※メール送信前に「海外にメールを送る際の留意事項」をお読みください。

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【サンフランシスコ議会】
City and County of San Francisco The Board of Supervisors
Email: Board.of.Supervisors@sfgov.org
Phone: (415) 554-5184

【姉妹都市　大阪市】
区政・市政へのご意見等
https://sc.city.osaka.lg.jp/mail/opinion.cgi

【　市長　連絡先】
Mayor Edwin M. Lee
http://www.sfmayor.org/

Mayor’s Office

City Hall,
Room 200,
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102
Telephone: (415) 554-6141
Fax: (415) 554-6160
Email: mayoredwinlee@sfgov.org

問い合わせフォーム　Contact Mayor Edwin M. Lee
http://www.sfmayor.org/index.aspx?page=7

【　議員　連絡先　】
http://www.sfbos.org/index.aspx?page=1616

District no. 　Name 　Phone&FAax　 Mail（議員とスタッフ）
1. Eric Mar
(415) 554-7410 – Voice
(415) 554-7415 – Fax
Eric.L.Mar@sfgov.org, Nickolas.Pagoulatos@sfgov.org, Victor.Lim@sfgov.org, Raquel.Redondiez@sfgov.org

2. Mark Farrell
(415) 554-7752 – Voice
(415) 554-7843 – Fax
Mark.Farrell@sfgov.org, Catherine.Stefani@sfgov.org, Margaux.Kelly@sfgov.org, Jess.Montejano@sfgov.org

3. Julie Christensen
(415) 554-7450 – Voice
(415) 554-7454 – Fax
Julie.Christensen@sfgov.org, Christensenstaff@sfgov.org

4. Katy Tang
(415) 554-7460 – Voice
(415) 554-7432 – Fax
Katy.Tang@sfgov.org, Ashley.Summers@sfgov.org, Dyanna.Quizon@sfgov.org, Ray.Law@sfgov.org

5. London Breed
(415) 554-7630 – Voice
(415) 554-7634 – Fax
Breedstaff@sfgov.org

6. Jane Kim
(415) 554-7970 – Voice
(415) 554-7974 – Fax
Jane.Kim@sfgov.org, April.Veneracion@sfgov.org, Davi.Lang@sfgov.org, Ivy.Lee@sfgov.org

7. Norman Yee 415-554-6516
(415) 554-6516 – Voice
(415) 554-6546 – Fax
Norman.Yee@sgov.org, Matthias.Mormino@sfgov.org, Olivia.Scanlon@sfgov.org, Jen.Low@sfgov.org

8. Scott Wiener
(415) 554-6968 – Voice
(415) 554-6909 – Fax
Scott.Wiener@sfgov.org, Adam.Taylor@sfgov.org, Andres.Power@sfgov.org, Jeff.Cretan@sfgov.org

9. David Campos
(415) 554-5144 – voice
(415) 554-6255 – fax
David.Campos@sfgov.org, Hillary.Ronen@sfgov.org, Carolyn.Goossen@sfgov.org

10. Malia Cohen
(415) 554-7670 – Voice
(415) 554-7674 – Fax
Malia.Cohen@sfgov.org, Andrea.Bruss@sfgov.org, Yoyo.Chan@sfgov.org, Mawuli.Tugbenyoh@sfgov.org

11. John Avalos
(415) 554-6975 – Voice
(415) 554-6979 – Fax
John.Avalos@sfgov.org, Frances.Hsieh@sfgov.org, Jeremy.Pollock@sfgov.org, Beth.Rubenstein@sfgov.org, AvalosStaff@sfgov.org

【　一斉送信コピペ用　】
mayoredwinlee@sfgov.org, Eric.L.Mar@sfgov.org, Nickolas.Pagoulatos@sfgov.org, Victor.Lim@sfgov.org, Raquel.Redondiez@sfgov.org, Mark.Farrell@sfgov.org, Catherine.Stefani@sfgov.org, Margaux.Kelly@sfgov.org, Jess.Montejano@sfgov.org,Julie.Christensen@sfgov.org, Christensenstaff@sfgov.org, Katy.Tang@sfgov.org, Ashley.Summers@sfgov.org, Dyanna.Quizon@sfgov.org, Ray.Law@sfgov.org, Breedstaff@sfgov.org, Jane.Kim@sfgov.org, April.Veneracion@sfgov.org, Davi.Lang@sfgov.org, Ivy.Lee@sfgov.org,Norman.Yee@sfgov.org, Matthias.Mormino@sfgov.org, Olivia.Scanlon@sfgov.org, Jen.Low@sfgov.org,Scott.Wiener@sfgov.org, Adam.Taylor@sfgov.org, Andres.Power@sfgov.org, Jeff.Cretan@sfgov.org,David.Campos@sfgov.org, Hillary.Ronen@sfgov.org, Carolyn.Goossen@sfgov.org, Malia.Cohen@sfgov.org, Andrea.Bruss@sfgov.org, Yoyo.Chan@sfgov.org, Mawuli.Tugbenyoh@sfgov.org, John.Avalos@sfgov.org, Frances.Hsieh@sfgov.org,, Jeremy.Pollock@sfgov.org, Beth.Rubenstein@sfgov.org, AvalosStaff@sfgov.org,

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【　メール件名　例　】
I am against the Resolution [Urging the Establishment of a Memorial for “Comfort Women”]

No for “Comfort Women” in San Francisco!!

