3 ms·

Right, but why would Japanese children be refusing to go to school because of racism toward non-Japanese?

Iv 7y ago
In the two cases I know, because they are black Japanese (one parent Japanese, one African) and that it just breaks the mind of both students and teachers that you can be Japanese without being 100% ethnic Japanese.
- blackearl 7y ago
  But again, that has to be such a tiny minority that OP's list sounds made up.
  - Iv 7y ago
    I'm OP. It is a minority. And Japan is very racist towards them. Turns out there are 3 kids in that situation in my family. We already witnessed three classes having racist bullying and both teachers and school direction refusing to do anything. I do believe that this mentality of blaming the victims that do not "fit in the mold" is indicative of a very negative culture.
    - blackearl 7y ago
      I just don't think Japan is going to change any time soon. They've been very nationalistic for the last 400 years, if not longer, I only have a little knowledge of their more recent past. In this scenario, blaming the victim is being realistic. If you're not Japanese, don't expect to be accepted the way native Japanese are. Even among the pure Japanese they have castes, so foreigners are even lower on the list.
      - dragontamer 7y ago
        If I came out and said "Blackearl: Your country sucks and you should move out of it", I don't think you'd think it was very helpful advice. I think coming out to the internet, sharing some personal anecdotes about racism and personal issues, and maybe publishing problems you've experienced personally can help. Not only for teaching others about the issues you yourself face, but also for helping keep ones emotions in check and meditating upon your own issues. Obviously, this discussion thread exists to criticize Japan and bring forth issues. But in order to be more helpful to everyone involved, its more beneficial to be more specific about what can, and can't, be done to fix certain issues. With regards to your specific point: giving up because of cultural norms is defeatist and doesn't seem helpful in any case. Now I'm not Japanese, nor have I ever been to that country. But it sounds like Japan is a functioning democracy, so publishing opinions and raising issues is definitely the way to move forward in that kind of political system. The people must be aware of a problem (and agree that it is a problem) before you can ever hope for the politics to change.
      - Iv 7y ago
        Well Japan used to execute any foreigner washing up on its shores, and to consider US its mortal enemy, so there is some proof it can change. Actually Japan society can move incredibly fast, but it does so in hiccups, when its delay is becoming an unbearable embarrassment.
mfoy_ 7y ago
Or if you're "Japanese" but with Korean heritage... I've heard stories of people who had Korean ancestry and they had a deep terror of anyone ever finding out.
- moufestaphio 7y ago
  They're referred to as Zainichi. After WW2, there was over 1 million Koreans living in Japan. Some went back, some decided to wait due to the war starting. Then the country they were going back to no longer existed, so they stayed. Many don't even have citizenship. https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/02/news/japanborn-koreans-live-in-limbo.html https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/02/news/japanborn-koreans-li...
  - blackearl 7y ago
    Many became yakuza because it's one of the few groups they could join. Hisayuki Machii (Jeong Geon-Yeong) was a legendary Korean yakuza leader
    - moufestaphio 7y ago
      Yup I've heard the same, Yakuza leadership (also rank and file) has a lot of Zainichi. I also remember hearing about how Pachinko parlours are usually owned by Yakuza/Zainichi and they funnel profits into North Korea.
moufestaphio 7y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burakumin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burakumin Or Zainichi Koreans, who are born and raised in Japan (there are a LOT).
moufestaphio 7y ago
oh, I just thought of a good example of Hacker news favorite investor: Masayoshi Son. Notice his last name is Korean? But he was born and raised in Japan. And here's what he has to say: https://asia.nikkei.com/NAR/Articles/SoftBank-s-Son-stands-up-to-anti-Korean-bigotry-in-Japan https://asia.nikkei.com/NAR/Articles/SoftBank-s-Son-stands-u... Even in his early childhood, he was attacked verbally and physically by Japanese classmates. In kindergarten, he was jeered at for being Korean. Once, another child cut his head open with a stone.

Iv 7y ago

In the two cases I know, because they are black Japanese (one parent Japanese, one African) and that it just breaks the mind of both students and teachers that you can be Japanese without being 100% ethnic Japanese.

blackearl 7y ago
But again, that has to be such a tiny minority that OP's list sounds made up.
- Iv 7y ago
  I'm OP. It is a minority. And Japan is very racist towards them. Turns out there are 3 kids in that situation in my family. We already witnessed three classes having racist bullying and both teachers and school direction refusing to do anything. I do believe that this mentality of blaming the victims that do not "fit in the mold" is indicative of a very negative culture.
  - blackearl 7y ago
    I just don't think Japan is going to change any time soon. They've been very nationalistic for the last 400 years, if not longer, I only have a little knowledge of their more recent past. In this scenario, blaming the victim is being realistic. If you're not Japanese, don't expect to be accepted the way native Japanese are. Even among the pure Japanese they have castes, so foreigners are even lower on the list.
    - dragontamer 7y ago
      If I came out and said "Blackearl: Your country sucks and you should move out of it", I don't think you'd think it was very helpful advice. I think coming out to the internet, sharing some personal anecdotes about racism and personal issues, and maybe publishing problems you've experienced personally can help. Not only for teaching others about the issues you yourself face, but also for helping keep ones emotions in check and meditating upon your own issues. Obviously, this discussion thread exists to criticize Japan and bring forth issues. But in order to be more helpful to everyone involved, its more beneficial to be more specific about what can, and can't, be done to fix certain issues. With regards to your specific point: giving up because of cultural norms is defeatist and doesn't seem helpful in any case. Now I'm not Japanese, nor have I ever been to that country. But it sounds like Japan is a functioning democracy, so publishing opinions and raising issues is definitely the way to move forward in that kind of political system. The people must be aware of a problem (and agree that it is a problem) before you can ever hope for the politics to change.
    - Iv 7y ago
      Well Japan used to execute any foreigner washing up on its shores, and to consider US its mortal enemy, so there is some proof it can change. Actually Japan society can move incredibly fast, but it does so in hiccups, when its delay is becoming an unbearable embarrassment.

mfoy_ 7y ago

Or if you're "Japanese" but with Korean heritage... I've heard stories of people who had Korean ancestry and they had a deep terror of anyone ever finding out.

moufestaphio 7y ago
They're referred to as Zainichi. After WW2, there was over 1 million Koreans living in Japan. Some went back, some decided to wait due to the war starting. Then the country they were going back to no longer existed, so they stayed. Many don't even have citizenship. https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/02/news/japanborn-koreans-live-in-limbo.html https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/02/news/japanborn-koreans-li...
- blackearl 7y ago
  Many became yakuza because it's one of the few groups they could join. Hisayuki Machii (Jeong Geon-Yeong) was a legendary Korean yakuza leader
  - moufestaphio 7y ago
    Yup I've heard the same, Yakuza leadership (also rank and file) has a lot of Zainichi. I also remember hearing about how Pachinko parlours are usually owned by Yakuza/Zainichi and they funnel profits into North Korea.

moufestaphio 7y ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burakumin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burakumin Or Zainichi Koreans, who are born and raised in Japan (there are a LOT).

moufestaphio 7y ago

oh, I just thought of a good example of Hacker news favorite investor: Masayoshi Son. Notice his last name is Korean? But he was born and raised in Japan. And here's what he has to say: https://asia.nikkei.com/NAR/Articles/SoftBank-s-Son-stands-up-to-anti-Korean-bigotry-in-Japan https://asia.nikkei.com/NAR/Articles/SoftBank-s-Son-stands-u... Even in his early childhood, he was attacked verbally and physically by Japanese classmates. In kindergarten, he was jeered at for being Korean. Once, another child cut his head open with a stone.