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Racism In Japan?

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I grew-up abroad in Japanese Communities which are like China Towns but Japanese versions. You have Indian ethnicity. But for those with Japanese ethnicity, we somehow share a like view as of the Jew in the sense of economically prosperic group, nothing religious on the Japanese side. The thing is, because my family was economically well positioned, not just my house but every house of my relatives; I shared before that my grandparents were murdered for their money, I also had uncles beaten in the face to the point that now you cant recognise their facial structure, of course you know that the nose is somewhere in the middle/center of a face...but you cant see it so. All that because my uncles refused to pay "extra neighbour security taxes". Western laws, police officers, judge trials...all that didnt exist for my family. That's why the reality that you people may present is distorted to the view of the minority. And it sucks to be bullshited with that on an on even nowadays.

In the western world you can have all the "laws" you want, but those "supposed" to enforce it are always absent, so the arguments that you bring dont mean anything to me nor did to my family. I read the news often and Im awared that American police officers are untrusted by minorities and that the local authorities are interested in making all cops to wear cameras...that speaks a lot of how bad behavior your cops have to the point that the law in the west is nothing but a joke. In another previous message you commented that America has gone a longway since the days of nigger discrimination while taking a bus. The problem for minorities is that excuses like: "that was a long time ago" don't cover it. Minorities will not be looking at the time that has passed but the countless lives that were taken by the White People.

I dont think the Indians have the same reputation than the Japanese or Jews about money, so its logic for me that you dont have the same experienes that I had.
 
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I can't begin to respond to all of Golden Dalton's twisted views. As an African-American who's lived in Japan off and on for many years....I can say that I feel much more comfortable living here than in the US where there seems to be a cop on every corner. To tell the truth...because of (I assume) my profession...and the characteristics I exhibit due to having attended one of the premier universities...I've not personally experienced a lot of the indignities my brethren have had to deal with...but once again...because of that education, I'm not blind to the structural racism that exists in my homeland. Racism at home is REAL...if shooting unarmed and helpless people caught on film doesn't do the trick then one can only bite one's tongue and see that words to that person will not change a damned thing. I should tell Mr. Dalton, that like most African-Americans I have a relatively large percentage of Native American blood as well. I can't say I know much about the Kiowas....but (not to go into a history lesson here) racism is not the exclusive province of whites and blacks. It saddens me to see these rants about reverse racism on this site where I'd hoped to experience more the Brotherhood of the Hounds on the hunt.
 
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I can't begin to respond to all of Golden Dalton's twisted views. As an African-American who's lived in Japan off and on for many years....I can say that I feel much more comfortable living here than in the US where there seems to be a cop on every corner. To tell the truth...because of (I assume) my profession...and the characteristics I exhibit due to having attended one of the premier universities...I've not personally experienced a lot of the indignities my brethren have had to deal with...but once again...because of that education, I'm not blind to the structural racism that exists in my homeland. Racism at home is REAL...if shooting unarmed and helpless people caught on film doesn't do the trick then one can only bite one's tongue and see that words to that person will not change a damned thing. I should tell Mr. Dalton, that like most African-Americans I have a relatively large percentage of Native American blood as well. I can't say I know much about the Kiowas....but (not to go into a history lesson here) racism is not the exclusive province of whites and blacks. It saddens me to see these rants about reverse racism on this site where I'd hoped to experience more the Brotherhood of the Hounds on the hunt.
All of the statistics point to an absence of negative bias of police toward minorities. If you actually want to discuss my " twisted views" then I would enjoy that.


The idea that there is a " cop on every corner" is abdurd, as is your claim
 
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I grew-up abroad in Japanese Communities which are like China Towns but Japanese versions. You have Indian ethnicity. But for those with Japanese ethnicity, we somehow share a like view as of the Jew in the sense of economically prosperic group, nothing religious on the Japanese side. The thing is, because my family was economically well positioned, not just my house but every house of my relatives; I shared before that my grandparents were murdered for their money, I also had uncles beaten in the face to the point that now you cant recognise their facial structure, of course you know that the nose is somewhere in the middle/center of a face...but you cant see it so. All that because my uncles refused to pay "extra neighbour security taxes". Western laws, police officers, judge trials...all that didnt exist for my family. That's why the reality that you people may present is distorted to the view of the minority. And it sucks to be bullshited with that on an on even nowadays.

