Have you encountered discrimination or prejudices in Japan?

[Mike Cash]

Could it be more a " language barrier " issue instead of racially-motivated business practice ? Would you've been allowed in if your answer was " YES " ?

No. The answer would have been in Japanese instead of English.

Those clubs probably hire non-English speaking local Japanese hostesses working there.

Which has nothing to do with it.
The Filipina clubs (packed with young hostesses who do speak English) generally have a "Japanese Only" policy as well.

 

[ricecake]

Is this " Japanese ONLY " business practice restricted in Tokyo metropolitan area or it's wide spread through out Japan islands ?

How about neighborhood family-owned restaurants where other NE Asians or Westerners might pop in for a quick meal,do some of these have " Japanese ONLY " sign as well ?

 

[ArmandV]

Could it be more a " language barrier " issue instead of racially-motivated business practice ? Would you've been allowed in if your answer was " YES " ?
Those clubs probably hire non-English speaking local Japanese hostesses working there.

Could be. I didn't see any signs as I did at several clubs in Sendai.

 

[ArmandV]

No. The answer would have been in Japanese instead of English.
Which has nothing to do with it.
The Filipina clubs (packed with young hostesses who do speak English) generally have a "Japanese Only" policy as well.

I was approached by a guy working for a Ueno Filipina club asking if I were interested in going in. I wasn't.

 

[Hachiro]

During the "bubble" economy I was refused entrance at Japanese clubs in a few places throughout Japan, most notable was at one place in Ginza, the MaMa there wouldn't let me even even though my (Japanese) friend was willing to spend something like 100万円 at her place that night. That was back in the day of 25万円 bottles of Old Par and １０万円 tables charges. Hell I always figured it ended up being her loss.

However since then, I would say within the last 10 years, that has never happened to me.

 

[japan*cracked]

I would recommend that anyone coming to Japan thinks about it well before taking the plunge and coming here.I mean if youve got a japanese girlfriend and you have travelled extensively then japan is heaven.Its so safe,people are friendly and there is money everywhere and everyone seems to have it.The problem is that it is a very traditional country and if you are not with somebody japanese then you might (actually WILL) feel like an outsider.Hope that helps..Anyone can make the best out of any given situation and the Japanese are top people..Really!

 

[Maciamo]

I mean if youve got a japanese girlfriend and you have travelled extensively then japan is heaven.Its so safe,people are friendly and there is money everywhere and everyone seems to have it.

I don't know where you are from, but I rarely had the impression that "there was money everywhere and everyone seems to have it" while I was in Japan. This may be true of the few rich neighbourhoods of Tokyo like Ginza and Marunouchi (indeed where most tourists go), but once you go to the suburbs, or worse, the countryside, my feeling was almost always like I was in a developing country like Thailand (Thailand is definitely the most similar I can think of), with just 10 or 20 years of economic head-start. I suppose it is especially the houses (or hovels), old and cheap-looking taxis, or run-down and poorily lit shops owned by elderly people that made me feel like that. Most of the real estate agencies, pharmacies or clothes shops in my shitamachi neighbourhood of Tokyo looked so old, cheap or run-down that I would just pass my way and look for another one, had I seen them in Europe.

I guess that is why Westerners in Japan usually stick to the "expensive" neighbourhoods of big cities (Azabu, Shirokane, Yoyogi...) and shop in places like Shinjuku, Ebisu, Roppongi Hills, Ginza or Marunouchi. Westerners rarely come to Japan to live in places like Akita or Miyazaki, unless they have to (because that is their girlfriend's hometown or because the JET programme send them there).

 

[yamada]

Is this " Japanese ONLY " business practice restricted in Tokyo metropolitan area or it's wide spread through out Japan islands ?
How about neighborhood family-owned restaurants where other NE Asians or Westerners might pop in for a quick meal,do some of these have " Japanese ONLY " sign as well ?

As for the 1st, No except in a legit sense.
As for the 2nd, I've never seen like that before.

 

[Davey]

Posts deleted, I edited the post, while I needed to delete it in the first place.

So I did now, and that made the other post irrelevant. Sorry for the mistake.. please continue with the topic

 

[The7thSamurai]

I think I was on the flight that had the videos.

 

[zeroyon]

It seems to me that the Osaka keisatsu might be more kind and accepting to foreigners than the Tokyo keisatsu are?

I had an interesting encounter with the police in Osaka with regards to my bicycle. I went to a Tsutaya with my friend and all of the paid bike parking stalls were taken, so we decided to park our bicycles out front of the store, with about 100 other bicycles. We knew that it was illegal to park there though, regardless of the amount of bicycles out front of the store, because there was a sign that said (only printed in Japanese though) that bicycle parking was not permitted there. My friend and I can read Japanese to a degree, and we knew exactly what it said, but we decided to park and go in the store anyways.

