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View Poll Results: How do you feel when a Japanese calls you "gaijin" ?

Voters
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  • "You are an outsider and will never belong to Japanese society" (exclusion)

    17 29.31%
  • "You are an outsider, ignorant of Japanese ways" (cultural ignorance)

    17 29.31%
  • "You are different from us ! Hahaha !" (childish differentiation)

    12 20.69%
  • "You are not Japanese, but I am" (opposition)

    13 22.41%
  • "You are not a Japanese national" (on the passport)

    11 18.97%
  • "You are not an ethnic Japanese" (different looks)

    13 22.41%
  • "Wow ! You are better than me !" (awe)

    8 13.79%
  • Don't know

    10 17.24%
Multiple Choice Poll.
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Results 151 to 175 of 259

Thread: What connotation does the term "gaijin" have for you ?

  1. #151
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    Quote Originally Posted by CC1
    I said I wouldn't be back, but I hate ignorance. Therefore I find it necessary for me to hang around and keep people in check.
    I'm not sure if it is necessary to change your name or not...I just purchased land in my name though and I'm not even a "permanent resident!"
    Actually gaijinalways never said anything in that post about "buying" property. He said that he would be able to "inherit" property, which is quite different.

    He is referring to the process whereby his in-laws will legally adopt him, thereby giving him the same rights to inheritance, etc., that their blood children have by virtue of birth into the family. It's called "youshi" (養子), and it's fairly common, especially in the countryside, where a family has only daughters and they want to keep the family "alive".

  2. #152
    Junior Member DoctorP's Avatar
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    Yes, I understood that. It is my experience that most (of the people I know) outright purchase the property, even if it is for a ridiculously low price and then transfer it to their name. This is actually much easier and relieves the family of paying yearly taxes...since they are usually older and not working.

    But I apreciate you pointing that out for the others reading this.

  3. #153
    Banned Mike Cash's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CC1
    Yes, I understood that. It is my experience that most (of the people I know) outright purchase the property, even if it is for a ridiculously low price and then transfer it to their name. This is actually much easier and relieves the family of paying yearly taxes...since they are usually older and not working.
    That might also be to avoid paying the confiscatory death taxes in this socialist nation.

  4. #154
    puzzled gaijin
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    Thanks Mikawa san, I thought since Mike has lived here as long as he has, he would be aware of that(if you were you didn't give that impression with your question).

    And I'm sorry but I disagree, Mike's question was that he thought it made me sound like a golddigger, which in my book is the same as accusing me of being one.

    Stinger posted
    Again, a slightly academic point, but what I was meaning was that the concept of 'permanence' is non-negotiable. It has a fixed and intransient meaning in the English language. 'Permanent residence' on the other hand is a different issue. Actually from your follow up comments, I'm not sure you fully understand the definition of the word, given that you classify life and tax as permanent entities when neither is so.
    Uh, Stinger, when my life finishes, that is the end of my permanent residence, and the end of any taxes I'll be paying (of course, people named in my will may be paying). I think you are following more the literial dictionary definition, whereas I'm following more of a philosophical definition of the word.

    No worries, I'll be permanently unpermanent in your world!

  5. #155
    Banned Mike Cash's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gaijinalways
    And I'm sorry but I disagree, Mike's question was that he thought it made me sound like a golddigger, which in my book is the same as accusing me of being one.
    Then you don't read your book any better than your read my post. Maybe you should get one with more pictures in it. Maybe some pop-ups.

    If I had wanted to call you a gold digger, I would have called you a gold digger. I'm not exactly the most bashful poster on JREF.

  6. #156
    遠いから行きません GaijinPunch's Avatar
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    That might also be to avoid paying the confiscatory death taxes in this socialist nation.
    That's actually a brilliant idea. Never thought about that.
    Any way to get out of the taxes when inheriting things like tax? (other than full on evasion, of course).

  7. #157
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    Originally Posted by gaijinalways
    And I'm sorry but I disagree, Mike's question was that he thought it made me sound like a golddigger, which in my book is the same as accusing me of being one.
    To me that is how you came across even though that was not your intent. I mean hell you don't have to take your wife's name just to inherit property, they could give it to her and not you.

    Until you provided more information afterwards it was not very clear what your intention was, now that you explained it more detail it is understandable why you are taking your wife's name.