In the western world you can have all the "laws" you want, but those "supposed" to enforce it are always absent, so the arguments that you bring dont mean anything to me nor did to my family. I read the news often and Im awared that American police officers are untrusted by minorities and that the local authorities are interested in making all cops to wear cameras...that speaks a lot of how bad behavior your cops have to the point that the law in the west is nothing but a joke. In another previous message you commented that America has gone a longway since the days of nigger discrimination while taking a bus. The problem for minorities is that excuses like: "that was a long time ago" don't cover it. Minorities will not be looking at the time that has passed but the countless lives that were taken by the White People.

I dont think the Indians have the same reputation than the Japanese or Jews about money, so its logic for me that you dont have the same experienes that I had.

" Minorities"
Are not all the same. My experience as an Indian means that I'm much more likely to be treated worse than an Asian, given how prosperous Asians are.

As for your personal experiences, that sounds awful, but I have rarely heard of similar issues. In fact most of the " minority" arguments against police are based on the false idea that there is too much police presence, not an absence of police.

But again, I'm not seeing anything in Japan parallel with the U.S.

The reason that Japanese can't legitimately bitch about the interment camps and the immigration quotas is that the U.S. Government has paid compensation to those Japanese Americans. As an Indian, forms of compensation in the form of federal aid and programs come in daily. Now, is Japan paying restitution to all of the people it has wronged? Are they even admitting wrongdoing?

As far as immigration restrictions, we have made up for that for so long that now Americans of Japanese descent run an ENTIRE STATE, i.e. Hawaii. They dominate the government utterly, to the point to where no other ethnic group can expect to recieve a civil service job.




As far as you speaking to me about " lives lost," that could be interpreted as super offensive to many Indians ( we are the only people who have experienced an actual genocide in the Americas) though I doubt you thought of that. I'm not aware of significant numbers of Japanese killed after immigrating to America. Even in the internment camps (for which compensation was provided) there were not many deaths. But even for those groups that experienced death ( like mine) time certainly does matter. First of all no one is seriously aggrieved that these people were killed. Really it's more of an ego trip- they are resentful that white people dominated their group and some want to " turn the tables," not realizing how impossible and counterproductive that is. Secondly, the America of 2015 is not the same country as in 1915. Entire social movements have risen and fallen since then.



We have a " minority" president, and " minority"
Senators. Whites have allowed immigration to the extent that 40 percent of their country's population is nonwhite. Affirmative action, other preferential programs, programs like "my brothers keeper," etc. are all attempts by the evil white man to lift up minorities.

Again, I ask, is there anything like this in Japan? Are the Japanese getting ready to absorb and accommodate millions of new immigrants? Are the Japanese even accepting that a nonAsian immigrant can even become Japanese?

Frankly I see in East Asia societies where open racism is tolerated. Don't get me wrong, I don't see it as a bad thing necessarily, but it's incorrect to think that the U.S. Is just as " racist," when in much of the U.S. Whites can't even express their own identities.




Could any commercial with this level of open racism be aired on U.S. t.v.? Hell, these white folks aren't even allowed to be offended by this blatant disrespect in many circles.
 
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I have quoted a reply that says "most Americans wouldn't have ever bother about racism if it weren't because they left their own country". My follow-up comment comes from after watching this forum for like 3 years and reading countless complains from white people to which I always thought to myself: 'That also happens in your own country". But most whites are never "awared of"...which if they were...they wouldnt complain about. I find several complains to be dishonest. I dislike the stereotype American who thinks that Americans are all nice people and anybody else outside US soil is any negative connotation...you name it: Communist, Terrorist, Fundamentalist, Arab, etc.

That in itself is a negative stereotype, and an untrue one at that.

Virtually no one is concerned about communism in 2015, which is a shame because our politicians are attempting to insert a modified form of it daily.




But the terrorist stereotype only is really applied to people in the Middle East. It's not relevant for Japan, which has it's own stereotypes (every group
Stereotypes).


But at least Americans maintain different stereotypes for different peoples. Japanese lump the entire globe together as " Gaijin," which is the most exclusionary term there is.

Do you actually deny that Japanese stereotype other nations?
 
