■ Upsurge of Racism in Japan ■
Now we are witnessing disturbing developments going on in Japan.
There have been racist demonstrations increasingly staged in the
Shin-Okubo area, located in Shinjuku, Tokyo where people of different
nationalities live including Korean people forming a Korean town. The
demonstrators carry discriminatory placards that read, “Kill all
Koreans, whether they are good or bad!”. We cannot tolerate any racial
discriminations at all.
Meanwhile, Toru Hashimoto, Osaka Mayor and a co-leader of Japan
Restoration Party, was heavily criticized from overseas for his remarks
that the comfort women were necessary and that there was no proof that
the Japanese authorities had forced women into servitude. He still
remains in his seats instead of taking back and apologizing for these ideas.
We strongly condemn these rising moves toward distortion of Japan’s
invasion of Asian countries and xenophobic violences, and will struggle
to pursue universal values of peace and equality through international
solidarity.
We would appreciate if you could spread this information by emails, on
the internet etc.
●STATEMENT
FREE HIM IMMEDIATELY!●
The Campaign Against 6.16 Crackdown at Shin-Okubo, Tokyo has been
launched to call for immediate release of Mr. A who was arrested last
Sunday during a protest against racists and right-wing extremists at
Shin-Okubo where many people with their origins in the Korean Peninsula
live or work. In the wake of increasingly organized racist
demonstrations hundreds of protesters gathered at the Korean town on the
16th June to speak out against racism in their own ways. Mr. A was one of
those.
He was arrested just when the demonstrators (mainly consisting of
Organization Not Allowing Privileges of Korean Residents known as
“Zaitokukai” in Japanese) were approaching Shin-Okubo train station,
chanting discriminatory slogans including “Kill Koreans!”. Some of the
racists began to cheer on the demonstration from the sidewalks with
rising sun flags in their hands in the midst of the protesters and
persistently provoke them, and the police arrested just one protester in
a small confusion caused by the racists. Three out of four protesters
who were arrested on that day were already freed early on, but Mr. A is
still unjustifiably detained. We call for his immediate release.
The media reports as if the arrest was caused resulting from clashes
between Zaitokukai and the opposing groups, but it is malignant rhetoric
trying to shift the focus from the nature of this case, which was in
fact a counter racism action against repeated hate speech and verbal
violence. With the rise of nationalism and racism stirred up by such
news media or politicians remarks attempting to distort the Japan’s
history of invasion and colonial rule, racists and nationalists like
Zaitokukai have gained power, and the crackdown on anti-racism movement
will only fuel racism and sever friendly relations with different people
living in Japan and neighboring countries. Thus, we will continue to
appeal for anti-racism, against discrimination and the crackdown to
transform the social circumstances as much as possible.
Free Mr. A immediately!
★ We hope you will send your approval for this statement to
[email protected]
Your comments are greatly appreciated. Your name and
comment will be published on our website.
http://antifa616q.effers.com/
http://antifa616q.tumblr.com/
We ask those who don’t want to be named to tell us.
★ A couple of lawyers have been working to release Mr. A, and this has
cost a lot. We would also appreciate if you could make a donation to the
relief efforts.
Account Name : Minnano Q (please mention to the crackdown at Shin-Okubo)
Postal Checking Account
00140-2-750198
JP Bank Account
Bank Code 019
Current Account 0750198
Address details :
Campaign Against 6.16 Crackdown at Shin-Okubo, Tokyo
c/o Kyuen Renraku Center
Ishida Bldg. 5F
2-8-16, Shinbashi
Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0004
Visit our website
http://antifa616q.tumblr.com/
http://antifa616q.effers.com/
Campaign Against 6.16 Crackdown at Shin-Okubo, Tokyo
