Bunkakosei-kaikan Hall Affair (文化厚生会館事件)
The Bunkakosei-kaikan Hall Affair is a conflict that started with the Buraku Liberation League, Kyoto Federation being divided into two groups, one (Asada Furen, Asada faction's Federation) with Zennosuke ASADA as a chairman, approved by the Headquarter of the Buraku Liberation League and the other (Miki Furen, Miki faction's Federation) with Ippei MIKI as a chairman, supported by the Japanese Communist Party. From 1966 to 1980, the Buraku Liberation League, Kyoto Federation and the Institute of Buraku Problem disputed over whether the Bunkakosei-kaikan Hall belonged, which was regarded as 'the central center of Buraku problems' (where the Kyoto Federation's secretariat was located) in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City. It can be also referred to as the Bunko Affair.
The sequence of events
A split in the Buraku Liberation League, Kyoto Federation
In the early 1960s, led by the Japanese Communist Party leaning executives, the Buraku Liberation League Headquarter was promoting movement.
Zennosuke ASADA, who was a chairman of the Buraku Liberation League, Kyoto Federation, strongly accused the Communist Party of the leaning movement that led to the conclusion of the confrontation against 'American imperialism and its subservient Japanese monopoly capital.'
Then, in the name of the Kyoto City Council, which was under the influence of Asada himself, he submitted a written opinion in each meeting and put out an argument to accuse the headquarter.
The Japanese Communist Party faction, including Ippei MIKI, a vice-chairman, and Kageyuki TSUKAMOTO, a general secretary, who accounted for the majority of the Kyoto Federation executives, were offended at Asada's criticisms. When they started actions to expel Asada, the clash between the two parties intensified. Then Asada expelled Miki and Tsukamoto from the Tanaka Branch but the Kyoto Federation executive committee rejected it. Through these circumstances, the split between both parties became decisive.
On December 19, 1965, supported by the Japanese Communist Party, Miki and others forced the 13th Kyoto Federation meeting, ignoring the recommendation for cancellation by the Headquarter, to establish the Kyoto Federation system (Miki Furen, Miki faction's Federation) with Miki as a chairman. On the other hand, on Janurary 15, 1966, ordered by the Buraku Liberation League Headquarter, Zennosuke ASADA and others held their own Kyoto Federation meeting to establish another Kyoto Federation system (hereinafter referred to as 'Asada Furen,' Asada faction's Federation) with Asada as the chairman. The next day, the central executive committee of the Liberation League approved Asada Furen's meeting as a formal Kyoto Federation meeting.
The requisitioning of the Hall by Asada
Asada and other members immediately asked Miki and others to move out of the Kyoto Federation secretariat located in the Bunkakosei-kaikan Hall in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City but they refused and their talk broke down.
On January 20, 1966, the Asada Furen occupied the Bunkakosei-kaikan Hall despite Miki and others' resistance. Asada told not only Miki Furen, but also the Institute of Buraku Problem, which was closely tied to Miki and had their office in the Bunkakosei-kaikan Hall, and Zenkoku dowa kyoiku kenkyu kyogikai, the National Research Council for Dowa Education (Zendokyo) that the Kyoto Federation was temporarily in charge of the Hall, dismissing the staff from the Hall. When the Institute immediately protested against Asada and others, in a short time, a summit meeting was held between Asada and Tatsuya NARAMOTO, the chief director of the Institute and they reached an agreement that the Institute would be returned to the Hall.
The application for compulsory execution by the Institute and its influences
The Japanese Communist Party related executives including Kiyoshi INOUE (a historian) and Toshio FUJITANI, who accounted for the majority of the Institute reversed the agreement between Asada and Naramoto. On Janurary 24, 1966, the Institute of Buraku Problem filed an application for a provisional disposition order to the Kyoto District Court to stop Asada Furen's occupation, and the Court approved it.
On and after Janurary 28, 1966, the compulsory execution was carried out three times, but was stopped due to resistance from the Asada Furen.
During this, Takashi TOJO and others from the Institute of Buraku Problem brought an accusation against Asada and others of burglary and forcible obstruction of business. However, the leading directors of the Institute of Buraku Problem (Tatsuya NARAMOTO, Tatsusaburo HAYASHIYA, Tomohiko HARADA and others) were opposed to this action, resigned as directors and left the Institute.
On February 22, 1966, the Kyoto District Court decided to discontinue compulsory execution. The purpose of the Institute, the Miki Furen's return to the Hall, was broken down.
The deadlock
On February 25, 1966, the Institute of Buraku Problem filed an application for a provisional disposition order to the Kyoto District Court. From March, 1966 to June of the same year, eight oral pleadings were held and the Asada Furen and the Institute of Buraku Problem disputed over the custodial right of the Bunkakosei-kaikan Hall.
The Institute's argument
The Institute of Buraku Problem showed the facts that a series of operations were led by the Institute until the Hall was complete, the Bunkakosei-kaikan Hall construction was performed as the Institute's project, and the Institute received a subsidy from the government and so on, claiming a custodial right for the Institute of Buraku Problem.
The Kyoto Federation's argument
The Kyoto Federation insisted, for the Hall construction, the Institute was just conveniently put on the forefront as an aggregate corporation to receive a subsidy from the government such as Kyoto Prefecture or Kyoto City since the Hall was built as a comprehensive center for Buraku problems. Also, they showed the fact that in the meeting just before the conflict, the 'Five Members Committee' consisted of the Instutute, the Kyoto Federation and the Zendokyo related members had been established, and argued the custodial right of the Hall was owned by the committee, and not owned by the Institute.
Lengthening of the trial
However, the court was not able to decide to which side the Hall belonged. Accepting the settlement recommendation, April 1967, the both sides filed a settlement. However, since the Kyoto Federation kept occupying the Bunkakosei-kaikan Hall, the Institute of Buraku Problem requested a reexamination. According to this request, the trial started again on March 29, 1968. However, in this trial, the situation was not settled but remained deadlocked. The Hall was actually to be kept under the Kyoto Federation control. Meanwhile, in 1969, the Zendokyo returned to the Hall. Also, in the trial, Naramoto and Inoue, who were once leading directors of the Institute of Buraku Problem, gave testimony to criticize the Institute's approach.
The settlement mediated by administrative authorities
In 1977, Kyoto Prefecture and Kyoto City offered to purchase and support the Bunkakosei-kaikan Hall. In October 1980, the Buraku Liberation League, Kyoto Federation and The Institute of Buraku Problem decided to accept the offer.
Then, in November, 1980, the four parties including Kyoto Prefecture and Kyoto City exchanged a memorandum of understanding, and the both sides decided to discontinue the action for the settlement.
After that, from 1983, the Bunkakosei-kaikan Hall has been run as facilities for disabled persons.