Have you encountered discrimination or prejudices in Japan ?

[Glenski]

I'm not saying Japan hasn't also played foul at times, but really, no one was burning crosses or lynching people in Japan last I checked. I'm not saying everyone's grandfather here did that either, but let's be frank, it happened. We're not talking war crimes here, this is just the day to day.

You didn't happen so see this recent and overt act of racism, did you? (Gaijin Hanzai magazine) http://www.debito.org/index.php/?cat=27 In essence, your burning cross.

Or this story on a foreigner held in prison since November 2006 without speedy trial and so far with practically zero evidence.
http://www.debito.org/index.php/?p=537

Or this story about how a foreigner was denied hospitalization after a scuffle with the police, was turned down in court because one of his witnesses was a foreigner, and who is now crippled.
http://www.debito.org/valentinelawsuit.html

The Holiday Sports Club chain routinely bars foreigners because (they say) foreigners “cannot read/write their name and address in Japanese.” Oddly enough, they have an English rule book...

Or the signs that were posted near ATMs showing only foreigners robbing people.

Or the numerous signs reading "Japanese Only". http://www.debito.org/roguesgallery.html
What's next? Sit at the back of the bus? Use separate toilets?

The constitution says one thing, and Japan's signature on the anti-discrimination treaty says the same, but we all know there is blatant discrimination here, and Japan seems to be doing little to enforce measures against it.

Kokumin means people of a nation, or its citizens.
Ningen means humans or mankind.

So, the constitution itself is discriminating when you see it referring only to its own citizens, not visitors, long-term residents, and the like.

[bakaKanadajin]

You didn't happen so see this recent and overt act of racism, did you? (Gaijin Hanzai magazine) http://www.debito.org/index.php/?cat=27 In essence, your burning cross.

Business takes advantage of the less industrialized and desperate peoples of the world every day. I do not think this is indicative of an intense hatred of the Chinese race, I think its business taking advantage of a loophole situation.

Or this story on a foreigner held in prison since November 2006 without speedy trial and so far with practically zero evidence.
http://www.debito.org/index.php/?p=537

That's quite horrible and unjustified but it still doesn't amount to a widescale attack on foreigners.

I'm not going to run down the list and deny every point you've made there, but I'm not in disagreement with you either. There are definitely some horrible things happening these days in Japan and all across the world.

The crux of my point was that at one time, overt and blatant racial biggotry dominated all levels of discourse in America. (I'm not here to criticize America, but rather point out influences.) As a result of its past, we now have this whole issue of reparations, trying to right the wrong, and we had a concordant movement in the 60's to eradicate vestiges of civil injustice in the system that gave rise to many of today's NGO's and lobby groups. Japan simply hasn't had the same influences or the same need to make race an issue in their country. Who is the NAACP going to fight for in Japan?

Now is the system a little lop-sided, outdated and not quite leak proof? Yes like most bureaucratic machinery it's built and maintained by those who control old money, and the trickle down effect is that there is a lot of room for error. But the need for Japan to overhaul its constitution and bring it closer to something like America's or Canada's wouldn't guarantee anyone anything. Racism still exists in the West despite having some of the most advanced democracies in the world. As I see it there is no fault with Japan the country, the nation itself.

I maintain that incidences like the ones people talk about here and the ones in those stories are individuals taking advantage of situations and acting out, they're isolated, it's not systemic. Even if you changed that one word from 'citizen' to 'human' you'd still have situations like the ones you mentioned happening from time to time. They're called glass ceilings.

[JimmySeal]

Business takes advantage of the less industrialized and desperate peoples of the world every day. I do not think this is indicative of an intense hatred of the Chinese race, I think its business taking advantage of a loophole situation.

I can't say for sure but I think the racist incident that Glenski was actually referring to is the the publication of Gaijin Crime File, which was stocked in magazine racks throughout the country about 9 months ago:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ky%C5%8...i_Hakusho_2007

[diceke]

I can't say for sure but I think the racist incident that Glenski was actually referring to is the the publication of Gaijin Crime File, which was stocked in magazine racks throughout the country about 9 months ago:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ky%C5%8...i_Hakusho_2007

Hmmm, I wonder why so many foreigners support this book? If you are against racism, please, don't buy the book!!
http://www.amazon.co.jp/驚愕の外人犯罪裏ファイル...1552059&sr=8-1

この商品を買った人はこんな商品も買っています
Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Lonely Planet Hiking in Japan (Lonely Planet Hiking in Japan) (Lonely Planet Hiking in Japan) Mason Florence; Craig McLachlan; Richard Ryall; Anthony Weersing; Chris Roethorn
(1) ￥ 2,475
Japan Rising: The Resurgence of Japanese Power And Purpose Kenneth B. Pyle
￥ 3,342
Princess Masako: Prisoner of the Chrysanthemum Throne Ben Hills
(15) ￥ 2,946
THE JAPANESE TRADITION ~日本の形~ DVD ~ ラーメンズ
(11) ￥ 3,864

[pipokun]

1) Tons of places post "Japanese Only" signs.
...

