グランサコネ通信2011-12
3月16日
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3月15日、ジュネーヴで開催中の国連人権理事会第16会期において、NGOの国際人権活動日本委員会は、朝鮮学校の高校無償化からの除外問題について発言しました。
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THE JAPANESE WORKERS’COMMITTEE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
2-33-10 Minami-Otsuka, Toshima-ku,
tel:+81-3-3943-2420 fax:+81-3-5395-3240 e-mail: hmrights@mx16.freecom.ne.jp
Human Rights Council
16 session
Item 5
15 March 2011
Korean Minorities in
Statement by Mr. Akira MAEDA
Professor of
on behalf of the
Japanese Workers’Committee for Human Rights (JWCHR)
Mr. President
I thank to you and all persons here for your support, sympathy and solidarity to Japanese people suffering from the earthquake and the following tsunami—without electricity, food and drinking water.
We have reported the situation of minorities in
Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination recommended in its concluding observations (CERD/C/JPN/CO/3-6) in 11 March 2010 to the Japanese government to stop the discriminatory policy against Korean Minorities in
Nevertheless, Government of Japan has continued to exclude only Korean minorities from “Free High School Tuition Bill,” whose purpose is to alleviate the financial burdens of high school education of household. Surprisingly the discriminatory treatment was ordered directly by Prime Minister,
Korean schools are facing the financial difficulty under the discriminative policy of Japanese government such as non-governmental aid or non-adaptation of exemption of taxation on donation to school. On such problem, Human Rights Committee made recommendation in the past (for example para 31, CCPR/C/JPN/CO/5.) .The financial burden of Korean minorities is five times than that of Japanese.
In addition, Korean minorities are subjected to attack by Japanese civilian as often as news of DPR Korea is excessively reported by Japanese mass media. Korean minorities cannot go out wearing their own traditional wear because of fear of attacking. Although hate crimes has increased for dacade, the government has taken no measures to prevent hate crimes. How can this crazy situation be allowed in
The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 24, 2010
EDITORIAL: Free school education
There is no reason to exclude Korean Students.
Just before Diet deliberations begin on a bill to make high school education tuition-free, Hiroshi Nakai, state minister in charge of the abduction issue, asked education minister Tatsuo Kawabata to exclude chosen gakko schools for Korean children in
The reason behind Nakai's request appears to be that chosen gakko are under the influence of the General Association of Korean Residents in
Of chosen gakko around the country, 10 are kokyu gakko, the equivalent of high schools. Nearly 2,000 children attend these schools.
Chosen gakko originated in schools that Koreans established to reinstate the use of their native language after the end of World War II.
There was a period when these schools conducted strict ideological education after they came under
The content of education, however, has shifted dramatically through generational changes among Korean residents.
Most of the classes are given in Korean. But the curriculum is largely in line with the education ministry's guidelines for Japanese schools, except for some courses, such as the one on Korean history.
A growing number of Koreans send their children to chosen gakko to cherish their own language and culture, even though they do not support the North Korean regime.
There used to be portraits of Kim Il Sung,
In response to requests from parents, however, the portraits have been removed from schools that correspond to elementary and junior high schools.
Such a trend is expected to only grow stronger.
Chosen gakko are all financially strained. The central government provides no financial aid, although the schools receive local government subsidies.
Parents bear a heavy financial burden as they are asked to make donations on top of the annual tuition of about 400,000 yen ($4,400).
With the free tuition bill, the government aims to create a society in which all high school students can concentrate on studies without worrying about financing.
The bill, approved by the Cabinet last month, covers not only public and private high schools and technical colleges but also various institutions with comparable high school curriculums.
It was assumed that the latter category would include schools for Brazilians, Chinese and Koreans.
Guaranteeing all children the right to learn, including those with foreign citizenship, is a basic principle of the Democratic Party of Japan's education policy. Excluding chosen gakko students, who are members of Japanese society, from the initiative would go against the principle.
On Tuesday, Kawabata said neither diplomatic considerations nor the content of education would be a factor in deciding on eligibility for the program.
We suggest that Nakai visit a chosen gakko with Kawabata.
He would find that students are no different from their counterparts at Japanese schools. They aspire to go on to university, take part in sports and worry about their future.
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