I can't begin to respond to all of Golden Dalton's twisted views. As an African-American who's lived in Japan off and on for many years....I can say that I feel much more comfortable living here than in the US where there seems to be a cop on every corner. To tell the truth...because of (I assume) my profession...and the characteristics I exhibit due to having attended one of the premier universities...I've not personally experienced a lot of the indignities my brethren have had to deal with...but once again...because of that education, I'm not blind to the structural racism that exists in my homeland. Racism at home is REAL...if shooting unarmed and helpless people caught on film doesn't do the trick then one can only bite one's tongue and see that words to that person will not change a damned thing. I should tell Mr. Dalton, that like most African-Americans I have a relatively large percentage of Native American blood as well. I can't say I know much about the Kiowas....but (not to go into a history lesson here) racism is not the exclusive province of whites and blacks. It saddens me to see these rants about reverse racism on this site where I'd hoped to experience more the Brotherhood of the Hounds on the hunt.

My boy Painless drops some truth regarding the police issue.



If you think any indian, especially one as dark as me ( I could pass for black in Latin America, even though I'm half white. I'm pretty much a younger George Lopez in terms of appearance) is going to take a charge of racism against dark-skinned people seriously that's crazy.


And you having blood is good- but many white people do also. I don't know how that relates to this issue.
 
I'm not sure what the objection is here. That because TAG users don't immediately stick up for everyone when it comes to racism, that there's no racism in these Japanese hobby? Feel free to explain further.

I think the big problem that a lot of men find in Japan, right or wrong, is that they are shut out of the vast majority of options in Japan, especially if they speak no Japanese. You can name most other countries in the world and even if the girl speaks no English, there's still options for English speakers.

I've been with a LOT of women in both North America and Asia where girls spoke very little English or no English, and even if they primarily catered to other Asians, they were open to Westerners.

Is that unfair? Is it racism? I can't really say. But there's a sizable number of women out there in just about any other country that is more than willing to have sex with Westerners, regardless of race or language. This is very rarely true in Japan, for both agencies and women.


We can settle this discussion very easily. There are several legal brothels in the United States ( and MANY illegal escort agencies). Are there any that exclude Japanese men? Or any Asian ethnicity for that matter? Not the occasional random escort- are there any agencies that categorically reject japanese men?


What gets me is that some people actually think my views are "
Anti- minority." When in reality I am as pro- minority as you can get, being one myself. It's the person who holds you to a higher standard who truly respects you. And those who make excuses for you actually see you as pathetic deep down.
 
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As an African-American who's lived in Japan off and on for many years....I can say that I feel much more comfortable living here than in the US
Probably the only valid point made on this entire thread.

I grew-up abroad in Japanese Communities which are like China Towns but Japanese versions. But for those with Japanese ethnicity, we somehow share a like view as of the Jew in the sense of economically prosperic group, nothing religious on the Japanese side
:banghead:

Ever wonder why there was a Japanese diaspora, and who went? It wasn't because they had no homeland. (n)
 
Probably the only valid point made on this entire thread.


:banghead:

Ever wonder why there was a Japanese diaspora, and who went? It wasn't because they had no homeland. (n)

I can understand feeling more comfortable in Japan after living there for a while, but certainly not on the first emcounter. There are entire cities of the United States ( Atlanta, Detroit, Memphis, Southside Chicago, North St. Louis, etc.) that are DOMINATED, politically, culturally, and economically by black Americans. Cities like Harlem have been this way for generations. And some of the areas in these cities are relatively wealthy. So the idea that all these evil whiteys have made living in America impossible for minorities is untruthful. If that were truly the case, we wouldn't have such a huge inflow of professionals from African countries into the U.S. Many of these Africans have the skills and resources to go anywhere, and yet they choose to deliberately live surrounded by all these racist whiteys? The critique just doesn't add up.


The reason I am so harsh on this idea is that I myself engaged in that kind of deflection at one time. I made out like the U.S. was such a horrible place because of whites, but it was really because I didn't fit in with my own people ( too ambitious, intellectual, athletic, etc.). And a lot of people I feel do that.

There are plenty of areas for black and brown people to live freely in America. Hell, I can go back home and only be around Kiowans ( for the most part). And when you leave the U.S. behind, you don't just leave white people behind. You leave behind the forty percent of people who are nonwhite, including possibly the vast majority of your local community. And that's more informative than someone's claim to be leaving " white supremacy."



