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Based on my experience visiting Japan and talking to both expats and expat-friendly locals there, I think the issue is more cultural than political. If you live

Based on my experience visiting Japan and talking to both expats and expat-friendly locals there, I think the issue is more cultural than political. If you live in Japan but don't look Japanese you never really feel welcomed as a Japanese. Contrast that to countries like most of the West, where at least a solid proportion of people consider it socially unacceptable to discriminate socially based on someone's looks or origins...

lovemenot 8y ago
This feeling they experienced is of course subjective. Take it from a 20-year non-native Tokyo resident - it doesn't have to feel unwelcoming. Depends on the individual I guess. Admittedly, I've never lived in any of the out-of-the way places where most of these properties are located.
jaredklewis 8y ago
> Contrast that to countries like most of the West, where at least a solid proportion of people consider it socially unacceptable to discriminate socially based on someone's looks or origins.. Those things are also socially unacceptable in Japan. My experience is that the often discussed "micro-agressions" against foreigners happen about as often in Japan as they do in my own country (US, grew up in Texas). Of course, the only complaints that foreigners in Japan can make is about trivia. The US is so fucked up that we cannot seem to stop shooting unarmed black men, we're separating mothers from babies, and as of last week now tear gassing families at the border. So not sure if you are American, but many of the foreigners in Japan that complain of discrimination are, and I just want to say that I think it takes a lot of balls for an American in Japan to be like "hey, you guys can do a lot better with the discrimination thing." As horrifying as someone being impressed with your ability to use chopsticks is, it's not quite so horrifying as being literally shot for walking on the street. Many people in the US freeze up if a black person so much as walks by them on the street. And on the other side of the pacific? Ask a random stranger for directions; 9 times out of 10 they will stop whatever they are doing and walk with you to wherever you are going.
- barry-cotter 8y ago
  Using tear gas at the border is an American thing, not a Trump thing. https://www.businessinsider.com/border-patrol-also-used-tear-gas-pepper-spray-at-border-under-obama-2018-11 https://www.businessinsider.com/border-patrol-also-used-tear... > The use of tear gas at the border by CBP began in 2010. > Since fiscal year 2012, CBP has employed tear gas a total of 126 times, but its use hit a 7-year high under Trump in fiscal year 2018.
  - alsetmusic 8y ago
    > Using tear gas at the border is an American thing, not a Trump thing. No one above thread claimed any individual was responsible. The apologetics of inserting that statement is unnecessary. I do respect that you added citations.
- Iamhisalt 8y ago
  Being asked if you can use chopsticks for the 10,000 time is a living hell.
- philliphaydon 8y ago
  It must be hard working on the border when people bring children that are not their own to fast tack their way through into the country. Or when families lie about their child’s age to loophole the system. But it’s easier for us to focus on the separation rather than the reason the separation exists to begin with. And let’s not forget tear gas being used for crowds of people throwing stones at border patrol. No lets focus on tear gas issue and less of the people doing their job being assulted.
  - crc32 8y ago
    > people bring children that are not their own to fast tack their way through into the country. Or when families lie about their child’s age to loophole the system. Completely citation & evidence free assertions - smells like slander to me.
    - 8y ago
Down_n_Out 8y ago
> If you live in Japan but don't look Japanese you never really feel welcomed as a Japanese. That goes for a lot of countries, especially if your skin color is different as well as your accent, language and whatnot. Heck, even when you are born in a country where you are not the same skin color as the majority you can feel not welcome. So, it's kind of a generalization to say that only about Japan.
sonnyblarney 8y ago
"you never really feel welcomed as a Japanese." Well, maybe because you're not Japanese? A different question is: "Would you feel welcome" I would consider it weirdly arrogant to go to Japan and then have them ever accept me as 'Japanese'. I would hope that thy are respectful to me, and treat me well, and maybe even 'as a Japanese' but not actually 'Japanese', because - I'm not! There's a big difference I think between 'rights' and 'cultural attribution', we mix them up a lot in the West.
- Nadya 8y ago
  You misunderstood. You need to look Japanese. It doesn't matter if you actually are Japanese. This video pokes some fun at it, taken to an extreme for comedic purpose of course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLt5qSm9U80 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLt5qSm9U80
  - sonnyblarney 8y ago
    I understood well enough. You're assuming that those White/Black people were Japanese because they were born and raised Japanese. From a certain perspective, that would not be correct. Many people (most of the world) view race as fundamentally intertwined with ethnicity, ergo, the white folks in the video may never really be considered 'fully Japanese', although surely they are mostly accommodated as such. 'American' really isn't an ethnicity so 'new world' people often have difficulty grasping how others might view ethnicity. As longs as people are treated reasonably, frankly, I don't care.