After about 30 minutes, we came out of Tsutaya with our DVD rentals, to find that the keisatsu were ticketing all the bicycles and were probably preparing to lock them all up. My friend and I thought "oh ****", and we got out our wallets and bicycle registration in preparation to pay the fine. When we approached our bicycles to read the ticket though, the keisatsukan ticketing the rest of the bicycles ran over to us and said "AAAh! Daijoubu desu!! Douzo! Douzo!", took the tickets off our bicycles, and let us free. We didn't even say a word. We just stood there with our wallets in our hands, looking dumbfounded. He probably assumed we couldn't read the no parking sign, but he assumed wrong. Booyah

About the comments on racism though, I just learned to go with the flow. It really irritated me early on when I was in Japan, and the more I became upset with the racism towards me, the more miserable I became. I found that if I didn't take it personally, and didn't make a gigantic deal out of it if it wasn't a big deal, then life was much better. Racism does suck though, but it sucks a lot less if you don't let the all the small incidents with racism bother you. Of course, the ideal situation would be for the racism in Japan to be eradicated, or at least suppressed from what it currently is. I was only in Japan for a short stint compared to other people though, and I didn't see the need to fight that long, uphill, difficult battle. I might have a different opinion if I was living in Japan for the rest of my life, but my opinion on not letting the little things bother you would probably be the same.

 

[bakaKanadajin]

I had an easy go in Japan, the only time I was refused access anywhere was to a nightclub and its because I didn't have proper ID. My alien card was in the process of being replaced.. all I had was the slip of blue paper that replaces it in the mean time. Whether they wouldn't accept it because I was a gaijin is hard to determine, but I know that even here in Toronto they won't accept fascimiles from anyone, native-born or not. I would assume that because it was a hip hop club and there are a lot of reckless vacationers looking to party and go nuts in Tokyo, the strictness of their policy was definitely justified.

A friend of mine was once greeted at an izakaya by the mama-san crossing her arms in a giant 'X' and going 'gaijin NO, gaijin NO'.

My ex had trouble getting her own apartment without a guarantor, but several other NOVA teachers did not.

It's really a case by case basis, I think on average if you display even the slightest courtesy and consideration for 'the Japanese way', whatever that amounts to at that particular time or in that particular situation, you'll find that attitudes will soften. Of course in some cases that just doesn't work but I think that's the exception not the rule.

There are some things which are sacred to Japanese culture and their way of life. For example conduct at onsens, certain eateries and establishments, certain services; things and places where you don't want to put up with someone else's learning curve. Since Canada is less then 2 centuries old I don't think we have any places worth kicking people out of, but I can understand how a culture as old as Japan's might.

 

[White Girl]

Wow! Haha... I can't vote. Isn't the one on "sexual discrimination" a bit biased? I have worked for a Japanese company, am a woman, and did not feel any sexual discrimination...so I go to check that option...there's no option! Only "I have experienced sexual discrimination" twice and then an option for "I am not a woman"! I see the poller has made up his mind

I have lots of discrimination experiences but none regarding refusing entry. I've had people refuse to even consider me for a job because I'm foreign and I have tons of bad experiences with people yelling racist epithets at me, treating me like a criminal, stereotyping me, or making my experience miserable in general. But nothing on this poll, really, perhaps because of my Japanese husband? One thing to be thankful for.

And wow at some of the posts of people defending discriminatory practices! Amazing...

 

[Mike Cash]

I can't understand your taking exception to people taking notice of and treating you differently because of your race and gender. After all, it is by those two things alone that you choose to be known to us, "White Girl".

 

[White Girl]

I can't understand your taking exception to people taking notice of and treating you differently because of your race and gender. After all, it is by those two things alone that you choose to be known to us, "White Girl".

You can't understand me being angry at people yelling racial epithets at me for no reason, because of my username? Good lord.

Actually, my name was meant to refer sarcastically to the fact that it's the most important thing in my life right now, at least to everyone I meet. I thought it was funny...maybe I have a warped sense of humour...

Actually though I could care less about race. My nephew asked me why my skin is so white, I thought it was cute. Because anyway, I AM white. So I explained to him that I am 白人 and that the "haku" in "hakujin" is the character for "white." He was like "OHHH." I love my nephew.

My problem is when people make a whole bunch of assumptions based on my race, not about seeing my race itself. I don't care if people call me white ('cuz I am). I don't even mind if people stare. Maybe I look different. Maybe I'm just so damn hot. I'm not really that sensitive.

I DON'T mind if I'm having a conversation already with someone and they ask me where I'm from, because if you're talking to me for a while it's obvious I'm not from Japan. I DO have a problem with annoying people I don't know coming up and harassing me about it or speaking in broken English to me in random places, or yelling "gaijin!" and pointing, or complaining about having a "gaijin" near them like, in the hospital, where I'm lying dying on the bed and not making a sound? And this kind of stuff happens too often for comfort.

My main problem is this: white =/= English and white=/=foreign. People need to get this through their heads, or Japan, even Tokyo, will never be "international" as they like to paste everywhere.

You guys seem to like it though, so.....well, I'm just not you.