    Hell even Stinger read it the same way as well. It's what you write here and not what you are thinking about that causes confusion at times, and that goes for myself as well.

  8. #158
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    Gaijinalways - I think you're a little confused over your terms.

    Quote Originally Posted by gaijinalways
    recently the only things that seem really permanent to me are life and death, but then I could put taxes in the same category for most people.
    Uh, Stinger, when my life finishes, that is the end of my permanent residence, and the end of any taxes I'll be paying.
    So in the first quote, you claim both life and tax to be permanent entities. Then in the second, you claim they will come to an end, thus directly contradicting the former.

    I think you are following more the literial dictionary definition,
    Amazing things, dictionaries. They tell you what words actually mean!

    whereas I'm following more of a philosophical definition of the word.
    No, you are following the wrong definition of the word.

    No worries, I'll be permanently unpermanent in your world!
    Of that I have no doubt.

  9. #159
    puzzled gaijin
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    Angry

    Mike,

    You're right, you have been here too long. Again, you still haven't answered my question, why even make a reference to a possibility rather than PMing ,
    me or just posting online and asking me? Believe me, there are reasons besides the ones stated, but they are not ones I wish to get into on a public forum.

    As to your past forum history, please don't use it as a justification for being what I consider rude. That in itself is pretty low and self serving.

    Hachiro,

    See the above.

    And, I disagree, it's very easy to insult people online and try to pass it off as a misunderstanding. Perhaps both of you need to review the meaning of the word before you dismiss its use as okay.


    PS Mike, keep the day job, comedy is not your thing. Then again, hell, I'm a frustrated comic too, though I mostly keep it in the classroom where I sometimes geta laugh and I get paid!

  10. #160
    Banned Mike Cash's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gaijinalways
    Mike,
    You're right, you have been here too long. Again, you still haven't answered my question, why even make a reference to a possibility rather than PMing ,
    me or just posting online and asking me? Believe me, there are reasons besides the ones stated, but they are not ones I wish to get into on a public forum.
    Maybe it's because I just woke up, but I can't figure out what the hell you're talking about.

    As to your past forum history, please don't use it as a justification for being what I consider rude. That in itself is pretty low and self serving.
    I am what I am, and you are free and welcome to your opinion of it. I think you're dense or deliberately obtuse, but I've so far been able to resist telling you.


    PS Mike, keep the day job, comedy is not your thing. Then again, hell, I'm a frustrated comic too, though I mostly keep it in the classroom where I sometimes geta laugh and I get paid!
    Keep that dancing monkey job, discussion requiring careful reading or critical thought isn't your thing.

    You've been here all this time and you're still doing the Nova/Aeon/Geos/Whatever gig? No wonder you're clueless about assimilation.

  11. #161
    Hullu RockLee's Avatar
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    Keep it cool guys. No need to get personal.
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  12. #162
    Banned Mike Cash's Avatar
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    Merely responding in kind. I'm very accommodating that way.

  13. #163
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    I've heard the term many times and have also been excluded from clubs because they are "Japanese only." Thing is, I dont give a flying f, well you know what. Japan is a very complicated society and are, in fact, a civilization all to themselves. I like lots of things in Japan, but when I come across peeps so ignorant they are afraid of "gaijin" I say screw 'em.

    But friends or not, westerners will never be accepted as "Japanese" like someone can go to the USA and become an "American."

  14. #164
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    I don't like the word "gaijin", so insted I use the word "gaikoku-no-hito" or something like that.
    But I don't know the reason why I hate it

  15. #165
    puzzled gaijin
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    Mike, I'm a university lecturer, so why don't you move your own career on somewhere. I believe the 'golddigger' phrase is what I took offense to. Sorry you're still short on memories and manners.

  16. #166
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    Quote Originally Posted by chickie View Post
    I don't like the word "gaijin", so insted I use the word "gaikoku-no-hito" or something like that.
    Haha. Good one. It doesn't change anything to me whether it is gaijin, gaikokujin or gaikokunohito. It's still a term that put all foreigners in the same bag, and keeps all the connotation in the poll above.