John- do you really find that japanese accept black Americans more than white Americans? More than other black Americans even? Do you feel like you fit into the landscape easier there than in say Louisville, KY? I don't mean to start a beef with Chavers for sure- Its just very counterintuitive based on my experience, which admittedly is not that of a black person but certainly that of a dark brown.

But I am certainly looking forward to the biting jpgs. Keep in mind my interpretational skills are not rapid lol.
 
John- do you really find that japanese accept black Americans more than white Americans?

But I am certainly looking forward to the biting jpgs. Keep in mind my interpretational skills are not rapid lol.



I agree with Kevin Conway:

 
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@John Chavers - How about some actual text replies? I can certainly enjoy a view of YouTube from time to time at work but it's usually not ideal.

Text is better for those of us whom are waiting for your reply. :watching:
 
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I get along with just about everybody that carries themselves with some sort of respect for themselves and others around them.

When I read the replies here, I'm not thinking in color when reading replies -- you're all neutral in my eyes. Until.... you start acting like a twit. Then, it doesn't matter what color/race you say you are... you're now classed as a twit and that's the end of it.

I do come from a location where racism is very much alive but I don't think I've ever classified someone just based on their origin or skin color. When I stop and think about it, I just seem to put people in buckets based on their actions/attitude but if I had to put a label on each bucket, I don't think that would be really fair since everyone has a different view. On the other hand, do I let those buckets influence whom I engage with? Absolutely.
 
@John Chavers - How about some actual text replies? I can certainly enjoy a view of YouTube from time to time at work but it's usually not ideal.

Text is better for those of us whom are waiting for your reply. :watching:
Okay, but these actors are far more eloquent. :headphone:

Full Metal Jacket: Drill Sgt. Hartman as Japanese society, telling us we're all equally worthless until we've been house trained

Gettysburg: Sgt. Buster Kilrain, 20th Maine, telling us that only peawits judge by the group, and he takes the measure of each as they come.
 
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Dude...What?

The topic of this thread is about how people misunderstand situation as Racial Discrimination when theres not...

But instead, you go off-topic and write chronicles about World War II (?)
And if that wasn't miscarried away, you start to defend United States of America, only because I was making reference to "White Racism". Which you wrongly assumed as "American Racism". The murdering of black people is not just a matter of one country and it extend to ancient times. There is no space for confusion because I never said that my grandparents were killed in USA... I said that they were killed by White People. Americans are not the only White people on the planet and black people werent only abused in the USA (can you see how small are you thinking?) All this confusion in your head, for later on start to rant about Japan like if I were some kind of ultra-nationalist or Gringo-Hater. How did you come up with all this I don't know. But I'm certain I have been very clear that I'm not that kind of person, you got the wrong guy. Lets examine the last 5 cases:

1.- More than half a year ago I shared openly how much I enjoy tagging along Chinese people to practice Tai-chi-chuan in Tokyo parks. How much I like spending time around Yokohama Chukagai. How much I'm fascinated about their Feudal history and how much I love their dresses. Do you think a pro-Japanese would be making Chinese friends? What makes you think I never address the war times with them? Everytime I established a good relationship I would apologise for what Japan did to China. Their reply would simply be: "Don't worry you were not there at that time and there's nothing you can do about it now." Then they would tell me to leave that behind and keep chilling with them.

2.- I have addressed how many gaijins (Brazilians) are actually gaining the "HEAT" towards themselves which actually favors Ishihara supporters. Then why do you come up to me with a video about how black people mistakenly thin they are being discriminated when they are not? That is exactly what I was saying here half a year ago. It's not me who needs to watch that but yourself and the other foreigners in Japan. And because I warned that their behavior was giving reasons to the Japanese. Does that means that I defend Ishihara?

3.- I have also been sorting out confused ideas like the one that the Japanese real state agencies only rent to foreigners with some sort of hidden economical interest. That couldn't be more absurd. Foreigners here in most of the cases spend a year or two and then go back. And while they piss off their neighbors making them leave at the end. How can possibly be beneficial to rent a place for a temporary tenant that makes long term residents to leave? There is no way that a 2 - 3 years rent can be more refunding than permanent/long term clients...it's ridiculous.