A statue of Comfort Women in San Francisco opposed.

【　メール文　】適当にアレンジして使ってください。

＜例文　1＞
Dear Supervisors:

We strongly oppose developing a statue of a “comfort woman” memorial in San Francisco. It is my understanding that the city is currently debating whether to approve development of a statue of a comfort woman in San Francisco. Kindly take this objection into consideration.

The issue of comfort women is a very controversial, sensitive issue and indeed a point of political contest between Japan and Korea as of today. For example, Korea calls for an unequivocal public apology for comfort women from Japan but Japan’s Prime Ministers in the past apologized officially many times for comfort women and also contributed the equivalent of $47 million to an Asian Women’s Fund created to assist former comfort women; but this was not considered enough by Korean comfort women.

Do you know such a statue already exists in the US? The statue has been a focal point for demonstrations, which led to the bullying of children, whose only “fault” was having Japanese parents. If we allowed such a statue to be built here, it will send a wrong message to America as a whole; that it is acceptable for one immigrant community to accuse another, citing historical grievances from their country of origin. US cities like Fairfax and Glendale where comfort women memorials have gone up, experienced a great deal of turmoil in their communities and ignited divisions between Japanese and Korean communities.

Do we really need to have this in San Francisco? The answer is no.

It is unnecessary to introduce an icon of foreign political dispute into our city.
We believe it is in everybody’s best interest to preserve the harmony amongst ethnic groups, to work together to discourage hatred and violence between its peoples, and preserve harmony within our communities.

Peace and understanding amongst our citizens and residents are necessary in order to create a strong future.

Sincerely,
差出人名前　住所
例Hanako　Yamada
Tokyo,　JAPAN

＜例文　2＞
Dear Supervisors of City and County of San Francisco,

I am writing to you concerning a resolution to support building a memorial for “comfort women” in San Francisco. I would ask that you vote “no” on this resolution.

Japanese people are strongly opposed to the comfort woman memorial because it will create a conflict among people, leading to hate crime and children bullying not only in your city but also elsewhere. I hear there is such a case in Glendale monument.

I would strongly ask you would vote against the proposal at the forthcoming meeting.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,
差出人名前　住所

日本語要約：慰安婦記念碑を建てる決議に反対してください。
日本人は慰安婦像に強く反対しています。対立、ヘイトクライム、子供のいじめがサンフランシスコだけでなく他の地域にも起こります。グレンデールでも同様のことが起こったと聞いています。次回の議会では、反対に票を投じて下さるようお願いいたします。

＜例文　3＞
Dear Supervisors of City and County of San Francisco,

I am writing to you concerning a resolution to support building a memorial for “comfort women” in San Francisco. I would ask that you vote “no” on this resolution.

The proposer has been insisting that this is a human rights issue. It may be true. But, instead of blaming only Japan, it is more appropriate to address all major human rights issues in the world and learn from the cases to solve them and prevent from happening again.

I would strongly ask you would vote against the proposal at the forthcoming meeting.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,
差出人名前　住所

日本語要約：慰安婦記念碑を建てる決議に反対してください。慰安婦像の提案側は人権問題だと主張しています。正しいかもしれませんが、それなら日本だけを非難するのでなく、世界中の他の事例も取り上げる方が適切ではないでしょうか。次回の議会では、反対に票を投じて下さるようお願いいたします。

＜例文　4＞
Dear Supervisors of City and County of San Francisco,

I am writing to you concerning a resolution to support building a memorial for “comfort women” in San Francisco. I would ask that you vote “no” on this resolution.

Chinese and Korean interest has been waging a concerted anti-Japan/Japanese movements all over the United States. The “hate Japan” education in their homeland has been promoting the atmosphere even in the U.S. 70 years after the last war. We should work toward the future for the benefits of the younger generations in a more constructive way rather than destructively.