lovemenot 8y ago

This feeling they experienced is of course subjective. Take it from a 20-year non-native Tokyo resident - it doesn't have to feel unwelcoming. Depends on the individual I guess. Admittedly, I've never lived in any of the out-of-the way places where most of these properties are located.

jaredklewis 8y ago

> Contrast that to countries like most of the West, where at least a solid proportion of people consider it socially unacceptable to discriminate socially based on someone's looks or origins.. Those things are also socially unacceptable in Japan. My experience is that the often discussed "micro-agressions" against foreigners happen about as often in Japan as they do in my own country (US, grew up in Texas). Of course, the only complaints that foreigners in Japan can make is about trivia. The US is so fucked up that we cannot seem to stop shooting unarmed black men, we're separating mothers from babies, and as of last week now tear gassing families at the border. So not sure if you are American, but many of the foreigners in Japan that complain of discrimination are, and I just want to say that I think it takes a lot of balls for an American in Japan to be like "hey, you guys can do a lot better with the discrimination thing." As horrifying as someone being impressed with your ability to use chopsticks is, it's not quite so horrifying as being literally shot for walking on the street. Many people in the US freeze up if a black person so much as walks by them on the street. And on the other side of the pacific? Ask a random stranger for directions; 9 times out of 10 they will stop whatever they are doing and walk with you to wherever you are going.

barry-cotter 8y ago
Using tear gas at the border is an American thing, not a Trump thing. https://www.businessinsider.com/border-patrol-also-used-tear-gas-pepper-spray-at-border-under-obama-2018-11 https://www.businessinsider.com/border-patrol-also-used-tear... > The use of tear gas at the border by CBP began in 2010. > Since fiscal year 2012, CBP has employed tear gas a total of 126 times, but its use hit a 7-year high under Trump in fiscal year 2018.
- alsetmusic 8y ago
  > Using tear gas at the border is an American thing, not a Trump thing. No one above thread claimed any individual was responsible. The apologetics of inserting that statement is unnecessary. I do respect that you added citations.
Iamhisalt 8y ago
Being asked if you can use chopsticks for the 10,000 time is a living hell.
philliphaydon 8y ago
It must be hard working on the border when people bring children that are not their own to fast tack their way through into the country. Or when families lie about their child’s age to loophole the system. But it’s easier for us to focus on the separation rather than the reason the separation exists to begin with. And let’s not forget tear gas being used for crowds of people throwing stones at border patrol. No lets focus on tear gas issue and less of the people doing their job being assulted.
- crc32 8y ago
  > people bring children that are not their own to fast tack their way through into the country. Or when families lie about their child’s age to loophole the system. Completely citation & evidence free assertions - smells like slander to me.
  - 8y ago

Down_n_Out 8y ago

> If you live in Japan but don't look Japanese you never really feel welcomed as a Japanese. That goes for a lot of countries, especially if your skin color is different as well as your accent, language and whatnot. Heck, even when you are born in a country where you are not the same skin color as the majority you can feel not welcome. So, it's kind of a generalization to say that only about Japan.

sonnyblarney 8y ago

"you never really feel welcomed as a Japanese." Well, maybe because you're not Japanese? A different question is: "Would you feel welcome" I would consider it weirdly arrogant to go to Japan and then have them ever accept me as 'Japanese'. I would hope that thy are respectful to me, and treat me well, and maybe even 'as a Japanese' but not actually 'Japanese', because - I'm not! There's a big difference I think between 'rights' and 'cultural attribution', we mix them up a lot in the West.

Nadya 8y ago
You misunderstood. You need to look Japanese. It doesn't matter if you actually are Japanese. This video pokes some fun at it, taken to an extreme for comedic purpose of course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLt5qSm9U80 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLt5qSm9U80
- sonnyblarney 8y ago
  I understood well enough. You're assuming that those White/Black people were Japanese because they were born and raised Japanese. From a certain perspective, that would not be correct. Many people (most of the world) view race as fundamentally intertwined with ethnicity, ergo, the white folks in the video may never really be considered 'fully Japanese', although surely they are mostly accommodated as such. 'American' really isn't an ethnicity so 'new world' people often have difficulty grasping how others might view ethnicity. As longs as people are treated reasonably, frankly, I don't care.