Discrimination in Japan

[MichaelJames]

As a person who loves just about anything japanese, it saddens me to hear that a lot of people there treat other asians(south east asians in particular) badly. I would like to visit Japan someday and make some friends but I'm now thinking twice about it. I hope I am wrong about my impression about Japan and make some japanese friends in the future

[Buddha Smoker]

As a person who loves just about anything japanese, it saddens me to hear that a lot of people there treat other asians(south east asians in particular) badly. I would like to visit Japan someday and make some friends but I'm now thinking twice about it. I hope I am wrong about my impression about Japan and make some japanese friends in the future

Don't take any of this to make an impression..form your own opinion. It's nice just to keep your eyes and ears open plus keep an open mind too. Don't worry about too much until you experience this wonderful country because even though you hear all this.....we still live here and there must me a reason for that.

[Golgo_13]

As a person who loves just about anything japanese, it saddens me to hear that a lot of people there treat other asians(south east asians in particular) badly. I would like to visit Japan someday and make some friends but I'm now thinking twice about it. I hope I am wrong about my impression about Japan and make some japanese friends in the future

Are you the type of person who is saddened by rumors? Most other east-Asian nations have had a bad history with Japan, and people are still prejudiced against the Japanese.

You've never even been to Japan and you're already pre-judging.

Ask yourself this question--if the Japanese treat other Asians so poorly, why are there so many of them there? So many continue to go there, legally or illegally?

If I knew I wasn't going to be welcome somewhere, I sure as hell wouldn't go there.

One thing no one is willing to mention is the crimes being committed by Chinese and other foreignors in Japan. Are we in serious denial? Some merchants would rather refuse service than to risk and problems.

It creates a very very poor impression upon the Japanese when foreigners commit crime and makes headline news. Their feeling is, if you are a guest in someone's house, you behave yourself. What if the Japanese went to China and committed crimes? Do you think the Chinese would still treat them well?

[Maciamo]

One thing no one is willing to mention is the crimes being committed by Chinese and other foreignors in Japan. Are we in serious denial? Some merchants would rather refuse service than to risk and problems.

It creates a very very poor impression upon the Japanese when foreigners commit crime and makes headline news. Their feeling is, if you are a guest in someone's house, you behave yourself.

The problem here is that you use the word "foreigner" putting everybody in the same category. I think that people staying in Japan should be divided, if not by country, by purpose of staying in Japan. Crimes tend to be commited by people who are not trying to adapt to Japanese society, are not in Japan of their own will (or reluctantly, to make money), or are US soldiers stationed there (again, not because they want to adapt or live there, but not really for money either).

I am pretty sure that if we analyse the status f people committing (serious) crimes, we will find that the vast majority are either illegal or economic immigrants (+ US soldiers). There are probably few people with a working visa (which requires that the sponsoring company pays a salary of at least 250.000yen/month), or with a spouse, investor, diplomatic, religious or permanent visa.

I would be really interested to know the percentage of crimes committed by visa status as well as by country (so as to see how high is the crime rate of people coming from developping countries compared to others).

What if the Japanese went to China and committed crimes? Do you think the Chinese would still treat them well?

Well that already happened, and not just during WWII. Lots of stories of Japanese businessmen "partying" with prostitutes in China.

[Golgo_13]

Well that already happened, and not just during WWII. Lots of stories of Japanese businessmen "partying" with prostitutes in China.

How about burglaries, robberies, fraud, and murders?

The problem here is that you use the word "foreigner" putting everybody in the same category. . . Crimes tend to be commited by people who are not trying to adapt to Japanese society, are not in Japan of their own will (or reluctantly, to make money) . . . .

And just how are the average Japanese supposed to distinguish them?

By the signs they wear?


As for how the Japanese treat other Asians, also consider how a Chinese would be treated in Indonesia, or how a Korean would be treated in Vietnam, and all kinds of combinations and permutations. I doubt that any one group would be treated like royalty anywhere else. It's just that so much attention is focused on Japan because that's where they all go to.