1) You should say tons of places in the sex industry
2) I agree on the inequality. And I even support the idea that all Japanese should be fingerprinted.
3) Wrong. The bike check also applys to Japanese. In Augst, I could not forget the stupid face of a cop when he wanted to check my bike, but the host computer was down. I voluntarily told them about my address and phone number when you would find something wrong, though I thought it must be an incredible human right infringement.
No phone call from him.
4) Ok, please do not claim, "Japan is a horrible police state!", when the govenment enacts the controversial law.
5) Do you know that the government trys to decrease the non-Japanese children whose parents are not interested in education of their kids?
6) Tell me how many foreign nationals are hired by your government in your home country. When you want to get a stable teaching position in a public school, elementary, junior high, high schools, just take the teacher's license course and pass the exam like non-Japanese teachers here.
And I think the post doctor problem is the same which brings hard time to find a place to work for the highly educated people in your country.

この商品を買った人はこんな商品も買っています
Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought
...
THE JAPANESE TRADITION ~日本の形~ DVD ~ ラーメンズ

The best post in 2007

[Glenski]

1) You should say tons of places in the sex industry

What are you talking about. I'm referring to convenience stores, other shops, and bathhouses. Haven't you seen any of the Rogues Gallery posts on www.debito.org ?

3) Wrong. The bike check also applys to Japanese.

Read what I wrote. I'm not wrong when some people report that they have sat by after getting stopped and seen the police never stop a single Japanese. Did I say this happens all the time? No.

4) Ok, please do not claim, "Japan is a horrible police state!", when the govenment enacts the controversial law.

I have no idea what you are talking about here. Japan says it is behind the concept of anti-discrimination, yet doesn't do anything about it.

5) Do you know that the government trys to decrease the non-Japanese children whose parents are not interested in education of their kids?

I have not heard of this, and I don't even understand what you mean. Could you explain more?

6) Tell me how many foreign nationals are hired by your government in your home country. When you want to get a stable teaching position in a public school, elementary, junior high, high schools, just take the teacher's license course and pass the exam like non-Japanese teachers here.

For universities no license is necessary. For private high schools, the license is a rubber stamp on your translated resume, transcripts, and degree (no testing needed). I'm not talking about people being hired by the government; I'm talking about people being hired by schools, where the Japanese people get salaries and benefits that are usually different than non-Japanese people in identical posts.

[Glenski]

Business takes advantage of the less industrialized and desperate peoples of the world every day. I do not think this is indicative of an intense hatred of the Chinese race, I think its business taking advantage of a loophole situation.

bakakanadajin, you've completely lost me with the above.

Jimmy Seal,
You are right. I meant that horrible book. Foreigners did not support it, except to buy it just to see what was inside for the sake of shock value and to report it to the publisher, outlet, and main store office. It worked, too. Amazon stopped selling it, and so did the stores.

I'm not going to run down the list and deny every point you've made there, but I'm not in disagreement with you either. There are definitely some horrible things happening these days in Japan

Well, since this web site is about Japan, I'm not going to deal with the rest of the world. I live in Japan, and I post here because things in Japan affect me here. Thanks for agreeing me, but...

Japan simply hasn't had the same influences [as the USA] or the same need to make race an issue in their country.

This IMO is a very lame way of making excuses for the poor treatment foreigners get in Japan. You should really be ashamed of trying to put this point in a serious debate. Let's stop comparing the USA with Japan, ok?

the need for Japan to overhaul its constitution and bring it closer to something like America's or Canada's wouldn't guarantee anyone anything.

Who's talking about overhauling the constitution? They signed an international treaty, but they refuse to enforce laws to accompany that signing. Hypocritical, and consequently damaging.

Racism still exists in the West despite having some of the most advanced democracies in the world. As I see it there is no fault with Japan the country, the nation itself.

Again, I'd like to stay off the topic of the west. And, I guess we have to agree to disagree with the "no fault". You really surprise me, though. You agree there are racial/discriminatory problems here, yet you speak out of the other side of your head by saying "no fault".

I maintain that incidences like the ones people talk about here and the ones in those stories are individuals taking advantage of situations and acting out, they're isolated, it's not systemic.

Again, I totally disagree.