Love and Marriage for Buraku Youth:

‘Marriage discrimination' in a society with a rising unmarried rate

Abstract

    This paper explores the current state of love and marriage for youth from hisabetsu buraku districts within the context of Japan's rising unmarried rate.
    I begin by presenting the problems associated with trying to define those from buraku districts as the premise for my argument. I then describe present-day marriage discrimination against those from buraku districts, contending that the conditions of marriage discrimination changed alongside Japanese society's shift from arranged marriages to love marriages.
    From there, I situate the argument contextually within the growing tendency toward non-marriage in Japan. Results show that the largest source of anxiety regarding marriage for buraku youth is finding a suitable partner, just as it is for other youth throughout the country. However, unease concerning discrimination is found to exist as well. Indeed, in present-day society, where romantic relationships are fostered through repeated dating and the reasons for ending a relationship are practically endless, determining whether or not buraku discrimination is the cause of a given break up has become problematic. I refer to this predicament as “love discrimination.”
    Furthermore, it is just as difficult to identify why buraku youth are unable to marry: Is this a side effect of Japanese society's movement toward non-marriage or the result of discrimination? Perhaps it is better explained by indirect factors like disadvantages in occupation and academic background. Present social circumstances too often place blame on individuals for the inability to marry.
    I conclude with a discussion of solving the problems of love and marriage discrimination within societies tending toward non-marriage.