Before the World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) held in Durban in South Africa from August 28 to September 8 2001, several Japan based human rights NGOs launched the NGO network 'Durban 2001 Japan' (the Network) in 21 March 2001 to publicize the conference and to promote NGOs' involvement. JCLU, as a member of the Network, played a major role.
At first, the Network orchestrated publicity and awareness raising campaigns through dissemination of leaflets, their website, newsletters, events & contribution of articles to magazines.
The network continuously held meetings with the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and press conferences prior to WCAR. At the meeting with the Ministry, the Network asked the Ministry to choose personnel with enough knowledge on human rights issues for the governmental delegation to WCAR and insisted that the delegation should include some NGO representatives. As a result, one NGO member recommended by the Network joined the delegation. The Network also asked the Ministry to hold its daily briefing during the inter-governmental conference of WCAR and to refer to the racial discrimination against indigenous people such as Okinawan and Ainu people and the Japanese colonialism in the delegation's representative speech at the conference.
From Japan about 100 people attended WCAR. Most of them utilized tour coordination by the Network.
During WCAR, the Network set up its booth in the exhibition marquee at the NGO Forum and exhibited member NGOs materials. This exhibition brought understanding of racial discrimination issues in Japan to the attendants.
On September 1, Some NGOs composing the Network held the workshop 'Colonialism, Racism & Nationalism in Japan -A Chance to Talk with Japanese Governmental Officials-' in Durban City Hall. About 40 people attended. Japanese government officials also joined the workshop and released the governmental statement toward WCAR. Attendants from South Korean, Philippine and Thai NGOs pointed out the officials had not referred to the history revisionism in Japan and also made some shrewd questions on possibility of racial discrimination prohibition law and treatment of refugees by the government. These dialogues clearly showed the differences in awareness of racism in Japan between international community and the Japanese government.
This workshop brought the joint demonstration between Japanese and South Korean NGO at which they protested against that Japanese governmental representative had not mentioned the past colonialism and history revisionism in Japan in her speech in the Main Meeting of WCAR. The demonstration was conducted in front of the venue of the inter-governmental conference.
While the inter-governmental conference was held, the Network coordinated the briefings by the Japanese governmental delegation everyday. Each NGOs used these briefings to understand the proceedings of the closed consultation among governments, but also they used these briefings as chance to lobby to the officials.
The Japanese government was too passive with discussion of the conference. It did not take any initiative on arguments on issues Japan is deeply concerned such as discrimination based on work and descent and complementation for past colonialism. It hardly made any remarks at the conference. Some Japan based NGOs released a joint statement protesting this attitude and the representative's statement mentioned above.
After WCAR finished, the Network published its report including Japanese translation of the Declaration and the Programme of Action of the NGO Forum and the inter-governmental conference. The network dissolved in the end of November 2001.