I would strongly ask you would vote against the resolution at the forthcoming meeting.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,
差出人名前　住所

日本語要約：慰安婦記念碑を建てる決議に反対してください。中国・韓国系による反日運動が全米に広まっています。戦後70年経っているにも関わらず、本国での”嫌日”教育が米国に持ち込まれています。若い世代に為に我々はより建設的に努めるべきです。次回の議会では、反対に票を投じて下さるようお願いいたします。

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９月１７日サンフランシスコ市議会委員会で慰安婦像設置について市民が意見を述べる公聴会が行われました。

当日の動画はこちらをご覧ください。
【動画】2015年9月17日サンフランシスコ公聴会/慰安婦像建立について

※以下人数については生中継を視聴してのメモから

韓国元慰安婦の李容洙（Young Soo Lee） 氏を含めの７６名の市民が慰安婦記念碑設置　賛成反対の意見を述べました。

李容洙氏発言から抜粋「 I am here standing as the witness of the history. Why did I have to go through the electric torture, why did I have to go through the near death so many times　because I refuse to go into the soldier’s room. I almost died　many times, but I survived. The government is the one who is lying. All I’m saying is the truth. I have never received any official apology, so I urge the Japanese government to issue an official apology and reparation..」

賛成派の多くはお揃いの蝶のTシャツ（２５名）を着て登壇。

抗日連合会イグナシア・スディン氏

反対意見を述べたのは、「決議内容を改正すべき」の意見も含めて２９名。
日本人・日系人の他に白人系もいました。

委員会の市議はMar（中華系）, Campos, Christensenの３名。

Mar市議

公聴会の最後に各市議が意見を述べましたが、Campos市議がこのような発言をしました。（公式サイトより）

I do want to address some of the members of the audience that came here though and spoke to deny what happened.
I say this with a great deal of love and respect, but shame on you.
Shame on you.
Shame on you for denying what happened and shame on you for the personal attacks on this woman, grandma lee who had the courage to fly from another side of the world to come here and speak her truth.
You know, it is amazing and by the way, I hope that the japanese government is not behind some of these denials.

３分５３秒～　”Shame on you”連続４回発言

慰安婦記念碑反対の意見を述べた方々は、IWG、米軍レポートno49、Sarah Soh氏著書（元慰安婦の初期の証言「赤いドレスと革靴が欲しくて付いて行った」が書いてある）を紹介しました。
それに対してCampos市議が、　「起こったことを否定denying what happened」「慰安婦への個人攻撃the personal attacks on this woman」だとして「Shame on you」を４回も繰り返す発言は、公式の場で如何なものかと思います。
Campos市議は発言の後、最前列に座っていた元慰安婦と抱き合って（ハグ）いました。

次はサンフランシスコ市議会で２０１５年９月２２日話し合われます。
９月２２日市議会議題　AGENDA
https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=434339&GUID=F48A591D-3463-45CB-87D5-FB3FF765D111

14. 150764 [Urging the Establishment of a Memorial for “Comfort Women”]
Sponsors: Mar; Kim, Cohen, Christensen, Yee, Farrell, Campos and Avalos
Resolution urging the City and County of San Francisco to establish a memorial for “Comfort Women.”
07/21/2015; REFERRED to the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee.
Question: Shall this Resolution be ADOPTED?

★慰安婦像設置反対の署名　https://goo.gl/ZKUzVy　に引き続きご協力お願いします！

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サンフランシスコ市公式サイトより　Caption Notes　(委員会　発言文字起こし　記録)
http://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/TranscriptViewer.php?view_id=178&clip_id=23674

サンフランシスコ市議会　委員会：Supervisors Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee (PSN)
日時：２０１５年９月１７日（木）午後２時～
場所：City Hall, Legislative Chamber, Room 250

1.　　 150764　[Urging the Establishment of a Memorial for “Comfort Women”]
Sponsors: Mar; Kim, Cohen, Christensen, Yee, Farrell, Campos and Avalos
Resolution urging the City and County of San Francisco to establish a memorial for “Comfort Women.”

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＜参考資料＞
９月１７日委員会Memorandum
https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=4037987&GUID=A84E6C2A-3961-4430-ADB9-EF06737587EF

Caption Note
http://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/TranscriptViewer.php?view_id=178&clip_id=23674

慰安婦記念碑決議と市に提出された賛成・反対資料
https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=4037995&GUID=E2672BA3-88F0-4F54-9ECD-EBB72EF2D506

＜参考ニュース＞
San Francisco Chronicle 9/21/2015 By Emily Green
Proposed ‘comfort women’ memorial stirs up strong feelings
http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Proposed-comfort-women-memorial-stirs-up-6520253.php

San Francisco Examiner 9/18/2015 By Joshua Sabatini
Plans for SF ‘comfort women’ memorial move closer to reality
http://www.sfexaminer.com/plans-for-sf-comfort-women-memorial-move-closer-to-reality/

Demotix 9/17/2015
Hearing on Comfort Women memorial in San Francisco
http://www.demotix.com/news/8578899/hearing-comfort-women-memorial-san-francisco#media-8578279

