?” Has it always just been like this? Is it getting worse or better? I have no idea because the media here doesn’t really report on violence against NJ and that’s what scares the hell out of me some days.
@DeBourca,
Hard to say if the ijeme will increase due to economical reasons. Seems the economy is doing better, and there are more jobs than applicants. The situation was quite bad during hatoyama and nodas regime, but the ijeme rate was about the same. I think its a cultural sickness, like suicides. There are countries much poorer than Japan, but socially more adjusted and happier.
Are these temp jobs being created? I dont know. Regardless of the situation, there is no excuse for bullying.
Dean, I would have to support DeBourca’s opinion.
I watched Japan getting poorer, experiencing more social problems, those problems receiving lip service at best, and all the while no action what-so-ever to address the underlying cause.
Right now Japan is on a sugar high of nationalistic feel good stoked by Abe and fueled by things like being awarded the Tokyo Olympics, but that’s not the real picture; salaries are going down, prices are going up, temp jobs are increasing, and look at Japan Today (any day of the week) to see all the random violent street crime by unemployed males, and intra-familial murders. Japan is in terminal decline- Abe’s feel-good slogans are a panacea.
Why do you think the masses are so easily inspired to right-wing beliefs? It’s because they know this is a sinking ship and they are resentful that they (as a society) squandered the social and economic successes that they gained (and could only have gained!) from the post war peace of a war they LOST.
Now that Japan’s economic miracle is over, and 20 years of trying to pretend it isn’t haven’t worked, Abe is encouraging Japanese society to deny the post-war progress and indulge in a mass ‘what-if’ fantasy about ‘Japanese power’ and ‘national pride’.
They did that. It wasn’t very nice. It’s a failed ideology. But the Japanese can’t self-analyze, which is why instead of fixing the Fukushima problem, it’s all just turned into another boys-club pork-barrel project, best kept away from public view.
As economic life in Japan gets harder, the social message (especially if Japan joins TPP- which I am in favor of) will be that all these hardships are because of foreigners imposing their will on Japan (after all, look how the ICJ decision re: whaling was reported in Japan).
Too many jobs, not enough applicants you say? Yes, I saw that story a few weeks back too! What kind of jobs? Construction! Yes, Fukushima and the Olympics are such a drain on the manual labor pool that things like the Tohoku reconstruction, and building day care centers are on hold. And all the while tunnel roofs need safety checks, and the train line in Hokkaido has hundreds of repairs to be done that we’ve covered up.
I don’t know about you, but I can’t see many Japanese boys straight out of university giving up hair gel to do physical labor for a living. Can you?
Do you think that there is a taboo for Japanese media about this kind of incidents (rape at a junior high school ) ? in some western countries the newspapers don´t publish too many stories about suicides\
— Taboo? Again, I think if the nationalities were reversed, and the assailants were NJ, this would be all over the J media, and we’d have overgeneralizing pundits raising a hue and cry in the tabloid TV shows alleging that NJ were in our schools raping our children.
Dean: I think Japan is richer on paper, but secure employment and a sense of place in society has been wiped out. There are some extremely wealthy people and areas, but large swathes of the country are close to third world status. Go for a drive around rural Hokkaido or tohoku. Not to mention areas of the main cities that are basically run by yakuza and whatever syndicates control the pachinko parlours/soaplands.
However, the country still puts wealth as the arbiter of everything. It’s sink or swim time.
Plus, poorer countries tend not to be as obsessed with appearance, brand and wealth and place greater emphasis on families friendships and the simpler pleasures in life. In other words, Japan has the worse of both wealthy countries ( high pressure on students, money orientated, selfishness and atomisation) and of poor countries (very conservative, defernce to authority, very insecure lifestyles, low quality of life RE environmental pollution overcrowding etc.) Japan always was insular and discriminatory, and bullying has always been a problem, but while most people felt fairly secure in life, the worse effects were mitigated. Now that this security is gone.
I had tears in my eyes reading this. So disgusting. And from the attitude of the police and school it would seem that as she is not Japanese, they just don’t care.
I am disgusted by the attitude of the Japanese police in this, and can’t believe this hasn’t been covered appropriately by the Japanese media. I’ve heard NOTHING of it.
I was hoping so much, that this time it was just an awful rumor or urban myth…
It’s sickening! I’m without words… I’ve spent almost a quarter of a century living in a country that i believed was supposed to offer at least the basic security means for me and my family and i just find out it was a foolish dream. I’m taking my little ones out of the school and selling everything i own that i cannot bring with me on a plane…sayonara!!
