Have you encountered discrimination or prejudices in Japan?

[Reyter]

Whoa... didn't know Japan was so racist and open about it, and yet, not one tourist brochure or a travel magazine covered it in their article. Interesting.

Hej Absynthia
I don't think it is so racist. There is certainly an element of that but not sure if it is just a few insecure idiots or a broader tendency just below the surface of everyday society. I remember being told by this guy who was at some kind of "discussion" about why relations between Chinese and Japanese are so bad. I was told that one guy who was actually a professor at quite a high level university actually said "We think it is kind of special to be Japanese." but from what I have seen, I believe this guy to be just a fool and not at all typical.

The police are a different story! Problem for them is once upon a time they could simply arrest anyone with different color skin, who wasn't willing to be a lackey of the fascists and other capitalists and etc, (Earlier on this thread there were some people praising Japanese fascists as "being very well behaved" but that is another story.) now they are impotent and only able to get in one's face if one doesn't know his or her rights.

Sorry for being totally off-topic but I want to tell Dave; you seem to have a great collection of great illustrated remarks!

Please don't encourage him. He will never find a job or have any money if he sits around all day trawling through discussion boards, editing stupid little images to use on them.

 

[akaitsume1]

Hej Absynthia
I don't think it is so racist. There is certainly an element of that but not sure if it is just a few insecure idiots or a broader tendency just below the surface of everyday society. I remember being told by this guy who was at some kind of "discussion" about why relations between Chinese and Japanese are so bad. I was told that one guy who was actually a professor at quite a high level university actually said "We think it is kind of special to be Japanese." but from what I have seen, I believe this guy to be just a fool and not at all typical.
The police are a different story! Problem for them is once upon a time they could simply arrest anyone with different color skin, who wasn't willing to be a lackey of the fascists and other capitalists and etc, (Earlier on this thread there were some people praising Japanese fascists as "being very well behaved" but that is another story.) now they are impotent and only able to get in one's face if one doesn't know his or her rights.


Please don't encourage him. He will never find a job or have any money if he sits around all day trawling through discussion boards, editing stupid little images to use on them.

Honestly, I have to assume that the only reason you keep getting pulled over by the police is that, given your opinion of them, you're probably glaring at them or deliberately avoiding eye-contact, which is viewable as suspicious behavior. Not only have I never been stopped by the police, but I've had to ask them for help and directions countless times, and they've typically fallen all over themselves to help me (same goes for other Japanese people, who always seem to know the second I'm in trouble and miraculously appear to assist), and nowhere in the proceedings did they ask to see any id. I think it's odd that they'd bother to stop you anyway, since if you were a tourist, you certainly wouldn't walk around with your passport and probably wouldn't understand Japanese. I can't help but feel that you're drawing them to you to be having this much trouble.

For the people who haven't come here yet, please don't take the contents of this thread too seriously. The vast majority of experiences here in Japan with its people are great. Why else would so many want to come here? Hahaha. This is my third time, and I've fallen more in love with Japan each time.

 

[Axelle]

Even though you said it's not much of true...I wonder why all the bad experiences of other people...what causes the suspicion towards non-Japanese people?

 

[akaitsume1]

Even though you said it's not much of true...I wonder why all the bad experiences of other people...what causes the suspicion towards non-Japanese people?

You can have bad experiences anywhere, it just depends on whether or not you decide to concentrate on them. In this thread in particular, people are primarily sharing their worst experiences, even if it might be one event out of months or years of living here. I'm just afraid of people reading all this and thinking that these experiences are the norm instead of the rarer events that they actually are.

The suspicion is simple: Japan is a highly homogenized society that spent over 200 years (leading up to 1853, or pretty much the modern era) closed to outside influences. They know what to expect from each other, but when you live in a country where you rarely get to speak or interact with people from other countries (unless you live in a big city, and even then, you might just pass them on the street), it's somewhat understandable that they are a little more uncertain, a little less sure of what foreigners will do. I'm not excusing it, because I've been on the irritating end of this uncertainty before, but I think I can understand why it's there.

On the whole, however, Japanese people are highly conscious of their international image, and most would much rather give foreigners a good impression of their country than a bad one. It's not their only motive in being kind and helpful towards us, but it is one.

