Invisible Asia Ep 7: 'I wanted to escape this life by hiding who I was' 

14:17 min

Synopsis: The Invisible Asia Podcast is a special edition series in which The Straits Times casts the spotlight on people and communities living in the shadows of their societies where they exist largely unseen and unheard of. Do follow all nine episodes of Invisible Asia over the next two months on The Straits Times podcast channel on Apple podcasts, Spotify or Google podcasts.

The Straits Times' Japan correspondent Walter Sim speaks with Japan's "untouchables", known as the burakumin. They are descendants of a shunned caste from a long-gone era, who are still ostracised in modern times purely because of their lineage. Our series' narrator is Tan Jia Ning.

Official estimates number the burakumin at 900,000, but activists says there are as many as 3 million across the country who have moved out of the hamlets their ancestors once lived in.
Risa Kumamoto - emerging from discrimination against burakumin to become a respected academic (0:30)
History of Japan's burakumin (2:00)
Emotionally scarred while growing up as a burakumin (3:59)
Taro Murasaki: From monkey trainer to monkey theme park owner (7:46)


The late Japanese politician blocked from becoming Japan's Prime Minister in 2001, chiefly because of his ancestry (9:58)


How burakumin such as abattoir worker Yuki Miyazaki still live in fear of their ancestry being exposed in public (10:23)

Read the full story by Walter Sim: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/i-wanted-to-escape-this-life-by-hiding-who-i-was

Produced by: Magdalene Fung, Tan Jia Ning, Toh Wen Li, Yeo Sam Jo, Ernest Luis & Adam Azlee

Edited by: Adam Azlee

Discover Invisible Asia Podcast playlist: https://omny.fm/shows/st-bt/playlists/invisible-asia

Discover Invisible Asia Video playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnK3VE4BKduNKeEL19yhXFVHxGB8X315b

Discover ST & BT podcasts:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWVR

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2PwZCYU

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2Lu4rPP

Google podcasts: http://str.sg/googlestbt

Websites: http://str.sg/stbtpodcasts

https://bt.sg/moneyhacks

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg 

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Discover more niche podcast series by ST and BT below:

Follow BT Money Hacks Podcast on: http://bt.sg/btmoneyhacks

Follow BT Mark To Market Podcast on: http://bt.sg/btmark2mkt

Follow Health Check Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWaN

Follow Green Pulse Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWaf

Follow Asian Insider Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWa7

Follow Lunch With Sumiko Podcast on: https://str.sg/J6hQ

Follow #PopVultures Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWad

Follow Life Weekend Picks Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWa2