4.- Why do you think I have it against Americans? Every Time somebody fucks-up what do you see me do? I come here to give people advise so that they don't go wrong the next time and give all the explanations asked to help foreigners. Which while being on topic, its exactly what happened with Hipness between bad customer and agency. Do you see me laughing at foreigners?

I explicitly said that I dislike the stereotype of people that always think that they are in the right and that its always the others who are wrong. Isn't it that what happened?


5.- For everything that you post I give you as much advise as I can...Why is that? Because I hate Americans or because I want you to have good times. With all the advises that I have given you...this is how you pay me back?

I don't really know what to think about you now.
 
Dude...What?

The topic of this thread is about how people misunderstand situation as Racial Discrimination when theres not...

But instead, you go off-topic and write chronicles about World War II (?)
And if that wasn't miscarried away, you start to defend United States of America, only because I was making reference to "White Racism". Which you wrongly assumed as "American Racism". The murdering of black people is not just a matter of one country and it extend to ancient times. There is no space for confusion because I never said that my grandparents were killed in USA... I said that they were killed by White People. Americans are not the only White people on the planet and black people werent only abused in the USA (can you see how small are you thinking?) All this confusion in your head, for later on start to rant about Japan like if I were some kind of ultra-nationalist or Gringo-Hater. How did you come up with all this I don't know. But I'm certain I have been very clear that I'm not that kind of person, you got the wrong guy. Lets examine the last 5 cases:

1.- More than half a year ago I shared openly how much I enjoy tagging along Chinese people to practice Tai-chi-chuan in Tokyo parks. How much I like spending time around Yokohama Chukagai. How much I'm fascinated about their Feudal history and how much I love their dresses. Do you think a pro-Japanese would be making Chinese friends? What makes you think I never address the war times with them? Everytime I established a good relationship I would apologise for what Japan did to China. Their reply would simply be: "Don't worry you were not there at that time and there's nothing you can do about it now." Then they would tell me to leave that behind and keep chilling with them.

2.- I have addressed how many gaijins (Brazilians) are actually gaining the "HEAT" towards themselves which actually favors Ishihara supporters. Then why do you come up to me with a video about how black people mistakenly thin they are being discriminated when they are not? That is exactly what I was saying here half a year ago. It's not me who needs to watch that but yourself and the other foreigners in Japan. And because I warned that their behavior was giving reasons to the Japanese. Does that means that I defend Ishihara?

3.- I have also been sorting out confused ideas like the one that the Japanese real state agencies only rent to foreigners with some sort of hidden economical interest. That couldn't be more absurd. Foreigners here in most of the cases spend a year or two and then go back. And while they piss off their neighbors making them leave at the end. How can possibly be beneficial to rent a place for a temporary tenant that makes long term residents to leave? There is no way that a 2 - 3 years rent can be more refunding than permanent/long term clients...it's ridiculous.

4.- Why do you think I have it against Americans? Every Time somebody fucks-up what do you see me do? I come here to give people advise so that they don't go wrong the next time and give all the explanations asked to help foreigners. Which while being on topic, its exactly what happened with Hipness between bad customer and agency. Do you see me laughing at foreigners?

I explicitly said that I dislike the stereotype of people that always think that they are in the right and that its always the others who are wrong. Isn't it that what happened?


5.- For everything that you post I give you as much advise as I can...Why is that? Because I hate Americans or because I want you to have good times. With all the advises that I have given you...this is how you pay me back?

I don't really know what to think about you now.

I was not aware I was insulting to you. This is just a discussion. I did not mean to insult you. Nor would I repay your kindness to us with ingratitude. I'm sorry for implying that. It was not my intent. Now as for the discussion:

1.I NEVER said that " only blacks" we're mistreated. Being a Kiowa, that is very puzzling, as I don't think there were people treated worse than my own, period.

2. I interpreted your argument from earlier as one of " equivalency." That the " White" countries were just as guilty of being exclusive, racist, xenophobic, etc. That is why I wrote everything that I did- to break down that idea. If you did not mean to do that, then my entire point was unnecessary.

3. I'm arguing against more than one person. I love to discuss, particularly subjects of controversy. You were not the only person I was addressing. that's my fault and I should make that clearer. That's why I talk so much about American blacks and Indians. Still, I should be clearer.


