In February 2009, Okuribito (“Departures”) received the Oscar for the best foreign language fi lm at the 81st Academy Awards. Th is was cause for celebration in Japan, a nation hungry for good news after many months of gloomy reports about the downturn in the economy and fi nancial troubles at even the most successful Japanese companies. One knows the situation is grim when even an auto giant like Toyota is forced to ask the government for loans in order to make it through the recession. Th e precipitous decline in exports over the past year has obviously meant serious trouble for many other Japanese companies and factories, which translates into profound personal suff ering and insecurity. Temporary workers, the fi rst to be let go in an economic downturn, have been hit particularly hard. During the fi rst week of January alone over 300 homeless and unemployed found their way to a tent village set up by volunteers and labor unions in Tokyo’s Hibiya Park. Volunteers and the Welfare Ministry have been scrambling to locate other resources and accommodations, knowing full well that the situation is only going to get worse in the months ahead. In this dismal economic environment, it was a welcome diversion to celebrate the Oscar and escape to the theatre.
目次
Care for the Dead in Okuribito 101 Yasukuni Shrine, the War Dead, and Religious Minorities 104 Legal Action against Yasukuni Shrine and the Japanese Government 107
