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Feudal Japan rises to challenge Google Maps |
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Maps have been an intricate part of our lives for many years.
GOOGLE Earth has faced various questions about privacy in Finland and UK since its recent release of Maps. Within Japan it is embroiled in a racial controversy and facing inquiries from Japan's Justice Ministry. During Japan's feudal era, Shoguns who ruled had a strict caste system. It was required to have a "Fedual Google" mapping system which detailed the locations of former low-caste communities called "Burakumin". Burakumin were known to be at the bottom of the hierarchy. These people were ethnically Japanese, yet were forced to live in isolation because their worked was associated with death. This was due to the nature of their work - digging graves, butchering animals and leather work. The old buraku villages have largely faded away due to Japan's sprawling cities and castes have long been abolished. Yet descendants of burakumin still face prejudice, whether its the location of where they live or where their ancestors have lived. Moving doesn't help, as employers or parents of future children in law, can hire agencies within Japan to check for buraku ancestry. And it still occurs in 2009, with many companies still screening job seekers if the Company suspects an applicant to be burakumin descent. Family records within Japan span over 100 years. Locations of the old villages are not commonly known to the general public, though with the help of Google Earth's maps these areas were highlighted. A village in Tokyo was clearly labelled "Eta" which is means filthy mass is a severe derogatory word for burakumin. By clicking on another view, it showed the same location yet with current streets and buildings. Google provided no explanation or historical context, as is common practice in Japan. Printing maps is legal in Japan. Though Publishers and Museums must be wary. All public showings must be accompanied by a historical explanation, which Google has failed to do. The burakumin leadership is highly organized and has offices throughout the country. Google's stance is that the actions undertaken by them is acceptable because they are legal, they are simply providing them to users, one that has angered burakumin leaders. |