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  17. #167
    Gaijin - Not Gaikokujin! Gaijin4Life's Avatar
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    I dont know how dumb people can get I mean no offense but Some nationalities are really really STUPID to get offended by the word Gaijin. OH dont call me Gaijin its rude. SCREW off ure a FOREIGNER which is EXACTLY what Gaijin means. No more no less! If you were in my country u'd be a foreigner too and if i was in urs it's the SAME Case so there's nothing wrong with being called that. It's those idiots who make up stupid meanings and interpretations that DONT even exist. I mean the stupidest thing i saw is the movie Tokyo Drift when that guy is being called Gaijin. That's so lame and ignorant seriously. People stop being dumb PLZ.

    This message has been brought to you by.. Yes i said it.. A GAIJIN.

    GAIJIN 4 LIFE BABY!

  18. #168
    puzzled gaijin
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    But I doubt you group tem all together, especially when you already know the nationaility of the person you are speaking of (like when I am referred to as a gaijin with people I have already worked with for 8 years). I wouldn't refer to a Japanese person as a non-Caucasian (or a non-American), especially if I knew he/she was Japanese.

  19. #169
    Junior Member DoctorP's Avatar
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    So...you would clasify them even more by referring to them as Japanese rather than just foreigner? Some people would consider that being more racist, don't you think?

  20. #170
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maciamo View Post
    Haha. Good one. It doesn't change anything to me whether it is gaijin, gaikokujin or gaikokunohito. It's still a term that put all foreigners in the same bag, and keeps all the connotation in the poll above.
    I might not make a difference to you, but I know more people that rather not use the word "gaijin", and prefer to use "gaikoku no hito" or "gaikoku no kata"..

    I don't mind the word in the sense that I do mind if it's used to refer to me, but only because I am half-Japanese and feel not-so-gaijin. But then again, there are a lot of times when I do feel gaijin, and proud of it!! (When confronted with Japanese bureaucracy or racism for example.)

    But that's a different story: in essense I don't mind "gaijin", "gaikoku no kata", "gokiburi" or whatever. It's just a word isn't it. In Holland I'm being called a "foreigner", "Jap" or whatever by friends trying to tease me.. I got used to it I think.

  21. #171
    Regular Member thistle's Avatar
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    I did not read all of the thread there are too many, but after 19 years in Japan I still hate when they say just 'gaijin' but don't mind so much if they say 'gaijin-san' which they often use here in Okinawa. I believe now it is really only a term for them to differentiate us, they are in no way being racist.
    I do make a habit though of correcting people and asking them to say 'gaikoku-jin'.

  22. #172
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    CC1 posted
    So...you would clasify them even more by referring to them as Japanese rather than just foreigner? Some people would consider that being more racist, don't you think?

    CC1, If you already know they are Japanese, it makes more sense. It is like calling something an animal until you know it's a dog, and calling it a dog until you identify the breed as a collie, and then calling it a collie, until you know the name given it by the owner.

    We tend to use more specific terms when we are fairly certain of what something is. If you prefer uncertainty, that's another issue. Obviously most of the foreigners living in Japan don't, in other words they would prefer to be called by name (if known to the speaker) or by nationality (again if known) or even by occupation as another alternative. Or simply "Sir" or "Madam" if you are in a public place being served by someone.

  23. #173
    Junior Member DoctorP's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gaijinalways View Post
    CC1 posted
    CC1, If you already know they are Japanese, it makes more sense. It is like calling something an animal until you know it's a dog, and calling it a dog until you identify the breed as a collie, and then calling it a collie, until you know the name given it by the owner.

    I understood you...it is like calling someone black when you know that they are a person!

  24. #174
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    Quote Originally Posted by thistle View Post

    but after 19 years in Japan I still hate when they say just ' gaijin ',I believe now it is really only a term for them to differentiate us,they are in no way being racist.


    Japanese kanji for " gaijin " similiar to 2 characters Chinese refer to " foreign persons " ( www.urgentculture.com ),it's a NON-racist slang when we say " lao-wai " to mean Caucasians however rarely to their face which is rude and dis-respectful in Chinese culture.

    I've never lived in Japan therefore have no grasp of native population's mentality in their dealing with NON-Japanese ( or Nikkeijin ) foreigners in regard to this matter.

  25. #175
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    Quote Originally Posted by RockLee View Post
    Keep it cool guys. No need to get personal.
    Why not?

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