Google earth in strife over burakumin.

[Takius]

I found this particularly interesting.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/home/tech ... 77306.html

I know about burakumin but never thought that companys would screen for it these days.

[Johnnyrico]

is Japans corporate sector that naive or is this journalist just exaggerating

[Cartollomew]

An Internet legal expert said Google is quick to take advantage of its new technologies to expand its advertising network, but society often pays the price.

And my how society has declined as a result of such technology.

[Philondra]

It's not naive -- discriminating against people because they are suspected of being of buraku ancestry is the same thing as discriminating against someone based on age or race. The practice is illegal, but that doesn't mean that companies don't do it. I'm not surprised to hear people admitting (under the guise of anonimity) that discrimination against burakumin still happens today.

Quick history: In feudal Japan, society was divided into approximately four castes (depending on how far you want to subdivide, it could be more). From highest to lowest, these were: samurai, farmer, craftsman, merchant. There was an additional caste, called the "hinin" (literally - "non-people") which inluded prostitutes and people who today are called the burakumin. The burakumin were classified as "non-people" because they engaged in tasks which the buddhism and shinto religions considered to be dirty - butchers, leatherworkers, etc. Of course, these things were needed by society, but only people of low social standing did them.

Even though the distinction means absolutely nothing today (no one can tell if someone is burakumin just by looking at them) discrimination against burakumin still exists in all areas of life.

Yes, it's absolutely stupid and ridiculous. No, there is no real basis for it in modern society. But it still happens.

[Takius]

I find it funny that burakumin are still discriminated against while the desiped merchants and moneylenders are now held up to be something that most japanese men strive to become. History is odd.