Have you encountered discrimination or prejudices in Japan ?

[Mike Cash]

I don't care. It doesn't hold true for my own child.
Anyway, whether it does or doesn't, it's never okay to yell rude things at people or say rude things to them... Jesus Christ, with foreigners like you guys in Japan justifying all the racist crap people do, we'll never make headway.

Could you kindly point out where we've been justifying racist crap?

Thank you.

If I was fresh out of college, was 23, and just arrived in Japan, I may not have a good understanding, yet I've been here 3 and half yrs, so I have some idea of what's going on.

You do realize that some of the people you're talking to have spent longer than that in Japan just counting the time they've spent sitting on the crapper, don't you?

My undershorts have been here longer than that.

[GodEmperorLeto]

Look, firstly, I'd like to point this out to people:

Japan is NOT OUR COUNTRY it is THEIRS. We have no right to go there and cry the blues about racism or discrimination. We are lucky they even let us in there. I'd like to see you guys go to Mexico and scream and cry about how it is virtually impossible for a non-native-born Mexican to get citizenship (it is much easier to get Japanese citizenship in comparison). </irony>

My point is, we honestly have no right to go there and complain. Who are we to tell them what to do in their own country? It's absolutely hypocritical.

Am I justifying racism? No. It's wrong. Yes. Fine. If I experience it, I'll get ticked, yes. Ever consider, however, how sometimes Japanese assumptions can be an advantage, like how zeroyon inadvertantly gaijin smashed his way out of a parking ticket? Or would you guys be too busy getting offended and thinking you have a right to go and remake their country and culture as you see fit? Does the term postmodern relativism mean anything to you guys? Or does it only apply to third world countries?

Please excuse my anger and frustration here, but I cannot see this as anything but hypocrisy. They have every right to deport you if you sneeze the wrong way. It is their homeland, not yours. You can come back home and pillage our institutions and protest here to your heart's content, and it's your god-given right, but at least have respect for the boundary of a sovereign nation.

[Taiko666]

Look, firstly, I'd like to point this out to people:
Japan is NOT OUR COUNTRY it is THEIRS. We have no right to go there and cry the blues about racism or discrimination.
...
but at least have respect for the boundary of a sovereign nation.

The moral and philosophical arguments about the views expressed in your post could go on forever. However, Japan has signed and ratified a UN TREATY against racism.

PERTINENT BITS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION:
(Ratified (hijun) by Japan Nov 1995, Officially inaugurated (hakkou) Jan 14, 1996)

Article 1
1. In this Convention, the term "racial discrimination" shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.

Article 2
1. States Parties condemn racial discrimination and undertake to pursue BY ALL APPROPRIATE MEANS AND WITHOUT DELAY [all block caps here and hereinafter are my emphasis added] a policy of eliminating racial discrimination in all its forms and promoting understanding among all races, and, to this end:

(a) Each State Party undertakes to engage in no act or practice of racial discrimination against persons, groups of persons or institutions and to ensure that all public authorities and public institutions, NATIONAL AND LOCAL, shall act in conformity with this obligation;

(d) Each State Party shall prohibit and bring to an end, BY ALL APPROPRIATE MEANS, INCLUDING LEGISLATION AS REQUIRED BY CIRCUMSTANCES, racial discrimination by any persons, group or organization;

2. States Parties shall, when the circumstances so warrant, take, in the social, economic, cultural and other fields, SPECIAL AND CONCRETE MEASURES to ensure the adequate development and protection of certain racial groups or individuals belonging to them, for the purpose of guaranteeing them the full and equal enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Article 5
In compliance with the fundamental obligations laid down in Article 2 of this Convention, States Parties undertake to prohibit and to eliminate racial discrimination in all its forms and to guarantee the right of everyone, without distinction as to race, colour, or national or ethnic origin, to equality before the law, notably in the enjoyment of the following rights:

(f) The right of access to any place or service intended for use by the general public, such as transport, hotels, restaurants, cafes, theatres and parks. [NB: This includes private-sector businesses.]

Article 6
States Parties shall assure to EVERYONE WITHIN THEIR JURISDICTION EFFECTIVE PROTECTION AND REMEDIES, through the competent national tribunals AND OTHER STATE INSTITUTIONS, against any acts of racial discrimination which violate his human rights and fundamental freedoms contrary to this Convention, as well as the right to seek from such tribunals just and adequate reparation or satisfaction for any damage suffered as a result of such discrimination.

