Buraku people or Burakumin are the largest discriminated against population in Japan. They are not a racial or a national minority, but a caste-like minority among the ethnic Japanese. They are considered descendants of outcaste populations in feudal times –– outcastes were those who were assigned tasks such as slaughtering animals and executing criminals, and the general public perceived these tasks as ‘polluting acts’ under Buddhist and Shintoist beliefs. When the social status system was established in the 17th century (early Edo era) in the form of three classes (warrior, peasant, townsfolk), these outcastes were placed at the bottom of the society as Eta (extreme filth) and Hinin (non-human) classes. The Burakumin have faced centuries of discrimination in their own country –– and are still struggling for dignity.