Racism

[cheesecake]

Well this is my first post on the JapanesePod101.com so first I must say I love the podcasts and consider them an valuable in learning Japanese. Now for my question. I am aware that Japan has a long history of being intolerable of foreigners. How racist is the general populous to white Americans? Is racism towards them more or less what you experience somewhere like Southern California where it exists to a certain degree but everyone can still get along? Or is it much worse were you will be very uncomfortable on an extended stay or if you end up working their? Does excepting Japanese culture and practices held to relieve these tensions as well?

[Airth]

There are a lot of angles I could approach this from, but I think it's enough to say that to all intents and purposes you would be hard pressed to find any outward racism directed against white Americans. I can't speak for how some Japanese people may be feeling inside, though.

There is a certain level of anti-Americanism, but then that is probably true in just about every country in the world, isn't it? Even so, I can't recall a time I saw that kind of sentiment expressed face to face. Well, apart from one American friend of mine who tends to fall into arguments with just about anyone who doesn't share his way of looking at the world.

[cheesecake]

I asked this question because I am planning an extended stay in Japan within the next couple of years and was worried when I read about some of the racism that happens in Japan. Doing even more research, I have found out that if you are going to experience racism it would be from the shady parts of town and Yakuza-controlled companies. I did not mean for this question to be an insult in any jway as I have deep respect for the people of Japan and their culture.

[untmdsprt]

Cheesecake,

You're going to find people are going to hate or like you based on how you look.

I've actually had people try to kiss my butt just because I'm American. I've had a rough life here, and want to leave. I've also had people want to be my friend because I speak English. Do I care? No, because I've decided they're not worth the effort to have a true friendship with.

Only you can decide how you want to live. Personally I'm going to play by Japanese rules, and maybe I'll have a good time.

[padrik]

I loved it there when I lived there and want to go back. Sure there is the occasional snub you may get, usually from old people, but never had an issue really with younger Japanese. And in shady areas, I mostly got ignored as the Japanese business men were the ones targeted to come blow there cash.

Of course the agravating thing that happens sometimes, is the people that no matter how good you are speaking Japanese to them, they say "no english" as they assume you are speaking english do to being an american, and have a mental block to our Japanese. It has only happend a few times though, but can be frustrating.

Anyway, I am sure many people have good and bad stories to tell, as you would living in America as an American also. There are good and bad people throughout the world. Don't worry about it too much, experience all you can while there and bend a little to there ways and you will be liked more than not.

頑張ってね！
カール

[Bueller_007]

Old people are better than young people. There's no one on earth friendlier than an 80- or 90-year-old Japanese person.

[untmdsprt]

Maybe they're friendly because you're paying attention to them.

[cheesecake]

Thanks for the answers guys. Looks like what I thought might have been a problem really isn't one, the person I heard this from must have either been exaggerating or has some pretty thin skin.

[kichigaijin]

I dunno, i got kicked out of a few places in japan last spring and some dude hit me randomly in a club. of course i was down south, in an area that's had it's fill of american bases; so that explains part of it. don't let the jerks ruin your time and you should be alright. i will say though that policies that are acceptable in japan would earn someone jail time in the states.

[JockZon]

Haha my japanese "friend" once said to me あなたの髪の毛は金色だ which means that my hair is golden (because I'm blonde) and that she really wanted to have golden hair. But you know racism is not worse in japan than any other place I think. I haven't been there but I'm speaking from experience of talking to many many japanese people.

[Ulver_684]

Haha my japanese "friend" once said to me あなたの髪の毛は金色だ which means that my hair is golden (because I'm blonde) and that she really wanted to have golden hair. But you know racism is not worse in japan than any other place I think. I haven't been there but I'm speaking from experience of talking to many many japanese people.

Jockzon-san!

Yes that's true! That's why many Japanese people marry White's because they see them so beautiful. There was a Japanese girl in my class and she said that she likes people that have blonde hair and color eyes because they are so perfect.

I told her that no one is perfect in this world even with all their apperence!

[Nyako]

Hi Cheesecake,

Hmm...difficult question. I'm not sure which -ism I experienced, be it racism or sexism..you be the judge.
I work for an American company with an office in Japan. I've wanted to work with our Japanese office, so I learned to speak and read a bit of Japanese. I corresponded with members of the office in Japanese and English..everything is fine, ne?
Until I met them in person. The manager is a woman, she was nice to my face, however she apparently "didn't like the way I looked", it's not as if I'm a three headed lobster woman, I'm tallish, blonde, software nerdy type. So my chances of working with the Japanese office is officially shot down as long as she's in charge. (I think the male visitors paid a little too much attention to me, I have a buddy in the Japanese office who filled me in later on the snub...). So just don't go into this with rose colored glasses and you should be fine. Sure, I could pursue this, as it is an American company and her boss is in the US, however I don't want to work for a petty twit.
So, maybe this boils down to good old fashioned female jealousy..I don't know. However my "first contact" with a Japanese company has not been positive....and this is an American company for crying out loud. I can only imagine what it would be like if it was a Japanese company. I think I will use my Japanese as a translator in the US instead. We have several Japanese manufacturing plants who are always looking for translators.

[Ulver_684]

Mina-san, this Spanish video says alot:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... &plindex=0

[Alpo]

I think the subject of racism might more easily be handled on a case-by-case basis.

As far as Japan is concerned, I don't think I've ever met a person who's completed their JET program and expressed to me their feeling that Japan was a largely exclusive nation. Considering they immerse themselves into the society where they're placed, to me that means alot.

On the other hand... I'm a 5th generation Japanese American. Both sides of my family immigrated from Japan in the mid to late 1800's. My nihongo tends to be colloquial or antiquiated so it's pretty obvious when I speak that I'm not a native born speaker even if I appear to be. (Example: Although I don't say it, I think "benjo" before "toirei" and "nambo" before "ikura"... ) I've been ordered out of a cab by the driver in Shinjuku and told that "Japan is for Japanese", and also been called an "inakajin".

I think it's more about how people interact with each other (both + and -), rather then overt institutionalized racism.

[Ulver_684]

Mina-san, this Spanish video says alot:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... &plindex=0

Mina-san!

Any comments for the Spanish video No one?