 

[Chidoriashi]

Honestly, I have to assume that the only reason you keep getting pulled over by the police is that, given your opinion of them, you're probably glaring at them or deliberately avoiding eye-contact, which is viewable as suspicious behavior. Not only have I never been stopped by the police, but I've had to ask them for help and directions countless times, and they've typically fallen all over themselves to help me (same goes for other Japanese people, who always seem to know the second I'm in trouble and miraculously appear to assist), and nowhere in the proceedings did they ask to see any id. I think it's odd that they'd bother to stop you anyway, since if you were a tourist, you certainly wouldn't walk around with your passport and probably wouldn't understand Japanese. I can't help but feel that you're drawing them to you to be having this much trouble.
For the people who haven't come here yet, please don't take the contents of this thread too seriously. The vast majority of experiences here in Japan with its people are great. Why else would so many want to come here? Hahaha. This is my third time, and I've fallen more in love with Japan each time.

I'm just gonna stop you right now, and say that we have tried talking sense into him, showing him where his assumptions are wrong, suggested to him that maybe.. just maybe its him that is the problem, but it is just pointless trying. I would have been sure he would have moved to China by now since the police here make his poor little life such a living hell, but no such luck I guess.

Shall I take you to school one more time Reyter? I do not care what happened between you and the cops. Consider yourself lucky. I have already explained to you what the law says in Japanese, but since your Japanese is not good enough that is never going to convince you of anything. So let me remind you one more time in your lord and savior's own words:

"In any case, although we cannot refuse to show our ID if the cops really know the law,"

At the bottom under "conclusions".
www.debito.org: What to do if the Japanese Police arbitrarily stop you for a Gaijin Card Check PT 2

So, even though Debito urges your to raise a stink. The cops are still perfectly within the bounds of the law to ask you for your ID just for being a foreigner.

But, it does not matter. You are gonna do what you are gonna do so you go get'em Reyter... yii hah!!

 

[Reyter]

Honestly, I have to assume that the only reason you keep getting pulled over by the police is that, given your opinion of them, you're probably glaring at them or deliberately avoiding eye-contact, which is viewable as suspicious behavior. Not only have I never been stopped by the police, but I've had to ask them for help and directions countless times, and they've typically fallen all over themselves to help me (same goes for other Japanese people, who always seem to know the second I'm in trouble and miraculously appear to assist), and nowhere in the proceedings did they ask to see any id. I think it's odd that they'd bother to stop you anyway, since if you were a tourist, you certainly wouldn't walk around with your passport and probably wouldn't understand Japanese. I can't help but feel that you're drawing them to you to be having this much trouble.
For the people who haven't come here yet, please don't take the contents of this thread too seriously. The vast majority of experiences here in Japan with its people are great. Why else would so many want to come here? Hahaha. This is my third time, and I've fallen more in love with Japan each time.

So what you are basically saying is "If anyone says their experience is different from my own it must be fiction."
You can go to Debitos website where he recorded an exchange with a little policeman. The phrase the policeman used was "Are you some kind of half breed?" when Debito said he was Japanese. You can also see all the people writing about their experiences with police here. Specifically, being singled out for I.D. checks and questioning due only to the color of their skin. And why else would he go to the trouble of translating and uploading such a document as I provided a link to a little earlier?
There are probably several other sites too but unlike poor "Frustrated Dave", I don't have time to seek out such sites and even if I did, I would have better things to do. For every one such experience recorded, there are certainly 100 or so unrecorded.

 

[Reyter]

Even though you said it's not much of true...I wonder why all the bad experiences of other people...what causes the suspicion towards non-Japanese people?

Again, I am only talking about the police here. Japan, like anywhere else has good and bad. The police here are certainly worse than those in other countries. I think they are basically frustrated fascists but as Japan is surrounded by China, USA and your Slavic friends who aren't fond of fascists, what else can they do but harass unsuspecting foreigners?

I would prefer to drink with Slavs but still, most Japanese people are very decent in my opinion. Given the police, I only worry about how much is lip service in everyday dealings with normal workers but that is just conjecture.

 

[Axelle]

so...it is mainly police who is rude to foreigners? Police in my country doesn't have a good reputation either...but because their behaviour to citizens -.-

 

[Reyter]

so...it is mainly police who is rude to foreigners? Police in my country doesn't have a good reputation either...but because their behaviour to citizens -.-

That is generally the case. Sometimes I think how unfortunate it is that your Slavic friends didn't give them all a "holiday" in northern Siberia like they did with European fascists...........

 

[akaitsume1]

I'm just gonna stop you right now, and say that we have tried talking sense into him, showing him where his assumptions are wrong, suggested to him that maybe.. just maybe its him that is the problem, but it is just pointless trying. I would have been sure he would have moved to China by now since the police here make his poor little life such a living hell, but no such luck I guess.

