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Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

I want to tell you a story about a female town council member who was raped by the town's mayor. His victim lost her job and was humiliated again. This didn't happen in 50s USA. It happened today in JAPAN. A horrifying story. Thread, please read. #草津町の新井祥子町議を支持します

1:55 AM · Dec 7, 2020Twitter Web App

Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

Replying to

@Gregor_Wakounig

The town of Kusatsu is a small one. The population is just above 6000 people. Pretty much the only thing it's known for are it's hot springs, called "onsen" in Japanese.

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Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

But Kusatsu is also a place where the other, very dark reality of this "Japan" is visible. In 2015, the female town council member Shoko Arai was raped. The rapist was Nobutada Kuroiwa (see photo). He raped Shoko Arai in his office.

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Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

Shoko Arai made the rape public in 2019. It caused a media uproar. Kuroiwa, the mayor, sued Arai for defamation. On top of that, he expelled her from the town council. With this, the council of Kusatsu became an all-male one again.

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Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

In fact, Kusatsu is the only famous hot-spring resort-town which had a female council member. Shoko Arai fought back. She lodged a complaint, and her expulsion was declared illegal. And mayor Kuroiwa and his all-male friends started a new tactic to get rid of Shoko Arai.

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Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

The journalist Minori Kitahara (Yahoo Japan) writes in an article, how Kuroiwa build a clique with his fellow councilmen to slag Shoko Arai. At a council meeting in march 2020, which according to Kitahara looked like "a future in which there are no women"...

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Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

...Kuroiwa and co. accused Arai of "hurting the economy and the townspeople of Kusatsu". They accused her of causing a nuisance. "Meiwaku" in japanese.

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Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

The "meiwaku" ideology is a strong one in Japan. Children are being told not to be "meiwaku" from a young age on. In Japan, voicing an opinion can be seen as "meiwaku". Smoking in the street is "meiwaku" (see picture). Smoking a joint is "meiwaku".

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Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

Protesting is "meiwaku". There are even laws against "meiwaku" - where it's basically up to the police to define what this "meiwaku" is. But it's pretty clear that raping a woman is not seen as "meiwaku" in large parts of japanese society.

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Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

The following statements are not seen as "meiwaku" in Japan: "If I'd really had raped you, you'd not be able to be in the same room with me!" - Mayor Kuroiwa "Real victims lose their voice, they don't say anything. You're making things up!" - Mayor Kuroiwa

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Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

But the rapist Kuroiwa and his friends did not stop. As a next step, they campaigned for a referendum, to get Arai out of the council one and for all. The people of Kusatsu should decide.

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Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

And Kuroiwa knew how to make propaganda. He hung posters in the whole town, which called to "vote against Arai! Let's get back the pride and faith in Kusatsu!". (see picture)

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Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

Yesterday, on the 6th of december 2020, the people of Kusatsu decided. A majority of 53,66% voted for the expulsion of Shoko Arai from the town council.

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Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

Kusatsu is a tourist-town. The men in power are all involved in the tourist-businnes. They are rich. They run the town. "Most of them are local CEOs, hoteliers, and employers, which means local townspeople are doubly under pressure to cooperate.", says Shoko Arai.

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Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

Feminist activists are already gearing up for protests in Japan. If you can, please sign this petition against the expulsion of Shoko Arai and the rapist-friendly system in Japan. There's also an english text, so no Japanese needed.

あなたの声がチカラになります

町長の圧力による女性議員の排除（リコール）を防ぎ、日本の湯・草津町に本当の民主主義を！！

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Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

Also: If you want to report about this story for any news outlets or (even better!) help Shoko Arai and all those who fight against this injustice: Be sure to contact feminists in Japan, not me. I can translate and establish contacts, but am no spokesperson for anyone.

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Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

And just so you get an idea how the witch-hunt against Shoko Arai is being performed in Kusatsu, look at this tweet. There's posters against her even at entrances of hotels. It's insane. twitter.com/SUGI_932/statu

This Tweet is unavailable.

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Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

An activist is reporting from the Kusatsu town council meeting, which is happening right now. "The mayor is blaming Shoko Arai, who is listening in the visitor's gallery. It's a second rape all over again".

Quote Tweet

suzuki

@dabbawalasuzuki

· Dec 7, 2020

草津町議会を傍聴しています。町長が傍聴席にいる新井元議員を糾弾しています。町長によるセカンドレイプが繰り返されています。

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Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

Also, this is what the town of Kusatsu sent to each household prior to the oh-so democratic referendum. It states: "Please make your mark at the 「I support the expulsion of Shoko Arai from the town council」 - column". Holy fucking shit.

Quote Tweet

あこ/ミレーナ愛用中

@redpill_project

· Dec 5, 2020

草津町の今朝の折り込みチラシ…

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Gregor Wakounig

@Gregor_Wakounig

Update: The first protest already happened. A group of activists protested in Kusatsu, infront of the town hall, during a town council meeting. A slogan on the banners reads "Mayor Kuroiwa, be ashamed!".

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