産経　9/18/2015
【歴史戦】米サンフランシスコ市にも慰安婦碑・像設置の公算　２２日に市議会で採決、元慰安婦、証言の食い違い指摘され激高
http://www.sankei.com/world/news/150918/wor1509180039-n1.html

時事通信　9/18/2015)
元慰安婦、像の設置求める＝米サンフランシスコ市議会で
http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=soc_30&k=2015091800409

サンフランシスコで慰安婦像計画が浮上しています。
７月の本会議では採択されず、委員会（Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee）に戻されましたが、ここは推進派市議が中心となっている委員会で、市議員の過半数が賛成している現状です。

９月１７日に公聴会が開催されます。
現地邦人が反対運動で頑張っています。
公聴会に参加できる方、応援お願いします！

AGENDA議事予定
サンフランシスコ市議会
委員会：Supervisors Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee (PSN)
日時：２０１５年９月１７日（木）午後２時～
場所：City Hall, Legislative Chamber, Room 250
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place San Francisco, CA 94102-4689

公聴会は委員会の一番初めに行われます。
1.　　 150764　[Urging the Establishment of a Memorial for “Comfort Women”]
Sponsors: Mar; Kim, Cohen, Christensen, Yee, Farrell, Campos and Avalos
Resolution urging the City and County of San Francisco to establish a memorial for “Comfort Women.”
7/14/15; REFERRED FOR ADOPTION WITHOUT COMMITTEE REFERENCE AGENDA AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING to the Board of Supervisors.

7/21/15; REFERRED to the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee.

The Chair intends to entertain a motion to refer this item to the full Board as a Committee Report for consideration on September 22, 2015

※公聴会についての御参加を検討される方、なでしこアクション問い合わせフォームにご連絡下さい。

９月２２日には議会が行われます。

市内には８月に抗日記念館が開館しました。
慰安婦像を推進する側（中国側）は約４２，０００署名を集めています。
反対の署名にもご協力お願いいたします！

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サンフランシスコ市長、市議　殿
私たちは、サンフランシスコの公有地に慰安婦記念碑（像）を建てるのに反対します。
慰安婦像建立に反対票を投じてください。
Vote “No” on establishing the Comfort Women statue in San Francisco

署名はこちらから
↓↓↓↓↓↓↓
goo.gl/ZKUzVy

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＜参考＞
San Francisco Examiner　September 16, 2015 2:00 am
Korean ‘comfort woman’ survivor appeals to San Francisco for a memorial

San Francisco Examiner　Tuesday September 15, 2015
Supervisors’ support of a ‘comfort women’ memorial in San Francisco sparks debate

産経　9/6/2015　【歴史戦】
慰安婦像設置決議案の公聴会に「元慰安婦が出席」と韓国メディア…米サンフランシスコ市議会

産経　2015.8.29 01:00　【ＬＡ発　米国通信】
ついにサンフランシスコに海外抗日記念館がオープン　西海岸は歴史戦の主戦場に…慰安婦決議の行方は？

大阪市は姉妹都市サンフランシスコ市の市議会あてに8月27日付けで橋下市長からの公開書簡を送付しました。
サンフランシスコ市議会への送付文書
公開書簡（英文）
参考和文

サンフランシスコ市議会決議文（英文）
サンフランシスコ市議会決議文（参考和訳）

米国イリノイ州　シカゴ市議会で　今年２０１５年５月６日「Recognition of Korean-American community for educational work regarding use of “comfort women” during World War II by Imperial Japanese Army」直訳「第二次世界大戦中の日本帝国軍による「慰安婦」に関し韓国系米国人コミュニティーの教育努力を称する」決議が採択されています。
※ 決議文ダウンロード

５月６日の市議会では何十もの決議が採択されており、決議文の内容について審議された様子はありません。
※　５月６日議会ビデオ　/ 議事録

シカゴ市でも慰安婦像の計画があるという報道があります。
※下記　参考ニュース　参照

シカゴ新報では、決議を提案した市議に抗議の手紙を送るよう呼びかけています。
↓こちらをクリック

ご協力お願いします！

現在サンフランシスコ市議会にも慰安婦記念碑建立決議「Urging the Establishment of a Memorial for “Comfort Women”」が提案されています。

シカゴもサンフランシスコも大阪市の姉妹都市です。

※ こちらもご協力を！⇒サンフランシスコ慰安婦像反対署名

*********************************************************************

R2015-395
Type: Resolution
Status: Adopted
File created: 5/6/2015
In control: City Council
Final action: 5/6/2015
Title: Recognition of Korean-American community for educational work regarding use of “comfort women” during World War II by Imperial Japanese Army
Sponsors: Laurino, Margaret

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, the contributions made by the Korean-Americans community to Chicago can not be understated; and

WHEREAS, dedicated to not only giving back to their own community, but also advancing people of all backgrounds, Korean-Americans have made tremendous impacts across many ields, including business, government, and social service; and

