Wow, this is such an interesting topic.
I've wanted to go to Japan since I was in high school, but after going to arudo debito's site and researching racism in Japan, I think I'd just want to go there for vacation.
When it comes to racism, and such, I think there is racism in the USA as well. Maybe it's not racism, but it's a kind of undertone...for example, a Japanese classmate who came to the US as a ryuugakusei told me that she is kind of disappointed and wouldn't want to live here. She said she's disappointed because she wants to have some American friends and the only ones who will be her friends are mormons who want to convert her to Christianity (God Forbid), which she is not interested in. She said that she talked to her other Japanese friends who have become Christians (God forbid) and they got American friends by going to church and converting (God Forbid).
So when people don't want to associate with you, I think that is a kind of racism as well. Yes, I see there is a lot of Japanese racism and sort of stereotyped and prejudices.
I was at the Kinokuniya Bookstore here in Seattle and asked for the famous Japanese novel,"Yukiguni,"雪国 mind you I didn't say "Snow Country." Anyway, they directed me to the English version which I did not want...sigh...
Maciamo: Yes, lynching against Muslims happens here in the US. But I, as a muslim, have encountered very little hostility since 9/11 and maybe that's just me. Yes, this country has a more than atrocious track record when it comes to dealing with Muslims and people in the Muslim world, but I really think that when it comes to blatant racism and such against muslims or anyone else, Canada and the US can't be beat. People are more open towards people of other cultures,etc. I'll give you an example: I started working at this company recently and told them that I need to pray 5 times a day and that it would take only a few minutes. So they got me an empty office room and I can leave any time I want, and I got time off for Ramadan. That's pretty great, isn't it? I doubt I could have something like this in Japan, where I'd be looked at strangely just because I know more japanese than just "konnichiwa" and "arigato."