Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This paper analyzes the evolution of kyūdan (denunciation campaigns) in Japan’s Buraku liberation movement from the 1920s to the present. Initially a grassroots tactic of moral confrontation in the absence of legal remedies, kyūdan enabled Burakumin to challenge discriminatory acts, combat institutional complicity, and assert dignity. Over time, the practice shifted from targeting individuals to confronting state agencies and institutions, becoming central to mid-century struggles and helping secure political gains. Its expansion, however, generated conflict, controversy, and criticism. Since the 1990s, kyūdan has ceded prominence to legal strategies and international human rights advocacy, but continues to serve as a tactic to fight discrimination.
Source: Japan focus
Author: Timothy D. Amos
Institution: The University of Sydney
Language: English
Topic: Japanese History and Culture
Subfield: Cultural Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,550
Funder: Yale University
OpenAlex ID: W7169754667