*Sigh* I do see what you mean. You can't talk to someone who gets so violently defensive whenever you try to suggest that there may be other points of view/reasons for the same problem. I don't appreciate having my throat jumped down for pointing out that my experiences, as well as the experiences of everyone else I know (most of whom have been living here from 5-15 years) are different from his own and wondering why that might be the case. Oh well. Maybe he'll leave.

 

[Reyter]

*Sigh* I do see what you mean. You can't talk to someone who gets so violently defensive whenever you try to suggest that there may be other points of view/reasons for the same problem. I don't appreciate having my throat jumped down for pointing out that my experiences, as well as the experiences of everyone else I know (most of whom have been living here from 5-15 years) are different from his own and wondering why that might be the case. Oh well. Maybe he'll leave.

Hmmmmm why do you reply to me but quote this other person?

I didn't "jump down your throat", I only pointed out that you suggested because my experience doesn't correspond with your own, I was making it up. I then saw the need to to back up my basic position with facts. You could do the same....if you can.

 

[akaitsume1]

Hmmmmm why do you reply to me but quote this other person?
I didn't "jump down your throat", I only pointed out that you suggested because my experience doesn't correspond with your own, I was making it up. I then saw the need to back up my basic position with facts. You could do the same....if you can.

I didn't make any such suggestion. I said that I wondered if you weren't doing something, perhaps unintentionally, that was causing the police to single you out time and time again. The reason I wonder about that is that these things seem to happen a lot to you, whereas to me or any of the other foreigners I know, it either happens rarely or not at all. My question, therefore, was why you? Why does it only happen to you? You're the one inferring that you may have made it up, which I find interesting.

You'll also notice that I'm not saying that it doesn't happen. I'm just trying to emphasize the fact that these kinds of negative reactions towards foreigners don't happen every day to every foreigner, which is the impression from this thread (*not* from you in particular, since I apparently have to clarify) that people who haven't gone to Japan might get. You even said yourself that you don't have issues with the whole country, just this part of it. I'm trying to highlight more of the good than the bad.

I replied to someone else because your rather antagonistic reaction (although I'm aware that you don't see it that way; based on your previous posts, you never seem to realize when you come across as antagonistic or defensive) to a rather harmless statement tired me, and I didn't want to deal with more of the same. Since you responded anyway, well, 仕方がない。 I was expecting a reply of "I didn't look at them funny" or "I wasn't avoiding eye contact" or something along the lines of a discussion, not a bizarre accusation that I consider all experiences besides my own to be fantasy. I don't know anyone who thinks that way. Do you? :?

 

[FrustratedDave]

Hmmmmm why do you reply to me but quote this other person?
I didn't "jump down your throat", I only pointed out that you suggested because my experience doesn't correspond with your own, I was making it up. I then saw the need to to back up my basic position with facts. You could do the same....if you can.

Reyter, do everyone a favour here and for the people around you, go back to whatever country you came from. You have been living here what , maybe a year and you still have to ride a bike to work? LOL. Don't forget your helmet.LOL
That verbal diarrhea of yours smells pretty bad.

I don't know anyone who thinks that way. Do you? :?

Don't worry, with Reyter, he is a beer short of a six pack. I still think that gorilla lady did a wonderful job teaching him how to type.

 

[Flyingdot]

interesting poll

 

[Reyter]

I didn't make any such suggestion. I said that I wondered if you weren't doing something, perhaps unintentionally, that was causing the police to single you out time and time again. The reason I wonder about that is that these things seem to happen a lot to you, whereas to me or any of the other foreigners I know, it either happens rarely or not at all. My question, therefore, was why you? Why does it only happen to you? You're the one inferring that you may have made it up, which I find interesting.
You'll also notice that I'm not saying that it doesn't happen. I'm just trying to emphasize the fact that these kinds of negative reactions towards foreigners don't happen every day to every foreigner, which is the impression from this thread (*not* from you in particular, since I apparently have to clarify) that people who haven't gone to Japan might get. You even said yourself that you don't have issues with the whole country, just this part of it. I'm trying to highlight more of the good than the bad.
I replied to someone else because your rather antagonistic reaction (although I'm aware that you don't see it that way; based on your previous posts, you never seem to realize when you come across as antagonistic or defensive) to a rather harmless statement tired me, and I didn't want to deal with more of the same. Since you responded anyway, well, ﾅｽd窶｢ﾃｻ窶堋ｪ窶堙遺?堋｢ﾂ。 I was expecting a reply of "I didn't look at them funny" or "I wasn't avoiding eye contact" or something along the lines of a discussion, not a bizarre accusation that I consider all experiences beside my own to be fantasy. I don't know anyone who thinks that way. Do you? :?