— That’s your decision. But the point of this blog entry is not to get you to move out, but to bring deserved attention to this case so that something like this doesn’t happen again.
@Debourca and Jim,
Its really hard to tell if Japan is in decline. I have noticed many more jobs than before. You have to realize that Olympics and other stimulus has ripple effects. Construction of hotels, then hotel staff, and equipment sales, services etc. So jobs are being created. Look at all the mansions being built also. There is no excuse for fringe behavior in Japan; every Japanese can have a job if he/she wants one. The problem in japan is some weird sense of entitlement, they dont seem to be hungry for work like people from the west are. Work is obligation, thus they want a job where there is group fun. Even during the recession, there was like a 90% employment rate. The employment office even offers free retraining in many hitech fields. All the applicant has to do is be Japanese and sign up. They even get paid while attending! There really is no excuse for dropouts; its due to laziness and most importantly, a feeling of rejection. They dont want what comes with a job- group conformity, obligation and long hours, long commutes, dedication, etc. They surely have experienced “ijime” and they would rather be “free” in the Japanese sense of the word, and stir up trouble. That pretty much sums it up. Japanese rules and norms is the creation of Japan, not the foriegners; if Japanese dont like it, then change it, dont blame it all on the outside world.
@B
I think the reason things like this go unreported is because the J-media doesn’t like things that tarnish the countries image. Hearing about a minority student being assaulted by her japanese classmates doesn’t do much to boost national pride also keeping it out of the public eye helps maintain the illusion that everything is sunshine and roses. At least that’s my take on it.
Darkrider, I think you are right. That and the fact that NJ have no political representation means that NJ can be ignored until a bogey man is required.
All Japanese news is reported/unreported to reinforce the fantasy of Japanese uniqueness, just in case the masses had forgotten. This ‘uniqueness’ traps them as much as it traps us.
@ Dean #20
‘Its really hard to tell if Japan is in decline.’
I don’t think it is.
There’s a wide choice of indicators that show Japan is in decline, not least of which is the demographic/birth rate problem combined with the National Debt. Are you seriously telling me you don’t look beyond the 2020 Olympics jingoism and see the writing on the wall? If you don’t, I’m not blaming you- Japan has spent the last 20 years unable to see the writing on the wall. It’s only just now that the nationalistic right-wing has woken up to the slow-motion car crash in progress due to the decline of the perception of Japanese relevance.
@Jim,
Agreed, longterm, it appears they are screwed. growing debt and a growing elderly population with a declining domestic economic output does not equate to anything positive.
Short term, things have improved. Deflation has all but ended, investment funds are showing positive trends, wages and prices are slowly begining to increase. The weaker yen has improved conditions for many Japanese companies.
This is real time short term. This time next year, who knows what the situation will be. TPP might have been passed (I really dont think Japan has any option but to join) and more deregulation might have been forced on Japan, or everything could tank if the promised reforms never come.
This is a country where the government and those at the top make the decisions, and the herd trust them because they know best.
— We are digressing from the topic of this blog entry. Be respectful and bring it back.
@ Dean #24
I whole heartedly agree with your post, and to bring it back on topic of the thread, I would say the following;
Whilst Debito & Debito.org really has worked tirelessly, in the face of apologists attempting to undermine and sabotage every single effort, rather than Japan becoming closer to international standards on human rights, we have seen the exact opposite effect taking place creating and reinforcing an atmosphere that seeks explicitly to remove human rights from NJ (perhaps what Abe would call an ‘un-virtuous cycle’), as demonstrated by the medias lack of coverage and associated outrage regarding the poor girl who is the victim of the despicable crime in the report at the start of this thread.
If even this story is ‘unworthy’ of J-media attention, how at liberty to offend against NJ will Japanese feel they can get away with without starting an (inter)national debate regarding Japanese institutional racism?
This is disgusting. What that poor girl and her family have endured is horrendous and it could have been stopped before it escalated to sexual assault if racism, discrimination and bullying of foreign people weren’t an accepted part of ‘being Japanese’. These abusive girls got away with it because they were under the impression that they were superior to the girl and untouchable because they were Japanese. In fact they were right. The police didn’t take the allegations seriously and this girl will suffer the psychological trauma for the rest of her life. This is indisputably symptomatic of the Japanese attitude towards foreigners as a whole. Barely human, undeserving of just treatment and inferior in every way to Japanese people. Despicable. I feel sick. I cannot wait to leave this country. I am literally counting down.
