Chapter 148

In Japanese society, because of differences in values, people often like to label different groups of people.

For example, NEETs who don't go to school or work, Otaku who have deep preferences for certain things, hikikomori who like to stay at home, and LGBT who represent homosexuality and special sexual preferences.

Besides these characteristics, there are some groups that are labeled because of their father's occupation and minority status, such as the Burakumin.

Besides the different ways of being labeled, the political and social status of the Burakumin often also suffered from great discrimination.

When looking for a job, they are often rejected by large companies, and when getting married, they are often disliked by the other party's family.

Even in order to distinguish who are the descendants of the Burakumin, a publisher even published a book called *Handbook of Burakumin Residential Distribution*.

But where there is oppression, there is resistance.

Because the Japanese Constitution guarantees the freedom of association for citizens, many Burakumin groups have successively formed various social groups of different sizes based on their residential areas and occupational characteristics.

These Burakumin even used this as a basis to start making their own voices heard in Japanese society and strive for their own political status.

And that *Handbook of Burakumin Residential Distribution* was forcibly taken off the shelves by the authorities because of their resistance.

Kyoto, Chongren Residents' Joint Association, conference room.

As the chairman, Nakamoto Yuma sat on an office chair, looking at the newspaper in his hand, couldn't help but feel somewhat confused.

This newspaper was *Adachi News* from Tokyo, which was brought to the Chongren area by chance and displayed before him.

On the page of this newspaper, it was written "Akiwara Yuto Suppressed by Mantanshe for Supporting Burakumin Rights, Reporter Sakaguchi Keito."

Nakamoto Yuma looked at the headline carefully for a while, and for a moment was somewhat confused.

He was no stranger to the name "Akiwara Yuto"; after all, the other party's name had appeared repeatedly in the newspaper headlines during this period.

But what he was confused about was, according to other media reports, wasn't the other party suppressed because he couldn't agree with Mantanshe? How did he get involved with the Burakumin?

Strange, it's really strange.

He hesitated for a while, and then looked at the content of this report.

The first half of this article first talked about Akiwara Yuto's background, and then talked about how he wrote a work with a Burakumin as the protagonist.

Seeing this, Nakamoto Yuma immediately became interested; works with Burakumin as protagonists were becoming fewer and fewer in Japanese society now.

It seems that this Mr. Akiwara Yuto is indeed a sympathizer or supporter of the Burakumin group.

He nodded and continued to read, but as he read, he discovered content that was completely unexpected—that is, Akiwara Yuto's remarks regarding the Burakumin.

When facing Sakaguchi Keito's interview, Akiwara Yuto said.

"I set the heroine as an Ainu, which is dissatisfaction with mainstream society's discrimination against the Burakumin."

"I believe that all companies and schools should no longer stick to their own opinions and discriminate against the Burakumin; and the government should also legislate to protect the interests of the Burakumin."

"This society should not be the law of the jungle, but should protect the weak while ensuring existing fairness!"

"This is my professional ethics as a writer, and it is also the original intention of writing this work *Death of a Detective*."

After reading these few sentences, Nakamoto Yuma fell into a long silence, and there was an indescribable feeling in his heart.

Over the years, how many writers and celebrities have dared to speak out for the Burakumin group?

Let alone putting forward such a series of demands to strive for interests for the Burakumin!

For a moment, he couldn't help but feel moved!

He also believed to a certain extent that Akiwara Yuto was suppressed because he spoke out for the Burakumin.

In the situation of loving the house and its crow, he couldn't help but hate Mantanshe.

After all, no matter what the situation was, Mantanshe's suppression of Akiwara Yuto also affected the interests of the Burakumin group to a certain extent.

No, I can't just watch!

If Akiwara Yuto was really suppressed for speaking out for the Burakumin, then other celebrities wouldn't dare to speak out for their Burakumin either!

Nakamoto Yuma stood up, walked back and forth in the office several times, and thought about a series of plans.

After racking his brains, he made a decision, which was to unite the power of more Burakumin groups to support Akiwara Yuto.

He picked up the phone and dialed a number: "Hello, is this the Tokyo Rights Equality Promotion Association? I am Nakamoto Yuma, chairman of the Chongren Residents' Joint Association, and I want to visit you in the near future..."

Chiyoda Ward, Mantanshe Headquarters, Public Relations Force Conference Room.

As the Vice President of Mantanshe, Hika Kenta sat in the main seat and asked with a solemn expression: "Executive Furukawa, regarding the recent series of PR crises, please tell me what the next step of the Public Relations Force is?"

"Yes." Furukawa Kento, wearing a loose suit, stood up and signaled his subordinates to distribute the prepared documents to everyone in the conference room. After everyone received the documents, he began to speak.

"According to the summary from the Statistics Division and the Finance Division, as of now, the expenses arranged for various media have exceeded 600 million yen. Besides this, a large number of personnel have been arranged to directly monitor and feedback on public opinion."

Furukawa Kento coughed and continued: "Currently, although the proportion of negative impressions of Mantanshe among the public has risen, the impact on business is mainly in literary journals. As for manga and other businesses, the impact is not large."

Hika Kenta frowned and knocked on the table with dissatisfaction, "These have already been reported by someone. I am asking about the next step?"

Furukawa Kento nodded and squeezed out a smile, "The subordinate believes that it is not appropriate to make more layouts at present, because if we continue to do PR, the cost will be too high. So we have communicated with Akiwara Yuto himself and offered a series of conditions."

Hearing these words, Hika Kenta felt somewhat dissatisfied in his heart.

At the award ceremony of the Detective Writers Association, he could be completely counted as "fleeing in defeat."

And the one who caused this situation was actually just a mere "new writer." What was even more speechless was that this writer was still collaborating with Mantanshe half a year ago.

If he wanted to reconcile with Akiwara Yuto, how could he vent the "anger" in his heart?

Hika Kenta thought for a few seconds, lowered his voice, and asked: "Executive Furukawa, is there no other way? Is it absolutely necessary to compromise with the other party?"

Furukawa Kento hesitated for a while, but still honestly replied: "Currently, there is no more suitable way. If we continue, the other three major publishers might take the opportunity to fall into the well."

Hika Kenta frowned, "Humph"ed, and asked again: "Okay, that guy Akiwara Yuto, does he have any requirements for the conditions we proposed?"

"The other party doesn't have much objection to the compensation amount, but hopes to increase the punishment for Kihara Daigo and Takei Kohei. However, I have already rejected this point."

Pausing, Furukawa Kento replied, "After all, if we punish them now, it will make some media think that we have a guilty conscience."

Hika Kenta touched his chin with his hand. He was actually somewhat angry at these two people in his heart. After all, he had lost such a big face this time, and these two people had to bear no small responsibility.

Hika Kenta thought for a while and then said: "Forget it, thank you for your hard work on this matter, then let's end today's meeting."

"Yes, the subordinate understands," Furukawa Kento stood up and bowed to Hika Kenta's departing back.

He had a deep understanding of his superior's vengeful personality. So he knew that whether it was Akiwara Yuto or Kihara Daigo, they were now all regarded as eyesores by Hika Kenta.

Presumably, after the storm during this period passes, this superior will still find ways to retaliate one by one.

Forget it, I'd better not think too much. After all, as a subordinate, all I can do is wipe the butt for the last time.

Furukawa Kento straightened up and thought of another question.

Akiwara Yuto, he shouldn't have many follow-up moves left, right?