WHEREAS, committed to also spreading awareness about human rights issues, and assuring that all people are respected, the Korean-American community has taken upon itself to educate and commemorate an important part of the past, advancing the awareness of “comfort women’1 in World War II; and

WHEREAS, during World War II, across Asian approximately 200,000 women and girls were taken or coerced from their homes, often under false promises of employment, and forced into prostitution by the Imperial Japanese Army; and

WHEREAS, although “comfort women” came from all over Asia, and in some cases, Europe, many were Korean women and girls; and

WHEREAS, rather than avoid the complicated and horrific memory of these events, the Korean-American community has been committed to keeping the memory of these women alive as well as taking measures to raise awareness to ensure that a human rights violation of this scale never occurs again, and the KoreanAmerican community of Chicago calls upon the Chicago. Public Schools to take action toward educating students about this issue when covering the topic of World War II; and

WHEREAS, in anticipation of the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, in an effort to educate all on the abuses suffered by women and girls during the time, the Korean American Community has made great strides in raising awareness, lobbying governments to pass legislation condemning human trafficking and re-committing preservation of human rights, and organizing a memorial dedication in Chicago to the memory of “comfort women”; now, therefore

BE IT RESOLVED, the City Council of Chicago recognizes and condemns all human rights violations, including the use of “comfort women” during WWII by acknowledging the suffering endured during forced internment in Japanese military comfort stations.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City Council of Chicago recognizes the efforts of the Korean-American community of Chicago to fairly, openly and diligently memorialize the memory of “comfort women”, and applaud their efforts to continue to educate and raise awareness of this issue.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the KoreanAmerican community.

*********************************************************************

★　City　of Chicago
http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en.html

★　LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION CENTER
https://chicago.legistar.com/

★　市長　Mayor Rahm Emanuel
市長への問い合わせフォーム　Mayor’s Office Letter Request Form
https://webapps1.cityofchicago.org/eforms/org/cityofchicago/moletterrequest/index.jsp

住所
Office of the Mayor
Phone: Call 311
121 N LaSalle Street
Chicago City Hall 4th Floor
Chicago, IL 60602

★　市議　Council　Members　リスト　メアドあり
https://chicago.legistar.com/People.aspx

※一斉送信用メアドリスト
ward01@cityofchicago.org, Ward02@cityofchicago.org, ward03@cityofchicago.org, ward04@cityofchicago.org, lhairston@cityofchicago.org, Roderick.Sawyer@cityofchicago.org, alderman@gregmitchell7thward.org, mharris@cityofchicago.org, ward09@cityofchicago.org, Ward10@cityofchicago.org, Patrick.thompson@cityofchicago.org, ward12@cityofchicago.org, Ward13@cityofchicago.org, eburke@cityofchicago.org, raymondlopez@the15thward.org, Toni.Foulkes@cityofchicago.org, Ward17@cityofchicago.org, Ward18@cityofchicago.org, ward19@cityofchicago.org, Willie.Cochran@cityofchicago.org, ward21@cityofchicago.org, Ward22@cityofchicago.org, mzalewski@cityofchicago.org, mscott@aldermanscott.com, Daniel.Solis@cityofchicago.org, Roberto.Maldonado@cityofchicago.org, wburnett@cityofchicago.org, jason.ervin@cityofchicago.org, Ward29@cityofchicago.org, ward30@cityofchicago.org, chicagoward31@gmail.com, info@ward32.org, deb@33rdward.org, caustin@cityofchicago.org, Ward35@cityofchicago.org, Ward36@cityofchicago.org, emitts@cityofchicago.org, info@aldermansposato.com, mlaurino@cityofchicago.org, ward40@cityofchicago.org, Ward41@cityofchicago.org, office@ward42chicago.com, yourvoice@ward43.org, ttunney@cityofchicago.org, ward45@cityofchicago.org, info@james46.org, info@chicago47.org, harry@48thward.org, ward49@cityofchicago.org, info@50thwardchicago.com,

※Margaret Laurino　慰安婦決議　提案議員
https://chicago.legistar.com/PersonDetail.aspx?ID=60985&GUID=6D34E9B5-E7C6-48F1-AE5C-CE894C3DF7C1&Search=

★　Office of the City Clerk | City of Chicago
Susana A. Mendoza
cityclerk@cityofchicago.org

