Why is it weird for a Japanese person to walk with a black person?

[Shooter452]

I am reluctant to dip my oar in this one. I do not know the Japanese so well that I should put my opinions over their motives. But, if we are to discuss this with serious intent, I must postulate the following:

We do not know the thoughts of millions of Japanese. If they have negative opinions of black Americans (just black Americans? Maybe black Africans too, black South Americans? All blacks, everywhere?) is it possible that those opinions are influenced by the opinions of white Americans? Japan was occupied by the USA for over twenty years and the US presence dominated every facet of Japanese life. Is it just possible that they learned this behavior from us (assuming that this is true at all).

If they resent Black Americans, is it possible that this resentment is the result of the bad conduct of Black Americans? Just because a generalization is what it is there is no reason to assume that it is by definition incorrect. Some of the nastiest and most blatantly bigoted opinions are based in factual evidence. But they seldom (never?) apply all of the time.

Anything prejudiced that is learned can also be unlearned. But, what it cannot be is undone instantly. These things take time, and effort from those who are suffer from that generalization. Just because it is not generally applicable does not mean that it is never applicable. Change that which others find offensive within you. No more can be done.

I did not make it this way....

Ita erat quando hic adveni

 

[llanarth]

They stare at white people too! In fact it doesn't matter what colour you are. If you're a different colour many people (but don't all) are likely to stare.

It's easy to feel negative about this but don't

It's not always hostile, just Japanese aren't used to seeing different colours. I don't know if it's a city you live in but when I taught in Japan I got stared at all the time. Develop a sense of humour. A big one. It cuts through the ice

 

[J44xm]

That's one thing that we have to keep in mind, that Japan is a much more homogenous country than America and many other countries are. Here in America, I see people of different backgrounds and cultures so often that I'm accustomed to it to the point of not consciously noticing. That's one thing I'll miss if I move to Japan. (Heck, once I've been there for a while, I might stare if I see a non-Japanese person!)

 

[Damicci]

Give them a big V with a grin! O'course i'll have to see being a 6'4" African Merican Male who is dead sexy. wow i guess i'll just get a pen ready for autographs. lol

 

[NagoyaIan]

People stare at me a lot here. But when I started dating Minako, they stared even more! Funniest thing was when we were looking after her niece, all the Japanese we passed were looking in the pram to see what the baby looked like, as they thought it was ours! Very amusing.

Fact is, it happens all the time. You just get used to it. Accept it, as it won't change anytime soon.

 

[Harvey]

This commercial is from Thailand, not Japan.

Still though, gives you an extreme glimpse at some of the Asian perception of blacks.

Japannewbie.com

This is a commercial that is on the air even today!

 

[longtailedmonkey]

aaaaaaaaa, it's free attention, anyway, I agree with some, maybe they were hoping to talk to the Japanese person. Or if they really are staring cause you're black, you're not ashamed of being black, so don't fret. There are people who get more than glares for talking in their free will.

Or maybe you're just not the type that's comfortable with attention. Hmm, well, maybe you should just think about your life, your sightseeing, your understanding of culture and how you help the old lady next door, how you save a kitten, how you eat, how your life is. Then, you might be able to get rid of the staring phobia, I mean, stared-at phobia.

 

[irish-j-rock-fan]

weird for a Japanese person to walk with a black person what the ..
i dont find anything wrong with it myself but like once it was weird for any one that was diffrent colour to one another thought it was werid but now days some people are still like that they just wont stop livein in the past.

 

[Davey]

lol, where did this thread come from

 

[ghettocities]

Japanese girls don't seem to mind it with me and I'm pretty tan.


Josh

 

[Damicci]

Back from the dead and with experience. For the most part I think it has to do more with curiosity than anything. Most people seemed curious than spiteful. Also depending on your look, many may mistake for someone else. Not often you get 2 school buses full of kids steppin gover each other to wave at you. heheheh

I used to think negative about it myself but I enjoy freaking people out when I smiled at them and they shy away. Or greet a staring Japanese person with wave and subtle "こんにちは"。

 

[Rememo]

"Now, Mr C Ape. would you want to stop that?"
If I saw a man with spiked hair, I too would likely be enticed to touch, or atleast marvel. Either way, I'd be more at ease in Japan, mainly because I wouldn't be as unhappy there as I am here.
"So he hates any caucasians but he isn't a 'full blood' Japanese? Self loathing?"
You know, I never said the other half. For all you know I could be 50 % Japanese, 50 % Indian. If you must know, I'm 50 % Japanese, 25 % Greek, 20% Caucasian, 5% Egyptian. I don't care if it's self-loathing or not. I will unabashedly say that I highly DISLIKE Caucasians.
"Cyber ape: what, what did i do? O__o"
Nothing?
"Here he shows taht he deosn't even know what a Japanese futon is."
So? I didn't know of Doraemon until August...
"Japan didn't did they?"
'Fraid so. Konami is a Japanese company.
"sigh* yet he seems very much to be one himself."
I'm a foreigner?
"Plus why is continuously referring to himself or other Japanese as Japs? Somethings not right with the ape."
I apologize if I don't believe in the racial ephitet. Firstly because it is the associative term used by the majority of my friends, mainly to infringe on the fact that it is often misconstrued as a racial comment, but also because, you wouldn't say ,"I am a Japanese." You say "I am Japanese" or "I am a Jap."

