Japanese Lawmaker Mocking Hanbok Claims "No Discrimination" Despite Sanctions

"Chima Jeogori... A Matter of Dignity" SNS Post Controversy

A Japanese member of parliament who was disciplined by Osaka legal authorities for writing a post that seemed to mock women wearing hanbok has denied any discrimination.

According to the Asahi Shimbun on the 1st, Mio Sugita, a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the House of Representatives, said in a video posted on social media on the 27th of last month, "I believe discrimination against the Ainu and Korean residents in Japan should never happen."

She added, "There are people who use reverse discrimination, pseudo-issues, and the accompanying vested interests and discrimination to disparage Japan," and claimed, "I have fought against those who would be troubled if discrimination disappeared. I do not discriminate."

Liberal Democratic Party member Mio Sugita of Japan. [Image source=Member's homepage·Yonhap News]

Earlier, in 2016, Sugita posted on her social media, "From women in chima jeogori to Ainu ethnic costume cosplay ajummas appearing. There is a complete problem with dignity." At that time, it was reported that Sugita wrote this after seeing Korean resident women wearing chima jeogori and the indigenous Ainu costumes of Hokkaido when attending the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

In response, Korean resident women from Osaka who attended the meeting filed a human rights relief application with the Osaka Legal Affairs Bureau in February, resulting in a human rights violation ruling.

Sugita said about this decision, "I have already deleted and apologized for the parts that were recognized as (human rights violations) last year." However, the video she posted this time showed an attitude far from an 'apology,' sparking controversy.

Professor Seo Kyung-deok of Sungshin Women's University also voiced criticism toward Sugita. Last month, through his Facebook, Professor Seo said, "Sugita must acknowledge that her remarks showed a lack of basic respect for the representative traditional costumes of other countries and sincerely apologize," adding, "She must learn to respect other countries' cultures first. I hope she maintains basic dignity."

Regarding this, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, when opposition lawmakers pointed out at the House of Councillors (upper house) Budget Committee the day before that "Sugita is not reflecting," mentioned the general principle that "unjust discrimination aimed at excluding specific ethnic or national groups must never be tolerated," but did not present specific countermeasures, Kyodo News reported.

Meanwhile, Sugita is known as a right-wing figure active in the "Society for the Creation of New History Textbooks" and denies the coercion of comfort women.