Thanks Jim. I figured covering up damning news goes hand in hand with Japan’s need to save face. And like you said since there are no advocate groups for the rights of minorities things like this can be swept under the rug. NHK will slyly steer clear of any news that shames their leaders and puts the country in a negative light but they will happily bombard us with specials about Japanese food, culture or self congratulatory fluff like cool japan.
I get where you’re coming from PeachTea and I share your feelings of disgust over the lack of attention this incident has received but lets focus our anger where it belongs. On the people who did this. Lets not condemn an entire country for the actions of a few.
Actually this reminds me of the incident in Okinawa. Two high school boys, one American and one Japanese, got into fight at a party. They were fighting over a girl. The Japanese H.S. student beat the American kid, then went into his house and brought out a katana. He killed the American boy, was sentenced to jail, but there was never a peep out of the local news nor and apology to the family of the American kid. So it isn’t an isolated incident.
http://www.stripes.com/news/japanese-teen-held-in-stabbing-death-of-kadena-high-school-student-on-okinawa-1.161793
Japanese teen held in stabbing death of Kadena High School student on Okinawa
By Travis J. Tritten and Chiyomi Sumida
Stars and Stripes
Published: November 27, 2011
PHOTO CAPTION: Eddie Allshouse, an American high school student from Kadena High School was stabbed to death in November 2011 in Okinawa, Japan, police said. The 17-year-old was in a band called Shores, according to its Facebook page. The Okinawan teen who stabbed Allshouse received an 8-year sentence on June 22, 2012.
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — A teenage Army dependent died Saturday after being stabbed during an early morning dispute with a Japanese teenager, according to U.S. military and Okinawa authorities.
Edward N. Allshouse, Jr., 17, a student at Kadena High School, was stabbed in his chest with a replica sword at an apartment in Yomitan and died at a nearby hospital about seven hours later, a spokesman for the Okinawa prefectural police said.
Police said a 17-year-old Japanese suspect was taken into custody on Saturday, and a charge of murder was referred to the Naha prosecutor’s office, which must now decide whether to bring the case to court.
The Army said the case falls under the jurisdiction of Japan’s prefectural police and officials are fully cooperating with local authorities.
“We expect a thorough investigation and that the person responsible for this crime be held accountable,” the Army said in a prepared statement.
Allshouse was a singer in a local experimental hardcore band called Shores, according to the band’s Facebook page. His father is an Army civilain employee on Okinawa.
Col. Lance Koenig, commander of the 10th Regional Support Group at Torii Station, said the Army shares “the sorrow felt by Eddie Allshouse’s loved ones, and we must remember the tremendous contributions as a student he made at Kadena High School as well as the positive influence on fellow musicians, friends and the Okinawa community.”
DoDEA Pacific school officials met with Allshouse’s family and a school crisis response team was activated over the weekend, spokesman Charly Hoff wrote in an email response to Stars and Stripes.
“We marshaled together grief counselors and other support professionals to help anyone in need at Kadena High School today,” Hoff said. “Eddie was an excellent student, a talented musician, and very well-liked by his classmates, teachers and anyone else fortunate enough to have known him.”
A memorial service will be held from 3-4 p.m. Tuesday at Yomitan Sera-en funeral home adjacent to the Okinawa Christian School, according to the Army.
Police said Allshouse was stabbed with the sword in the left side of his chest and side at about 5 a.m. Saturday morning at the suspect’s apartment in Yomitan.
The suspect, a Japanese national who is unemployed and lives alone in the Takashiho district, told Okinawa police that he attacked Allshouse during a heated argument over a woman, the police spokesman said.
The Japanese teen called an ambulance after the incident and was immediately apprehended at the site, police said.
ENDS
@ Kevin #28
That’s terrible!
I never heard anything about that in the Japanese press.
8 years for murder? WTF?
@Debito,
There seems to be evidence (the crime against the poor girl, and the guy in the Stripes article), as well as the Suraj case ruling (along with a couple of other cases) that leads me to believe that we are getting way ahead of ourselves asking for the vote, or no discrimination in employment or housing;- we need to get back to fundamentals and protest the right for NJ to basic physical safety from violence under the law!