4. As far as your personal feelings, while good to know that's not really what I'm talking about. There are very many nice people in Japan and very many racist people in the U.S. My point here is, again, to deconstruct the idea that there is an equivalency between the exclusivity/ xenophobia/ etc. In Japan versus in the U.S. ( as an example of a "White country.") I have never been under the impression you are an ultra-nationalist, because you would not post here to begin with if you were. I did not think I'll of you at all. With that said, I admire the ultranationalists to a certain extent in Japan, so if you ever develop in that direction I would not object. I would be interested to hear your views even.


5. I may have been unclear here so I should clarify:
Have no doubts. I consider the Japanese system " superior"
For the most part, in that it is high functioning vs. the western model of mass immigration, which I see as extremely deluded and dangerous, and now beginning to break down in much of the Western World. So believe it or not, I don't have a problem with " no Foreigner" to begin with. As for " Chronicles about WWII," I'm going to go ahead and open myself up to a lot of criticism here. I broughr that up to contrast how the modern Japanese government still stands by its previous generation, while western governments shit on their own veterans to maintain political correctness. I actually don't think that the japanese were "Wrong" in WWII, or at least more wrong than other countries. I also admire WWII Japan, not that my own feelings matter very much to this discussion.



6. This is a basic summary of my views: It's inaccurate to argue that western countries are as racist as countries like Japan, because these white people are actually willfully committing suicide, allowing in millions of people, many of whom are hostile to their hosts, I.E. Charlie Hebdo.


Basically, if you look at all my posts you'll see that I want the U.S. to start being smarter about immigration, and that I admire Japan for standing ut's ground. My argument about the U.S. being just as racist is that Americans are actually destroying their own countries by trying their hardest not to be " racist."

Yes I am appreciative that you have helped me and other foreigners. I did not mean to hint that you were an ultra- nationalist. But as a Kiowa Indian, whose people are almost extinct, I care a lot more about survival than " racism," I don't understand why white people insist on being victimized so much in their own countries. That was my overarching point- that the U.S. Is very inclusive, which can be taken to excess.
 
3.- I have also been sorting out confused ideas like the one that the Japanese real state agencies only rent to foreigners with some sort of hidden economical interest. That couldn't be more absurd. Foreigners here in most of the cases spend a year or two and then go back. And while they piss off their neighbors making them leave at the end. How can possibly be beneficial to rent a place for a temporary tenant that makes long term residents to leave? There is no way that a 2 - 3 years rent can be more refunding than permanent/long term clients...it's ridiculous.

.

I am reading this right? Landlords should avoid renting to foreigners because they usually cause problems for the local people. So treating them in a discrimatory way based on race is fine. Those pesky gaijins pissing off the Japanese again! Stereotype? If its black send it back!
 
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I am reading this right? Landlords should avoid renting to foreigners because they usually cause problems for the local people. So treating them in a discrimatory way based on race is fine. Those pesky gaijins pissing off the Japanese again! Stereotype? If its black send it back!

I believe he was trying to make the point that there's no economic incentive for landlords to rent to non-Japanese, even at inflated rates, to address claims he had heard that real estate companies try to gouge foreign applicants.

This is accurate unless it's a building that charges key money, in which case the landlord actually makes a higher profit if they can flip apartments once or twice a year.
 
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This is accurate unless it's a building that charges key money, in which case the landlord actually makes a higher profit if they can flip apartments once or twice a year.
Not just the key money: AFAIK it's still a renters' market in Japan, with many units going unoccupied. The economic incentive exists unless there's enough Japanese renters to fill all the units.
 
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@GoldenDalton

This is an mind excersice:

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2015/03/23/voices/spare-thought-western-men-trapped-japan

White people top level "WHINERY" versus REALITY

1. First read the entire article.
2. Then read all the comments written by LONG TERM RESIDENTS IN JAPAN. Although I adviced you not to measure people by years, they will offer you deeper insight which due to your lack of time in Japan, most people here in TAG will never be able to offer it to you. All this is not in defense of Japan but in HONOR of TRUTH.
 
@GoldenDalton

This is an mind excersice:

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2015/03/23/voices/spare-thought-western-men-trapped-japan

White people top level "WHINERY" versus REALITY

1. First read the entire article.
2. Then read all the comments written by LONG TERM RESIDENTS IN JAPAN. Although I adviced you not to measure people by years, they will offer you deeper insight which due to your lack of time in Japan, most people here in TAG will never be able to offer it to you. All this is not in defense of Japan but in HONOR of TRUTH.
The article and comments were a good read and gave some interesting different perspectives.
 