★　Office of the City Treasurer
Kurt Summers
citytreasurer@cityofchicago.org

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＜参考ニュース＞

シカゴ新報
シカゴ市議会が慰安婦問題を支持する議決書を可決

KBS World Radio 8/7/2015
Chicago Passes Comfort Women Resolution

中央日報　8/7/2015
シカゴ市議会、旧日本軍慰安婦決議案を採択

The Korea Times 8/6/2015
Chicago adopts comfort women resolution

korea times July 7, 2015
Comfort woman statue to be installed in Chicago

korea times July 8, 2015
Comfort woman statue will be set up in Chicago

KBS World Radio 7/7/2015
Statue Commemorating Sex Slavery to be Built in Chicago

Focus Asia.Com 7/7/2015
シカゴで慰安婦少女像設置を推進「早ければ８月中」、米国で３番目・・韓国ネットは「もっと関心を示してほしい」「米国に設置する理由が分からない」

Record China 7/7/2015
シカゴに慰安婦像設置へ、米国で3番目＝韓国ネット「どうしてわざわざ米国に設置する？」「韓国人はとてもひきょう」

２０１５年７月、女子差別撤廃委員会が開催されたジュネーブ国連本部。
伝統的な制度を変えようとする方向性が強いこの人権委員会と日程を同じくして、同じ国連内で開催されたJapanology学会でのエドワーズ博美氏の講演をご紹介します。

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Palais des Nations, RoomVIII in Geneva / 28th July, 2015
The World Conference of Japanology
“Merits of the Traditional Japanese Family System for Children”
Ms. Hiromi Edwards

ジュネーブ国連本部　第８会議室　２０１５年７月２８日
ジャパノロジー学会
「伝統的日本の家族制度が子供に与えるメリット」
エドワーズ博美

Profile: Mrs. Hiromi Edwards teaches Japanese language and culture with the University of Maryland. She is a member of the American Psychological Association and has been listed in “Who’s Who in the World” since 2003. She has been writing many articles for monthly magazines of “Seiron” and “Sokoku to Seinen.” She translated three reports by the Institute of American Values and published them as a book titled “Dokushinsha wa son wo shiteiru (Singles are missing out).” She has been giving many speeches regarding the importance of family and other topics at different cities in Japan.

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＊日本語版は下にあります

Merits of the Traditional Japanese Family System for Children

Hiromi Edwards

Like many things these days, family in Japan has been changing very rapidly in recent years. In 1975, the average age at which Japanese people used to get married was 27 for men and 24.7 for women, but in 2013 they are 30.9 and 29.3 respectively. The percentage of singles 20 years ago in Japan was only five percent, but in 2013 it was 20.1% for men and 10.6% for women (Gender Equality Bureau Cabinet Office). One of the most unique phenomena that is occurring in Japan among young people is called sex-less youths. According to a Cabinet Office survey, about 40% of unmarried men and woman between the ages of 20 and 30 responded that they did not want to have any lover (Sankei Shinbun dated 25 June). This phenomenon among men is called herbivorous men or grass-eating men, the word first coined by Maki Fusawa in an article published in 2006 and refers to Japanese men who are not interested in marriage or having a girlfriend. Partially as a result of this phenomenon, the number of singles are increasing rapidly in Japan. At the same time, the percentage of three-generation families is declining and many elderly persons are living alone these days.

My presentation here today isn’t about these grass-eaters or current trends, even though it can be a very interesting topic. It’s more about how Japanese families used to be like when I was growing up and why I think it is important to preserve this traditional Japanese family system.

Back then about 40 years ago when I was approaching adulthood, almost all Japanese women were expected to marry. The optimal marriage age for women was often compared to a Christmas cake, which everyone wants on the 24th or 25th but not after. So, if your household had a daughter at that age and if she did not have any prospective boyfriend, often some family friends started bringing “Omiai pictures” to the family. The same thing could happen if a son who was approaching 30 and did not have a girlfriend. Omiai is a Japanese term and often translated as arranged meetings but it’s simply an effective way to bringing together young men and women who have little opportunity to meet the opposite sex. If they decide to marry after omiai, such marriage is called “omiai marriage.” The number of “omiai marriages” tended to be larger than the number of “love marriages”, but toward the end of the 1960s the ratio was reversed and nowadays more than 90% of marriages are love marriages.

However, there is an interesting statistics, which indicates that the divorce rate of love marriages is 40% while that of omiai marriages is only 10%.

The reason the “omiai” system was established, I believe, was that Japanese society strongly believed in the marriage institution and thus family and society in general pressured young men and women to get married, have a family, and most importantly procreate a family successor.

As you can imagine, getting married in Japan is not simply tying two individuals to each other; it’s more like two families coming together and deciding which family the couple would succeed. So, the first thing we do during the formal wedding reception is the introduction of the members of each family. In the traditional Japanese family system, the most important thing for the married couple is to keep the family intact and to make sure that the family has a successor. This successor tended to be the eldest son and if there was no son in the family, the family adopted the groom into their house. Often times these newly-married couples lived with the parents whose family they succeeded. Thus, multi-generational households were not uncommon in the Japanese society even though the number is declining rapidly nowadays.