Again, why would anyone go there if they knew they were going to be treated so horribly?

[mdchachi]

One thing no one is willing to mention is the crimes being committed by Chinese and other foreignors in Japan. Are we in serious denial? Some merchants would rather refuse service than to risk and problems.

It creates a very very poor impression upon the Japanese when foreigners commit crime and makes headline news. Their feeling is, if you are a guest in someone's house, you behave yourself. What if the Japanese went to China and committed crimes? Do you think the Chinese would still treat them well?

It also makes a poor impression when the media and governmental agencies issue stories about how crimes committed by foreigners are going up. They don't mention facts such as that there are many more foreigners (so of course foreign crime would go up) or that crime by Japanese are going up just as much if not more. It's easier to stoke xenophobic tendencies than to address the real issues (like poor performance of the national police agency).

[mad pierrot]

There isn't a nation on this planet that doesn't have a little bit of xenophobia, and Japan is no exception. I'm willing to bet all kinds of different reasons add up to this. I.E. Japan is an island nation, has a long history of isolationist policy, etc.

Funny thing about the bikes. When I was a college student here, I was stopped a couple of times by cops asking to see my registration. I thought it was strange at the time. Then, just last week I met someone who "borrowed" 5 bikes in one night. He happened to be an English teacher, too....



Sterotypes like these always have some truth mixed up with exaggeration.

[Buddha Smoker]

And just how are the average Japanese supposed to distinguish them?

I don't think you can distinguish between them but I think you see the point Maciamo is getting at.

Also, I know I said it in some post somewhere maybe this one. I checked some stats from the Japanese government and this is what I basically got.

80% of crime caused in Japan is caused by foreigners not a part of Japan (not permanent residents or the legal ones...you know the foreigners foreigners... ) and 50% of that number (or 40% out of 100%) was by US military people.

[Golgo_13]

It's easier to stoke xenophobic tendencies than to address the real issues (like poor performance of the national police agency).

You think the FBI or the Scotland Yard has a higher clearance rate than the Japanese police?

But it's an unfair comparison since the crime rates are much higher in the U.S. and the UK.

And just how are the average Japanese supposed to distinguish them?

By the signs they wear?

People tend to judge others by the impression they get. Just like in any other country. If you wear a suit, carry a brief case and have a neat appearance, you WILL be treated a little better than someone with long hair wearing old jeans and a torn T-shirt, regardless of race.

I don't even understand why discrimination in Japan has to be such a major issue here anyway.

Has anyone seen the posts about how Frank White and I have been treated in the U.S. in the "white-Japanese relationships" thread?

Are there any chapters of the Ku Klux Klan in Japan? In case nobody knew, there are in the U.S.

If a lot of foreigners ended up somehow in Uzbekistan, chances are most of them will be discriminated against.

[Buddha Smoker]

I don't even understand why discrimination in Japan has to be such a major issue here anyway.

Do you mean on this board or in real life?

Has anyone seen the posts about how Frank White and I have been treated in the U.S. in the "white-Japanese relationships" thread?

Give me a link, please? If not, then I'll look forward it later.

[Golgo_13]

Do you mean on this board or in real life?
Give me a link, please? If not, then I'll look forward it later.

It says "here."

http://www.wa-pedia.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5384

[Buddha Smoker]

It says "here."

http://www.wa-pedia.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5384

I assumed so but wasn't sure if you mean where you live or Japan, etc.

[brodiepearce]

I can relate to the racial discrimination....when my brother (26) was in Japan about 4 years ago he said that on the subway many Japanese people would move away from foreigners...he said he actually many times scored a seat cause he just moved towards it and people sitting there would move away lol

I dont know if its true but my brother also said that from childhood many japanese children were told that foreigners "smelt bad", he thinks maybe that was the reason for the "subway comfort zones". But he taught english to japanese children so at-least they got an inside view, as did he of their culture.