There are better YouTube videos that go into great detail about the aforementioned article and this subject. I was kind of shocked at a lot of things mentioned by Caucasians, but I have found that other minorities had less shocking accounts and seemed to be pleased with Japan. In my own country, I'd be targeted by bigotry. In Japan, I, by mistaken identity, was approached by a group of salarymen. But that was over a decade ago. Since then, aside from boredom, alcoholism, and meeting a crazy human being here, I have never had any trouble whatsoever with individual racism as described. I can remember being denied a service at a business after making a reservation in English. Bo's it was clear that I was a foreigner. Upon arrival, a male clerk said they could not provide me service since I was a foreigner and did not have a fixed address in Japan. So he assumed. Well I then asked for a manager and the manager was female. So she asked me if I had a passport. I showed it to her and in their was the old version of the permanent resident card. She then said something in Japanese to the man. He seemed to be taken aback. Well, another man, who seemed to be the man with all the power came out and the three had a chat. I had an envelope with some papers about my reservation. I even had a receipt from using the service in Tokyo and a members card. The first man apologized, then the woman from that point on handled everything, and I had no trouble with anyone there. I have since thought about why I was denied service from the start without the man wanting to know any details. But after watching YouTube and all the problems others have had, it's mostly from individual bigotry. Not all Japanese people are bigots. Not all Japanese are xenophobic. And not everything is racial in nature. I find that a lot of problems are just based on previous experience, and the news. I read something awhile back and a Japanese man made a big deal about the situation. But then I thought, if I was the shop owner I'd not want drunks tearing up my shop on a daily basis too. So yes, if it were a group of people from a particular trade, I'd have done the same thing: banned them from entry. What's the difference in a country banning groups under the same banner? Somebody wrote that American pimps don't see ethnicity, but they do. I know of places where Asians, blacks, and Hispanics are banned. Would you blame a cab driver for picking up whites only in New York after previous assaults, shootings, ratings, and murders. I'm not so sure that Japan is as bad as people think in terms of racism. I don't think they are at all. But I do think that individuals have given such an impression. But one man's experience is not the norm nor the final verdict. To do that, would lead to finding yourself to be a bigot.
 
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I read the Japan Times article a few days back, and my reaction was "Yes, it's hard to get by in Japan as a foreigner in a lot of cases, but so what?"

Living in a foreign country isn't frictionless. Intercultural relationships are fraught with peril. Being a Westerner doesn't grant you a golden ticket to the good life in Japan. I think every single case in that article comes down to choices people made. I'm sorry, if you are working a bunch of part time jobs and can't get by in Japan and hate your life, you can GO HOME. You aren't trapped there. People that married a Japanese girl or have ties to Japan that they can't sever shouldn't bitch about their lot in life. This was the life you made.

I have plenty of friends that are in the same situation where they don't necessarily want to stay in Japan forever, but are married (and therefore will probably be staying there forever), and they just shrug and move on.

I mean, if we want to spare a thought for foreigners in Japan, we should be thinking about the Africans and Middle Easterners that are rotting in the Gaijin Gulag. Those guys have it tough.
 
A black childhood friend of mine in America once told me his mother told him always to be on time because if you're late, "you don't want to be a black man running". I cannot see how dealing with that level of institutional racism even compares to the kind of mildly annoying reverse racism GD is talking about. Finer white whine I have never partaken of. I'm with Louis CK on this one: if I could choose my race every year, I'd re-up on white every damn time.

I agree with @meiji that the real discriminated gaijin are the non-white foreigners. It's a caste system with the whites on top and the Filipinos and blacks (non-North American) somewhere near the bottom. When this subject comes up, I often tell friends Japan is a great place as a white person to experience racism...in the same way you can understand rape and pillage by riding the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney: yeah, you'll see pirates, but unless you really put a foot amiss, you're not going to REALLY suffer. Micro-aggressions are annoying (I do internally roll my eyes when people ask if I can use hashi), but that kind of ignorant racism really only seems to have a lasting effect on people who insist on trying to fully integrate. The foreigner's cultural job in Japan is to be foreign. The father you try to depart from that, the faster the grit of rejection will grind you down.
 
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