So, you may wonder why it’s so important for the family to have a successor. Is it because the family needs someone to inherit their money or assets, or carry on their family name? It may be so for some families, but the more important duty for the successor is to take care of the ancestors and their graves. The concept of family to Japanese involves not only the people we are currently living with but also many generations of ancestors before them and many generations of descendants to come. Thus, we place ancestors’ memorial tablets at the Buddhist altar inside the house, make offering to them every morning, go and visit graves on Equinox days, and receive their spirits during Bon Festival which is held in the middle of August. Ancestors are not someone deceased and forgotten but they are pretty much part of our lives and we live with them.

On top of the Buddhist altars and different customs just mentioned related to ancestors, many traditional households had and some still have a household Shinto altar and receive gods into their house. Japanese clean the house at the end of the year so that we can receive New Year’s god to the house. We visit shrines at different occasions to ask for God’s protection. Many of Japanese customs and festivals are often conducted either to respect one’s ancestors or to ask for gods’ blessing.

Accordingly, children in Japan used to grow up surrounded by many different family members as well as ancestors and gods. Why is such traditional Japanese family system good for children?

There is a think-tank called Institute for American Value in NY. They often publish many different kinds of booklet to promote family and better civil society. In 2003 they published another booklet titled “Hardwired to Connect.” The booklet is an empirical report by 33 children’s doctors, research scientists and mental health and youth service professionals. The report explains the degree of problems American children face these days and the way to solve the problems. In summary, it concludes that for the healthy growth of children they need two kinds of connectedness, to connect to other people and to spirituality.

In other words, Japanese children used to grow up in an ideal environment. They were always surrounded by many different people. Family successor took care of his/her aging parents and respected ancestors. Children grew up watching such respect. Many customs and festivals involved ancestors and gods, which evidently contributed children to understand the existence of spirit and foster their spirituality.

After WWII, many parents became busy working and children were left alone watching TV or playing video games. Many parents moved to big cities and moved away from their parents’ houses and established nucleus households. As they built their own houses, they did not care to place any Buddhist altars nor Shinto altars. Gradually, Japanese children began losing the connectedness to people and spirituality they needed. This loss of connectedness started affecting children adversely these days and our children have so much more problems nowadays which they didn’t have before.

Changes are sometimes necessary but too often such changes were brought simply because of the convenience of adults without considering the well-being of children. Traditions are here with us because they are accumulation of the wisdom of the people in the past. Some traditions can be thrown away but there are also some traditions we should hold on to. Traditional Japanese family system is one of those traditions we should hold on to and recover once again because of its merits for the children.

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日本の伝統的家族制度が子供に与えるメリット

エドワーズ博美

ほか多くのことがそうであるように、日本の家族も最近急速に変化してきています。1975年には結婚時の平均年齢が男性27歳、女性24.7歳であったのが、2013年にはそれぞれ30.9歳、29.3歳にまで上がりました。20年前の日本で独身者が全体に占める割合は5％だったのが、2013年には男性20.1％、女性10.6％になっています（内閣府男女共同参画局）。最近の日本の若者の間で起きている興味深い傾向にセックスレス現象があります。内閣府の調査では、20歳から30歳代の未婚男女の40％が恋人をもちたくないと回答しています（6月25日付産経新聞）。男性にみられるこうした現象は草食系と呼ばれ、これは2006年に発表された記事の中で深沢真紀が初めて使用した言葉で、結婚や女性に興味を示さない男性のことを指します。こうした現象の結果、日本では独身者の数が急速に増えてきています。それと同時に、3世代家族の割合は減少傾向にあり、最近では多くの年寄が一人暮らしをしています。

非常に興味深いトピックかもしれませんが、今日の私のスピーチはこうした草食系男子や最近の傾向についてではありません。今日は、私が子供時代の日本の家族はどんなもので、どうしてこの日本の伝統的家族制度を守ることが大切かについてお話したいと思います。

私が成人に達しようとしていた40年前は、ほとんどの女性は結婚するのが当たり前と思われていました。女性の結婚適齢期はよくクリスマスケーキに例えられたものです。クリスマスケーキは24日や25日にはよく売れますがそれを過ぎたら売れ残ります。こうした売れ残りを防ぐために、もし家族に25歳になるお年頃の娘がいてその子に彼氏がいなかったりすると、家族と付き合いのある友人が「お見合い写真」なるものを持ってきたりします。同じようなことは30歳になろうとする息子がいる家族でも見受けられます。お見合いという日本語はarranged meetingと英訳することができますが、これは異性に会う機会が少ない若い男女に異性と知り合うきっかけを与えるという意味では非常に効果的な制度であると言えます。もし「お見合い」の後で結婚した場合、こうし結婚は「お見合い結婚」と呼ばれます。以前は「お見合い結婚」の方が「恋愛結婚」より多かったのですが、1960年代を境にこの割合は逆転し、現在では90％以上が恋愛結婚だと言われています。

