Life of Ms. Takako Fujita （English Version)
Has no one in Japan ever heard of dialogue or even the logic of belief revision?
The Japanese attitude, both current and historical in regards to religious freedom as well as the total lack of a human rights tradition continues to perplex and damage the heart of the family of modern nations.
An Autumn/Winter 2000 paper by Tokihisa Sumimoto in the International Journal of Peace Studies seems to confirm this with its conclusion still being ominously transparent today:
"Religious freedom in Japan is being gradually but steadily eroded by a variety of different political and social forces. Because average citizens are indifferent to these issues, prospects for a reversal of this trend appear bleak. The absence of a cultural atmosphere conducive to religious liberty is simultaneously a result and a cause of Japan's underdeveloped civil liberty tradition. Furthermore, there have been few influential religious movements-with the exception of some minority organizations such as Soka Gakkai-or educational reform efforts promoting the ideal of independent moral judgment as opposed to the dominant tradition of submission to authority. Finally, the judicial independence needed to effectively oppose state encroachment on religious and civil liberties is largely undeveloped in the Japanese system.Part 2 of Takako Fujita's story can be found here.
The Japanese government has recently claimed that it is prepared to take on more responsibilities in the sphere of international security, and has indicated a willingness to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. However, the development of a mature democracy and a robust tradition of civil and religious liberty is a necessary prerequisite for recognition as a truly civilized, peace-loving country which can assume such responsibilities. Japan's stature as the world's second largest economy is not, in itself, sufficient qualification for such a role without corresponding achievements in the reform of its social and political culture."
The mass media in Japan (where I live-by the way) periodically does exposes on religious groups--noticibly Aum Shin Ri Kyo, the Unification Church, and a smattering of others which are accused of using underhanded means and duress to get money and property from members. There is no effort made to present any other aspects or viewpoints. There is no news about anything constructive and positive done by any religious group or organization or church in Japan. The general perspective that is fed to the public is that religious groups that are active are all motivated by evil and are destructive. I think the media in Japan fosters a deep anti-religious attitude overall and anyone who chooses to pursue a religious life is generally portrayed as abnormal.
ReplyDeleteLet me also say that mental health care is sorely underdeveloped in Japan. The mass media openly endorses/sponsors/promotes free sex, homosexuality and the like. Watching TV, one is constantly exposed to both "guests" and regulars on programs who are homosexual and dress as women and talk about their beauty secrets and their love life. And the media highlights and applauds the infidelity of "talents" (as people appearing on variety programs are referred to).
They promote programs for folks to meet potential partners and tend to applaud people's talks about thier sexual activities.
The religious organizations which have little or no real impact on morality and how one carries on their daily life are not attacted. While the general impression is that people here are not religious, the traditions related to care of the cemetary, memorial services, marriages, funerals are upheld. It seems that the "religious" practices are a matter of form and tradition, not of much real internal meaning and content. I know that there are people who have some deep faith in Buddism or in the ethics of Confucianism and in Shinto, and there are active mediums who sometimes are higlighted on TV, but overall, my feeling is that any exposure to those aspects of religious life in Japan are just a veneer to be able to claim objectivity and an unpredjudiced standpoint. Mostly, religious attitudes are belittled. I think that this impacts people's unthinking attitudes a lot. Folks tend to swallow whole what is fed to them over and over again by the media. Especially young people who are interested in how they can improve their appearances, their attractiveness, and how they can enjoy life more.
I wonder how a revolution of thinking can come about here, how change in attitudes can happen when the mass media is so very biased and so influential.