This book locates the development of Dowa policy projects within their historical and political context, offering examples of human rights protection in a non-Western society.

Charting Dowa policy from its origins in the pre-war period to its revival after 1945 up to the turn of the 21st century, chapters in this study provide a social and historical review supplemented by detailed analyses of policy process and implementation at both national and local levels. No previous publication on the ‘Buraku Problem’ has focused on the direct impact of Dowa policy in overcoming prejudice and economic inequalities. Topics covered range from left-wing Buraku Liberation League demands in the late 1950s, the Special Measures Law for Dowa Policy Projects (SML) in the 1960s, and the evolution of a human rights based Dowa policy into the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Through its evaluation of the relative successes and failures to improve local infrastructure and opportunities for marginal communities, this book invites comparative analysis with policies in other Asian and Western polities which seek to mitigate descent-based and racial discrimination.

Dowa Policy and Japanese Politics

will prove a valuable resource for students and scholars of international relations, human rights, politics, and Japanese studies.