Change Japan for a Nondiscriminatory Society

[Glenzki]

Dan Venz' Book

Mr. Venz has admitted on GaijinPot that his Phd was a lie. It can be assumed that most of the research for his book was also fabricated. He did raise some important issues which should be discussed further.

It was good to see the Korean man working for Sekisui House being supported by his company over derogoratory comments made to an employee by a customer. Times are changing.

I was also impressed by the Japanese to boo that Kameda boxer for winning that World Title fight. I hope the boos weren't misdirected at the Korean judge. People assuming he was paid off.

 

[John Mercy Q]

Some countries have "practical discrimination tests", in order to prove that an establishment discriminated against people of a non native ethnic group. If someone feels discriminated somewhere, they can request the local authorities to send a "mystery shopper" of the same ethnic group as the plaintiff trying to gain access to the establishment. If this person is refused entry, they repeat the operation with 2 more people, and if they are constantly refused entry for no good reason, the establishment can be accused of unfair discrimination. Would such a system work in Japan ? Is there a political will to do so ?

 

[Mrjones]

I find it silly that Japanese put so much weight for their homogenity. Like that would be worthy excuse for discriminatory. In Finland we at least have law against racism to protect our 4 promil foreign citizens.

Population

 

[E. Yamazaki]

I'm doing a research project on racism and discrimination in Japan. How do you think racism towards the Ainu and Okinawans compares to the racism against 3rd and 4th generation Koreans, buraku, and other minority groups?

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

I wonder how many "acculturated foreigners" have voted on this poll...

 

[KirinMan]

I wonder how many "acculturated foreigners" have voted on this poll...

Since you asked this could you answer a question for me please?

What qualifies a foreigner as being acculturated?

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Since you asked this could you answer a question for me please?
What qualifies a foreigner as being acculturated?

Good question! And it highlights exactly why I don't like these polls in the first place: they are way too vague with far too much room for interpretation.

 

[KirinMan]

Good question! And it highlights exactly why I don't like these polls in the first place: they are way too vague with far too much room for interpretation.

It seems to me at least that some of the polls that are popular here have a tendency to focus on the negatives more than the positives, that is not a comment against them, just an observation about the content that members here seem to choose more often.

And yes I agree with you that they leave quite a bit of room open for interpretation by everyone.

I hope that someday I finally get through the acculturation process here in Japan and can eventually tell everyone here that I am acculturational foreigner living in Japan that became acculturated through drinking awamori in Okinawa ! :gulp:

Try and say THIS 10 times fast acculturation, accuturational, acculturated Whew!

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

It seems to me at least that some of the polls that are popular here have a tendency to focus on the negatives more than the positives, that is not a comment against them, just an observation about the content that members here seem to choose more often.

I think people just like to complain. It's easier to do than to say something positive a lot of the time.

I hope that someday I finally get through the acculturation process here in Japan and can eventually tell everyone here that I am acculturational foreigner living in Japan that became acculturated through drinking awamori in Okinawa! :gulp:
Try and say THIS 10 times fast acculturation, accuturational, acculturated Whew!

It's all relative, man.

To be on topic, I think that Japanese people will treat you the way you asked to be treated by your actions and what you speak. If you act like a dumb foreigner, that's the way you'll be treated. If you can make jokes with them in Japanese that are actually funny, they will laugh and make jokes back. If you respond in a "Japanese" manner to people, they will do the same to you.

Of course there are exceptions to this, and I have encountered such exceptions, but I think that people should take a good hard look at themselves before pointing their fingers at other people and start calling them discriminatory. Most people deserve the treatment they get in Japan, be it good or bad, IMHO.

 

[KirinMan]

Of course there are exceptions to this, and I have encountered such exceptions, but I think that people should take a good hard look at themselves before pointing their fingers at other people and start calling them discriminatory. Most people deserve the treatment they get in Japan, be it good or bad, IMHO.

Me too, and I agree. I also think that works for other countries besides Japan as well. Probably a very good thing for people to think about when they visit anywhere abroad not just Japan.

It's all relative, man.

I know, lifes too short to continually harp on the negatives, no matter where one chooses to live their life.

 

[gaijinalways]

Mikawa Ossan posted

Most people deserve the treatment they get in Japan, be it good or bad, IMHO.

Not making a generalization here, are you?

So I guess some deserve better than others.

 

[KirinMan]

Mikawa Ossan posted
Not making a generalization here, are you?

I'm sorry but I dont see how Mikawa Ossan's comment could be mistaken as being a generalization, would you mind explaining how you see it as such in more detail please.

So I guess some deserve better than others.kashii

I think the point he was trying to make is that people get treated in response to how they treat others.

Part of the problem is that some foreigners here in Japan "think" they are treating Japanese the same as they treat people from their own countries, hence everything is ok in their actions.

BUT they fail to remember or realize that they are living in a foreign country and should at least make an attempt to adjust to the culture here. Instead of expecting the people or society to adjust to them.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

We meet again! How've you been?

Mikawa Ossan posted
Not making a generalization here, are you?

A generalization? I don't know, perhaps. But I truly believe that people get treated in a certain way for a reason, and more often than not that reason resides in the self. There's a proverb in Japanese that I'm sure you know: it's darkest at the base of the lighthouse. In other words, the closer one is to the middle of a situation, the less they can see it objectively.

So I guess some deserve better than others.

People deserve treatment based on their own actions and words, and I think that's exactly what most people get.