Note though that I said nothing about people treating me differently because of gender. I was going to mark that people did NOT treat me differently because of gender and was going to put that in the poll... Anyway, I don't care much about that issue...because well, there are already lots and lots of other women in Japan, so it's not like I'm treated differently than anyone else there... I'd love to be treated more different for being a woman rather than for being white though

 

[Ewok85]

white=/=foreign

When over 98% of the population is Japanese I think thats a statement that holds true in an overwhelming majority of cases.

 

[White Girl]

When over 98% of the population is Japanese I think thats a statement that holds true in an overwhelming majority of cases.

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.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Well, your situation is your own. I have never known of people using racial epithets towards me, and I am white, too.

I've had some bad experiences based on my being a foreigner, but that pales in comparison to the number of times that it's been a non-issue.

 

[genmai]

Well, your situation is your own. I have never known of people using racial epithets towards me, and I am white, too.
I've had some bad experiences based on my being a foreigner, but that pales in comparison to the number of times that it's been a non-issue.

Classic, the 'It's never happened to me' crap. How old is this? So, if someone has an experience and reports on it, and this experience may not have happened to you, you think it's strange, or they should just 'get over it'?
I guess if I said that there are earthquakes in Japan, but you have yet to experience one, that you think there are none?

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Classic, the 'It's never happened to me' crap. How old is this? So, if someone has an experience and reports on it, and this experience may not have happened to you, you think it's strange, or they should just 'get over it'?
I guess if I said that there are earthquakes in Japan, but you have yet to experience one, that you think there are none?

Hello, Genmai, and welcome to the forum!

I am not trying to say that it doesn't happen. What I am saying is that if you take an honest look at the way that everyone around you treats you, you will often find that the majority of the time, people do not act racist.

The times when they do stand out, to be certain, and they are easy to remember, but they are the minority of experiences, not the majority.

 

[genmai]

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.

Sweet, White Girl, love the user name. Keep rockin' it.
You're exactly right, many foreigners here in Japan justify most of this sometimes racist and bizarre Japanese behavior. It is sucking up to the nth degree. They always try to give excuses as to why Japanese act a certain way. ...Oh, mabye they didn't hear you, Oh, maybe they don't speak English, Oh, maybe they were just being polite, Oh, maybe it's how you said it, Oh, maybe they don't understand 'gaijin', Oh, maybe they are shy or embarrassed or...whatever. Who cares, it's just tiring.
Some 'gaijin' want to fit in so badly, they turn into conformist robots.
Little do they know that they will never be Japanese nor never 'fit' in.

Of course there are cool, friendly Japanese, which are a joy to talk to.
I have even used some advise from this forumn, which has worked.
Finding these cool Japanese is rare, yet makes living here a pleasure at times.

 

[genmai]

Hello, Genmai, and welcome to the forum!
I am not trying to say that it doesn't happen. What I am saying is that if you take an honest look at the way that everyone around you treats you, you will often find that the majority of the time, people do not act racist.
The times when they do stand out, to be certain, and they are easy to remember, but they are the minority of experiences, not the majority.

Thanks for your welcome.
I have experienced racism all my life, so I know what it looks like. An honest look at the way that everyone treats me? Uh, Yes of course. Come on, you have to be blind or sucking up the Japanese to believe otherwise. Don't be blind, open your eyes and deal w/ what we are saying. Please don't try to cover it up, turn the other cheek, or walk the other way. How many examples do you need? (on the train, in the super, walking on the street, police stopping bikers, store staff interactions, staring, gestures, avoiding, silence, rudeness, oddness....come on.
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.

 

[White Girl]

Sweet, White Girl, love the user name. Keep rockin' it.
You're exactly right, many foreigners here in Japan justify most of this sometimes racist and bizarre Japanese behavior. It is sucking up to the nth degree. They always try to give excuses as to why Japanese act a certain way. ...Oh, mabye they didn't hear you, Oh, maybe they don't speak English, Oh, maybe they were just being polite, Oh, maybe it's how you said it, Oh, maybe they don't understand 'gaijin', Oh, maybe they are shy or embarrassed or...whatever. Who cares, it's just tiring.
Some 'gaijin' want to fit in so badly, they turn into conformist robots.
Little do they know that they will never be Japanese nor never 'fit' in.
Of course there are cool, friendly Japanese, which are a joy to talk to.
I have even used some advise from this forumn, which has worked.
Finding these cool Japanese is rare, yet makes living here a pleasure at times.

I very much agree with you^^

I am quite happy with the life I've built around myself but I am not going to pretend that there are not issues that are definitely there. For me, it's much easier to acknowledge them so I am not floored when such things happen. Japanese people often want me to tell them Japan is perfect, but I will not do such. I have found some great friends that I can talk very openly with, and the subject hardly ever comes up, but when it does, I can be honest. I think we are a lot closer than if I felt I had to suck up to them. I think honesty with others and yourself is the best policy.

 

[pipokun]

Japanese people often want me to tell them Japan is perfect

I wish I would see them...

 

[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.