The funny thing I see here is that you'd probably be the first person to whine if someone came on this forum and said they didn't like Japanese people. Really, if you have an attitude like that I think you're on the wrong forum. =/

 

[TOKYO64]

Yeah I got more looks in Hawaii when I walked down the street with Japanese than I did in Japan. But I think they are just curious and when you live in a country where 98% of the people are the same race, you notice different races right away.

 

[taehyun]

I have seen many such couples around me and it looks like they are accepted just like any other interracial couple.
I had very bad experience once, however, with one Japanese man, who wanted me to introduce him to a foreign girl, but he didn't wanted "black girl". I decided to be a...female dog...and told him that I know only black girls, but this strange creature didn't get the hint and kept saying:"It can't be!Don't you really, really know any other woman from your country?!".Moral: There are ignorant and strange people everywhere, somewhere more, somewhere less of them.

 

[TOKYO64]

In all my years in Japan I've never seen a Japanese man with a Black woman! I think the Japanese man may feel intimidated by Black women because there isn't enough media on Black women in Japan, it is almost like they don't even exist. Keep in mind that Japanese society cannot function without knowing something about a group of people. They have been exposed to Black men, white men and white women for years, but their exposure to Black women is very rare.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

I can honestly only think of one black woman that I've ever seen here. I can black men very easily just by going to Nagoya, but even there I don't think I've ever seen a black woman. Nor in Tokyo or Osaka or Hiroshima or Fukuoka or...

 

[TOKYO64]

That's because most black women in Japan are in the military and are usually involved in a relationship so if you see them you'll see them with a non-japanese man.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

That's because most black women in Japan are in the military and are usually involved in a relationship so if you see them you'll see them with a non-japanese man.

I think you misunderstand me. I have only seen one black woman in Japan, period. I'm sure there is a sizeable population, but I have only actually seen one of them. If I saw a black woman tomorrow, that would double the number of black women that I have seen in Japan.

 

[TOKYO64]

I think you misunderstand me. I have only seen one black woman in Japan, period. I'm sure there is a sizeable population, but I have only actually seen one of them. If I saw a black woman tomorrow, that would double the number of black women that I have seen in Japan.

I understand. I was just giving you a reason why you have only seen one black woman. When I was teaching in Osaka, I only saw one black woman too!

 

[taehyun]

Japanese really don't meet many black women ,especially in smaller cities, but I see every day in the local CD shop, or in Geo and Tsutaya posters with Beyonce and other beautiful black women, and , maybe it is my impression only, but some Japanese female stars even try to imitate their style (even the makeup). I can think of Utada Hikaru some years ago, I'm not much into pop-music.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

OK, gotcha!

But seriously, where are they, though? They have to go out to town now and then, don't they? I've never thought about it much before now, but it does seem strange to be able to actually see so few black women here...I mean, I've met more people from Saudi Arabia than I have black women of all nationalities combined!

 

[TOKYO64]

Yeah I've seen those kinds of stars in Japan.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

Japanese really don't meet many black women ,especially in smaller cities, but I see every day in the local CD shop, or in Geo and Tsutaya posters with Beyonce and other beautiful black women, and , maybe it is my impression only, but some Japanese female stars even try to imitate their style (even the makeup). I can think of Utada Hikaru some years ago, I'm not much into pop-music.

I agree with you 100% on this one!

 

[TOKYO64]

OK, gotcha!
But seriously, where are they, though? They have to go out to town now and then, don't they? I've never thought about it much before now, but it does seem strange to be able to actually see so few black women here...I mean, I've met more people from Saudi Arabia than I have black women of all nationalities combined!

They are around the bases. I saw many in Okinawa when I was stationed there. But once you get away from the bases you will not see them. Many black women find Japan an uncomfortable place for them and they tend to migrate to Europe instead becasue they feel very comfortable there. European men love black women, just like the women in Europe love Black men. Black women are the type of woman that must feel in control of her environment, otherwise she won't be there. There are many cases where the Black wives of servicemen stationed in Japan return home never to come back or they stay with their husband but spend their time waiting for the next trip home. Then once they get home they try to find an excuse not to return.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

They are around the bases. I saw many in Okinawa when I was stationed there. But once you get away from the bases you will not see them. Many black women find Japan an uncomfortable place for them and they tend to migrate to Europe instead becasue they feel very comfortable there. European men love black women, just like the women in Europe love Black men. Black women are the type of woman that must feel in control of her environment, otherwise she won't be there. There are many cases where the Black wives of servicemen stationed in Japan return home never to come back or they stay with their husband but spend their time waiting for the next trip home. Then once they get home they try to find an excuse not to return.

Interesting....
But why do you never see black women doing the Eikaiwa circuit? Just regular people who are coming to Japan for the first time. Do you know what I mean? People who have really no idea to expect from Japan but come for the experience or whatever like you see so many white people do?