Follow #GameOfTwoHalves Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWRE

Follow Bookmark This! Podcast on: https://str.sg/JWas

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#InvisibleAsia

Invisible Asia Ep 7: 'I wanted to escape this life by hiding who I was'&nbsp;
14:17 min
Synopsis: The Invisible Asia Podcast is a special edition series in which The Straits Times casts the spotlight on people and communities living in the shadows of their societies where they exist largely unseen and unheard of. Do follow all nine episodes of Invisible Asia over the next two months on The Straits Times podcast channel on Apple podcasts, Spotify or Google podcasts.
The Straits Times' Japan correspondent Walter Sim speaks with Japan's "untouchables", known as the burakumin. They are descendants of a shunned caste from a long-gone era, who are still ostracised in modern times purely because of their lineage.&nbsp;Our series' narrator is Tan Jia Ning.
Official estimates number the burakumin at 900,000, but activists says there are as many as 3 million across the country who have moved out of the hamlets their ancestors once lived in.
<ol>
<li>Risa Kumamoto - emerging from discrimination against burakumin to become a respected academic (0:30)</li>
<li>History of Japan's burakumin (2:00)</li>
<li>Emotionally scarred while growing up as a burakumin (3:59)</li>
<li>Taro Murasaki: From monkey trainer to monkey theme park owner (7:46)</li>
<li>
The late Japanese politician blocked from becoming Japan's Prime Minister in 2001, chiefly because of his ancestry (9:58)
</li>
<li>
How burakumin such as abattoir worker Yuki Miyazaki still live in fear of their ancestry being exposed in public (10:23)
</li>
</ol>
Read the full story by Walter Sim: <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/i-wanted-to-escape-this-life-by-hiding-who-i-was">https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/i-wanted-to-escape-this-life-by-hiding-who-i-was</a>
Produced by: Magdalene Fung, Tan Jia Ning, Toh Wen Li, Yeo Sam Jo, Ernest Luis &amp; Adam Azlee
Edited by: Adam Azlee
Discover Invisible Asia Podcast playlist: <a href="https://omny.fm/shows/st-bt/playlists/invisible-asia">https://omny.fm/shows/st-bt/playlists/invisible-asia</a>
Discover Invisible Asia Video playlist: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnK3VE4BKduNKeEL19yhXFVHxGB8X315b">https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnK3VE4BKduNKeEL19yhXFVHxGB8X315b</a>
Discover ST &amp; BT podcasts:
Channel:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/JWVR">https://str.sg/JWVR</a>
Spotify:&nbsp;<a href="https://spoti.fi/2PwZCYU" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://spoti.fi/2PwZCYU&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1593058080836000&amp;usg=AFQjCNE3goVnd7kXZdhGUBsv0tilzvQc5w">https://spoti.fi/2PwZCYU</a>
Apple Podcasts:&nbsp;<a href="https://apple.co/2Lu4rPP" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://apple.co/2Lu4rPP&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1593058080836000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHg25gDkJn167Fbf-I-qRhDKrKZrQ">https://apple.co/2Lu4rPP</a>
Google podcasts:&nbsp;<a href="http://str.sg/googlestbt" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://str.sg/googlestbt&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1593058080836000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHTAwJU9ckaX5r4SRWmuRkGgVVFBQ">http://str.sg/googlestbt</a>
Websites:&nbsp;<a href="http://str.sg/stbtpodcasts" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://str.sg/stbtpodcasts&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1593058080836000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFkQuuxOSaTGtQa1ULD9LO6eFiotA">http://str.sg/stbtpodcasts</a>
<a href="https://bt.sg/moneyhacks" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://bt.sg/moneyhacks&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1593058080836000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHD4ovEIO6tmRhNV15Q4x9YzyJcmA">https://bt.sg/moneyhacks</a>
Feedback to:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>&nbsp;
---
Discover more niche podcast series by ST and BT below:
Follow BT Money Hacks Podcast on:&nbsp;<a href="http://bt.sg/btmoneyhacks">http://bt.sg/btmoneyhacks</a>
Follow BT Mark To Market Podcast on:&nbsp;<a href="http://bt.sg/btmark2mkt">http://bt.sg/btmark2mkt</a>
Follow Health Check Podcast on:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/JWaN">https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Follow Green Pulse Podcast on:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/JWaf">https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Follow Asian Insider Podcast on:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/JWa7">https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Follow Lunch With Sumiko Podcast on:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/J6hQ" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/J6hQ&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1604121592032000&amp;usg=AFQjCNG83H6KB4Ijg1sND-Ork6G7d7pJQQ">https://str.sg/J6hQ</a>
Follow #PopVultures Podcast on:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/JWad">https://str.sg/JWad</a>
Follow Life Weekend Picks Podcast on:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/JWa2">https://str.sg/JWa2</a>
Follow #GameOfTwoHalves Podcast on:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/JWRE">https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
Follow Bookmark This! Podcast on:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/JWas">https://str.sg/JWas</a>
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#InvisibleAsia

Synopsis: Our ALL-IN-ONE channel showcases our discussions on Singapore youth perspectives and social issues, geopolitics through an Asian lens, health, climate change, money, career, sports, pop culture and music. 

Follow our shows on your favourite audio apps Apple Podcasts, Spotify or even ST's app, which has a dedicated podcast player section.

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis & The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Synopsis: Our ALL-IN-ONE channel showcases our discussions on Singapore youth perspectives and social issues, geopolitics through an Asian lens, health, climate change, money, career, sports, pop culture and music. 
Follow our shows on your favourite audio apps Apple Podcasts, Spotify or even ST's app, which has a dedicated podcast player section.
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis &amp; The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

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