しかし、恋愛結婚の離婚率が40％に達するのに対してお見合い結婚の離婚率は10％にすぎない、という興味深い統計もあります。

なぜこうした「お見合い」制度が日本で生まれたのか。それは日本の社会が結婚制度を信じ、それゆえ家族や社会が総体的に若い男女が結婚して家族をもち、そして跡継ぎを生むように奨励したからではないかと思います。

みなさんもご存知かもしれませんが、日本において結婚するということは二人の個人の結びつきのみではなく、二組の家族が歩み寄って、新婚カップルがどちらの家の跡を継ぐのかを決定するという意味もあります。それゆえ、正式な結婚式では一番最初にお互いの家族紹介から始まります。伝統的家族制度では、結婚した夫婦にとって最も大切なことは家族を守ることもさることながら、家の跡継ぎを確保することです。この跡継ぎはほとんどの場合はその家の長男ですが、もし家族に男の子がいない場合は娘婿が妻の実家の養子になったりします。しばしばこうした跡取りは継いだ家の両親と同居したりもします。それゆえ、今ではその数は減少傾向にありますが、日本では何世代もの家族が同居する家も珍しいことではありませんでした。

ここまでお話しすると、どうして家族にとって跡継ぎを確保することがそんなに大切なのかと思われる人もいるかもしれません。 遺産や財産を相続する人が必要だからでしょうか。それとも家名を残す必要があるからでしょうか。確かにそういう面もあるかもしれません。しかし、跡継ぎにとってそれより重要な責務は先祖やお墓を大切にするということです。日本人にとっての家の概念とは、今一緒に生活している家族のみを指すのではなく、今まで何代も続いたご先祖様、そしてこれから生まれ来る子孫も含まれます。それゆえ、我々は家の仏壇にご先祖様のお位牌を置き、毎朝お位牌にお供えをし、お彼岸にはお墓参りをし、8月中旬に行われるお盆と呼ばれる行事ではご先祖様の御霊を家にお迎えします。日本人にとって先祖とは亡くなって忘れられた人ではなく、我々の生活の一部であり日本人はご先祖様と一緒に生活しているということも言えると思います。

仏壇をはじめとした先祖に関係した種々の習慣のほかにも、多くの伝統的な家では今でも神棚を置いて神仏をお迎えします。日本人は年末に大掃除をして新年に年神様をお迎えします。種々な機会にお宮参りをして神頼みをします。日本の習慣や祭りの多くはこのようにご先祖様に敬意を示したり神仏の恩恵を請うものです。

このように、日本の子供たちは多くの家族やご先祖様、それに神仏に囲まれて成長してきました。こうした日本の伝統的家族制度がどうして子供の成長にとって望ましいのでしょうか。

ニューヨークにアメリカ価値研究所というシンクタンクがあります。研究所では種々の冊子を発行して健全な家族や社会の発展に寄与しています。2003年には「Hardwired to Connect」という冊子が発行されました。この冊子は小児科医、リサーチサイエンティスト、精神科医等の33人からなるチームによる研究結果をまとめたものです。この研究は今日のアメリカの子供たちがかかえる問題の深刻さを指摘し、その問題を解決するための方策を示唆しています。そして、子供の成長には二種類の関係、いわゆる人との関係、それに精神的何かとの関係が必要であると結論付けています。

言い換えれば、日本の子供たちは理想的な環境で育ってきたということが言えます。子供たちは大家族制度の中でいつも多くの人たちに囲まれていました。跡継ぎは年老いた両親の世話をし、ご先祖様を敬ってきました。子供たちはこうした年寄りや神仏に対する敬意を見て育ちました。多くの習慣やお祭りがご先祖様や神仏に関係したもので、こうした習慣を通して子供たちは御霊の存在を理解し精神性が培われました。

第二次大戦後、多くの親は仕事が忙しく、子供たちは一人取り残されてテレビを見たりビデオゲームをして過ごすようになりました。多くの親が都会に引っ越し、田舎に年寄を置いて核家族を形成していきました。自分の家を建てたとき、そこには仏壇や神棚はありませんでした。徐々に、日本の子供たちは子供にとって必要な人との関係や精神性を失い始めました。今日、この関係の喪失が子供たちに悪影響を与え始め、以前は経験しなかったような問題を子供たちは今、抱えています。

時には変化が必要な時もあります。しかし、多くの場合、こうした変化は大人の都合を優先し子供にとって何が大切であるかの考慮が抜け落ちています。伝統は過去の人々の叡智の結集です。 捨て去っていい伝統もあるかもしれませんが、多くの伝統はいつまでも大切に持続すべきものです。日本の伝統的家族制度も子供たちに与えるメリットを考慮したとき、持続すべきものであり今一度取り戻す必要のあるものの一つです。