Ethnic minorities and other socially vulnerable members of Japanese society gathered Wednesday to relate their stories of racial discrimination to embassy representatives in an effort to raise global awareness of their plight and fight racism.
Organized by a union of more than 80 anti-discrimination and human-rights groups nationwide, Wednesday's event invited about 20 embassy representatives based in Japan, including those from the United States, France, Belgium and the Philippines. The group's mission: brief embassy representatives on the reality of racial discrimination in the country, something they claim remains virtually unknown.
Minorities who appeared at Wednesday's event included members of various ethnic groups such as Ainu indigenous people from Hokkaido and ethnic Koreans, as well as economically disadvantaged people from the outcast buraku community. Immigrants from countries such as the Philippines and Brazil also took part.