Well again, I hate to point it out but that is absolute nonsense! Firstly, if you had read through my issues with the pigs, I don't need to answer your question and if you haven't, it is even more nonsensical. I know you aren't saying it doesn't happen because everyone knows it does happen. I don't know any foreigners who have been here any significant amount of time and haven't been hassled by the pigs due to the color of their skin. The evidence of this is on this site, on this very thread and I'm sure many other sites.

And BTW since when would avoiding eye contact with police constitute "suspicious behavior"?

Reyter, do everyone a favour here and for the people around you, go back to whatever country you came from. You have been living here what , maybe a year and you still have to ride a bike to work? LOL. Don't forget your helmet.LOL
That verbal diarrhea of yours smells pretty bad.

Can't you still find a job???? How long has it been now?

 

[FrustratedDave]

Can't you still find a job???? How long has it been now?

I am not sure if you consider someone owning a business that employs close to 200 Japanese people someone who is unemployed. On second thoughts, who knows what idiotic thoughts you would have , so I would not put it past you to think that...

 

[akaitsume1]

I am not sure if you consider someone owning a business that employs close to 200 Japanese people someone who is unemployed. On second thoughts, who knows what idiotic thoughts you would have , so I would not put it past you to think that...

Cool, what kind of business do you run? Did you have any trouble becoming an entrepreneur here? I know another man who started a business in Japan, and he's doing quite well at it, despite having gotten some very odd looks from his family-in-law at the start, haha.

 

[Reyter]

Cool, what kind of business do you run? Did you have any trouble becoming an entrepreneur here? I know another man who started a business in Japan, and he's doing quite well at it, despite having gotten some very odd looks from his family-in-law at the start, haha.

Please don't encourage him. We are still hoping he can find a job. Perhaps he could join the Japanese police! I'm quite sure even he would be able to get passed the IQ screening. I mean, lets be frank. At least the vast majority of the ****-kickers wearing uniforms who go around getting in foreigners faces because they have different color skin are absolute idiots!

 

[Chidoriashi]

Cool, what kind of business do you run? Did you have any trouble becoming an entrepreneur here? I know another man who started a business in Japan, and he's doing quite well at it, despite having gotten some very odd looks from his family-in-law at the start, haha.

Whatever he does, I am sure it is a far greater contribution to Japanese society, than good ol' Reyter here whining and screaming like a little b*tch about problems that he creates for himself by being a total d*uche bag to everyone.

 

[Axelle]

Reyter...you really don't like Japanese police, do you? xD

 

[Reyter]

Reyter...you really don't like Japanese police, do you? xD

No, I don't and of all the foreigners I know here (a lot), everyone hates them because they are frustrated fascists, terrified of your Slavic friends and thus, strongly inclined to harass unsuspecting foreigners due to the color of their skin. If you look through this thread, all the experiences with them which I have related here are 100% true.

So you tell me, what would you think after such experiences?

I certainly bore no ill will toward them when I first entered the country.

 

[Axelle]

I think this happens everywhere...what do you mean by "slavic friends?"

 

[Reyter]

I think this happens everywhere...what do you mean by "slavic friends?"

You think the things I have related to here in regard to the police happen everywhere??? Like where for example? Surely not in Slavic lands? It may happen to the north of you with the Turks and etc, though I am not sure about that, and those Turks have every reason to be highly dissatisfied.

On the subject, looks like your other anti-fascist Slavic friends are going to put one over the Wessies in the football. I am happy. It should be them and Germany to go through. I like Slavic lands very much but when one has a job, a GF, and etc it isn't so easy or smart to just leave. Apart from the police, Japan is a pretty nice place.

 

[Iron Chef]

I've had bad experiences before where I was singled out (through no fault of my own) except for being in the wrong time and at the wrong place. I have also had some pretty great experiences with Japanese police who went out of their way to see the right thing done on my behalf. No point in being all bitter and disgruntled over mistreatment... it happens everywhere, regardless of where one lives for any number of reasons. Worst case scenario, I was inconvenienced for a few hours tops. If nothing else it gave me a few good stories to share with my friends. Why take it to heart and let it simmer bitterly? Take the good with the bad and just roll with it... When the time comes for me to leave Japan for good, I certainly won't dwell on the few bad experiences I have had.

 

[Axelle]

I still don't get you Reyter...try sometimes to write everything clearly...

Discrimination is everywhere...in my country is quite strong though it's not so bad as in other countries.