[WSJ] Hate Speech Debate Gets Ugly, Fast

Hate Speech Debate Gets Ugly, Fast

5:24 pm KST
Oct 21, 2014 POLITICS & POLICY
By JOHN D'AMICO

It was billed as an “exchange of views.” But Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto and the leader of an anti-Korean group nearly had an exchange of fisticuffs in a debate about hate speech.

Mr. Hashimoto is known for his outspokenness in public. Last year, he made headlines with his statement that comfort women, women coerced into performing sexual services for the Japanese military in World War II, were part of a “necessary system to maintain military discipline.” That comment drew widespread criticism and dealt a blow to his once-rising political fortunes.

His foe in the debate, Makoto Sakurai of the Zaitokukai group, is also known for attention-grabbing antics. The group fights against what it calls “special privileges for Japan’s Korean population,” and it regularly engages in rallies and protests in Korean neighborhoods in Japan–activities that Mr. Hashimoto and many others in Japan have described as racist.

Pictures taken of Zaitokukai members with cabinet member Eriko Yamatani drew attention earlier this month. Ms. Yamatani said she didn’t know the identity of the people in the pictures.

As the YouTube video shows, the face-off between Messrs. Hashimoto and Sakurai turned ugly all too quickly.

From the start of the debate, Mr. Sakurai used disrespectful versions of the word “you” to refer to the mayor. Clearly irritated, Mr. Hashimoto replied, “Lumping together races and nationalities together and judging them—I want people to cut it out with those kind of statements.”

“So, you want people to stop criticizing Koreans at all?” Mr. Sakurai countered.

That prompted Mr. Hashimoto to also refer to Mr. Sakurai with a less-than-respectful form of the word “you,” saying “Annoying. You. You’re a nuisance.”

Shouting “What the hell is that,” Mr. Sakurai rose from his chair and began striding towards Mr. Hashimoto’s seat. That led security to physically draw the two men away.

Mr. Hashimoto said, “I can’t forgive the likes of you,” to which Mr. Sakurai responded, “If that’s the case, let’s fight like men, one on one. What’s with the protection behind you?”

Later on, Mr. Hashimoto said, “We don’t need racists like you in Osaka.”

If being racist means lumping together a group of people and judging them, then “Aren’t all Koreans racists?” Mr. Sakurai retorted. He also criticized the mayor for “rejecting freedom of speech.”

The debate ended abruptly with the two telling each other to go home, and, as Mr. Hashimoto left the room, Mr. Sakurai shouted insults at the mayor. The exchange lasted less than 10 minutes.
--------------------------------
[jamawns' comment]
-------------------------------
Sure. “Hate-speech and racism must be stopped. BOTH Japan and Korea should not allow such activities, policies and education.”
I have appealed above my opinion to JPN Gov., P.M. Abe, JPN P.M. Office, Tokyo Municipal Gov., JPN Mofa., Korean Gov., Pres. Park., Korean Mofa., and, “Korean embassy in Japan” and “Korean Residents Union ’Mindan’ in Japan” as well as Zaitokukai and “CRAC”.
As a result, “Korean embassy in Japan”, “Korean Residents Union ’Mindan’ in Japan, and “CRAC” deleted my post and blocked me!
Does everybody really understand what real problem has been?
You will find who has wanted to keep hate-speech demo and real racism.
Zaitokukai’s opinions about issues make sense so majority of Japanese seems to support the opinions despite showing strong concerning and disagreement with their way of demo and attitude.
Zaitokukai’s leader, Makoto Sakurai, issued the book which had become best-seller in Amazon.
-----------------------
EU Commission calls on Member States to criminalise denial of crimes against humanity
Everyday must be the Holocaust Remembrance day to keep and raise practical morale for humanity and mutual happiness. Without such ideal, activities and laws, hate crimes would prevail in the world.
In my opinion, the law punishing deniers can help humanity against racism, xenophobia and genocide only under the conditions after EU traces the below process. Otherwise fingerpointing alleged deniers creates racism and ethnic hate activities each other forever and EU just become everybody never believe everybody society. After the process below, peaceful generation with new insight will come beyond every repeating tragedy.

Each of EU countries must be enough tough to very face on the past tragedies (and if possible on the current tragedies, too) not only in EU but also in colonies and Palestine,
Without thoroughly oppresses any dissenting voices,
Without inflicting cruel and inhuman treatments on opponents,
Without masquerading victims,
Without forged excuses,
Without scapegoat,
Without taboo to discuss on academic and non academic boards under each country has each history rule,
With opening topic to public for academic reasons,
With the position of victimizer,
With the much stronger law to punish perjuries and calumnies of finger pointers than to punish deniers.

Victim must not be specific groups pursuing for profit from discrimination business.
Victim must be public calm or peaceful life as primary, and human dignity as secondary.
------------------------------
Most lies which are used as influential method among Zainichi issues are below.
(lie 1) Korean residents in Japan were forced to migrated from Korea to Japan during Greater Eastasia-Pacific war.
(lie 2) Korean name were forced to rename into Japanese style.
(lie 3) Korean language was abolished by Imperial Japan.
---------------------
(true 1) All the Korean residents other than criminals has lived in Japan by their own will. NO EXCEPTION.
On Feb. 1955, JPN Mofa issued researching result about the reason of immigration and stay asking 610,000 Korean residents in Japan when registering them. Only 245 requisition workers staying in Japan existed and even they stayed in Japan by their own will.