I don't think anyone could argue that Japan is adhering to the treaty, or even making any attempt to. And I think most people would agree that signing and ratifiying a UN treaty places a country under a legal obligation to comply with that treaty. Therefore, Japan does NOT have the right indulge in racial discrimination, and non-Japanese have every right to complain about racism in Japan.

[Glenski]

The moral and philosophical arguments about the views expressed in your post could go on forever. However, Japan has signed and ratified a UN TREATY against racism.

Is this supposed to justify anything? That treaty was signed over a decade ago, yet Japan has not enacted one single law to accompany it. None. They let discrimination happen at will and deal with it case by case. Their reason for no laws? They say they can't enforce them. B.S. on their human rights treaty.

well, the Patriot Act gives the US government the authority and right to do anything they want to us civilians and violates the Bill of Rights.

This is not the USA we are talking about, but if they can violate the Bill of Rights in the USA, why don't more people fight such an out and out act of breaching civil rights?

Ok, let me pose this to you: You are in Russia, you are an officer of the law. You happen to see a very dark skinned man walking down the street. Russia is predominantly white, and you see he cannot speak Russian. Would you not in the least bit go over and at least ask him, if not check his passport, if he was there legally?

This is not Russia, either. Besides, we are not talking about noticing whether someone cannot speak the language. That example is so strange that one can take the hypothetical anywhere with it. We are talking about printing/photoing people who have lived here for decades (sometimes) and had PR status, done nothing overtly wrong (including being noticed that they cannot speak the language, which in itself is not even a crime).

Well, you just said it's a case by case thing. To me, that just pretty much nullified your arguement on that point.

It can be case by case, but how about the times when people report the cops just sit there and pick only on the foreigners? What about that "case"?

Here's the thing, I didn't move the goalposts.

Yes you did, by going from generality to specific. Stop it, and we can have a sensible debate.

[genmai]

You do realize that some of the people you're talking to have spent longer than that in Japan just counting the time they've spent sitting on the crapper, don't you?

My undershorts have been here longer than that.

Instead of talking about your foul bowel habits or your panties, why don't you address the conversation? Don't address me, address the issue.
You've just made White Girls point actually, justifying and defending.
Do you realize that some of the people you're talking to don't care how long you've been here? If you've been here long enough to experience what has been talked about on this forumn, then that's long enough. Whether it's one year, three years, or 10 years. If you're a bit slower to realize things, then maybe it'll take y'all longer to catch on.
Remember, try to keep focused on the issue w/in the forumn.

[GodEmperorLeto]

You've just made White Girls point actually, justifying and defending.

Ummm, how? He's questioning your claim that you "know what's going on", based on the fact that, compared to him, you've just arrived in Japan and have yet to even come close to having "seen everything". Therefore, it is questionable whether your judgement in the whole matter is specious or not.

The fact that you don't care how long he's been there, I think, firmly situates you in the "early-mid-twenties, I-have-a-degree-and-know-everything" category. Besides, Mike is a highly respected member of these fora, and you are basically a nobody newcomer who has yet to establish himself as anything but a belligerent loudmouth with a chip on his shoulder.

Besides, I just did address the issue, and I went totally ignored. So, I'd like to ask you:

What right do you have to go to someone else's country and demand that they change?

If you don't like it there, leave. You are free to go back home anytime. Nobody is putting a gun to your head and saying you have to stay there and suffer. Yeah, racism is wrong, but nobody here is justifying or defending it. We have a right and duty to fight it in our own homes, but you have no right to force your agenda down their throats.

Besides, have they shot firehoses at you? Have they thrown you off of a bus for not giving up your seat? Have they lynched you, tarred and feathered you, and dragged your corpse through a street? Have you had to drink from "gaijin only" fountains? No. What you've experienced is people being jerks. You haven't even truly come close to experiencing what true racism is.

[Mike Cash]

You've just made White Girls point actually, justifying and defending.

That's laughable. Not only did I not justify or defend it....I didn't address it at all.

Do you realize that some of the people you're talking to don't care how long you've been here?

I would hope that they don't care how long I've been here. You're the one who dragged out the tired old tactic of propping up one's own opinions on Japan by referencing how long one has been here....as though it means something.

What makes it cute is when it is done by people who are so freshly arrived they still feel the need to include "and a half". It's adorable. Sort of like a little kid giving their "going on" age in addition to their actual age. Anything to stand up on their figurative tippy-toes and gain a little stature.